Morrissey throws 67-yard TD pass to Calwise Jr. to lift Eastern Kentucky over North Alabama 21-15

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save BOSTON — Forty years ago, Heisman Trophy winner Doug Flutie rolled to his right and threw a pass that has become one of college football’s most iconic moments. With Boston College trailing defending champion Miami, Flutie threw the Hail Mary and found receiver Gerard Phalen, who made the grab while falling into the end zone behind a pair of defenders for a game-winning 48-yard TD. Flutie and many of his 1984 teammates were honored on the field during BC’s 41-21 victory over North Carolina before the second quarter on Saturday afternoon, the anniversary of the Eagles’ Miracle in Miami. “There’s no way its been 40 years,” Flutie told The Associated Press on the sideline a few minutes before he walked out with some of his former teammates to be recognized after a video of The Play was shown on the scoreboards. People are also reading... Margaret Atwood OSU event altered over threats Tree farm fiasco has Corvallis homelessness under microscope The real reason Corvallis' Pastega Lights moved to Linn County Bomb cyclone, flood risk in Benton County this week Albany's Joel Dahl pleads guilty to sex crime involving minor Strike over: Benton County, union reach tentative deal What's available from Benton County services as strike nears Week 2 Philomath woman suspected in Eugene Airport bomb scare Sweet Home man sentenced for crash that injured his daughter In trying to flee, suspect accused of driving over Albany police officer American flag thrown by driver fleeing Benton County deputies OSU football: It's time to look ahead to next year OSU football: Beavers' season hits a new low in loss at Air Force Albany dog badly hurt, possibly shot, during brief escape Tensions rise, as Albany strike enters second week A statue commemorating Doug Flutie's famed "Hail Mary" pass during a game against Miami on Nov. 23, 1994, sits outside Alumni Stadium at Boston College. Famous football plays often attain a legendary status with religious names like the "Immaculate Reception," the "Hail Mary" pass and the Holy Roller fumble. It’s a moment and highlight that’s not only played throughout decades of BC students and fans, but around the college football world. “What is really so humbling is that the kids 40 years later are wearing 22 jerseys, still,” Flutie said of his old number. “That amazes me.” That game was played on national TV the Friday after Thanksgiving. The ironic thing is it was originally scheduled for earlier in the season before CBS paid Rutgers to move its game against Miami, thus setting up the BC-Miami post-holiday matchup. Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie rejoices in his brother Darren's arms after B.C. defeats Miami with a last second touchdown pass on Nov. 23, 1984, in Miami. “It shows you how random some things are, that the game was moved,” Flutie said. “The game got moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving, which was the most watched game of the year. We both end up being nationally ranked and up there. All those things lent to how big the game itself was, and made the pass and the catch that much more relevant and remembered because so many people were watching.” There’s a statue of Flutie winding up to make The Pass outside the north gates at Alumni Stadium. Fans and visitors can often be seen taking photos there. “In casual conversation, it comes up every day,” Flutie said, when asked how many times people bring it up. “It brings a smile to my face every time we talk about it.” A week after the game-ending Flutie pass, the Eagles beat Holy Cross and before he flew off to New York to accept the Heisman. They went on to win the 49th Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day. Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie evades Miami defensive tackle Kevin Fagan during the first quarter of a game on Nov. 23, 1984, in Miami, Fla. “Forty years seem almost like incomprehensible,” said Phalen, also standing on the sideline a few minutes after the game started. “I always say to Doug: ‘Thank God for social media. It’s kept it alive for us.”’ Earlier this week, current BC coach Bill O’Brien, 55, was asked if he remembered where he was 40 years ago. “We were eating Thanksgiving leftovers in my family room,” he said. “My mom was saying a Rosary in the kitchen because she didn’t like Miami and wanted BC to win. My dad, my brother and I were watching the game. “It was unbelievable,” he said. “Everybody remembers where they were for the Hail Mary, Flutie pass.” Sports Week in Photos: Tyson vs. Paul, Nadal, and more Mike Tyson, left, slaps Jake Paul during a weigh-in ahead of their heavyweight bout, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Irving, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) In this image taken with a slow shutter speed, Spain's tennis player Rafael Nadal serves during a training session at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, in Malaga, southern Spain, on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) Rasmus Højgaard of Denmark reacts after missing a shot on the 18th hole in the final round of World Tour