'Aava Group ' a Gota creation: Rajitha

Cabinet spokesman, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne today said the underworld gang "Aava" active in the North was a creation of former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and certain top military officers.

He said though there may be some rationale to use them against the LTTE during the war, in the peace time they are only a bunch of criminals and thugs who should be apprehended at once and brought before the law.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet news briefing, Minister Senaratne said it was obvious that the same officials who fed and bred them were once again active and instructed the terror group to create troubles and disrupt peace in the North for their political advantage.

“For a moment you can justify the action taken by former Defense Secretary and military officers to form this underworld group because the LTTE was also an illegal terror group. But why it is active in the peace time? What they expect by creating a fear psychosis among the civilians in the North?, he questioned and added all members of the Aava group were Tamils.

Minister Senaratne dismissed the suggestion that this underworld group was a creation of the Tamil Diaspora and said Aava was active in the North during the war and the armed forces were aware of that and added he could even reveal the name of the Brigadier who acted as the god father of the ‘Ava group’ during the war.

The Defense Ministry has given clear instructions to the police and intelligence services to apprehend them as early as possible and take legal action against them, he said. (Sandun A Jayasekera)

Thamalini Celebrated In New Song

Kashyapa Sathyapriya De Silva released a song and making video in memory of Thamilini on 31st October at Light House Galley, Colombo.

Kashyapa has penned the song and it Is sung by popular singer Uresha Ravihari. Music by Darshana Ruwan Dissanayake. The song was released in Tamil as well and Tamil translation was done by Mahinda Kumar.

It was presented to Thamilini's husband Jeyakumaran Mahadevan. Distinguish guests included veteran journalist Sunil Madawa Premathilaka, senior dramatist Dharmasiri Bandaranayake and Senior Additional Secretary to the President Rohana Keerthi Dissanayake. The event was organized by Rhythm of the Earth Sri Lanka.

The former female political wing leader of the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Subramaniam Sivathai alias Thamalini was one of the most senior members of the movement, to be detained by the Sri Lankan military in 2009. She was held in Welikada prison for 3 years, before being moved to Poonthottam rehabilitation camp. She was released to her family in June 2013.

She died at the age of 43, due to cancer. Thamilini’s book 'Oru Koorvaalin Nizhalil'March this year. 

One egg per day may help keep stroke away: study

Eating an egg a day may cut the risk of stroke by 12 percent, a new study funded by the American Egg Board said Tuesday (01st November), Xinhua News Agency reports.

The findings were based on a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies dating back between 1982 and 2015, which evaluated relationships between egg intake and coronary heart disease (276,000 subjects) and stroke (308,000 subjects).

It found consumption of up to one egg per day had no association with coronary heart disease but there was a 12 percent reduction in the risk of stroke.

Principal investigator Dominik Alexander of the U.S. EpidStat Institute said that more work is needed to understand the connection between egg consumption and stroke risk.

However, "eggs do have many positive nutritional attributes, including antioxidants, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation," he said. "They are also an excellent source of protein, which has been related to lower blood pressure."

One large egg boasts six grams of high-quality protein and antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, found within the egg yolk, as well as vitamins E, D, and A, according to the study.

It said the research lends further support to changes in the recently-released 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which have eliminated dietary cholesterol limits, and now include regular consumption of eggs among lean protein choices.

The study, published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, was funded by the American Egg Board, a research and promotion group for the U.S. egg industry.

Former MP Tiran Alles remanded

Former MP Tiran Alles was remanded by the Colombo High Court until November 10. Two others were remanded alongside him. 

The Attorney General had filed indictments in the High Court against four accused including Alles and former senior LTTE leader Emil Kanthan in connection with a Rs. 200 million fraud that had allegedly taken place at the Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA) in 2006.

GL named Chairman of Podujana Peramuna

The political party registered as “Our Sri Lanka Freedom Front” (Ape Sri Lanka Nidahas Peramuna), with the symbol of a budding flower, has reportedly changed its name to “Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna,” according to sources.

Former foreign minister Professor G.L. Peiris has been named as the new Chairman of the party, political sources told.

