New York horror: Police officer stabbed in head with machete in possible NYE terror attack

A rookie officer on his first day in the job was stabbed in the head during New Year celebrations. The FBI is investigating whether the incident was a terror attack.

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Neighbours of Idaho murder suspect say he kept a low profile: 'I'd see him check his mail'

Neighbours of PhD student Bryan Kohberger, 28, are finding unfolding events in the case of the Idaho University killings "hard to process". Kohberger has been charged with four counts of first degree murder.

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Ex-friend of Idaho murder suspect in 'complete shock' - 'We used to run together at night'

A former friend of Idaho murder suspect Bryan Kohberger says is in "complete shock" after learning of his arrest. Schyler Jacobson would invite Kohberger on runs because he didn't want to run at night alone.

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Idaho murders suspect was 'super awkward', conducted study on how criminals chose victims

New details surrounding the suspect charged with the murders of four Idaho students on November 13 have emerged as police continue to investigate.

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Former Pope Benedict XVI dies at 95

BBC reported that former Pope Benedict XVI has died at his Vatican residence, aged 95, almost a decade after he stood down because of ailing health.

He led the Catholic Church for less than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.

Benedict spent his final years at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery within the walls of the Vatican.

His successor Pope Francis said he had visited him there frequently.

Although the former pontiff had been ill for some time, the Holy See said there had been an aggravation in his condition because of advancing age.

On Wednesday, Pope Francis appealed to his final audience of the year at the Vatican to “pray a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict”, whom he said was very ill.

Born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany, Benedict was 78 when in 2005 he became one of the oldest popes ever elected.

For much of his papacy, the Catholic Church faced allegations, legal claims and official reports into decades of child abuse by priests.

Earlier this year the former Pope acknowledged that errors had been made in the handling of abuse cases while he was archbishop of Munich between 1977 and 1982.

(picture credit BBC)

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Letter from snowstorm ‘hero’ solves smashed window mystery in New York school

Images from the school's CCTV cameras showed a man smashing a window at the school and helping people inside as the emergency services were stretched to their limits and power workers struggled to restore electricity.

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House silent on PM’s plea to summon culprits

Dereliction of duty:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena’s bid to seek explanation from those who hadn’t submitted annual reports of relevant state enterprises has gone awry.Addressing Parliament, on October 20, Premier Gunawardena requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena either to issue instructions or directive or to summon heads of state enterprises who had neglected their responsibilities.

PM Gunawardena, who is also the leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP), wanted the Speaker to call them before President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Finance Minister.Responding to The Island queries, sources said Parliament had not summoned that meeting until declaration of holidays at the end of this year. Parliament is scheduled to meet again on January 05.

Alleging that scores of state enterprises hadn’t submitted annual reports, over the past several years, Premier Gunawardena said that the Parliament could earn the respect of the public by demanding explanations.The Premier emphasized the responsibility on the part of Parliament to exercise its constitutional rights, pertaining to public finance, as both the government and the Opposition repeatedly stressed that.

Premier Gunawardena is on record as having told Speaker Abeywardena that the failure on the part of the state enterprises to submit their annual reports, over a period of time, hadn’t been mentioned in the report submitted by the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).

Pointing out that successive governments were responsible for the deterioration of state sector enterprises, Premier Gunawardena said that Secretaries to the relevant ministries functioned as Chief Accountants. Therefore, Secretaries to the relevant ministries couldn’t have turned a blind eye to what was going on, the Premier said.

Referring to COPE (Committee on Public Enterprises), COPA (Committee on Public Accounts) and COPF (Committee on Public Finance), Premier Gunawardena said regardless of who chaired those watchdog committees, the Speaker had the right to issue directives to them.

Top Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) spokesperson Mujibur Rahuman, MP said that he was not surprised at all by the Prime Minister’s predicament. The Colombo District lawmaker pointed out that the Prime Minister functioned as leader of the government parliamentary group. “President Ranil Wickremesinghe, too, addressed Parliament quite often. But, the Speaker has simply ignored timely suggestions by the Premier,” MP Rahuman said.

Acknowledging that inordinate delay in sending reports to Parliament had been a long standing problem, MP Rahuman said that in spite of the developing financial-political-social crisis the government was yet to streamline the revenue collection process. The restoration of financial transparency, in public sector enterprises, was a crucial part of the overall project to improve discipline, the MP said. However, the government seemed to be unable to cope up with the situation, the former UNP MP added.

According to him, the reports issued by the Auditor General, and examinations conducted jointly by parliamentary watchdog committees, and the AG, over the years, revealed a pathetic picture of public finance. Unfortunately, successive governments failed to take remedial measures, much to the disappointment of the public struggling to make ends meet, lawmaker Rahuman said.

Responding to another query, MP Rahuman said that top officials, particularly Secretaries to Ministries, who functioned as Chief Accounting Officers of ministries, should be held accountable for the deterioration of the public sector.

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Idaho murders suspect stayed 15-minutes away from crime scene before Pennsylvania escape

Moscow Police chief James Fry thanked the families of the Idaho murder victims for their patience throughout the investigation after relatives expressed frustration over the speed of the process.

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Biden branded ‘worst president in history’ in rant against ‘woke people' halting success

Billionaire Bernie Marcus co-founded The Home Depot in 1978 which reformed the DIY business due to the warehouse concept it introduced.

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New York ‘blizzard of the century’ sees death toll rise to 37 as officials fear flooding

The US was ravaged by heavy snowstorms last week and the death toll continues to climb as rescuers and emergency services clear roads.

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Release of land: Hoole questions President’s unilateral decision

Former Election Commission member Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole has criticised the manner in which President Ranil Wickremesinghe ordered the release of 30 acres of land without following proper procedures. An arbitrary decision by one man to hand over state property amounted to abuse of power, Pro. Hoole has said.

The President’s Media Division (PMD) on Wednesday (28) said that President Wickremesinghe had instructed the Nuwara Eliya District Secretary to release 30 acres of abandoned land, adjacent to the Ambewela Farm, and provide necessary facilities to develop it as grazing land.

The President issued those instructions on Tuesday (27) during an observation tour of the United Dairies Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., which belongs to the Ambewela Farm Group. (SF)

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Limp batting show costs South Africa the series

South Africa began this Test series with all the bravado and promise of a side that comes from having won on each of their last three visits to Australia. They conceded their proud streak on the sixth day of cricket on this 2022-23 tour after another limp display of batting succumbed them to a defeat by an innings and 182 runs in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.

At the end of another forgettable day in the series, South Africa’s predicament was perfectly encapsulated by two run-outs on a perfectly good batting surface against an opponent who were one-and-a-half bowlers down, a reflection of the muddle that Dean Elgar has to lift his team out of. For Australia, who are all but assured of playing the Test Championship final after missing out last time due to their overrate transgression at this very venue, this series win sets them perfectly for the India challenge that starts in Nagpur in 40 days’ time.

South Africa began the fourth day 371 runs away from making Australia bat again and while that always seemed like a mountain too steep to climb, the conditions – clear skies and a blameless surface – were in their favour to stretch the fight. South Africa’s overnight batters, Theunis de Bruyn and Sarel Erwee, even made a steady start against Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc even if scoring opportunities were scarce. It took until the sixth over of the day’s play for Australia to create a half chance. Starc drew an edge from de Bruyn but the edge fell well short of Steve Smith in the slips.

While Cummins was at his parsimonious best, it was Starc that seemed most likely to give the hosts their first breakthrough of the morning. And so it proved when the left-armer swung a full ball into the boots of Erwee and cleverly called for a review even when the on-field umpire deemed that the ball may have hit the bat first. Hot Spot proved that the ball had indeed clipped the batter’s toe before striking the bat and ruled Erwee out LBW.

Scott Boland then produced a near-unplayable ball that climbed onto de Bruyn and flew to second slip off the batter’s edge. Smith’s 150th catch was special in that he was blind-sighted by Marnus Labuschagne diving across him. South Africa then slipped further when Bavuma called Khaya Zondo over for a non-existent single only for the latter to be run-out by an under-armed direct-hit by Travis Head.

