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No more 'porn' in Jaffna
The LTTE has issued a fresh warning to cinema owners in the Jaffna Peninsula to avoid screening 'adults only' films.

The warning has been issued to some 20 cinema halls operating in the Jaffna peninsula.

A similar warning has been given to mini cinemas operating in the North.

The warning was issued after the LTTE detected 2000 video cassettes of porn films, all of which were destroyed.

Air travel restrictions relaxed

Effective this week the Defence Authorities have relaxed restrictions imposed on those travelling by air from Jaffna to Colombo.

Civilians who hitherto had to report in Jaffna town, six hours prior to flight time for a security screening before proceeding to the Palaly air port can now report one hour before schedule and at a location closer to the air port.

Passengers should now report to the Kadduwan checkpoint at Vasavillan, two kilometres from the airport.

The previous procedure was changed after the Tamil National Alliance raised this matter during Defence Minister Tilak Marapana's discussion held at the Palaly air port recently.

JVP's Tilvin visits London
JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva left for London last week, to address Sri Lankans living in London and Paris on the Government's peace initiative and the Donor meeting in Oslo.

The visit in keeping with the JVP's plan to expand it's international campaign will hold a series of meetings on the current political situation.

The Party Organisers have also arranged meetings with other Marxist party leaders and civil organisations.

The General Secretary is to brief the public and party leaders on the Government's peace initiative, which the party feels is dividing the country. He will also speak on Norway's role and its implication on Sri Lanka.

This being the first visit abroad by the party General Secretary, he is also scheduled to hold important discussions with Party Leader Somawansa Amerasinghe. The Sunday Times learns that an important decision regarding the future of the party would also be taken.

Strangers seen in Sri Lankan cockpit
By Tania Fernando
The Department of Civil Aviation has called for an explanation from Sri Lankan Airlines for allowing an employee and a passenger to be in the cockpit for almost three hours.

The Department called for the explanation after the Director of the Airport and Aviation services who was a passenger on this flight, lodged a complaint to the Department. He had stated that he was on flight UL 505 flying to London on November 11 and had witnessed this incident and that the Department should look into this.

In his letter, he states that Dick Hutton along with a female companion, who is a news anchor for BBC, had been in the cockpit for three hours and as such has requested the Department to carry out an investigation into this incident stating that it was contrary to instructions issued to the crew of any plane.

However, a spokesperson for the airline said that Mr. Hutton was in the cockpit for only 15 minutes and that too for technical purposes. "He is the Chief Technical Officer of the airline and there was no one else with him at that time", she said.

Meanwhile, the Acting Director General of the Department of Civil Aviation H M C Nimalsiri said that they have received a complaint and have written to the airline calling for an explanation.

Travails of a Lankan woman in Kuwait
By Nalaka Nonis
Labour Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe has instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to investigate into an incident where an officer attached to the Sri Lankan embassy in Kuwait has allegedly harassed a Sri Lankan housemaid luring her into prostitution for his own monetary gain.

Minister Sama-rasinghe told The Sunday Times the victim had personally complained to him on her return to Sri Lanka and that he was awaiting the Ministry report.

The victim who is from the Anuradhapura District had also complained to the Minister that she was raped and harassed by Kuwaiti citizens allegedly with the connivance of this embassy official and that this officer has allegedly detained four other Sri Lankan women for similar purposes. The Labour Minister said that he expects an impartial investigation into the matter and is sure that justice would be meted out. 'I have taken this up with the Foreign Affairs Minister Tyronne Fernando and he is very keen that a proper and fair inquiry is held and the true facts revealed, Minister Samarasinghe said.

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