Golf Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri) Taylor Fritz of the United States reacts during the final match of the ATP World Tour Finals against Italy's Jannik Sinner at the Inalpi Arena, in Turin, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni) Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (1) fails to pull in a pass against Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford (20) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/ Brynn Anderson) Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love, top right, scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) India's Tilak Varma jumps in the air as he celebrates after scoring a century during the third T20 International cricket match between South Africa and India, at Centurion Park in Centurion, South Africa, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski warms up before facing the Seattle Kraken in an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) Kansas State players run onto the field before an NCAA college football game against Arizona State Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) A fan rapped in an Uruguay flag arrives to the stands for a qualifying soccer match against Colombia for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Matilde Campodonico) People practice folding a giant United States flag before an NFL football game between the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Georgia's Georges Mikautadze celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the UEFA Nations League, group B1 soccer match between Georgia and Ukraine at the AdjaraBet Arena in Batumi, Georgia, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Tamuna Kulumbegashvili) Dallas Stars center Mavrik Bourque, right, attempts to score while Minnesota Wild right wing Ryan Hartman (38) and Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson (32) keep the puck out of the net during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Ellen Schmidt) Mike Tyson, left, fights Jake Paul during their heavyweight boxing match, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Italy goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario misses the third goal during the Nations League soccer match between Italy and France, at the San Siro stadium in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno) Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Cincinnati, Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) President-elect Donald Trump attends UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) Fans argue in stands during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between France and Israel at the Stade de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Thursday Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus) Slovakia's Rebecca Sramkova hits a return against Danielle Collins, of the United States, during a tennis match at the Billie Jean King Cup Finals at the Martin Carpena Sports Hall, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024, in Malaga, southern Spain. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) England's Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the UEFA Nations League soccer match between England and the Republic of Ireland at Wembley stadium in London, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung) Katie Taylor, left, lands a right to Amanda Serrano during their undisputed super lightweight title bout, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner, right, tackles Miami Dolphins wide receiver Malik Washington, left, on a punt return during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) A fan takes a picture of the moon prior to a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 between Uruguay and Colombia in Montevideo, Uruguay, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Santiago Mazzarovich) Brazil's Marquinhos attempts to stop the sprinklers that were turned on during a FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match against Venezuela at Monumental stadium in Maturin, Venezuela, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) St. John's guard RJ Luis Jr. (12) falls after driving to the basket during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against New Mexico, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Pamela Smith) UConn's Paige Bueckers (5) battles North Carolina's Laila Hull, right, for a loose ball during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Greensboro, N.C., Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) Get local news delivered to your inbox!