At 65 for 4, South Africa seemed headed to a collapse that has become ever so familiar on this tour but Bavuma and Vereyyne combined to offer some resistance through a counter-attack that saw them complete a half-century stand in just 70 balls. The two batters didn’t shy away from playing their shots, whether it was sweeping Nathan Lyon or going up and over against the quick bowlers.

But once Boland ended the 63-run stand straight after Lunch by nipping a delivery back into Verreynne’s pads, things unravelled rather quickly for the visitors. Marco Jansen was out LBW to a Nathan Lyon delivery that straightened after pitching before Keshav Maharaj was out run-out after another mix-up. Bavuma then fell to an uncharacteristic slog sweep for a well-made 65. Lyon and Steve Smith polished off Australia’s win with only Lungi Ngidi’s slogs helping South Africa avoid the ignominy of eight straight innings with a sub-200 score.

Brief scores:

Australia 575/8 decl. (David Warner 200, Alex Carey 111; Anrich Nortje 3-92) beat South Africa 189 & 204 (Temba Bavuma 65; Nathan Lyon 3-58) by an innings and 182 runs

(Cricbuzz)

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Sri Lanka doesn’t have to sell national assets: South Korean dignitary

By M.B. Pahalawatta

Sri Lanka could be transformed into a developed nation within 10 years, and it would not have had to sell it national assets if its leaders had been blessed with vision, South Korea Disaster Relief Foundation (SKDRF) President Cho Sung Lea said at an event in Kegalle on Wednesday.

“SKDRF is one of the largest humanitarian agencies in the world and our objective is to assist countries like Sri Lanka. However, we don’t give aid, we support investments. What Sri Lanka needs is a change in how it looks at issues and find solutions,” he said.Lea said that media played a vital role in all countries and had the ability to change people’s attitudes.

“Media should not play politics. It must report the truth and convey a positive message. The way things are done in Sri Lanka has to change and it should come from the top. Given Sri Lanka’s geographical location and its natural resources, it can be developed in a decade,” he said.

Lea said that Sri Lanka could become a developed country like South Korea easily. There were many products that could be exported after value addition, he said.

“Sri Lanka can export a variety of fruits and vegetables. It does not need to sell national assets. Sri Lankans are sitting on a treasure trove. Sri Lankan leaders don’t seem to understand this. They are always looking for foreign aid,” he said.

Lea said Sri Lanka had to keep pace with the changing world. The government needed a 10-year plan and more technical schools had to be established.

“You have to find good teachers. In South Korea we pay such teachers about US 10,000 dollars a month. Establish such schools here, recruit good teachers and the investment will pay dividends within a decade. We can issue work visas for Sri Lankans but those who go do not come back. That is not good for both SriLanka and South Korea,” he added.

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IS member connected with Sri Lanka Easter bomber held for links with Coimbatore blast suspects: NIA

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested a member of terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS) who was in touch with the mastermind of 2019 Easter Day bombings in Sri Lanka, for his alleged links with suspects in the October 23 blast in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore

The federal agency also arrested another man, identified as Sanofar Ali, for allegedly taking part in plans to carry out terror attacksin the country.NIA officers familiar with the developments said IS member Sheikh Hidayatullah was allegedly in touch with Maulvi Zahran bin Hashim, the mastermind of the deadly Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka on April 21, 2019 that claimed over 250 lives.

Both Hidayatullah and Sanofar Ali were arrested from Tamil Nadu, an NIA officer said.

“Investigations have revealed that the accused persons had entered into a criminal conspiracy in the interior of forested regions of Asanoor and Kadambur areas of Sathyamangalam forest, Erode district, in February 2022,” NIA said in a statement. “The meetings were led by previously arrested accused Umar Farooq and participated by deceased accused Jameesha Mubeen (died in Coimbatore blast), along with Mohammed Azharuddin ,Sheikh Hidayatullah and Sanofar Ali, where they conspired to prepare for and execute terror acts.”

Jameesha Mubeen, who was questioned by NIA in 2019 for alleged terror links, was charred to death in suspicious circumstances after the LPG cylinder inside a Maruti 800 he was driving exploded near Kottai Eswaran temple in Coimbatore’s Ukkadam on the morning of October 23. The incident took place around 200 metres from a police patrol.

The deceased was registered as the prime accused in the blast case. The state police had invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the case, which was later handed over to NIA.

According to NIA officers cited above, Hidayatullah, who has been propagating IS ideology since 2017, was earlier arrested along with Azharuddin in June 2019. He was released on bail in 2020. Azharuddin from Ukkadam and leader of Kerala-Tamil Nadu IS module is currently in jail for the Sri Lanka bombings.All the above accused were inspired by Hashim, who masterminded and executed the Sri Lanka bombings — in which 252 people were killed — and planned to carry out similar attacks in two south Indian states at that time.

Prior to the Sri Lanka bombings, Hidayatullah and Hashim were in touch through a Facebook page “KhilafahGFX”, according to NIA’s charge sheet filed against Hidayatullah in 2019. – HT

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FRC forecasts higher ratio of Lankans requiring humanitarian assistance

An estimated 5.7 million people (26 per cent of the population) or more are now in need of humanitarian assistance, with at least 4.9 million (22 per cent) being food insecure, a situation report by International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said.

The report issued on December 28 said the current crisis in Sri Lanka is affecting all sectors of society and has created the conditions for increased vulnerability, poverty and destitution among a significant proportion of the population.

“In 2021, approximately 2.4 million people (11 per cent of the total population) fell below the international poverty line for lower-middle-income countries. Significantly more poor households than non-poor households have lost more than half of their income since the crisis. People are now selling their assets, becoming indebted and cutting down on food, and their children are less likely to attend school,” the report said.

IFRC said that population groups with existing vulnerabilities are most sensitive to the impacts of the crisis. These include children, pregnant and lactating women, people with disabilities (PWD), female-headed households, migrants, refugees and marginalised ethnic and religious groups. Support for PWD, the elderly, and others with special needs has decreased, making these populations even more vulnerable, the report said.

“Further groups have become vulnerable due to ongoing food insecurity. These include informal daily wage earners, minimum wage earners (employed in certain industries – tourism, construction and other services), single female-headed households with dependent children, families with multiple children below five years old, low-income households including the elderly, households with members with chronic illnesses

or disabilities, and disadvantaged farmers who have halted basic agricultural activities. Outbound migration is increasing, impacting the retention of skilled labour from the country and putting children of absent parents at risk of neglect,” IFRC said.

Given below are excerpts of the report: “Inflation rates have risen sharply thereafter, and the government became unable to import essential commodities, including fuel, which further increased shortages, adding to the surge in inflation. In January 2022, 10,000 LKR was equivalent to 50 USD but by September it was only 27 USD. For consumers, typically this means higher prices for imported goods, fresh pressure on energy costs, and higher loan repayments. Encouragingly, there are signs that the inflation rate is slowly dropping (year-on-year inflation for November was 61 per cent, down from 66 per cent in October and a high of 69.8 per cent in September. This is also reflected in the slight decrease in food inflation (85.6 per cent compared with a peak of 94.9 per cent in September).

“The emerging crisis led to country-wide civil unrest. Following mass protests, which started in March 2022, a new government was installed in May, and the country’s president was replaced in July. To help ensure support from the International Monetary Fund, the new government raised taxes to offset the external debt, adding to the economic burden, including that faced by the most vulnerable.

“What had started as a fiscal macro-economic crisis is now creating profound impacts at the micro-level, with an unfolding humanitarian emergency, in which millions of people are experiencing widespread, acute and increasingly chronic shortages of food, fuel, cooking gas and health services including medicines. Unprecedented food inflation has led to a spike in food insecurity, with rising concerns about malnutrition, especially among children under five years of age, pregnant women, and lactating mothers’ services and continued access to treatment of non-communicable diseases.

The latest humanitarian assessments confirm that the poverty rate has accelerated since the start of the current crisis. Food inflation reached a record high in September at 94.9 per cent. In its latest assessment in November, the World Bank ranked Sri Lanka as having the world’s sixth-highest food inflation.”

