• Bush says bin Laden hot pursuit continues
• Banking on the Northern Alliance
• Terror sex eases the pain
• Taliban agree to more talks
• Tennis in her blood
• Bodyline help for Vidyarathna boxers
• Where have all the golfers gone?
• Waugh on Nimal, the unsung hero in our framework 
• Who will wear the crown?
• Tharindu shines in drawn game 
• Late start for Under 23 cricket matches
• Thilina and Deepika bag open TT titles
• Zimbabwe let down by poor catching
• In brief

Bush says bin Laden hot pursuit continues

The State Department warned Americans around the world they could still be in danger from extremist groups and urged them "to take any measures they deem necessary to ensure their personal safety."

Pakistan sent a delegation of Muslim clerics to Afghanistan reportedly to persuade the ruling Taliban to hand over bin Laden and head off a military strike that Washington has threatened in response to the Sept. 11 attack by hijacked airliners that left up to 6,500 feared dead. But a delegation member said they had not discussed the Saudi-born militant, whom the Taliban has been sheltering as a "guest."

Even as a U.S. military buildup continued within striking distance of the landlocked central Asian country, Bush underlined the uncharted nature of his war on terrorism, telling reporters, "There may or may not be a conventional component."

He said the United States had learned from the Soviet experience in Afghanistan in the 1980s how hard it would be "to fight a guerrilla war with conventional forces" but he declined comment on reports that U.S. special forces have been operating inside Afghanistan in the past few days. Bush said he would not "jeopardize any mission that we may be thinking about." But, he added, "Make no mistake about it, we're in hot pursuit."

A TIME/CNN poll released on Friday showed almost half of Americans were prepared to wait a month or longer for military strikes on Afghanistan. Despite some political analysts claiming Americans' patience over retaliation was withering, 47 percent of respondents said they were "willing to wait" at least a month.

Banking on the Northern Alliance

By Ben Macintyre

Two weeks ago the alliance, which controls between 5 and 10 per cent of the country, was seen by the West as little more than a fractious collection of local chieftains, but suddenly the rebel group has become pivotal to US policy, as the only viable internal opposition to the Taleban regime that succours the terrorist Osama bin Laden. 

The outlines of a military strategy involving co-operation between US and alliance forces are emerging and already US congressmen are discussing ways to supply the rebels with money and arms. 

Taleban forces easily outnumber the Northern Alliance, which has only some 15,000 fighters in the north of the country and perhaps twice that number in local "militias", but the rebels are vital to any successful operation in Afghanistan, politically as well as militarily. 

The northern rebels can provide essential expertise in mountain fighting, as well as intelligence data and local troops. Just as importantly, the US needs to be able to demonstrate internal support to prove that it is not fighting Afghanistan or Islam but the "terrorist" Taleban. 

Yet dealing with the volatile Northern Alliance, in a country riven with tribalism, is not easy. A multilingual mixture of ethnic Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazaras, the alliance ranks include a bewildering array of former communists, anti-communists, Mujahidin and moderate Muslims. The group, which controls a strip of territory in the mountainous north, is largely made up of the armies of former Mujahidin warlords, some of whom were members of the former Afghan Government driven out of Kabul by the Taleban in 1996. 

The Taleban are believed to have at least 45,000 trained fighters, most of whom are Pashtuns, the ethnic group that makes up some 40 per cent of the population. 

The alliance is enjoying some success through the speedy advance of Uzbek forces under Abdul Rasheed Dostum in Samangan Province. Armed and equipped by Ahmed Shah Masood, the alliance's late military leader, General Dostum returned to Afghanistan earlier this year. Over the past few days his forces appear to have routed the Taleban to the south of Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan's largest northern town, and are pushing fast towards capturing it. 

"The alliance is more united than ever before, but when airstrikes happen it won't just be these fighters who capture back territory. In Afghan tradition we expect that it will be the local populace under their tribal leaders who rise up and massacre foreigners, in this case the Pashtun Taleban from the south and their Arab allies," one foreign military attaché in Tajikistan said. 

The Northern Alliance is also known as the United Front, but in reality it has so far been united in only two respects: a shared loathing for the Taleban, partly on religious but also on ethnic and regional grounds, and through the personality of the late General Masood. Masood, an ethnic Tajik, was assassinated just days before the attack on the World Trade Centre. His murder leaves the alliance without a pre-eminent figurehead — which is precisely why he was killed. 

