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BOI Chairman quit amidst corruption allegations
Waruna Karunatilake in Colombo,
1207 SLT 26.03.01 1207.
Bureau of Investment (BOI) Chairman Thilan Wijesinghe submitted his
resignation today after a long running corruption scandal came to
ahead.President Kumaratunga forced Wijesinghe to resign After the
Independent Bribery and Corruption Commission instituted proceedings in the
Magistrate's Court after a year long investigation. Leading Businessman
Mano Selvanathan has been asked by the President to take over the BOI.
However there was no confirmation whether Selvanathan has agreed to take up
the post
end
Published: Mon Mar 26 01:18:31 EST 2001
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Viagra to raise Sri Lanka troop morale
123India.com,
Mar 27 2001 07:49 IST.
A year after Sri Lankan troops bought multi-barrel rockets and swing-wing jets to resist a massive offensive by Tamil rebels another key "weapon" is being inducted to fight a different battle. The latest acquisition by the medical corps has the potential to raise morale to new heights in an army where nearly a tenth of troops have been wounded while battling separatist Tamil Tiger rebels in the north-east.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 22:36:21 EST 2001
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Destroyed Buddha
statues shown off
MSNBC,
march 26.
Ignoring
worldwide criticism by Muslims, Buddhists and
art lovers, Taliban officials showed off their
destruction of two ancient statues on Monday
by taking foreigners to the Bamiyan
mountainside where the relics were blasted
apart.ALL THAT REMAINED of the two
towering sandstone statues of Buddha that had
been carved in the mountainside in the 3rd and
5th centuries was chunks of rubble.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 13:58:42 EST 2001
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Cricket boss sacked
BBC South Asia,
Monday, 26 March, 2001, 14:31 GMT 15:31 UK .
The Sri Lankan cricket authorities have sacked their chief executive, Dhammika Ranatunga, after a four-month investigation into a
number of allegations against him.His job has been given to a former national team captain, Anura Thennakon.The Sri Lankan cricket board said there were five main charges against Mr Ranatunga but declined to give details.Mr Ranatunga was suspended in November; correspondents say one of the reasons was the way he challenged a cricket television deal,
and his involvement in the construction of the new ground at Dambulla in central Sri Lanka.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 10:19:01 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka steps up air strikes against Tamil Tigers
123India.com,
Mar 26 2001 14:23 IST.
Airforce jets bombed suspected Tamil Tiger positions in northern Sri Lanka as ground troops killed at least six rebels in other clashes, defence officials here said Monday. Aircraft pounded the Pooneryn area just south of the Jaffna peninsula on Sunday, officials said adding that the raid was carried out following reports of a rebel build-up.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 10:19:23 EST 2001
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Migrants from Sri Lanka, Ecuador detained
Times of India (Breaking News),
march 27.
Nine Sri Lankans and
231 Ecuadorans captured in international
waters by the US coast guard are being
detained in Guatemala, its immigration
officials have said.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 20:29:41 EST 2001
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Court injunction against Cricket Board elections
Waruna Karunatilake in Colombo,
1715 SLT 26.03.01.
The Colombo District court today granted an injunction against the holding
of the Annual General Meeting of the Cricket Board on March 31st. The
Injunction was issued after a group opposition the current Board President
Thilanga Sumathipala said the AGM was not been held as per the constitution
of the board. A spokesman for Board President said the Board would appeal
against the injunction tomorrow.
Published: Mon Mar 26 08:26:11 EST 2001
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Police intend questioning another Customs officer
Island,
26 March 2001.
Police investigating the killing of Customs Department Preventive Officer,
Sujith Priyantha Perera on Saturday (24) by two unidentified gunmen riding a
motorcycle at Thorana Junction, Kelaniya intend questioning another Customs
Officer who had been serving with Sujith Priyantha Perera, police sources
said.Investigations have revealed that Sujith Priyantha Perera had given evidence
against this Customs Officer at a disciplinary liquiry held against him by the
Customs Department.
It had also been revealed that Sujith Priyantha Perera had been an efficient
Customs Officer and that he had carried out several successful raids.
More...
Published: Sun Mar 25 22:45:39 EST 2001
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A special ward at Colombo National Hospital for ill artists.
Waruna Karunatilake in Colombo.
The Deputy Minister of Culture told Parliament today that a special ward
would be allocated for treatment of artists who fall ill. He said he has
seen artist who serve the nation not getting proper treatment in hospitals.
The Deputy Minister was speaking at the Committee stage of the budget debate.
end
Published: Mon Mar 26 08:26:11 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka to protest to India against illegal fishing
Waruna Karunatilake in Colombo,
1907 SLT 26.03.01.
Fisheries Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa is to protest to the Indian High
Commissioner in Colombo against illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters by
Indian fishermen. The Minister said he will be meeting the Indian High
Commissioner next week to brief him on the large scale violation of Sri
Lankan waters. The Minister said hundreds of Indian trawlers cross over to
Sri Lanka's northern waters and fish illegally. Sri Lankan fishermen a
banned from deep sea fighting in the North due to security considerations.
