SAARC leaders yesterday issued a special

Bangladesh is now fine-tuning its position papers on crucial regional issues like food, energy, trade and climate change which will figure high in the 15th SAARC Summit, beginning in Colombo on August 2.

The heavy rainfall during the past few days have affected at least 33,222 people from 7,848 families while three persons died in Kegalle, Gampaha and Matale as a result of floods in districts including Rathnapura, Gampaha, Kegalle, Colombo, Matale and Kandy.

According to the Director of the National Disaster Relief Services Centre (NDRSC) N.D.Hettiarachchi the Government has already provided sufficient relief assistance including an allocation of Rs.500,000 from the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services.

A programme has been launched to beautify the city of Colombo at a cost of Rs 374 million in time for the forthcoming SAARC Summit, Mayor of Colombo U. M. Imitiyaz said.

He said that was the first time the CMC had expended such a huge amount of funds on a city improvement project.

The Project included rehabilitation of the Sathutu Uyana and the road network in the city, repairs street lighting system and colour washing of the state building.

The vehicle emission testing programme, aimed at regulating the amount of fuel fumes released to the air by vehicles will be implemented from today. The programme, designed by the Environmental and Natural Resources Ministry in collaboration with the Transport Ministry, will be launched today with the opening of the first two emission testing centres at Kiribathgoda and Miriswatta junction on the Colombo-Kandy highway.

South Asian leaders will focus on greater connectivity and a common strategy to ensure food security and meet growing demand for energy in the region when they will meet in Colombo. This year's summit of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, scheduled for August 2-3, is themed on

There is a 95 per cent increase in the number of dengue cases in the Colombo city alone, the Public Health Department of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) revealed. Eighteen patients have already been admitted to the Colombo National Hospital during this month. "This is an alarming situation and there is a possibility of a rise in the number of dengue patients in the coming months unless proper action is taken to control mosquito breeding," Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam said.

Sri Lankan Cabinet today approved a proposal submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Finance and Planning requesting suggestions for alternative measures for the burning fuel crisis. The President has sought cabinet approval to prepare a complete report of the alternative measures that should be adopted for fuel management. Rajapaksa has requested all his ministers to offer suggestions that could be practically implemented within Sri Lanka's economy to reduce the fuel consumption in the country and seek new energy sources.

The Danish Government has provided two interest free loans of Rs. 7.7 billion and Rs. 8.8 billion for the construction of Oluvil Port and the Kelani Right Bank Water Treatment Plant under the Danish Mixed Credit Programme. The funds are channelled through the Nordea Bank of Denmark. The proposed Oluvil Port will have the capability to cater to large ships with in-built tanks exceeding the eight metre depth level mark.

A consortium of three leading corporates would invest over Rs. 2,5 billion for a combined mixed development project of their properties which are situated adjacent to each other in Colombo 2. John Keells Holdings, Associated Motorways and Finlays Colombo signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to undertake a feasibility study for this project expected to be a landmark in the city of Colombo. The construction of the project is expected to commence in 2010.