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Biden pays tribute to 'soccer legend' Pele as Brazilian footballing star dies aged 82

The Brazilian footballer was often hailed as the greatest player of all time.

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Kanye West 'missing' as ex-business manager can't locate star to serve $4.5m court papers

An ex-business manager of the music mogul is believed to be embroiled in an ongoing lawsuit against Kanye West and his company, Yeezy.

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Michelle Obama 'couldn't stand' Barack for 10 years during their marriage

The former First Lady felt forced to give up practicing law for Barack to launch his political career.

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Showers in Sabaragamuwa, Galle and Matara in afternoon or night

Weather forecast issued at 05.30 a.m. on 29 December 2022 by Meteorology Department

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Sabaragamuwa province and in Galle and Matara districts during the afternoon or night.

Mainly fair weather will prevail elsewhere over the island.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers

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Tharusha establishes back to back records at Sir John Tarbat Athletics Championships

by Reemus Fernando  

Tharusha Mendis of Lyceum International, Wattala commenced from where he left at the Sir John Tarbat Senior Championships to establish a new meet record in the Under 15 boys’ high jump as the much anticipated Sir John Tarbat Junior Athletics Championship commenced at Diyagama on Wednesday.

Mendis created a new meet record when he competed in the Under 16 boys’ high jump event of the Sir John Tarbat Senior Championships at the same venue in September. After having scaled a new meet record height of 1.96 metres in September, it was anticipated that he would renew the meet record in the Under 15 age category as well. Yesterday, Mendis cleared a height of 1.93 metres to lower the 2019 record (1.84m) held by A.K.D. Silva of Hegalla M.V, Kosgoda.

In sprint events Sasvidu Dinujaya Hettiarachchi of Dharmaraja College, Kandy clocked 10.1 seconds to establish a new meet record in the Under 12 Boys’ 80 metres. Hettiarachchi erased the 2009 record held by Damith Weerasinghe of St. Peter’s College, Bambalapitiya.

In the other events, Rajamanokaran Elipiriyan of Pallai Central College, Pallai (Under 15 boys’ javelin throw 50.76m), Rivija de Silva of St. Joseph’s College, Darley Road (Under 14 boys’ shot put 13.15m), Vishca Nimsara of Prof Ediriweera Sarathchandra Vidyalaya (Under 13 boys’ long jump 5.41m), Ashain George Thevarapperuma of Gateway College, Colombo (Under 12 boys’ long jump 4.96m), S.U.Rathnayaka of Lyceum International School, Wattala (Under 15 girls’ long jump 5.31m), T.S.S. Tennakoon of Loyola College, Pamunugama (Under 15 girls’ shot put 10.45m), Y.A. Abeywickrama of Visaka Vidyalaya, Colombo (Under 14 girls’ high jump 1.40m), K Gaweshi of Visakha BV, Sapugaskanda (Under 14 girls’ discus throw – 23.09m) and W.A.N. Nethumini of Darmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya (Under 12 girls’ high jump 1.26m) won the titles.

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SMB Finance CEO predicts lending rates will fall in 2023

by Sanath Nanayakkare

Making an interesting bet on the cost of borrowing money by entrepreneurs and businesses, Supul Wijesinghe, CEO of SMB Finance predicted a fall in interest rates in 2023 or in the foreseeable future.

“Interest rates should come down next year or in the foreseeable future as a result of the measures being taken by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) and other stakeholders,” he said addressing the media in Colombo recently.

He made this remark responding to a query from the media as to how his non-banking financial institution – which was recently elevated to SMB Finance from SMB Leasing – would deal with having to lend potential customers at an interest rate of over 30%.

In response he said, “When you have a 30% government borrowing rate – which is bench marked as a risk-free rate by the market, obviously lending rates would be higher than that. In such a context, entrepreneurs will surely contemplate whether they can borrow funds and operate a business with an interest rate of over 30%. This is an issue, and at present, lending is curtailed in both banking and non-banking financial institutions sector due to this reason. But I think this trend will see a favourable change in 2023 or in the foreseeable future.”

SMB Finance currently has 3 branches and they are planning to expand it to 10 branches for which approval has been sought from the CBSL.

“We should have nothing but optimism as we enter the Year 2023. We are looking to set up new branches in four provinces and how and when branches can be set up in the North and the East will be determined subsequently. It could possibly happen in 2024. We have to be mindful of our overhead costs when setting up branches because we have to deliver value to our shareholders,” he said.

When asked about SMB Finance’s growth plans for 2023, he said, “We are planning to launch several new products targeting the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector which has been adversely affected as a consequence of the country’s economic crisis. In Sri Lanka, we mainly pursue asset-based lending. SMB Finance will be looking at entrepreneurs and businesses that don’t have the required collateral, but are running a fairy good business in terms of their cash flow. For instance, I would like to tell you about one of the products we are currently offering the tea industry. There, we enter a tripartite agreement with the tea broker, tea estate/factory and SMB Finance. Through this arrangement, the payment assurances are given by the tea broker affiliated with the tea estate. This way we mitigate the default risk and also support the borrower in a sustainable way. Similarly, we will be looking at various industries producing ecological products and have a steady cash flow. We will be announcing our new product portfolio in the first quarter of 2023.”

SMB Finance PLC Chairman, Ravi Wijeratne, stated that the award of the business license to SMB reflects the Company’s strong balance sheet having a core capital well in excess of minimum requirements stipulated by the CBSL.

SMB Leasing (formerly) increased its Assert Base by over 300% from Rs. 1.5 billion to 5 billion and Shareholder Funds by 200% from Rs. 1.5 billion Rs. 3 billion over the past last three years.

For budgetary purposes, raising of domestic currency debt by the Government of Sri Lanka is mainly made through, Treasury bills and Treasury bonds. At the Treasury bill issuance held on 21 December 2022, Rs. 5,510 million was raised at the Weighted Average Yield Rates of 32.23% and 29.30%. Interest rate movements in the Treasury bill market provide a benchmark for the short-term credit market. Hence, changes in the volumes and rates in the Treasury bill market affect the cost, profitability and liquidity of financial institutions.

Central Bank’s Weekly Economic Indicators showed that Weekly Average Weighted Prime Lending Rate (AWPR) for the week ending 23rd December 2022 increased by 37 bps to 28.68 per cent compared to the previous week.

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Death count rises to at least 60 as worst 'monster' US storm in decades batters states

The winter storm which hit North America over the Christmas weekend is being described as the worst blizzard in over 50 years.

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Idaho murders: Police believe 'someone has info' on killings of four students

Amid mounting pressure to find a suspect six weeks after the slayings of four University of Idaho students, the police have provided an update on the investigation.

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Texas father-of-two chased, shot in the head execution-style over $500 repair bill

The 29-year-old mechanic was chased down and shoved to his knees before he was shot point-blank in the head.

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White House gets defensive as Trump-era immigration ruling upheld in major blow for Dems

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warned Republicans to stop with "finger-pointing" and get to work to pass sustainable immigration laws.

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Local Government Election before 10th March – ECSL

Chairman of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka Nimal Punchihewa said that the Local Government Election will be held before the 10th of March 2023.

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Showers in Western, Sabaragamuwa, North Western, Galle and Matara districts in afternoon or night

Weather forecast issued at 05.30 a.m. on 28 December 2022 by Department of Meteorology:

Several spells of light showers will occur in Northern, North-Central, Eastern and Uva provinces.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the afternoon or night.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers

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More requests for duel citizenship

By Saman Indrajith

The Department of Immigration and Emigration said that it has received 5,401 requests for dual citizenship in the year 2021.

The Department said the majority of the requests (1,621) had come from residents of Australia.

About 885 individuals from the United Kingdom, 795 from the United States, and 371 from Canada had also made requests, the Department said.

Other requests came from those living in countries like Italy, Switzerland, Sweden, New Zealand, France and Denmark.

The Department has taken steps to provide them with dual citizenship after following the necessary guidelines.

The Department added that 382,560 passports were also issued in 2021. The number of diplomatic passports issued in 2021 is 398, which is a significant increase compared to 2020.

209,411 passports were issued in 2020, and the number of diplomatic passports issued in that year was 175.

