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Sunday September 27th, 2009 |
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Trinco coal power deal finalised
The long drawn out negotiations to hammer out a joint venture
agreement between the National Thermal Power Corporation of
India (NTPC) and the Ceylon Electricity Board to build the
country’s second coal power plant at Sampur, Trincomalee has
finally come to fruition, but the deal will not be signed next
week as claimed in a report.
According to authoritative sources at least five
different agreements pertaining to the two stage 1000 MW project
runs to hundreds of pages and they are now in the process of
going over their final drafts to ensure...
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No-confidence motion against Hisbullah tomorrow
Reacting to allegations made against him
and the no-confidence motion mooted against him by
the UNP being taken up tomorrow, Eastern Province
Health Minister M.L.M Hisbullah says the claims are
unfounded and created with the intention of defaming
him.
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Massive pro-LTTE rally in Germany
Pro-LTTE elements in Germany are planning to stage a
massive demonstration in front of the state
Parliament in Düsseldorf, the capital city of the
German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) today
as the country holds the 17th federal election to
elect the members of the Bundestag, the federal
Parliament.
SEE INSIDE
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Tangy Grapes
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Jaffna
grapes in abundant supplies are now reaching markets in
the South, like other produce from the North. Though the
produce is slightly tangy, at Rs. 60 per 200 grams they
appear to be much in demand. Here our cameraman Rukshan
Abeywansha captured the scene of this enthusiastic
trader in Pettah holding out the Jaffna produce to
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Film legend’s statue to be unveiled
A statue of Lankan film legend Gamini Fonseka will
be unveiled in front of the Elphinstone Theatre,
Maradana at 2:30 p.m. on September 30 to mark his
fifth death anniversary.
The legendary actor’s son Damith Fonseka told The
Nation that the statue was turned out by well-known
sculptor Gunasena Kurulugama.“There will be a
special...
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MP Baiz’s driver shot
No arrests have been made in connection with the
shooting of Livestock Development Deputy Minister
K.A. Baiz’s driver on Friday night, police
spokesperson DIG Nimal Mediwaka said last night.
The driver, Mohammed Hafil, had been on a motorbike
when he was shot while coming from the Minister’s
house, by two gunmen allegedly belonging to an
underworld gang.
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Minister’s wanted son still missing
Rasika Ekanayake, UNP Member of the
Anuradhapura-Central Nuwaragam Palatha Pradeshiya
Sabha and son of Highways and Road Development
Deputy Minister W.B Ekanayake, and a Police
Constable (PC) attached to Mahawilachchiya Police
wanted by the police for allegedly assaulting
another PC, who was on duty at the Deputy Minister’s
residence at Anuradhapura are still evading arrest.
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NEWS |
IDP release back on track
Accepting applications from the relatives of IDPs to
take them from welfare camps, which was abruptly
suspended last week, will quickly resume with the
introduction of a standardised application with revised
criteria, said Vavuniya Government ...
SEE
INSIDEMukunuwenna duplicate carries risk of cancer
Consuming the alligator
plant, often mistaken for mukunuwenna carries an
increased risk of cancer, informed W.M.K.B.
Wahundeniya, Acting Director (Research) of the Plant
Protection Service, Department of Agriculture,
Gannoruwa. He added the alligator plant is once
again being sold to the public by mistaken vendors.
“We noticed its return about six months ago after it
was first introduced to Sri Lanka by Australia in
1999,” said agricultural instructor Chandrika
Herath.
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UL might be violating air
navigation law
National carrier
SriLankan might be violating the country’s aviation
laws for the last several months by continuing to
ignore the applications of several experienced
Lankan pilots who have applied to join it, while
continuing to retain as many as 35 expatriate pilots
at great cost to the airline.
Most of these pilots who were earlier working for
the Indian carrier Kingfisher were laid off due to
the global recession, while giving preference to its
Indian pilots.
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Maldivian opposition brings grievances
to Colombo
The Maldivian
opposition seeking support from its neighbouring
allies was in Sri Lanka this week to attract
attention to what it calls “a corrupt and
dictatorship rule” by current President Mohammed
Nasheed.
