From Left: Sri Lankan High Commissioner to UK Dr Chris Nonis, Foreign Secretary Karunatilake Amunugama, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge, External Affairs Ministry Monitoring MP Sajin Vasz Gunewardene and Presidential Spokesman and International Media Advisor Bandula Jayasekera during an interaction with the media yesterday.

The Colombo Municipal Council yesterday received jetting and vacuum trucks worth over Rs. 164 million for disposal of waste water under financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank. In the picture,Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa hands over the keys to Colombo Mayor A J M Muzammil. Local Government and Provincial Council Minister A L M Athaullah, Deputy Minister Indika Bandaranayake and CMC Opposition Leader Mohammed Maharoof were also present. Picture by Sulochana Gamage Please see page 6 for report.

President holds successful interactions in UK:

Significant foreign policy triumphs for SL

Diasporic extremists’ protests in London rebuffed:

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s recent visit to the United Kingdom was hailed as a foreign policy success for Sri Lanka by several officials who accompanied him on the tour. Six out of the seven main events the President attended in UK were resounding successes.

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‘Some LLRC recommendations can be implemented this year’

A number of state institutions are engaged in the implementation of some main recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). Some can be implemented within this year, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge said yesterday.

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Police foil bank robbery, one killed in shoot-out

Police foiled a bank robbery at the heart of Thalangama town yesterday morning, while killing a member of a robber gang during a shoot-out, Police Media Spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said. He said three men had come to rob the Battaramulla branch of a state bank in Thalangama and hurled grenades at the police personnel who arrived at the scene.

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Russia always backed Lanka: ambassador

Russia, while stressing that the Sri Lankan government had no option but to defeat LTTE terrorists militarily, yesterday said Sri Lankan leaders had tried their maximum to minimise casualties in their efforts to eradicate terrorism. Russian ambassador to Sri Lanka Vladimir Mikhaylov said.

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