The Department said that issuance of passports has probably increased in 2022. More than 300,000 have gone overseas on employment through the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau so far this year.Labour and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said that it was the highest number of registered Sri Lankans to have gone overseas for employment in a year.

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3,596 Lankans kidnapped in first 11 months of 2022

By Rathindra Kuruwita

About 497 Sri Lankans have been killed in violence during the first 11 months of 2022, according to crime statistics released by the police.

Out of them, 223 deaths were caused by shooting and assault.

About 3,596 instances of kidnappings with the intention of collecting ransoms have been recorded. This is a 2,800 percent increase from the same period last year, when there were only 835 such incidents.

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Mike Pence 'appears' to launch 2024 bid but insiders warn filing was 'prank'

Mike Pence last week claimed he was giving a potential White House bid "careful consideration".

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Horror as two children and four adults killed as fire tears through home on Christmas

Cumberland County Sheriff's Office said six people, including two children, died in a house fire on Boxing Day.

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Tragedy as gran killed while helping children into car in Christmas Eve 'hit and run'

Pastor, activist and grandmother Trina Newman-Townsend was killed in a hit and run on Christmas Eve after giving away toys at a community centre, police say. The 62-year-old was preparing to enter her own car, which had four of her children inside, when she was hit.

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Laughing Elon Musk says 'all conspiracy theories about Twitter turned out to be true'

Documents in the Twitter Files thread include revelations about reports which conspiracy theorists show is evidence of American government collusion and attempts to control narratives and suppress speech.

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America in grip of -10C freeze as 28 die in snowstorm

At least 28 people have now died in a huge snowstorm that has plunged the US into a deep freeze.

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Wildlife moves in to save leopards

By Ifham Nizam

The Wildlife Conservation Department has initiated a programme to protect leopards in the mountains.A senior official of the Department yesterday said that they had tested a new protective net on Saturday (23) at the Nuwara Eliya Galway’s land National Park.

The trial of this safety net took place with the participation of the Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation Minister Mahinda Amaraweera.The official said a large number of leopards had perished in traps set by villagers.About six leopards in the mountains have died in traps so far this year.

Wildlife officials were able to save the lives of five others.Between 2001 and 2021, 145 leopards were killed in Sri Lanka, and 72 percent of the incidents were reported from the Central hills.

About 17 leopards have been killed from 2020 to 2021.According to reports, the leopard population in Sri Lanka is about over 600. About71 percent of all leopard kills so far have been caused

by traps.Several officials including the secretaries of the Ministry Gunadasa Samarasinghe and Chandra Herath participated in this event.

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Donald Trump to be indicted and end life ‘behind bars’, Democrat claims

Donald Trump will likely spend the rest of his life "behind bars" after the January 6th Committee has recommended the Department of Justice indict the former President on four criminal charges, a Democrat claimed.

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China launches Christmas day threat to Taiwan in revenge for US 'escalation'

On Christmas Day, China's PLA carried out "joint firepower strike drills" near Taiwan in response to "provocation" from the United States.

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Heavy showers gusty winds in most parts of the country – Department of Meteorology

Weather forecast issued at 05.30 a.m. on 25 December 2022 by Department of Meteorology:

The depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal has entered through the east coast of Sri Lanka and it is moving across the country.

Showers or thunder showers will occur at times over most parts of the country. Very heavy showers above 150 mm can be expected at some places in Eastern, Uva, Central, Sabaragamuwa, Western, Southern and Northwestern provinces and in Polonnaruwa district.   Fairly heavy showers above 75mm can be expected at some places elsewhere.

Strong gusty winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over country.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Extend compassion to one another and assist each other -President

President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his Christmas message stressed that it is important for the people to extend compassion to one another and assist each other.

The full text of the President’s Christmas Message is as follows

The dawn of Christmas is a day to reminisce and celebrate God’s love for humanity, by the birth of Jesus Christ as the savior of human kind. It is a joyous festival of humanity and peace, that proclaims the liberation of the poor and oppressed. The birth of baby Jesus in impoverished surroundings signifies the dedication of His life to creating a better society.

In the country’s current unprecedented economic crisis, it is important for the people to extend compassion to one another, and assist each other. This would be a salutation to the testaments of Jesus Christ.

It is appropriate to recall the appeal of His Holiness Pope Francis for a humble Christmas this year, with the savings from reduced spending on gifts to be donated to the needy and value humanity.

It is the Government’s aspiration to present the joy of Christmas to the entirety of society. It is imperative for all citizens to resolve to fulfill their responsibilities this Christmas season, and propagate devotion to all.

As we celebrate the event of the birth of Jesus Christ, I pray that our country will soon be restored with prosperity. I wish everyone a happy Christmas in which the gospel of humanity, harmony and sacrifice that Jesus Christ desired, will spread far and wide.

Ranil Wickremesinghe
President
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

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Puppy cruelly abandoned at airport saved from being put down by pilot who found him

A pup abandoned after a flight from China to the US would have likely been "euthanised" if pilot William Dale did not take the pooch in.

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Dramatic footage shows boiling water turning to snow instantly as bomb cyclone freezes US

A video has emerged of boiling hot water instantly turning to snow as arctic blasts paralyse much of the US.

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Ghislaine Maxwell's husband spotted with new girlfriend as she spends Christmas in US jail

Ghislaine Maxwell's husband Scott Borgerson, 47, is dating 50-year-old journalist Kris McGinn while his sex trafficking wife languishes behind bars.

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At least 12 dead as bomb cyclone ravages US, pileups and power outages cause chaos

The huge winter storm battering the US has intensified into a "bomb cyclone", causing blizzards, bone-chilling temperatures and fatal crashes.

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US House backs $45billion in aid for Ukraine as Zelensky warns about 'Russian terrorists'

The new package will bring the total US aid to Ukraine since the start of Russia's invasion in February to $100billion .

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Jaffna Kings champions of LPL 2022

Jaffna Kings defeated Colombo Stars by 2 wickets in the final of LPL 2022 played at the Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium on Friday (23).

Colombo Stars 163/5 in 20 overs (Dinesh Chandimal 49, Charith Asalanka 31, Ravi Bopara 47*; Thisara Perera 1-16, Binura Fernando 1-16, Maheesh Theekshana 1-34, Dunith Wellalage 1-18)

Jaffna Kings 164/8 in 19.2 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 36, Avishka Fernando 50, Sadeera Samarawickrema 44; Kasun Rajitha 1-27, Mohammed Nabi 1-42, Benny Howell 2-17, Suranga Lakmal 3-23)

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Man accused of shooting ex-girlfriend 15 times because she wouldn't respond to his texts

A man woke up in the morning angry after his ex-girlfriend had not answered his calls or texts and allegedly decided he would kill her, according to an arrest affidavit.

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Marines spark fury over plan to ban 'sir', 'ma'am' to avoid 'misgendering' instructors

The US Marines are considering dropping honorific titles 'Sir' and 'Ma'am' in case these "unintentionally offend" instructors during drills.

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Biden kept 'dropping f-bombs' at staff over migration crisis, White House insider claims

The migrant crisis and vaccine misinformation were among the two problems that most aggravated Mr Biden, a White House insider has claimed.

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FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried under house arrest after signing $250million bond

The cryptocurrency businessman has pleaded guilty to defrauding both customers and investors of FTX and Alameda.

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US weather: Biden issues 'serious' warning as mercury plunges to -39C in 'bomb cyclone'

US airports have been hit with thousands of flight cancellations as Americans countdown to Christmas.

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Joe Biden tipped to launch bid in April as 'momentum' flows behind POTUS, says ex-insider

Joe Biden emerged victorious in the 2020 US Presidential Election after receiving 306 electoral college votes to 232 for Republican rival Donald Trump.

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Donald Trump's much anticipated tax returns reveal ex-POTUS paid no income taxes in 2020

Former president Donald Trump reported major business losses during his final year in the White House, which allowed him to avoid paying income tax.

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International Trade Office to Synergize Sri Lanka’s External Trade

On the directions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Government has decided to reorganize the existing conventional institutional set-up and newly establish the International Trade Office (ITO) to interconnect all the relevant institutions and synergize their work to obtain maximum output from the external trade sector to the National Economy.