It is a mark of the way that conflict passes down through the generations in Afghanistan that Masood's 13-year-old son stood at his graveside last week and vowed to continue the fight. 

Pakistan and other Islamic countries are more likely to support Western military operations in Afghanistan if these are clearly linked to an internal opposition, but the United States is also acutely aware that backing groups within Afghanistan has been the policy of great powers for more than 200 years, often compounding the chaos and sometimes uniting disparate Afghan groups against a foreign invader. 

Anxious to avoid appearing to be the tool of the smaller ethnic groups, the US has also cautiously made contacts with Pashtuns in the south. 

Some elements of the alliance leadership have expressed an eagerness to join force with the US to drive out the hated Taleban. 

"Of course we are willing to fight against terrorism," Abdullah Abdullah, the alliance's foreign minister, told The Washington Post. "It is not like inviting an army to Afghanistan to do the job for us. Rather, we're in a situation where part of Afghanistan is being occupied by terrorists." 

The Northern Alliance considers itself to be the rightful government of Afghanistan and, while the US has stopped short of supporting that claim, President Bush has openly begun talking about replacing the Taleban regime. 

One figure who could play an important role as the symbolic head of a new coalition involving all ethnic groups is the 86-year-old former King of Afghanistan, Mohammed Zahir Shah, a Durrani Pashtun who lives in exile in Rome. 

The rebel army is composed of several rival groups whose leaders battled the Soviet Union from 1979 until 1989, again with US support. When the Taleban took power, these groups were driven deep into the mountains of the northeast and into a tense but expedient coalition with each other. - London Times

Terror sex eases the pain

From James Bone in New York

The city's residents, usually a solitary and independent breed, have turned for solace to their fellow human beings. 

For every traumatised New Yorker who can not sleep, it seems that there is another who is cuddling up closer to a spouse or lover or embarking wantonly on a one-night stand. 

The "terror sex" phenomenon was first identified in the online journal Salon by Cole Kazdin, who reported on a fling by a woman named Sonia on the day of the attacks. Because the subway was closed and roadblocks had been set up, Sonia had to walk nearly ten miles to her home to Brooklyn. 

After watching the news at a bar with friends, one of them went with her on to the roof of her building to watch the smouldering Manhattan skyline. 

"We had sex like it was the end of the world and if I could do it over again I still would," she said. "I didn't think about it at all. When you walk home from Manhattan to Brooklyn with people covered in dust and blood you don't care." 

Taliban agree to more talks

The Taliban move came as pressure mounted on Saturday on the hardline Muslim puritans in Kabul to hand over the world's most wanted man, Saudi-born Islamic militant Osama bin Laden, and avoid U.S. attacks.

Revered Pakistani Muslim clerics and the country's chief spymaster, General Mahmood Ahmed, had gone on Friday to the southern stronghold of the Taliban leader in Kandahar for talks.

Tennis in her blood

By Tania Fernando

Shalini Pereira won the Singles, Doubles and mixed doubles at the National Tennis Games held in August and she was also the winner at the 2001 Fed Cup held in Taiwan. She won two singles and one doubles match, and she was the player with the best performance in the Sri Lanka contingency. The Fed cup is the female equivalent to the Davies Cup. 

After having watched her parents, grand parents play tennis, for Shalini playing tennis was just another thing and no surprise when she took to it in a professional manner.

Hailing from what I would call a tennis family, 24-year old Shalini started playing tennis as her mother and father were both tennis players. She is being coached by her grandfather Dr. V. C De Silva. She said her whole family played tennis at a competitive level.

Starting off at a very tender age and the first tournament she participated was the Hilton Novices Tournaments in 1989. More than ten years later she has won so many awards but the most memorable was when she won a silver at the SAF games in 1995.

In 1995 Shalini was ranked NO. 1 in the Sri Lanka Tennis rankings, and awarded Sri Lanka Sports Colours in 1993. She said that she does not see herself doing anything else she said. She also competed at the Fed Cups in 1995 which was held in Madras and in 1997 at New Zealand. Shalini's life seems to revolve around tennis. A tennis coach now on a full time basis, when she is not teaching at the Sri Lanka Tennis Association (SLTA) she is busy practicing. "Playing tennis is a part of my life and I don't see myself ever stop playing", she said.