(Excerpted from the autobiography of MDD Peiris, Secretary to the Prime Minister) In June 1975, the Prime Minister was honoured by the international community with two important assgnments. The first was by the International Labour Organization (ILO), where she was invited to make the keynote address to the new ILO sessions opening in Geneva. The second was by the United Nations where she was invited to make the keynote address at the First UN International Conference on Women to be held in Mexico City, Mexico. She was also due to address The Group of 77 in Geneva. Manel Abeysekera of the Foreign Ministry and I, accompanied the Prime Minister. We had three major speeches to work on. We already had drafts ready, which were the result of much work and many refinements. But we had decided to finalize them in Geneva after two of our ablest diplomats, Susantha de Alwis and Karen Breckenridge perused them. Gamani Corea was to go through the Group of 77 speech in particular. Geneva We left for Geneva on June 8, 1975 by Swissair. En route we landed at Karachi at 1 a.m. and were met at the airport by the Minister of Education and Planning of the Province of Sindh and Mr. Aga Shahi, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, who had been specially dispatched from Islamabad for the occasion. After an interesting conversation, we re-boarded and took-off. I worked through the Prime Minister’s Group of 77 speech on the plane. We couldn’t land in Geneva due to fog and were diverted to Zurich. That didn’t work either. Zurich was also fog bound. Finally, we landed at Basle. This of course meant hassle and delay. For me, this was a worry because we didn’t have much time to finalize the speeches. Susantha and his charming wife, Achala, put us all up in their official residence. Thanks to them, we were relaxed and comfortable. Breckenridge joined us later to work on the speeches. With so many important speeches, coming up so rapidly, work was hectic. Finally, by the time we finished working on the Group of 77 speech, It was 2.15 in the morning. On June10, at 10 a.m. the Prime Minister addressed the ILO and that afternoon at 3.45 p.m. the Group of 77. To our relief and satisfaction, both addresses were well received. There were several other appointments over the next couple of days, including meetings with the Director General of ILO and senior officials, as well as with various persons knowledgeable on issues of development. We had also to put the finishing touches on the Prime Minister’s address to the conference on Women. Manel and I worked on that. Mexico City We next left for Mexico. The journey took us through Houston where there was a refueling stop. Shirley Amerasinghe, our Permanent Representative at the UN was at the airport when we landed. I took the opportunity to show him the speech and inquired whether he had any views. Shirley thought the speech “excellent.” We were pleased that an experienced internationalist like Shirley had this opinion. At the airport at Mexico City, the Prime Minister and party were met by the Foreign Minister; Minister of the Interior; and the Minister for the Presidency and their wives. We were lodged at the Hotel Camino Real, which was both spacious and comfortable. On June 18 at 10.30 a.m. the Prime Minister called on President Ecchevaria. Talks between the two sides went on till I p.m. and encompassed both bilateral affairs and trade, as well as international affairs. The discussions were friendly and open. There was some delay due to translations. At 1.30 p.m. the President hosted the Prime Minister and delegation to lunch. The Mexican Cabinet; the Chief Justice and Judges of the Supreme Court; other local dignitaries and the diplomatic corps were present. After coming back to the hotel I telephoned Jayantha Dhanapala of the Foreign Service, at our Embassy in Washington and read out the text of a long statement, which I had drafted for the Sri Lanka newspapers. Since we didn’t have an embassy in Mexico, communications were a problem. The Prime Minister’s address itself to the conference went off very well and we believe that she received somewhat more than the customary compliments paid to speakers on such occasions. Our stay in Mexico, though brief was a crowded one with lunches, cultural shows and some sightseeing thrown in which included a visit to the excellent national museum. At one of these lunches hosted by Princess Ashraf, the sister of the Shah of Iran, and which included Ms. Imelda Marcos, I was one of the very few males present. The conversation was wide ranging and interesting with an emphasis on art, culture and social issues. Just before we left for home, Mr. Olof Palme, Prime Minister of Sweden called on the Prime Minister in her hotel. The youthful looking Mr. Palme had a reputation for being a radical. He had participated in marches and demonstrations in Sweden against the American intervention in the Vietnam War. At the discussions, he displayed a quiet, soft-spoken style. The Mexican Minister of Trade called on the Prime Minister before her departure. At this discussion Mexico agreed to issue licenses for a larger quantity of Sri Lankan cinnamon. At the airport, Valentina Teresckova, the Soviet woman cosmonaut came to meet the Prime Minister. It was a meeting between the first woman in space and the first woman Prime Minister. Katchativu and the settlement of issues with India From, about 1973, the Prime Minister was turning her attention to solving the only two outstanding issues with India, that of the ownership of the Island of Katchativu off the Northern coast of Sri Lanka; and that of the remaining 150,000 settlers of Indian origin in the country, which had not been covered by the Sirima-Shastri Pact. Katchativu was a tiny barren island in a part of the sea between Sri Lanka and India where fishermen of both countries engaged in fishing. At certain times of the year, Indian fishermen used to dry their nets on this rocky