The group that comprised frontline Islamic
Democratic Party (IDP) and Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party
(DRP) held a media briefing where they detailed
alleged mismanagement and corruption at
“insurmountable levels” instigated supposedly by the
current President Nasheed.
SEE INSIDE No disruption to Triposha supply
– Ministry
Health Ministry yesterday claimed that it was in
possession of enough raw material stocks to
manufacture Triposha for four months, therefore,
suppliers threatening to stop supplies would have no
effect on the distribution of this vital food
supplement to poor children.
SEE INSIDE World Heart Day today
The Non-Communicable Diseases Unit of Healthcare and
Nutrition Ministry, in collaboration with the
Labour, Human Resources and Public Administration
Ministries, has organised islandwide programmes to
mark the World Heart Day falling today.
SEE INSIDE Govt. takes over
Moneragala Base Hospital
The government has taken
over the Moneragala Base Hospital under its purview,
said Dr. Ajith Mendis, Director General of Health.
“The project has received the Cabinet and Provincial
Council approval and the Central Government will
take over the hospital starting Thursday this week,”
confirmed Dr. Mendis.
According to him a number of changes will take place
and one project planned is the construction of a
four-storeyed building which is expected to house an
Intensive Care Unit, Pre-natal Care Unit,
Paediatrics Ward and two medical wards.
SEE INSIDE Abducted Moulavi given a lecture by politico
An armed gang in a white van allegedly abducted
Moulavi S.L.M. Haneefa (Madani), the President of
Eastern Province Mosque Federation, the Secretary of
Ampara District Muslim Peace Secretariat and the
President of Muslim Assembly for National Unity,
from his business establishment last week and
released after half an hour. The armed gang, after
threatening and beating up one of his employees, who
came to rescue the Moulalvi, took him away in a white
van without a number plate.
SEE INSIDE Another Southern Highway bridge mishap
Road Development Authority (RDA) concluding its
preliminary probe into the fall of a concrete slab
from a bridge on the Southern Highway close to the
collapsed Poddala metal arch bridge, stated that it
was a minor incident and there was no need to panic.SEE
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POLITICS |
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In the shadow of SWRD
 Fifty years ago yesterday, independent Sri Lanka’s fourth
Prime Minister Solomon West Ridgeway Dias (SWRD)
Bandaranaike was assassinated. In that half-a-century, the
country has taken vast strides, but has also been through
terrible turmoil, and this is an opportune moment as any, to
assess the impact of SWRD, his legacy to the nation and the
role
of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), in the five
decades that has elapsed since his demise.
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MR ends
‘home and home’
fight in Galle
There is reportedly a marked increase in the incidents of
violence with the election fever running high in the South.
The Hambantota and Galle Districts account for the most
election-related incidents reported so far. A number of
incidents where UPFA supporters had attacked the UNP and JVP
candidates and their supporters torn down their election
offices have been reported from the Hambantota district.
But the violence in the Galle District has taken a
different turn. The parties to the clashes there are
UPFA candidates and supporters themselves, making it
a singular home and home fight. An UPFA candidate
standing out in this ugly scene is Nishantha
Mutuhettigama.
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NEWS FEATURES |
IN RETROSPECT
The first PC election held under the Presidency
of Mahinda Rajapaksa, was the Eastern Provincial
Council (EPC) elections held after a lapse of 20
years, on May 10, 2008. The objective of the
election was to establish civil administration in
the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara,
following the elimination of the LTTE from the East
on July 10, 2007. It was crucial, as it was the
first PC election held after the separation of the
East from the North-East Provincial Council (NEPC).
SEE INSIDEThe Southern PC Election: The challenges for parties in the fray
The Southern Provincial Council election is to be
held on October 10. This would complete the PC
elections, held on a staggered basis, a system
clearly favouring the ruling party. The UPFA is
predicted to win and win in a landslide.
What is the significance of this election though?
The objectives vary in accordance with the party. As
for the candidates, in the context of the PR system
and preferential votes, all that matters is to poll
enough votes to get in. The system guarantees that
multiple candidates from the UNP and UPFA will get
elected. So the relevant candidates just need to get
into the elected list. The aspirations of parties
are of a different order.