"I started teaching on a part time basis, but now I am involved in it full time and I am the only qualified female coach", Shalini said.

While she likes Venus and Serena Williams for their outrageous costumes, she thinks Pete Sampras is a complete player, in other words a cool on the court and well behaved.

Shalini is the daughter of Charminstar Pereira and Bryan Pereira.

Bodyline help for Vidyarathna boxers

Apart from the formal educational activities, extra-curricular activities such as Drama, Volleyball, Athletics, Boxing, Karate as well as Scouting, Cadeting, Social Service and Leadership Training are also available. 

Their achievements in Boxing during the last few years are remarkable indeed. Boxing, considered to a "Super Sport" in many western countries, is confined to a few urban schools in Sri Lanka. In fact, Vidyarathna pioneered Boxing in the Kalutara District. Vidyarathna was able to achieve remarkable heights in Boxing by winning 15 Gold, 11 Silver and 5 Bronze medals in the junior age groups at national level. P.L. Kahatapitiya had the rare distinction of boxing his way to a Silver medal at the South Asian Junior Boxing meet held at Kathmandu, Nepal on March 2001. 

The substantial donation granted by Bodyline for the development of Boxing at Vidyarathna would undoubtedly be a helping hand to young sportsmen who face many difficulties to overcome them.

Where have all the golfers gone?

Tradition has it that Oil Lamps had to be lit, Ribbons cut, Trumpets blown and Kiribath and Lunumiris served. All this was done except the trumpets but there were several blowing their own trumpets about the contributions they made to hasten the growth of grass and smoothen the surface of the greens.

At crack of dawn on Saturday September 15 eight chosen seniors in office gathered round the traditional Oil Lamp and in order of seniority the respective wicks were lit by Dian Jayasuriya, Lalin Samarawickrema, Lalith Ramanayake, Sriyan de Soysa, Kumar Boralessa, Haris Serasinghe, Tony Whitham and Norman Gunewardena. The energetic Secretary Lionel Almeida was not left out as he was invited to strike a match and stir a wick which he did burning his fingers in the process and causing a titter.

After the Wick and Oil ceremony the dignries were invited to the jazzed up first tee when in typical Biritish a style the ribbon was cut to a round of applause. Thereafter the 8 dignitaries were lined up at the back of the first tee facing the first fairway and green and backing Adams Peak. Drivers in hand they addressed 8 teed up balls and as directions were given they individually swung into action and the fairway got studded with 8 balls almost in formation. 

This action in unison and harmony made the historical re-opening of the Ridgeways. Watching the scene and participating too was a distinguished invitee and member of the Club Nick Cherrill. The Chief Executive of Hongkong Bank he was identified with applause as a massive benefactor of the course development process. From 1st Tee to 1st Green was the locality allowed to him and the Bank and they will in subtle style tell us and all visitors that H.S.B.C. is unmatchable for the variety in service they provide customers.

All things came to a splendid end over an excellent Oriental Buffet Breakfast presented by the Executive Chef Gamini.

Sad to say that like our Share Market the standard of golf is diving head first. Our only positive promise and hope is Jehan de Saram and I hope that Papa-Johnny will see this National Asset reach the top and stay there. Rusi Captain and Alain Gyi are tremendous strikers of the ball but they seem to be striking success elsewhere where their business empires need their time and attention.

Lalith Kumara and Anura Rohana and maybe 3 or 4 youngsters are the prospects we have to chase. Kumara and Rohana are absolutely outstanding and they have stamped their class here and abroad. They need more attention and much must be done to offer them constant opportunities of playing competitive golf. This is a serious lapse on the part of the authorities and they must hasten directions that these two young players plus possibly others are included in Medal rounds and other competitive games. 

An independant competition can be organised for them and awards given only if they are all square or under par.

Sadly Anouk Chanmugam appears to have lost interest in competitive golf and I thought our only hope would be Shayanika de Silva but now comes the distressing news for Golf in Sri Lanka that she has tied the traditional knot securely and with that goes the prospects of a champion worthy of the trophy. 

Shayanika is attractive and so is her gold. She has chosen the biggest attraction in a young lady's life and that too with successs. Anchored to Shanil Fernando she leaves for fresh pastures in Boston, USA, where I am sure she will effectively progress her academic pursuits and find a new further rewarding groove for her swing.

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