Realizing the untapped economic potential of trade and investment via linking with regional and global value chains is a major element of the Government’s economic revival programme. Towards this end, the ambition is to first integrate into South Asia and then expand to the east; China, Thailand and Indonesia linking to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) which consists of 30% of the world’s GDP, trade and population.

The ITO, once it is established through an Act of Parliament will be headed by an Ambassador of International Trade, supported by an eminent group of advisors who has expertise in international trade and the core structure of the institution will consist of designated officers from all the relevant institutions attached to it. The National Trade Negotiation Committee which undertakes the Free Trade Negotiations will also be an integral part of the ITO. As announced in the 2023 Budget Speech, the ITO will initially be established under the Ministry of Finance and subsequently, it will be amalgamated into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to implement Sri Lanka’s foreign trade development policy across the world with enhanced and effective coordination.

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Mike Pence 'carefully considers' 2024 bid as GOP sees 'behind Donald Trump's curtain'

Mike Pence fell out with Donald Trump over the ex-POTUS' response to the 2020 US Presidential Election result and January 6 insurrection.

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Touching moment as Zelensky hands Pelosi Ukrainian flag signed by Bakhmut heroes

His visit to Washington comes a day after he visited Bakhmut, a front-line city in eastern Ukraine that has seen some of the fiercest battles in the war.

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Minister pooh-poohs engineers’ warning of 10-hour power cuts

By Ifham Nizam

Legal action would be taken against the powerful Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU) and CEB’s Joint Trade Alliance, for stating that a 10-hour power cut was on the cards due to coal stocks running out at the Norochcholai Power Plant Complex, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told journalists yesterday.

He stressed that there was no truth in the trade unionists’ claim.

However, a senior Board member told The Island that there would be an issue if they don’t get the remaining 29 coal shipments at the earliest before the onset of rough seas.

CEB Chairman Nalinda Illangakoon believes that with the upcoming tariff hike, the CEB would be in a position to contribute a 24-hour electricity supply.

Earlier, Electricity Sector Regulator Chief Janaka Ratnayake warned that the duration of daily power interruptions will have to be extended in January unless coal stocks were imported expeditiously. Although the CEB Management claims they had received nine shipments to date. “We are short of money, with the expected funds we will get the 29 shipments without further delay”, Ratnayake said.

Meanwhile, Minister Wijesekera said: “I have instructed the CEB Chairman, and the Ministry Secretary to take legal action against the Union’s President, based on instructions of the Attorney General. A trade union should have discipline. It cannot act like a terrorist group.”

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The government is ready to empower industrialists as the main stakeholders in earning foreign exchange for the country – President

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that an environment will be created for small and medium-scale industrialists to become successful using modern technology and the government is ready to empower the industrialists as the main stakeholders in earning foreign exchange for Sri Lanka.

President Wickremesinghe made these remarks at the 21st ‘Achiever Awards 2022’ which was organized by the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, held at Hotel Galadari, Colombo, on Wednesday (20).

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Cash allowance for paddy farmers for ‘Maha Season’ –

At the request of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, measures are underway to provide non-refundable financial assistance of up to Rs.20,000 to the farmers who are cultivating paddy for the ‘Maha Season’ through a financial grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) .

Accordingly, an allowance of Rs.10,000 will be given to small scale paddy farmers who have engaged in farming activities on lands to the extent of one hectare or less and an allowance of Rs. 20,000 will be given to farmers engaged in paddy cultivation on lands over one hectare, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

This financial assistance will be provided only to  paddy farmers, and the money will be directly credited to their accounts.

The amount of paddy to be cultivated during the Maha Season is 800,000 hectares and it is planned to give this allowance to all  paddy farmers to buy MOP fertilizer.

Minister Amaraweera said that the amount proposed to be spent for this purpose is Rs.08 billion and 1.2 million farming families will be entitled to this benefit.

Minister Amaraweera will announce further information about this in the future through a special press conference.

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Air quality normal today (21) – NBRO

The air quality index level with respect to PM2.5 for 08:00 hour on 21st December 2022 indicate a Moderate level at Colombo 07, Jaffna, Kurunegala, Vavuniya, Kandy, Galle, Puttlam, Badulla, Trincomalee, Mullaitivu, Kalutara and a Good level at all other cities.

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Trump humiliated as congressional committee votes to make his tax returns public

When he was a Presidential candidate in 2016 Mr Trump refused to release his tax forms to the American public, breaking decades of precedence.

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Elon Musk claims he will quit as Twitter CEO as soon as he finds 'foolish' replacement

The billionaire responded to the results of a poll on the social media site questioning if he should step down.

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Horror as two people dead after being struck by New York subway train

The woman was reportedly found under the train and the man was found squeezed into a space between the train and the platform around the sixth or seventh train car, reports claim.

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Sixteen cows die after consuming poisoned water, 17 others in serious condition

By Dinasena Ratugamage

Sixteen cows died yesterday (20) after being poisoned by an unidentifed person, at Poombukar, Vavuniya.

Seventeen more cattle were in a serious condition, while some of them are in a critical condition, the government veterinary office, in Vavuniya, said.

Owners of the cows have told the police that someone, who is angry with the cattle eating their paddy, may have poisoned them.

Policemen, on Monday morning, went to record a statement from a person that cattle owners believe is behind the incident. However, the suspect had fled the area.

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Trump blasts Biden over 'gigantic illegal invasion' as border restriction hangs in balance

In a forceful attack on President Joe Biden, Donald Trump warned of unprecedented levels of illegal immigration into the US if his signature immigration policy is scrapped.

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New VISA categories to be introduced for Colombo Port City.

The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal furnished by the Minister of Public Security to take necessary steps to introduce the following VISA categories subject to the recommendations of the Colombo Port City Commission:

Issuance of VISA and fulfilling other relevant activities to the investors and other relevant parties expected to arrive for various services such as international trade, navel and monitoring, financial, information technology and tourism etc. that is expected to be established in the Colombo Port City should be done by the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

Accordingly,
‘Investment VISA’ category for investors under residential VISA category

‘Employment VISA’ for employees

‘CPC residential property lease vendor’ VISA category for foreigners who reside within the Colombo Port City on lease

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Donald Trump said 'only thing that matters is winning', ex-aide tells January 6 committee

The former US President reportedly ignored concerns from staffers and officials that his claims that the result of the 2020 US Presidential election was fraudulent could damage his legacy.

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True reconciliation requires including all in the state’s care, concern and protection

by Jehan Perera

The past week was devoted to the hosting of human rights events by a number of organisations with interest in that particular subject.  Human rights have become a matter of controversy, especially after the suppression of the protest movement.  There was and is tension between the interests of those who prioritise the claim of national security and stability and those who prioritise justice. The issue of justice has come to the fore in the context of the debilitation of the economy, which is seriously affecting the great majority of the population even if it does not or may not impact so heavily on aome others.  What is being seen is a continuing plunge of the economy with those who are most responsible for the economic calamity still in power and bringing in more of their numbers to the seats of power ignoring the impacts of their actions in the past and present on the people at large.

The release of economic information that the economy had shrunk by 11.8 percent in the last quarter ending in September is ominous news.  It indicates that the calamitous though revolutionary events of the second quarter of the year, which ended in July with the assumption of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the presidency has not been reversed by the state repression that took place thereafter.  It is evident that the political repression of the protest movement has not yielded positive results in terms of coaxing more economic investments that would reboot the economy.  This was reflected in three events I attended last week as part of the marking of International Human Rights Day.  Two were by civil society organisations, Right to Life Collective and Association of War Affected Women.  The third was by the National Human Rights Commission, which is a state institution.

The latter event was particularly impressive as it brought together the diversity and pluralism of Sri Lankan society in a manner that is seldom seen or publicly acknowledged. The Human Rights Commission has attracted considerable attention in recent times for different reasons.  The present members of the commission were selected in terms of the 20th Amendment to the constitution that gave the sitting president the discretion to appoint whomever he wanted.  The 20th Amendment sought to concentrate power in the hands of the president and was introduced during the early period of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s period.