Published: Mon Mar 26 08:26:10 EST 2001
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LTTE peace talks high on Kumaratunga's French agenda
India Abroad,
March 26, 2001 13:15 Hrs (IST) .
LACK of progress in peace talks between the Sri Lankan government and rebel Tamil Tigers is expected to figure high on the list of topics for discussion when Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga meets her French counterpart Jacques Chirac Wednesday. Kumaratunga arrives here Tuesday, accompanied by a high level delegation, for a three-day official visit to France. She will be accompanied by Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar. On Wednesday, President Chirac will host an official lunch in honor of the Lankan president. The lunch will be preceded by a meeting of the two leaders. At the meeting, Chirac is likely to stress the importance of renewing negotiations with the Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam (LTTE), fighting for independence in the island's northeastern region.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 04:39:19 EST 2001
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Sir Arthur does Sri Lanka proud
Bandula Jayasekara in New York,
NY Time 9.45 a.m Monday 26 March.
Space Guru Sir Arthur C. Clarke who has
made Sri Lanka his home did the country proud last night at the Oscars held
at the Shrine auditorium in Los Angeles.He spread the name of the country
and its capital Colombo to millions of viewers around the world. Much
respected Hollywood actor and twice Oscar winner Tom Hanks who introduced
Sir Arthur connected him via satellite and invited him to read out the names
of the nominees for the best adopted screenplay and announce the name of the
winner. Tom Hanks said that Sir Arthur lives in Colombo , Sri Lanka as the
satellite pictures showed a backdrop of city's landscape.
Sir Arthur C. Clarke told millions of viewers that he lives in Colombo Sri
Lanka giving the war torn country much desired publicity. Even though mega
movies such as Indiana Jones directed by Steven Spielberg had been shot on
location in Sri Lanka, most Americans have a poor knowledge of the country
and Hollywood producers and film stars are reluctant to visit the island
considering the security situation in the island.
Published: Mon Mar 26 09:56:02 EST 2001
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Tamil prisoners, soldiers clash in Jaffna jail
Times of India (Breaking News),
Monday, 26 March 2001 .
COLOMBO: Nineteen soldiers detained in a prison in Sri Lanka's northern city of Jaffna were shifted to another jail after Tamil prisoners clashed with them on Sunday, official sources said here. Security forces had to intervene to prevent a possible revenge attack by Tamil prisoners on the imprisoned soldiers who included eight army personnel accused on involvement in the slaying of eight Tamils at Mirusuvil in the Jaffna peninsula last December.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 08:13:25 EST 2001
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Asian Nations All But Clear The Way For Annan Reelection
Yahoo India,
27 March 2001.
UNITED NATIONS (AP)--Asian nations all but cleared the way Monday for U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan's election to a second
term.
They unanimously praised Annan's "exemplary leadership" at a meeting Monday, said Pakistan's U.N. Ambassador Shamshad Ahmad, the
current chairman of the Asian Group.
Even though the Asians stopped short of endorsing Annan for a second term, they virtually ruled out fielding a candidate to challenge him,
Ahmad said.Asians mentioned in U.N. circles as possible candidates include Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga, former Thai foreign
minister Surin Pitsuwan, Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the country's U.N. Ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury, and
Singapore's U.N. Ambassador Kishore Mahbubani and former ambassador Tommy Koh.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 21:25:20 EST 2001
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Umpires strike back
Yahoo India,
27 March 2001.
Lord's Cricket Ground is a long way from the cauldron of Colombo but it was here that officials Wednesday took the first step in
responding to concerns about declining standards of umpiring.
Britain's Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers (ACUS), together with cricket law maker MCC and the England and Wales Cricket
Board (ECB) has produced a new training video, 'The Laws of Cricket - 2000 Code', which aims to aid umpires in their understanding
and application of the sport's complex rulebook.
The video, shot in Barbados, features West Indies great Garfield Sobers.
"Since I stopped playing the game has changed. It's very noticeable the appealing of players, even to people who haven't played the
game," the legendary all-rounder said.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 21:28:40 EST 2001
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Lankan peace process steeped in
secrecy: Solheim
southern Nexus,
march 25.
Norwegian special envoy Erik Solheim has said that the peace process he is seeking to facilitate in
Sri Lanka is mired in secrecy, but claimed that prospects for ending the ethnic fighting are bright. "Neither the Tamils nor the Sinhalese are aware of the state of the ongoing peace process, but certainly not all details
can be revealed to the people," he told Independent Broadcasting Corporation, a London-based radio.
"We can share only a few details, and in any case cannot reveal anything on our own, but the possibilities for achieving
peace exist," he was quoted as telling the radio by Tamil daily Veerakesari.
More...
Published: Sun Mar 25 15:39:29 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka's top Tiger kids excel in state exams: report
123India.com,
Mar 25 2001 11:43 IST.
