US$ 3 billion to be invested in ports
Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Dr. Priyath B. Wickrama made an exclusive presentation at the International Port Security Conference in the Netherlands on 28 September 2011.
Expressing views delivering the keynote address at the International Port Security 2011 conference on the subject of the past successes of securing Sri Lankan ports and the predicted effects of the future growth on security mechanisms, he said that approximately US$ 3 billion would be invested in the port sector alone and the funding would be made available by the Asian Development Bank, People’s Republic of China, India, Denmark and Japan.
The UN challenge continues
WHEN one hurdle is cleared, another appears on the horizon. Sri Lanka’s recent success at the United Nations General Assembly and UNHRC sessions does not mean that its vulnerability for international intervention is over. This much was acknowledged by Plantations Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe who headed the Government team at the UNHRC. In fact the Sri Lankan Government has already started preparing for the 2012 UN sessions, as it expects another round of allegations concerning human rights.
Zvonareva, Radwanska into Tokyo final
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TOKYO (Reuters): Fourth seed Vera Zvonareva bundled Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova out of the Pan Pacific Open with a 7-6 6-0 victory on Friday to book a place in the Tokyo finals.
The Russian faces Agnieszka Radwanska for the title on Saturday after the Pole beat Victoria Azarenka of Belarus 6-3 4-6 6-2 under a setting sun in the second semi-final.
Harbhajan must go back to domestic cricket: Bedi
Former India captain Bishen Singh Bedi reacted with caution on Harbhajan Singh’s axing from India’s squad even as he advised the off-spinner to get back to domestic circuit to get his form back.
Some foreign IPL stars unpaid, says union
NEW DELHI, (AFP) :The Indian Premier League has not honoured the contracts of some foreign stars and not paid them despite repeated reminders, the world players’ union said on Friday.
Simon Katich of Australia and Ramnaresh Sarwan of the West Indies were among “a number of players that are owed contract payments”, the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA) said in a statement.
RUGBY WORLD CUP STANDINGS
Injured Djokovic pulls out of China Open
BELGRADE (Reuters): World number one Novak Djokovic will miss next week’s China Open in Beijing with a back injury, the 24-year-old Serb said on Thursday.
Djokovic, who won the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open this season as he dislodged Rafa Nadal from the top of the world rankings, aggravated a niggling injury in Serbia’s Davis Cup tie with Argentina earlier this month.
Ailing matriarch Sonia puts Gandhi dynasty at crossroads
Reuters: Rahul Gandhi, heir to the family dynasty that has dominated politics in the world’s biggest democracy for generations, was trying to make himself heard in the uproar of Parliament.
Looking nervous, he read haltingly from a prepared statement, criticising as “anti-democratic” a popular anti-corruption campaign led by activist Anna Hazare, whose hunger strike was aimed at getting parliament to adopt a tough anti-graft bill.
New rules in international cricket effective from today
Dubai (IANS): Intern-ational cricket is set to witness a slew of changes in all three formats with amendments to rules coming into effect from Oct 1. One of those changes – the fielding side using two new balls per innings in ODIs – will be seen in the five-match series between India and England, beginning Oct 14.
Springboks beat Samoa to reach last eight
ALBANY, New Zealand (Reuters): Holders South Africa demonstrated the defensive skills that made them world champions as they held off a spirited Samoa 13-5 in a bruising and entertaining clash on Friday to reach the World Cup quarter-finals.
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