COMMISSION DOWNGRADED

The 20th Amendment and the weakening of independent institutions earned the opprobrium of civil society groups and the international community that was focused on human rights issues. One of the unfortunate consequences of this was the downgrading of the Human Rights Commission from having “A status” to “B status” by the international accreditation agency.  This meant that the observations and opinions of the human rights commission were viewed with more circumspection and with less weight than would otherwise have been.  It would also impact on the level of economic and institutional support that would be made available by international agencies whose mandate is to promote good governance in the world.

The downgrading of the Human Rights Commission has indirectly affected the national economy by reducing the inflow of dollars it might have obtained through international partnerships.  It has also contributed to the poor image that the international community had about the situation of human rights in the country.  One of the consequences would be the European Union’s decision to warn about the possibility of withdrawal of the GSP Plus tax concession to Sri Lanka until a whole host of human rights protections were implemented including the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.  The weakening of the credibility of the justice mechanisms in Sri Lanka due to the 20th Amendment would also have contributed to the harsher resolution passed against the country at the last session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in October.

The passage of the 21st Amendment by the government has been generally appreciated even though the repeal of the 20th Amendment through it has been incomplete.  For instance, the president retains his institutional grip over parliament by having the right to dissolve it at his discretion in two and half years and his ability to keep multiple ministries under his control.  Also, the president has the discretion to appoint whomever he wants to ministerial positions.  However, with regard to the appointment of members to the independent commissions, the 20th Amendment ensures that the arbitrary power of the president to make such appointments is taken away from him.  This gives a greater likelihood of persons of integrity being appointed to be members of the independent commissions.

RECONSTITUTING COMMISSIONS

 The 21st Amendment also contains provisions for the re-constituting of the members of the independent commissions, including the Human Rights Commission and Elections Commission.  Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has expressed his concern that the government is planning to appoint new members to the Human Rights Commission and Elections Commission as those two commissions, in particular, have taken up independent positions that are not in keeping with government policy at the present time.  This would be unfortunate as many in civil society have been appreciative of the positions that these two commissions have taken up on matters of controversy.

 Indeed, my participation at the International Human Rights Day event organised by the Human Rights Commission was motivated by the desire to show solidarity with a state institution that was championing the cause of democracy and human rights even at the potential risk of earning governmental displeasure.  The event organised by the Human Rights Commission was exemplary as it took a deeper and more profound approach to the problems of human rights that are besetting the country.  At the present time, the focus of attention is on the rights to protest against the government that are contained in basic human rights covenants.

The right of freedom of association and of the right to free expression are fundamental to a functioning democracy.  The suppression of the protest movement has seen these rights being limited and constricted by the government.  The justification given by the government and by business associations is that the need of the hour is political stability in which the economy might be revived.  These arguments ignore the importance of inclusion, and the failure of inclusion, that have brought the country to this sorry pass. The dismal economic performance of the last quarter suggests that this is the missing dimension that needs to be included into government policy. The false stability they seek from restriction of the people’s rights does not provide any advantage to the country.

 BROADER RECONCILIATION

President Wickremesinghe has pledged to fast track the national reconciliation process that focuses on the failure of inclusion of the country’s ethnic and religious minorities which led to decades of discrimination, alienation and eventually to terrorism and war.  However, to be truly inclusive is to go beyond the limits of ethnic and religious diversity.  It is to also take into account the other aspects of diversity and pluralism in Sri Lankan society which extend beyond the ethnic and religious cleavage.  There are also issues of caste, region, gender, sexuality, disability and occupation that cause large segments of the population to be excluded from enjoying their human rights and from participating in the mainstream of social and economic life.

The Human Rights Commission event gave an indication of the wide range of its services to marginalised sections of the national community.  Those given an opportunity to speak on behalf of the groups they represented included women in politics, torture victims, physically.  There were at least twenty such groups who spoke at the event, disadvantaged, sex workers, sexual minorities, free trade zone workers, and AIDS patients which was very moving as when a dwarf mother spoke of the way her son who was also born a dwarf had been treated without kindness or dignity when he went to the bank and stood in front of the teller counter which was taller than him.

One of the grievances highlighted by the speakers was that they could speak and protest, but they would not be heeded. There were promises given, but no action or follow up thereafter.  A respect for pluralism would mean that all voices are heard and heeded regardless of their numbers or position in society.  The inclusion of unseen and unrecognized minorities in the care and protective embrace of the state will build confidence in the Sri Lankan state of the visible and recognized minorities of whom President Wickremesinghe is talking about when he promises national reconciliation next year by Independence Day.

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Schaffter killing still a mystery

By Norman Palihawadane

The CID is investigating an SMS believed to have been sent to the mobile phone of Brian Thomas by Dinesh Schaffter’s killer after the businessman became a victim last Thursday.

Investigations conducted by the CID have revealed that the car in which Dinesh Schaffter travelled had moved directly to the Borella Cemetery from his home on Flower Road on the day he was murdered, last Thursday (15th).

A senior CID officer said that much information had emerged over the murder of Schaffter and that the information is currently being verified.

The CID investigators said they believed that Schaffter had left home around 2.06 pm and that the crime had taken place within half an hour of his departure.

A senior CID official said that further investigations were being conducted to ascertain whether a person got into the car on the way or whether he went to the cemetery to meet someone.

When observing the location of the car entering the cemetery and stopping, it appears that someone who has a good understanding of the Borella Cemetery is involved in this crime, CID sources said.

Thomas had replied to the text message that he had no intention of meeting Schaffter. Police sources revealed that the two phones had been taken into custody by the CID and forwarded to the Computer Forensic Laboratory.

Police spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police Nihal Talduwa said that even the security camera system in Brian Thomas’ house had been examined by the CID.

Thalduwa said that statements had been obtained from 23 persons by the officers of the Organized Crime and Homicide Investigation Division of the CID.

Amon them are several members of Schaffter’s family as well as some employees of the Borella Cemetery.

The SSP said that investigations were being carried out, based on security camera footage, and phone analysis as well as eyewitness evidence.

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Harvey Weinstein convicted of rape and two counts of sexual assault in Los Angeles trial

Disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault in a trial in Los Angeles.

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El Paso Mayor quits tense press conference as migrants seen emerging from city's sewers

The mayor walked out after being challenged by his colleague over the growing migrant crisis which has seen thousands cross the Rio Grande in El Paso daily.

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Man avoids prison after trespassing into preschool and stabbing tortoise with wooden post

A Northern California man has avoided prison time after he drunkenly trespassed at a preschool last year and attacked a pet tortoise named Michelangelo.

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Hawaiian Airlines faces ‘severe turbulence’ injuring 11 passengers including baby

After the plane landed, at least 36 people were treated for injuries, including a 14-month-old toddler.

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Elon Musk launches divisive poll asking if he should ‘step down’ from Twitter

Elon Musk has posted a poll on Twitter asking users if he should step down as head of the social media platform, exactly one month after asking users if he should reinstate Donald Trump's Twitter account.

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India’s GDP growth is on course to print close to 7 percent this year in 2022-23, foreign brokerage, JP Morgan said in a report

Global slowdown may hit India’s growth in 2023-24

IANS: India’s GDP growth is on course to print close to 7 per cent this year in 2022-23, foreign brokerage, JP Morgan said in a report.While buoyant, it would still leave output about 7 per cent below its pre-pandemic potential trend, reflective of impact of the pandemic and adverse terms of trade shock from higher commodity prices in 2022.

Growth is expected to slow in 2023-24, on the back of a sharp global slowdown, which is weighing on exports, and the progressive fiscal and monetary policy normalization at home, JP Morgan said.

That said, corporate and bank balance sheets appear in much better shape than in recent years. Corporate debt/GDP is at its lowest since 2006 and banks are far more inclined to lend. But a broader private investment cycle will take time to fructify amidst elevated global uncertainty, slowing growth, tightening monetary conditions, manufacturing utilization rates still less than 80 per cent, the report added.