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PBJ granted leave to resume office
Sri
Lanka’s apex court - The Supreme Court during last
Thursday’s hearing of the case, granted leave to
proceed for an application by former Treasury
Secretary Dr P B Jayasundara (present Petitioner),
to revoke his earlier affidavit which held him from
taking up public office.
The case is being heard by a seven judge bench
after considering submissions by Presidents Counsel
Faiz Mustapha on behalf of Dr Jayasundara and
preliminary objections raised by the Counsel M A
Sumanthiran on behalf of original Petitioner
Vasudewa Nanayakkara and Nihal Sri Amerasekera.
SEE
INSIDE Media reports false: Budget on schedule, ready to debate financial transactions – Deputy Finance Minister
A media report which appeared during the last
weekend claiming that the government would not be
presenting a budget this year in view of a general
election early next year, was brought up in the
House by the main Opposition UNP,
when the sessions
started for the week last Tuesday.
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Lanka in must-win situation
 Sri Lanka realised just how competitive this fifth
edition of the ICC’s Champions trophy is going to be
for all teams as they suffered a shock defeat at the
hands of England on Friday and now face a must-win
situation in their final Group B match against New
Zealand at the New Wanderers Stadium here on Sunday
if they are to qualify for a place in the
semi-finals.
A win against England would have ensured them of
a semi-final berth and made today’s contest against
New Zealand a dead one, but now Sri Lanka has all to
play for and skipper Kumar Sangakkara knows that.
“Every game is important in the Champions Trophy. We
started off very well against South Africa but we
have a few areas to brush up with the game
especially with our fielding,” said Sangakkara.
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 The survival of one-day cricket
The talking
point before and during the on-going ICC Champions
trophy is the future of one-day international
cricket. Opinions are diversified. While some say
its survival depends on the success of the Champions
trophy in South Africa there are others who want
certain changes made to the format like cutting it
down from fifty overs to forty to keep it alive
while another cross section wants one-day cricket
abolished totally.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) doesn’t
see it that way. They believe that all three formats
– Test Cricket, One-day Internationals and Twenty20
Internationals all have a place in their calendar.
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Modest total made it easy for us to handle Mendis – Collingwood
 Man-of-the-Match
Paul
Collingwood stated that Sri Lanka’s moderate total
enabled England to negotiate mystery spinner Ajantha
Mendis successfully and secure a six-wicket win for
his side in the Champions trophy fixture against Sri
Lanka at the New Wanderers here on Friday.
Sri Lanka put into bat under overcast and cold
conditions similar to an early English summer was
dismissed for 212 off 47 overs. They would have been
in a worse plight if not for middle-order
contributions from Thilan Samaraweera (30), Thilina
Kandamby (53) and Angelo Mathews (52) after having
lost the first four wickets for just 17 runs in 5.2
overs.
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Sri Lanka U-19 cricket tour to Australia
The Sri Lanka Under-19 cricket team will tour to
Australia for a series of five One-Day
Internationals from September 28 to October 12 in
Darwin. This tour has been arranged by Sri Lanka
Cricket (SLC) in preparation for the forthcoming
Junior World Cup to be held in New Zealand. A
drastic change took place within the coaching staff
of the national under-19 cricket squad after a
series of unsuccessful tours in the recent times.
Former Bloomfield and Nondescript Sports Club
batsman, Naveed Nawaz who also coached the Sinhalese
Sports Club to a Premier championship replaced Roger
Wijesuriya who served a considerable period as the
National junior coach.
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INTERVIEWS |
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Female
suicide bombers hiding under NGO cover
 The conduct of a certain NGO which had provided cover for
the clandestine activity of the LTTE cadres came to light
last week, when intelligence sleuths identified two women
employed at its Vavuniya office as the LTTE suicide bombers
and later unearthed two sets of suicide bomb kits in their
possession.
Following intelligence received by OIC Galle Special
Investigation Unit Ariyabandu Wedagedara a special Police
team arrested Black Tiger cadre Kandiah Gauri alias Kuvalini
following a raid on a house at Ukkulankulam in Vavuniya on
September 22. The woman suspect bit on two cyanide capsules
she had already inside her mouth as she stepped into the
vehicle which was to take her to the Police headquarters.
She was rushed to hospital but she died there.
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INSIDE |
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