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Gen
Fonseka outlines
final push
Fifty thousand soldiers from 100 brigades belonging to six
infantry fighting regiments will be used for the final push
 to
take the last LTTE stronghold of Mullaitivu, Army Commander,
Lt.Gen. Sarath..
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Rebel Leader mad over
fall of Kili
The security
forces have been able to record a radio message that was sent to
LTTE battlefield commanders in Kilinochchi by their Supremo
Velupillai Prabhakaran...
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India asks for Tiger
Chief
With Sri Lankan troops closing
in on LTTE’s last bastion Mullaitivu, the Congress on Saturday
asked the island nation to hand over Tamil Tiger Chief
Prabhakaran...
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Towards liberation...
A soldier guarding the
recently captured de facto Tiger capital Kilinochchi. With the
fall of this significant town, security forces recorded a major
victory in the battle to liberate the north from the clutches of
the LTTE |
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Prabha mad over fall of Kilinochchi
The security forces
have been able to record a radio message that was sent to LTTE
battlefield commanders in Kilinochchi by their Supremo
Velupillai Prabhakaran....
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SLMC dissidents to stay
back after disciplinary threat
Two of the three Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) dissidents who
recently accepted high posts with the All Ceylon Muslim Congress
(ACMC), have now opted...
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Bomb was meant for SLAF
Chief?
Security forces suspect that the suicide explosion which
occurred in front of the Air Force Camp at Sir Chittampalam A.
Gardiner Mawatha on Friday evening was originally meant to
target Air Force Commander...
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NEWS |
Silver lining
One good thing that came out of the collapse of the Golden
Key Credit Card Company, is the exposure of hundreds of
professionals like accountants, lawyers and doctors who have
been keeping their actual wealth secret from the tax department
while continuing to earn massive interests by depositing their
black money in such unregistered finance companies. Now finally
the Inland Revenue has a chance to honestly bring these
individuals within the tax net without fear or favour. We
certainly hope it will finally do its job properly,
instead of religiously harassing those who have been
dutifully paying their income tax voluntarily.
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Karuna says Prabha still in
Mullaitivu
Scotching
speculation that LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran has fled the
country due to his inability to resist the present onslaught by
the government troops, Tamil Makkal Vidudalai Puligal (TMVP)
Leader and Parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralidaran alias
Karuna yesterday confirmed that the LTTE Chief was still living
in the thick jungles of Mullaitivu.
Karuna, quoting top level TMVP intelligence sources, told The
Nation yesterday that Prabhakaran continued to give military
leadership to his cadres from the jungles. He categorically
denied speculations that LTTE Leader Prabhakaran had crossed the
Palk Straits, seeking refuge from the Tamil Nadu Government.
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Police downgrades entry
requirements
Due to the inability to face the competition with the other
armed forces, the Police Department has taken steps to downgrade
entry requirements for their enlistments.
Previously, six passes at the G.C.E. O/L examination including
Mathematics, Sinhala, Tamil, English in the first sitting was
required as educational qualifications to join the Police
Service.
But, the recent alterations permit candidates who fulfil the
above mentioned requirements in not more than two sittings
eligible to apply for the Police Service.
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Foreign Ministry denies
Director General/Public
Communications of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs A.M.J. Sadiq
referring to our news report headlined “Sri Lanka Embassy in
Iraq to reopen after FM’s visit,” published last Sunday states:
I wish to register my protest and displeasure at the false and
misleading statements, which had been directly attributed to me
by your reporter in the said news item.
SEE INSIDE Foreign employment agencies to be
streamlined
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) is to
introduce a new grading system for all foreign employment
agencies from this year.
“The main objective of introducing such a system is to give due
recognition to the agencies, which are performing well, to
encourage their businesses by way of rewarding and appreciating
them and to have an unbiased system of introducing the agencies
to foreign job aspirants and to foreign principals,” said SLBFE
Chairman...
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JVP wants action against other
forms of separatism
While being confident of military forces capturing Elephant Pass
and Mullaitivu soon, the JVP yesterday called upon the
government to ensure equal rights for civilians in the north who
were liberated from the LTTE clutches by establishing democracy
in the area soon.
JVP General Secretary Tylvin Silva said this is not a minor
victory, but a massive one achieved by all communities in the
country, especially an achievement of the Tamil civilians.
“Even though some attempted to project this military
victory as a victory achieved by the Sinhalese against
the Tamils, we strongly believe this is not a time for
such petty motives.
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POLITICS |
A ‘trial run’ of vital
importance
 There
is never a dull moment in politics in this country and last week was no
exception. As the rest of the country was celebrating the dawn of the
New Year, the dates for the Provincial Council polls were announced and
President Mahinda Rajapaksa effected a minor cabinet reshuffle.