The Current Account Deficit (CAD) is on track to print above 3 percent of GDP this year as exports have slowed and imports remain very sticky; bringing the CAD back to sustainable levels will have to be a key policy imperative in 2023.In turn, key to CAD compression is continued fiscal consolidation off still-elevated levels; we expect the Center to achieve the budgeted fiscal deficit of 6.4 per cent of GDP this year and target a consolidation of 0.5 per cent of GDP next year; the fiscal balancing act will involve reducing the deficit while sustaining strong capex.

Inflation is expected to remain sticky in the coming months before gradually rolling off in 2023-24 as growth slows and input price pressure abates.With the RBI raising rates by about 300 bps in 2022 and tightening liquidity, we expect the MPC is getting close to a pause, with the risk of a final 25 bps hike at the February review, the report added.

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How innovation and institution drive economic growth

Institutions remain the most important factor for strengthening productivity and the investment climate in a country. Good governance, rule of law, and socio-political stability are crucial determinants of long-run economic growth. As famously described by Douglas North, “Institutions are the rules of the game in a society; more formally, they are the humanly devised constraints that shape human interaction.” Within this view, institutions are viewed as both “formal” rules as formulated and enforced by the state, as well as “informal” constraints as determined by cultural norms, traditions, and beliefs of the society.

Syeda Tasfia Tasneem, 
Aaqib Md Shatil
Illustration JCOMP/FREEPIK

On March 28, 1983, The New York Times published a story on the Japanese automotive industry, titled “Japanese Art of Automation.” A country that was reduced to rubble in World War II gave birth to three major global automobile companies that were producing quality cars, quicker than US companies.

The Japanese automobile industry did not invent any “modern” or “cutting-edge” technology; rather, they found ways to utilise the available technologies to improve their efficiency. In fact, the then Ford Motor Company Vice-President, James K Bakken, told The New York Times, “All the studies we’ve done show that Japan’s use of technology is no greater than that of the United States, but the pervasiveness with which it is used in Japan is substantially greater.”

In 1993, the World Bank published its famous policy research report, titled “The East Asian Miracle.” The report goes into detail how East Asian countries were defying expectations and rapidly catching up to the developed world. For a long time, experts used to believe in something called the Kuznets curve, which says as countries grow richer, they also become more economically unequal. But Japan, South Korea and other East Asian countries were proving that wrong by getting richer without raising inequality. Within a few years of publishing that report, five East Asian economies achieved high-income status, beating the infamous middle-income trap, leaving lessons to learn for countries like Bangladesh.

There is no “one size fits all” solution to economic upgradation and growth, because every economy is unique and different. Nobel laureate economist Joseph Stiglitz, in his work “Some lessons from East Asian miracle,” commented, “It is the combination of these ingredients, many of which involve government interventions acting together, that accounts for East Asia’s success.”

On November 14, when the Youth Policy Forum (YPF) invited South Korea’s former Finance Minister Jaewan Bahk to discuss his country’s success factors at the forum’s “Forging the Future” dialogue, he echoed Stiglitz’s findings. The East Asian countries, as identified by the World Bank, adopted suitable industrial policies to facilitate export-led growth. These policies worked not because they were good on paper, but because of the carefully built ecosystem in place. South Korea, one of the five East Asian economies that became high-income countries, invested in research and development and the government promoted technology programmes. Taiwan developed industrial parks for high-technology industries. These served as a tool to facilitate the transfer of technology among innovators and entrepreneurs and to lower the market entry barriers, paving the way for a competitive environment.

The East Asian economies invested in developing human capital and produced a significant number of competent engineers capable of absorbing and adapting to the most advanced technology, to stimulate the transfer of technology. South Korea’s share of tertiary graduates in STEM is still the second highest among the OECD countries. “Such a focus on STEM has been the backbone of Korea’s competitive manufacturing,” Bahk said at the YPF webinar.

The governments in East Asia not only used industrial policies to affect the allocation of resources to stimulate economic growth, but also played an entrepreneurial role in identifying industries in which research and development would have high payoffs, according to Stiglitz.

When assessing the differences between the world’s most developed nations and the poorest ones, the role of well-functioning institutions becomes apparent. In this regard, a cross-country comparison of North Korea and South Korea lets us uncover the power of institutions to some extent.

In the early 1940s, the two countries looked almost identical in terms of their socio-economic structures, history, language, culture, and so on. However, after the country was split, North Korea headed towards becoming a totalitarian state. On the other hand, South Korea chose democracy, private property rights, freedom of press, and a capitalist system with an open economy. As a result of these choices, South Korea transformed itself from an agrarian economy to one of the leading business capitals of the world, while North Korea remained isolated and continued its pursuit of nuclear weapons, in turn suffering devastating sanctions and a shrinking economy.

According to Dr Hans Peter Lankes, former vice-president of the International Finance Corporation and professor at the London School of Economics, one of the areas which developing countries should prioritise is investment in sustainable infrastructure, including energy, transport, cities, water, industry, and so on. Currently, the spending on sustainable infrastructure in developing countries, excluding China, is about 3.5 percent of GDP. In Lankes’ view, this must grow to at least 5.7 percent by the end of the decade to ensure resilient and sustainable development.

Institutions remain the most important factor for strengthening productivity and the investment climate in a country. Good governance, rule of law, and socio-political stability are crucial determinants of long-run economic growth. As famously described by Douglas North, “Institutions are the rules of the game in a society; more formally, they are the humanly devised constraints that shape human interaction.” Within this view, institutions are viewed as both “formal” rules as formulated and enforced by the state, as well as “informal” constraints as determined by cultural norms, traditions, and beliefs of the society.

Institutions and innovation are the two key elements that will determine whether Bangladesh will become an economic powerhouse and one day become a high-income country. It’s high time our policymakers listened to the experts and created an ecosystem that drives growth.

(The Daily Star/Bangladesh) This article is written as part of the series “Forging Our Future,” which is an attempt to bridge the gap between Bangladesh and global public policy, under the Youth Policy Forum’s project “Coalition for Upgrading Bangladesh Economy (CUBE).”

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SriLankan Airlines wins Best Aviation Sustainability Programme Award for its innovative upcycling of aircraft discards

SriLankan Airlines beat 118 other submissions to win the Best Aviation Sustainability Programme Award at the recent Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum (SMBR) Global Aviation Awards.The final selection was made by an independent panel represented by the Civil Air Navigation Services Organisation; The General Civil Aviation Authority in the United Arab Emirates; and Airbus.

SriLankan Airlines has been binning waste material such as unusable aircraft seat covers; blankets; uniforms and other items originating from the aircraft and process of flying to the tune of 16 tons, each year. Before the launch of Mathaka the upcycle project, this waste would eventually end up in landfill costing the airline millions in expenses on disposal, and the environment significantly more in pollution. Through Mathaka, SriLankan is able to avert discarded material from going to landfill and minimize the consequential long-term negative impact on the environment. Mathaka facilitates waste material to be upcycled to something new. Effective waste management from upcycling further offers a practical solution in this age of economic scarcity and shortage of raw materials by extending the use of waste material in a sustainable manner.

SriLankan Airlines partnered with House of Lonali to bring Project Mathaka to life. House of Lonali is a local, conscious lifestyle brand that designs, and manufactures upcycled lifestyle products. Jointly, an exclusive range of products and accessories will be developed under the ‘Mathaka’ brand including travel bags; wallets; books; key tags; photo frames; and jewellery – all assembled from aircraft discards.

Mathaka products will be introduced for sale onboard SriLankan Airlines’ flights and through the website and retail partners of House of Lonali. Customers who buy Mathaka products can take satisfaction from knowing that they are not just being environmentally conscious, but the money they have invested will entirely go toward funding other sustainability initiatives of the airline. There is a strong humanitarian aspect to Mathaka as well. SriLankan Airlines will be empowering women from low-income communities to earn a livelihood and support their families through House of Lonali. The organization provides employment opportunities to disadvantaged women both directly and by working with non-profit foundations, namely Women in Need (WIN) that advocate for women’s causes. Women engaged with the production process of Project Mathaka by House of Lonali, directly or via WIN, can now present their talent to a global travel audience and make a living at the same time.