The children of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebel leader have excelled at a national school exam, a state-run weekly reported Sunday. But the education department has raised questions if they took the test in a jungle lair and, if so, whether they were properly supervised.Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran's son, Charles Anthony, and daughter, Duvaraha,
sat for the high school General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level) from the
rebel-held Kilinochchi district, the Sunday Observer said.
More...
Published: Sun Mar 25 13:04:16 EST 2001
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The men in white coats need a better deal
Yahoo India,
27 March 2001.
PUNE, MARCH 26. It's time the International Cricket Council (ICC) speedily responds to the umpiring-related incidents in the three Test
series between England-Sri Lanka and Australia-India. England appeared to be more affected by some of the decisions handed out by the
ICC Panel umpires, one of whom was also a home umpire. England lost the first Test in Galle and had a genuine reason for grouse. The
second and third Tests between these two countries, which England won to take the series 2-1 were also not incident or rancour free.
The whole cricketing world was witness to the spectacle of Sri Lanka's skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, throwing up tantrums and flinging his
helmet when given out caught `off the bounce' in Kandy.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 21:22:57 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka gold robber blessed with spiritual links
123India.com,
Mar 25 2001 19:32 IST.
The son of a Sri Lankan government minister has been arrested in connection with an armed robbery at a post office, officials said Sunday. Prabath Premaratne, the son of the deputy minister for the Buddhist affairs ministry Buddha Sasana, was arrested on Friday night together with one of the minister's police bodyguards, officials said.
More...
Published: Sun Mar 25 13:08:32 EST 2001
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A global smoking battle
BBC South Asia,
Wednesday, 2 August, 2000, 11:20 GMT 12:20 UK.
Anti-smoking drives in many Western countries have paid dividends - only this week, figures released in the UK showed lung cancer deaths down by a half, mainly due to people giving up. However, for everyone that gives up, there appear to be a more potential customers for the tobacco firms.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 08:47:01 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka gain one-day revenge
BBC South Asia,
Sunday, 25 March, 2001, 16:35 GMT .
Click here for scorecard Sri Lanka claimed victory over England in the one-day series thanks to an emphatic win in the second match in Colombo by 66 runs.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 08:53:17 EST 2001
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Sri Lankan Day held at Global Village
gulf News,
march 25.
The Sri Lankan community in Dubai celebrated Sri Lankan Day at the Global Village
yesterday with demonstrations of the island's rich cultural heritage. Although Sri
Lanka's National Day falls on February 4, the Lankan Community decided to celebrate
the event at the Global Village during the shopping festival.
More...
Published: Sun Mar 25 15:52:00 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka Tamil Tigers Top Leader Makes Public Appearance
Yahoo India,
March 21,.
Vellupillai Prabhakaran, the secretive leader of Tamil Tiger rebels, made a
rare public appearance in a northern town to attend a ceremony of his administration, a
pro-rebel Web site reported Wednesday.The rebels run a parallel administration in the areas under their control with a separate
police and judicial system.Prabhakaran, a school dropout, runs the LTTE with absolute power which he never
delegates to others.
More...
Published: Mon Mar 26 21:26:12 EST 2001
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ncreasing crime due to lack of screening recruits to the forces — Chairman ADEP
Island,
26 March 2001.
The Association of Disabled and Ex-service Personnel (ADEP) last week
attributed the increasing number of crimes involving ex-service personnel to a
lack of proper administration and discipline within the forces.
Chairman of the association, Asoka Dayaratne addressing a press conference
said that administration and discipline within the forces must be stringent but an
obvious lack of it has led to a deterioration within the forces which has
affected the entire society. "There is an obvious lapse in the recruiting
procedures. For an example where a man who had committed rape was able
to avoid court action against him by joining the forces and serving in the North
and East. New recruits are not properly screened beforehand," he said.
More...
Published: Sun Mar 25 22:48:34 EST 2001
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Lankan Tamils disillusioned with TN politicians
Times of India (Breaking News),
march 25.
Sri Lankan Tamils are
disillusioned with the "opportunistic"
political leaders of Tamil Nadu, as their
avowed support for the group's cause is
conveniently forgotten during election
time, a Tamil magazine published here has
claimed."As leaders make and break alliances, as
ideals and friendships are discarded in the
opportunistic electoral scene in Tamil
Nadu, the problem of the Sri Lankan
Tamils has become one of the forgotten
causes," Sudar Oli said in its latest edition.
More...
Published: Sun Mar 25 13:26:06 EST 2001
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Sri Lanka to look past war for tourism growth
MSNBC,
March 25.
Sri Lanka is about to
launch an ambitious tourism campaign
to try to position the country as a major
holiday destination in Asia despite the
ethnic conflict, the head of the Ceylon
Tourist Board said on Sunday.
More...
Published: Sun Mar 25 13:26:56 EST 2001
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