The cabinet reshuffle was needed because Karu Jayasuriya had returned to
the mainstream United National Party (UNP) some weeks ago, leaving the
vital portfolio of Public Administration and Home Affairs vacant. That
was filled by another former UNP stalwart, Sarath Amunugama who had held
the same portfolio earlier. His Investment Promotion portfolio was
filled by Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.
That the reshuffle stopped there and fell short of a full scale overhaul
of ministerial portfolios, indicate that President Rajapaksa does not
wish to upset the Government’s apple cart just yet,
not with Provincial Polls...
SEE INSIDEPresident wants media cameras to
leave him alone
 On December 30, President Mahinda Rajapaksa summoned his cabinet
of ministers and presented his proposals for a ‘mini budget’
offering a host of relief measures for the public. The proposals
recommended the reduction of the prices of petrol, diesel and
kerosene oil, reduced the interest rates on loans and restricted
charging penalties on those who are unable to make their loan
payments. It was also proposed that allocations to ministries
and to the office of the President, Prime Minister and
Opposition Leader be reduced and all ministers take a 50 percent
reduction on their house rent allowance. In the backdrop of the
Supreme Court order that petrol prices be reduced to Rs. 100 per
litre, the President’s proposals reduced petrol by Rs. 22 for
three wheelers, Rs. 2 for all other...
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NEWS FEATURES |
Renewed vigour to eliminate terrorism
in 2009
The year 2009 has dawned with the news of Sri Lankan armed
forces’ victory in the North. The fall of
Kilinochchi has been celebrated by the people of this country.
The government and the political parties supporting it seem to
be reinvigorated by the victory and determined to defeat the
LTTE and liberate the people in the North. However, some
opposition political parties still have faith in a political
solution to the North East problem.
While government ministers also expressed their willingness to
continue with efforts to find a political solution, some groups
were of the view that a military solution was inevitable. Some
political parties representing minority communities hold a
different view.
SEE INSIDERelief items reach the northern
displaced
Contrary
to speculations that the people living in the conflict areas
have been inadequately fed by the government, reports released
by various organisations, including the respective Government
Agents (GA) strongly indicate there has been a steady flow of
essential food items to these areas.
However, there are still doubts with regard to the proper
distribution of food items inside the Tiger controlled areas,
which according to many aid workers, has been a difficult task.
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Dilshan rallies Sri Lanka
 Tillakaratne
Dilshan smashed a superb 162 off 165 balls to lead Sri Lanka’s
fightback on the opening day of the second and final Test
against Bangladesh here on Saturday.
Dilshan hit two sixes and 21 fours for his sixth Test century as
the visitors recovered from a shaky 75-4 to reach a healthy
371-6 in their first innings at stumps after electing to bat.
The middle-order batsman added 119 for the fifth wicket with
opener Malinda Warnapura (63) and 173 for the next with Chamara
Kapugedera (93 not out) to put Sri Lanka on course for a big
total.
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Point Blank
World Cup at stake unless Asian giants sort
out
 India
and Pakistan will have to soon patch up their differences unless
they want the 2011 World Cup to be moved away from the
subcontinent. The four top Asian Test-playing nations, India,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were granted the opportunity
of hosting the 2011 World Cup by the International Cricket
Council (ICC), but the way things have taken place between the
two Asian giants India and Pakistan, it won’t be long before the
ICC starts to reconsider whether holding the next World Cup in
the subcontinent is going to be a wise move. Following
the Mumbai terror attacks, India called off its
scheduled cricket....
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INTERVIEWS |
“Our council has been named the
non-corrupt provincial council” - Ekanayake
 Many have predicted that year 2009 is going to be an election
year. The first in many to come are the Central and North
Western Provincial Council elections, to be held on February 14.
The Nation this week spoke to United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA)
chief ministerial candidate for the Central Province, incumbent
Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, to learn of his plans for the
province. Ekanayake, thrice Chief Minister, told The Nation
about the work he has already done for the province and what he
expects to do, if he retains...
SEE
INSIDERestoring civilian life in post-conflict
north is imperative – HR Minister
 Post-conflict
measures are something never thought about by the warring
factions during a conflict. The entire focus will be on the war,
or providing immediate relief to the victims. However,
post-conflict measures have already conceived in the mind of
Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda
Samarasinghe, who says his Ministry is now gearing up to meet
the challenges that would transpire after the conflict. The
Minister also does not confine terrorism to Sri Lanka alone, but
adds these are common issues especially within...
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“Central Province will be a turning
point” – S.B.
 There
was a time when this man was renowned as an election winning
machine; when whichever side S.B. Dissanayake happened to be on,
was most likely to win any election. With his street fighter
attitude and powers of oratory, it was Dissanayake that party
leaders looked to when they badly needed an election win.
Unfortunately for the UNP, their trump card failed to win the
tricks for them since the resounding election victory of 2001.
For Dissanayake, the political journey has been rocky since,
with a contempt of court charge that landed him in prison....
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