Project Mathaka is one of several initiatives taken by the Environmental Affairs and Sustainability team of the airline towards supporting the environment in measured and impactful ways. SriLankan was the first airline in Asia to introduce ‘Planet Friendly Flights’ back in 2009 and was named the second lowest carbon emitting airline in the Asia-Pacific in 2016 by Business Traveller.

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Jaffna Kings defeat Galle Gladiators by 16 runs at RPS

Jaffna Kings defeated Galle Gladiators by 16 runs in the 17th match of LPL 2022 played atthe  Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium on Sunday (18).

Jafffna Kings 170/8 in 20 overs (Rahamanullah Gurbaz 23, Afif Hossain 54, Sadeera Samarawickrema 32, Thisara Perera 26; Nuwan Thushara 2-31, Wahab Riaz 3-37, Nuwan Pradeep 1-32)

Galle Gladiators 154/9 in 20 overs (Kusal Mendis 58, Nuwanidu Fernando 22, Ifthikar Ahamed 23: Binura Fernando 3-20, Maheesh Theekshana 1-18, James Fuller 2-57, Vijayakanth Viyaskanth 2-27)

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History is on the line at World Cup 2022 final today

History is on the line for both sides. France are aiming to become just the third team to retain the trophy in its 92-year history, following in the footsteps of Italy and Brazil.

For Argentina, the hopes and dreams of the nation rest of the shoulders of Lionel Messi. Arguably the greatest player of all time, he is hoping to crown a glittering career with a World Cup winners medal in what the 35-year-old says will be his final game for his country. (BBC)

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Prof. Mohan Munasinghe advises the government on sustainable urban development in Portugal

Professor Mohan Munasinghe, 2021 Blue Planet Prize Laureate and co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize for Peace, was recently in Portugal to provide advice on sustainable development, a news release from his institute said.

As Head of the Distinguished International Advisory Committee, Prof. Munasinghe has been visiting Portugal regularly, to provide expert advice and guidance on sustainable urban development, including smart sustainable systems (S3) for essential infrastructure services like energy, transport, water, health and education.

During his discussions in the city of Guimaraes, Prof. Munasinghe referred to the well-known sustainable development triangle and the balanced inclusive green growth (BIGG) path he had originally proposed at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. He commended Portugal on showing remarkable resilience during the Covid pandemic, and felt confident that the country would achieve sustainability soon using the BIGG approach, despite the poor situation in Europe and the world.

Professor Munasinghe is Chairman of the MIND Group in Colombo, which includes the non-profit Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND), a UN recognized centre of excellence working globally on all aspects of sustainable development, and MIND AM focusing on data analytics and management. He is Chairman of the Board of Climate & Conservation Consortium (CCC), Board Director of the Eureka Group and Distinguished Guest Professor at Peking University, China. He was Chairman of the President’s Expert Committee on Sustainable Sri Lanka 2030 Vision.

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Extraordinary tale of lost cat reunited with owners after going missing 10 years ago

A cat who went missing in 2012 has turned up ten years later and finally been reunited with her owners, who said the amazing story of her return "does not feel real".

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Sri Lanka should maintain good relations with all countries – President

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that as an island nation, Sri Lanka should adopt a non-aligned foreign policy in dealing with the international community.

The President also pointed out that Sri Lanka can be elevated to a higher level in the international sphere by adopting a non-aligned foreign policy rather than supporting or being dependent on any powerful country or group of countries.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made these observations on Saturday (17) morning  while taking part in the 97th Passing out Parade of the cadet officers of the Diyatalawa Military Academy.

Three hundred and fifty-one (351) cadet officers who completed their training at the Diyatalawa Military Academy were commissioned at the passing out ceremony.(Picture courtesy Presidents Media)

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Dambulla Aura register first win in LPL 2022

Dambull Aura powered from half centuries by Shevon Daniel and Jordan Cox were able to  register their first win in the LPL 2022 when they defeated Galle Gladiators by 48 runs at the R Premada Stadium on Saturday (17)

 

Dambulla Aura 178/5 in 20 overs (Shevon Daniel 80, Jordan Cox 77; Nuwan Thushara 1-29, Nuwan Pradeep 3-37)

Galle Gladiators 130 in 19.4 overs (Lahiru Udara 32, Asad Shafiq 28, Ifthikar Ahamed 21; Dasun Shanaka 1-10, Pramod Madushan 3-17, Mathew Forde 1-23, Dilum Sudeera 1-35, Noor Ahmad 1-17, Sikandar Raza 2-05)

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First draft of Bill on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women completed

The Select Committee appointed to look into, and report to Parliament, its recommendations to ensure gender equity and equality with special emphasis on looking into gender-based discriminations and violations of women’s rights in Sri Lanka, disclosed that the first draft of the Bill on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women has been completed.

This was mentioned at the Select Committee, chaired by MP Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, recently.The Bill is drafted to establish a National Commission for Women, to establish a mechanism, including the appointment of an ombudsman for women’s rights and to protect the rights of women and to take legal action by the Commission in case of violation of such rights.

Dr. Fernandopulle instructed the officials to seek the views of the public, gender experts, civil society organisations and women’s rights organisations on the said Bill.

Accordingly, it was decided to get comments, pertaining to this Bill, having published it on the official websites of the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment and the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and in newspaper advertisements.

Members of Parliament Eran Wickramaratne, Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya, and Kushani Rohanadheera, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament and Secretary to the Select Committee were present at the Committee meeting.

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Man throws Christmas tree at wife after being asked to help with dinner

Richard Daniel Atchison, 52, was arrested by police on multiple charges including domestic battery.

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ISOBAR Sri Lanka sweeps the boards at SLIM Digis 2.2 as the Most Awarded Agency

Adding yet another milestone in 2022, ISOBAR Sri Lanka, the digital arm of the premier advertising agency group, Dentsu Communications, recorded a historic win as the Most Awarded Advertising Agency in Sri Lanka at the SLIM Digis 2.2 awards for 2022.

The digital agency recorded a stellar performance by securing 15 awards, with its Grand Theft Kottu (Sera Kottu Kottu) campaign being bestowed with 6 key awards at the ceremony – making it also the most awarded single campaign at Digis 2.2. It is the first gaming campaign to be awarded a Gold award in Sri Lanka. ISOBAR Sri Lanka’s clutch of 15 key awards at the SLIM Digis 2.2 event comprised of 2 Golds, 7 Silvers, 1 Bronze and 5 Merits; ensuring that the agency broke many records in the history of the SLIM Digis awards. Amongst the winning campaigns were Sera Kottu Kottu, Softlogic Life, FriMi, Elephant House Beverages and YouLead.

Commenting on the win, Mohenesh Chamith Buthgumwa – Vice-President, Dentsu Communications said, “We are constantly recalibrating our understanding of where consumers are, and we always take a step back to understand and learn as we go and explore what we can do differently in the future. The overwhelming success of our campaigns demonstrated the importance of being in the right place at the right time with the right message. It is because of this understanding and rigour that ISOBAR Sri Lanka is easily the most awarded agency in Sri Lanka for 2022.”

Adding further, Neela Marikkar – Chairperson, Dentsu Communications stated, “ISOBAR Sri Lanka’s victory at SLIM Digis 2.2 leaves no doubt that our digital agency has catapulted ahead to the forefront of the industry in terms of its digital innovation, ideation, and implementation within a short span of 4 years. As the Dentsu Grant Group we have always embraced the new and pre-empted trends, which are reflected in ISOBAR Sri Lanka’s industry-best campaigns, which are delighting clients and winning awards. I applaud the ISOBAR Sri Lanka team on their triumph and our valued clients for placing their trust in us.”

ISOBAR Sri Lanka is the only Sri Lankan agency to receive a Global Rank of 93 amongst the TOP 100 agencies in the world in the Effie 2021 Global Rankings and is featured as No. 24 in the Top 25 APAC List. The Effie Index identifies and ranks the most effective agencies, marketers, brands, networks, and holding companies by analyzing finalist and winner data from Effie Awards competitions around the world.

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Pilot ejects in dramatic escape as military jet nosedives onto Texas runway

Spectators videoed the aircraft before the nose crashed into the runway sending plumes of smoke into the air.

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