Labour's Keith Vaz in inquiry over Tamil rally

A senior Labour MP has become embroiled in an investigation by anti-terrorism police after speaking at a rally in which suicide bombers were praised, The Sunday Telegraph has learnt.
# Labour's Keith Vaz is no stranger to trouble

News of the inquiry has put pressure on Keith Vaz, the former Labour minister who heads the all-party home affairs select committee, to defend his decision to speak at last month's rally at London's ExCeL exhibition centre in support of the Sri Lankan breakaway movement, the Tamil Tigers.

Mr Vaz, the MP for Leicester East, whose Commons committee is in charge of scrutinising all anti-terrorism legislation, has been contacted by police investigating the event.

The Sri Lankan high commissioner, Kshenuka Senewiratne, has written to Gordon Brown to express her "serious concerns" at Mr Vaz's presence at the rally.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?view=

SL seeks outsourcing tie ups with Indian IT firms

Sri Lanka has invited Indian ITES and BPO companies to invest in the island nation claiming that the country would provide competitive edge with its large talent pool of trained personnel available at lower costs.

“Indian companies can invest in Sri Lanka to outsource their projects here. We have a large talent pool of trained personnel available at lower costs. Outsourcing of projects here will significantly help Indian companies reduce operational costs as well as offset the effect of rupee appreciation against the dollar, G L Peiris, Sri Lankan Minister for export development and international trade said. He was addressing a conference organised by Ficci in Chennai.

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http://www.business-standard.com/iceworld

Nano tech now at our doorstep

The Ministry of Science and Technology is ready to launch the nano science project together with industrial private sector early next year, Secretary to the Ministry A.N.R. Amarathunga told the Sunday Observer.

Under the project two institutions, NANCO and SLINTEC will be set up. NANCO will be the holding company that will own the nano park proposed to be established in Homagama. State of the art laboratories will come up in the park to facilitate private sector companies and other research institutions.

Sri Lanka Institute of Nano Technology (SLINTEC), the research institute will be a joint venture with the private sector. Private sector will invest 50% to set up the SLINTEC which will decide on the salaries and other emoluments to the professionals who will join the institution.

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http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2007/12/23/fin01.asp

Malaysian cricket looks for Lankan coaches

The Malaysian Malay’s cricket academy is currently touring Sri Lanka to participate in the Nelson Mendis Junior Cricket tournament which is non-school club private club event organized by CCC school of cricket. The Malaysian Malay’s cricket Academy team is managed by Rosmanizam Abdullah.

The Sunday Times caught up with Rosmanizam Abdullah for an interview.

We started by asking him about his background he said that he had played club cricket for Kuala Lumpur Club side in the 70’s and 80’s and was the Malaysian cycling federation competition secretary.

Although he said that cricket is playing second fiddle to sports like Badminton and Squash in Malaysia their Malaysian Malay’s cricket association is working hard to see that cricket will get the necessary popularity among the public.

The Malaysian government is trying hard to get their people interested in sports and is doing some programmes to get people involved in sports. Abdullah said School cricket in Malaysia is not all that popular However because Sri Lanka school cricket is one of the best in the world they were planning to go according to Sri Lanka school cricket.

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http://www.sundaytimes.lk/071223/Sports/sp2013.html

Anura moves his goods out of Visumpaya

Mr. Anura Bandaranaike has begun moving his goods out of Visumpaya to his house at Rosemead Place built some years and is currently living at his ancestral home in Horagolla.

Both Anura and his sister, Chandrika, built their own houses on the original Rosmead Place compound.

`Tintagel', the Colombo residence of the Bandaranaikes, belonging to the three Bandaranaike children, is now a boutique hotel which was opened earlier this month.

Bandsaranaike left for Horagolla after his crossover to the opposition ahead of the Dec. 14 budget vote. He is expected to continue living there until the transfer of his goods is completed.

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http://www.island.lk/2007/12/23/news1.html