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Gnanakoon takes on India

This millionaire businessman, Gnanakoon ( in sunglasses,) who allegedly assured the late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar that he would be safe during the ceasefire, had arrived in Colombo to take part in the recent protest against the Sethusamudram project opposite the Indian High Commission. He had promised the protesters all the support to sustain the protest against India.

• Gnanakoon offers funds, tries to hijack Sethu Protests
  Police investigations into the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar have revealed that the minister relaxed his security after an assurance given to him by a millionaire businessman closely connected to the LTTE.
  
  
• LTTE may adopt new killing methods
  In the wake of the forthcoming presidential election, the Tigers could adopt new methods to assassinate politicians, said army spokesman Brig. Gamini Rathnayake. He urged the public to keep an eye open for suspicious characters at political meetings.
  
  
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  The Basnayake Nilame Sisira Wijesinghe and other Nilames lead the annual Esala Perahera of the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya, which paraded through the streets last Saturday (27).
  Pic by Kamal Wanniarachchi

• Tea with a targeted man
  The writer is South Asia Bureau Chief for German magazine, Der Spiegel. She is also the President of the Foreign Correspondents Association in New Delhi.
  The foreign office in Colombo confirmed that I was the last journalist in the world to have interviewed Sri Lankan foreign minister, Lakshman Kadirgamar at his official residence, two weeks before he was shot dead.
  I had made the realisation myself, the evening of his assassination, and raced for my notebook to find two prophecies: one hopeful, the other eerie.
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• 55th Anniversary Lecture of the Central Bank
  Central Bank continues to translate policy to effective action
   - Dr.Nimal Sandaratne
  The pre 1977 and post 1977 periods marked economic progress in Sri Lanka and resulting fiscal progress impacted on the Central Bank, which ensured a high profile influence on the economy, were the featured remarks of Dr. Nimal Sanderatne at the 55th Anniversary lecture of the Central Bank this week. 
   

• Lanka's BOP record surplus on tsunami aid
  COLOMBO, (AFP) - Tsunami aid helped Sri Lanka's balance of payments swing to a surplus in the first half of 2005 even as the country's trade deficit widened on higher oil prices, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said Thursday.

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• Sri Lanka Satellite International Badminton Championships
  India’s Anand and Thailand’s Sujitra clinch titles
  Chetan Anand of India and Sujitra Ekmongkopaisar of Thailand emerged men’s and women’s singles champions at the Sri Lanka Satellite Badminton Championships which ended at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.

  Sri Lankan mixed doubles champions Thushara Edirisinghe and Chandrika de Silva receive their awards from IBF Council Member and Manager of Administration Eraj Wijesinghe at the awards ceremony of the Sri Lanka Satellite International Badminton Championship held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium yesterday.
   

• 31st National Sports Festival
  Western Province champs
  Western Province has been victorious in the National Sports Festival (NSF) earlier known as Inter-Provincial sports meet, ever since it was inaugurated in 1972.
  Western Province continued to dominate the rest of the seven provinces this year too when they comfortably won with 238 points. The 31st NSF ended with a beautiful closing ceremony on Saturday at the Bernard Aluvihare ground in Matale.
  
  The captain of the victorious Western Province receives the champions’ trophy.
   

  
  
  The Best Women’s athlete of the 31st National Sports Festival, Jani Chathurangani Silva of North Western Province receives her award from Janaka Bandara Tennekoon, the Minister for Provincial Councils and Local Government. -Pix. Thiwanka Abeyratne.

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