Attorney-at-law Sagara Kariyawasam had served as the Secretary of the party, which has a ‘flower bud’ as its symbol.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna is to be officially unveiled as the new political party of the ‘Joint Opposition’ on November 18, sources said.

It is said that preparations are underway to launch the party in an event in Anuradhapura at an auspicious time on November 18, the birthday of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Sinhala Edition Click Here (Lanka Hot News)

Ven Sobitha Thera’s first death anniversary

A commemorative event has been organized on 8 November at the SLFI to mark the first death anniversary of late prelate Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, who was the Leader and Convener of the National Movement for a Just Society (NMJS).

NMJS sources said during the event Dr. Raja Wijethunga will hand over a land to the NMJS towards the construction of a centre to carry forward the yeoman services rendered by the late prelate.

The event organized by the NMJS will be graced by both the President and the PM, sources said.

The event will be held under the auspices of Dr. Ven. Ittapane Dhammalankara Thera.

Tragedy caused by modified car racing on road

The police yesterday said that a modified car involved in a fatal accident on the Negombo-Thalahena road last Saturday at 8.30 pm (Oct 29) had been racing with two other cars at the time.

The accident claimed the lives of two police constables, Lalith Yasanayake (39) and Shaminda Shanaka (31) attached to the traffic branch of the Negombo police.

Yasanayake recently earned the plaudits for rescuing an abducted advanced level student of Harischandra Maha Vidyala, Negombo. He had been directing traffic near the school when the abduction of a student was

brought to his notice by several passersby. The constable had pursued the fleeing van on his motorcycle and blocked its path and rescued the boy. PC Yasanayake had also apprehended all five suspects.

A police spokesperson denied allegations that those who had been arrested in connection with the abduction were involved in Saturday’s accident. The official emphasized that there was absolutely no basis for a spate of posts on the internet propagating a connection between the accident and the PC Yasanayake’s intervention to rescue a student.

The police said that the Toyota Mark II speeding on the wrong side of the Negombo-Thalahena road had smashed onto police motorcycle proceeding towards Pamunugama. Those who had gathered at the scene assaulted the driver and his companion before police rushed to the scene, an official said, adding that the constables were on duty.

Police produced driver Harsha Indrajith (24) before Acting Negombo Magistrate who remanded him till Nov 11. At the time of his arrest, Indrajith had been under the influence of liquor, the police said. The police believe that the car had been driven at about 160 kms per hour

The suspect’s companion, Kodikara Arachchige Ignatius Randula Perera (30), of the Nations Trust Bank, Negombo, too, had been under the influence of liquor at the time of his arrest. The police had given him bail.

Responding to a query, the police identified the Indrajith as a son of the owner of several jewellery shops.

The police said that there had been altogether three cars, including the one driven by Indrajith racing towards Thalahena. The suspect had driven on the wrong side regardless of oncoming vehicles. After colliding with the motorcycle, the car had pushed it more than 50 meters before smashing onto a parapet wall. The police motorcycle had caught fire and bodies of constables were burnt to some extent due to the fire.

According to police, the two other vehicles involved in the accident had fled without stopping. The police said that over the weekend some persons raced after consuming liquor.

Prayers were conducted at Ave Maria Convent, Negombo on Monday (Oct 31) especially for Shaminda Shanaka as he had been tasked to direct traffic at the main entrance of the school.

People put up banners in Negombo and its suburbs expressing grief for the untimely deaths of police officers.

PC Shaminda Shanaka funeral was held at Dankotuwa on Monday. PC Yasanayake’s funeral took place at Anamaduwa yesterday.

Three Bribery cases against Duminda Silva

Colombo Additional Magistrate Aruni Attigalle yesterday directed Prisons Chief to produce Duminda Silva in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on January 5 for the hearing of three bribery cases filed against him on charges of not declaring his assets and liabilities for three years.

The Bribery Commission had filed three separate cases against Mr. Silva under the Assets and Liabilities Act for not declaring his assets in 2010, 2011 and 2013.

The Colombo High Court sentenced him to death after being convicted of the murder of Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.