Jumbos raring to go

UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe holds a placard protesting against alleged corruption, terror and abductions taking place in the country at a meeting organized by the party’s lawyers at the
New Town Hall yesterday.
( Pic by Nihal Chandrakumara)

• No alliance with UNP reiterates Somawansa
  JVP meets Mangala on Wednesday
  The Peoples Liberation Front (JVP) Leader Somawansa Amerasinghe yesterday said his party would be meeting with Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Suriarachchi of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana Wing) at Battaramulla party head office, on Wednesday(5) "to know their minds."" We are meeting them with an open mind. We have already mentioned about our own reservations on their deal with the UNP. We don’t think that the country could gain anything positive by going along with the UNP."
  
  

• Milinda to be quizzed by PCI
  The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCI) appointed to probe into failed finance companies will quiz Minister Milinda Moragoda soon, reliable sources said. The Commission is scheduled to commence its functions today(2).This Commission is set to probe on the corruptions and frauds revealed by the Parliamentary watchdog committee, COPE, sources said.

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• Perspectives on Terrorism
  It’s safe to say that the driver of the car packed with explosives that was found in central London early Friday morning was not a very impressive terrorist. Driving erratically down Haymarket at 1.30 in the morning in a big, shiny Mercedes, crashing it into a garbage bin, getting out and running away — it all suggests that he didn’t pay proper attention back in terrorist school. Maybe he was just overcome by the fumes, but the other terrorist didn’t do much better. He managed to park his explosives-packed car in Cockspur St. — but he parked illegally, so it was ticketed and towed away.
   
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• US concessions for apparel sector vital - G.L in Washington
  At a series of meetings in Washington, Professor G.L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade, made out a strong case for preferential access for apparel products from Sri Lanka into the markets of the United States.
   

• Hotels in Sri Lanka cut rates as tourism drops
  Hoteliers in Sri Lanka are cutting prices in an attempt to win back tourists deterred from visiting the Indian Ocean island by continuing civil conflict.According to figures published this week, the number of British visitors to Sri Lanka fell from 38,420 during the first five months of last year to 34,021 in the same period this year.
   

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• A Sri Lankan could be next ICC boss
  With the International Cricket Council agreeing to appoint an Asian as its new Chief Executive at the end of Malcolm Speed’s tenure in 2008, the names of former Sri Lanka captains Duleep Mendis and Ranjan Madugalle have been mentioned as possible replacements. Reports from London said that during the recent ICC meeting, Sharad Pawar, President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India had agreed to stand down from the race for the ICC Presidency, provided ECB Chairman and President elect David Morgan agrees to a request from the Asian block to appoint an Asian as the CEO of the game’s governing body.
   

• Kandy dump CR 23-0
  Expectations were high to witness a gruelling battle but it was an anticlimax in the end as CR & FC were dumped in their own den by the reigning champions Kandy SC who recorded a convincing win by 23 points to nothing to remain on top of the table at the end of the first phase of the Caltex ‘A’ division inter-club rugby league match played amidst a packed house at Longden Place, Colombo, yesterday.
   

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