Lankan refugees who sheltered Snowden in HK speak

A group of Sri Lankan and Filipino refugees in Hong Kong sheltered US whistleblower Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor, until he fled to Russia from Hong Kong. Ajith Puspakumara, a 44-year-old former Sri Lankan soldier and Supun Kellapatha had provided shelter to Snowden in 2013. 

The refugees told the CNN about their experiences and how they housed and hosted ‘the most wanted man.’

Flight stopped after bird collides with plane

A flight from Colombo to Dubai via Mattala had to be stopped after a bird collided with the plane close to the Mattala Airport. 

The Fly Dubai FZ 551 flight with 43 passengers and seven crew members landed safely at the Mattala Airport following the collision yesterday morning. According to sources, the bird had collided directly with the plane’s engine. 

 Later, another flight from the same airline had arrived at the Mattala airport to take the passengers to Dubai. The plane which collided with the bird is currently lying at the Mattala Airport.

Sandeep cannot remember being knocked down by Minister’s SUV

Sandeep Sampath Gunawardena, who received serious injuries after the motorcycle he was riding was knocked down by Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka’s SUV in late February, yesterday, said that he could not remember anything about the accident.

Gunawardena was discharged from the Rehabilitation Hospital on Tuesday and now he is receiving treatment at his home in Pitipana, Homagama.

"I can only remember returning from a function at the BMICH on the fateful day," he said.

His father Dayananda Gunawardena said, "We are at his bedside day and night. He is still unable to attend to many physical functions like walking without assistance."

New land laws before end of year

A new legislation titled "Lands (Special Provisions) Bill" would be presented to Parliament before the end of the year to do away with or relax various restrictions on land use and ownership, Lands Minister John Amaratunga said.

He said the Bill would grant outright ownership of lands to those who possess Swarna Bhoomi and Jaya Bhoomi deeds. He said disputes among the members in the same family had risen due to various restrictions in the law on land ownership and transfer. He said the new legislation would solve those issues.

Another new legislation titled ‘Land Bank Bill’ would also be presented before the end of year to simplify the release of state lands for various purposes, Minister Amaratunga said. A data bank of all state lands would be maintained under that legislation.

He said the land held by security establishments in the North would be gradually released to the original owners in a manner that does not compromise national security.

The regulations presented to the House by the Minister were to expedite the land acquisition and compensation payment during the construction of Matara - Hambantota Extension of Southern Expressway and Central Expressway.

Dinesh seeks release of vehicles held at H’tota port

Acting Finance Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena revealed in Parliament yesterday that the government would consider releasing the vehicles imported by professionals through companies by opening the Letters of Credit before the vehicle tax was increased.

Acting Minister said the matter was being discussed with the President and other relevant institutions and they hoped to come to a solution soon.

He made these observations in Parliament yesterday when the joint opposition member Dinesh Gunawardena requested the Finance Acting Minister to involve himself to get the vehicles that had been held up for a long period in the Hambantota harbour released. Those vehicles have been imported by professionals such as doctors and professors.

 He added that those professional had opened their LCs to import the vehicles before the Tax was increased. Taxes on some of those vehicles had been increased by Rs 4 million. He also said that the matter had been brought to the notice of the President as well.

"Those vehicles are exposed to the elements at the harbour as the importers are unable to pay the additional taxes," said MP Dinesh Gunawardena. "So, I request the acting Minister to involve personally and solve the issue. Some vehicles whose LCs were opened before the Tax was increased have been released by the government. The Minister has provisions under the Act to grant such relief".

Acting Minister Abeywardena said the vehicles whose LCs were opened under personal names had been released. "The vehicles whose LCs were opened under companies’ names were not granted the same relief," the Acting Minister said. "But there are professionals who have opened the LCs under company names. In such cases government is attempting to implement a special mechanism. We have discussed that matter even with the President. However, I can’t predict the outcome now".

He said if they were released the owners would have to submit affidavits to the effect that they would not sell those vehicle.

India - Sri Lanka will sign ETCA by year end

NEW DELHI: The Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) between India and Sri Lanka will be signed by year end that aims to attract investment in the $500 billion economy, encompassing Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana and Kerala.

“The proposed technology and economic cooperation agreement will be signed by the end of this year…

The Prime Minister Narendra Modi and my self have agreed on this,” said Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, speaking at the India Economic Summit organized by World Economic Forum along with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).                   

He pointed that the five fastest growing southern states have population of 250 million and a combined GDP of $400 billion. With addition of Sri Lanka’s  22 million population and $80 economy the GDP in the sub-region is a $500 billion economy. “That is Sweden (economy)…imagine what it would be if we (India and Sri Lanka) work together,” said Wickremesinghe.

The free trade agreement (FTA) between India and SriLanka will be expanded to beyond trading of goods and services, to investment and technology cooperation.    “Asia will bail out the world (from economic downturn) if we are allowed to write the rules…else we create our own system,” said Wickremesinghe.

He said the FTA with Singapore and Indonesia by India and by Sri Lanka along with ETCA will make a strong regional economic power. The Sri Lankan PM also proposed to bring in Indonesia and Malaysia and the BIMSTEC countries. “The whole area around the Bay of Bengal as region of economic cooperation…the growth is here,” said Wickremesinghe.

Raviraj killing Suspects seek ‘Special Sinhala Bench’

The suspects in the former Jaffna District MP Nadaraja Raviraj murder case have requested a 'Special Sinhala Bench', of the Colombo High Court, to hear the case. 

The Attorney General had indicted the six suspects, including a Navy officer, with the killing of Nadaraja Raviraj and his bodyguard Lakshman Lokuwella. When the case was taken for hearing before High Court Judge Manilal Waidyathilaka, the suspects made the afore-mentioned request in Open Court. 

 The Judge advised the aggrieved party and the AG to file any objections to the request in writing before 11 October.

India bans Kashmir newspaper for ‘inciting unrest’

Authorities in Indian Kashmir have banned a local newspaper they said was inciting violence in the Himalayan region, which has been roiled by deadly violence in recent months.

The editor of the Kashmir Reader, an English-language daily, said police had come to their office carrying an order for them to stop publishing.

"There was no prior notice or communication from the government," Hilal Mir told AFP. "If there was a problem with the content, they could have sought an explanation from us."

The order said the Kashmir Reader "contains such material and content which tends to incite acts of violence and disturb public peace and tranquility".

Rights groups criticised the move, which comes weeks after local authorities briefly banned all newspapers from publishing and stopped internet services.

"The government has a duty to respect the freedom of the press, and the right of people to receive information," Amnesty International said in a statement.

"It cannot shut down a newspaper simply for being critical of the government."

Journalists marched to protest the move in Srinagar on Monday, calling it a violation of press freedom. 

Nearly 90 people, most of them young protesters, have been killed in clashes with security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir since the death on July 8 of a popular militant leader.

It is the worst violence the troubled region has seen since 2010, although several armed groups have for decades been fighting Indian forces stationed there, seeking independence from India.

Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since the two gained independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the territory in full.