island. There was also a Catholic festival held there annually by the Sri Lanka Church, attended mostly by fishermen and their families. Katchativu was therefore being used for different purposes by the fishermen of both countries. Traditionally, however, Sri Lanka always considered the tiny island hers. The difference of views with India lay in the fact that there was no legal resolution of ownership. The issue was most important to a small country like Sri Lanka. India was one of the largest countries in the World. To Sri Lanka, it was considered vital to demarcate her maritime boundary in the North, and for this too the status of Katchativu was important. This was furthermore an area, which due to fishing by people of both countries, it was very necessary to properly demarcate the maritime boundary in order to minimize disputes. The law of the Sea Conference and the proposed 200 mile limit of sea which was to come within the sovereignty of countries was a factor which added to the importance of the resolution of this issue. Official contacts were therefore made with India, and a process of discussions begun. To complicate matters for us, it was discovered that some vitally important papers on the subject were missing from the Foreign Ministry files. One would not however like to speculate on a matter such as this. However, papers available in the National Archives helped. The Prime Minister in her meetings and contacts with Mrs. Gandhi had broached the necessity of resolving the outstanding issues with India. The two Prime Ministers got on well together and had established considerable rapport, a relationship going back the good relations between the Bandaranaike and Nehru families. Mrs. Bandaranaike was therefore keen that the existing favourable political configuration in the two countries should be used without delay to resolve our common problems. The Indian Prime Minister agreed. She had enormous problems on her hands including political turmoil, separatist tendencies and guerilla action in several parts of the country. The problems with Sri Lanka were not intractable ones, and she herself obviously thought that the time had come to get them out of the way and have some degree of stability and peace on her Southern border. A friendly Sri Lanka was in India’s interest. The virulent anti-Indian rhetoric by the JVP during 1969-71 which included the holding of clandestine classes for its cadres where an important lesson was on “Indian domination”, was a recent demonstration of the potential to inspire fear and hatred. This was another factor taken into account by Mrs. Bandaranaike in developing a policy on the quick resolution of problems with India. The two sides therefore, engaged in a process of discussions. These discussions were ongoing in a quiet manner when in mid-1974 India exploded a nuclear device in the Rajasthan desert. A cacophony of condemnation arose all over the world. The shrill condemnation that followed could not be dignified with the word “chorus.” India was depicted in the world’s press, and particularly in the Western press as some kind of sanctimonious humbug which preached non-violence, Ahimsa and arms control on the one hand, but practiced something else on the other. It was at the height of this situation that one day I dropped in at Temple Trees in the morning to get some urgent letters signed by the Prime Minister. When I reached there, I found the Prime Minister seated at the large dining table attending to work with W T Jayasinghe. I was about to take a seat in the verandah, when she saw me and invited me in. I found that WT was also finishing his work. He asked me whether I could give him a lift back to the Ministry, since he had sent his car somewhere else. I said that it wouldn’t be a problem. Both of us finished soon thereafter and WT loaded a large number of files into my car. We set off soon thereafter for the five-minute run to Republic Square. During the trip, WT told me that the Prime minister was sending a tiff note about the testing of the nuclear device and that she had signed the letter. I was quite appalled. I told WT, that I did not know the content and tone of the letter, since I had not seen it, but that I hoped that the close relationship between the two Prime Ministers and the on-going discussions on Katchativu and other matters had been taken into account in drafting the letter. I ended by saying that I hoped that our overall national interest had been properly assessed in sending this communication at this time. W T became somewhat agitated by what I said. He had the objectivity to say, “No I don’t think we had thought about matters to that extent.” I shrugged. He then pulled out the file and showed me the letter. I took one look and said that we might as well abandon our on-going discussions with India. The letter was a typical foreign Ministry sectoral, one-dimensional draft, which had only a thought of the issues of non-proliferation and non-alignment. It was clear that no thought had been given to the course of bilateral relations, strategic considerations, or an assessment of Sri Lanka’s overall national interest. WT by now was considerably alarmed. We had now reached the end of our short journey. He said, he wanted to come to my room to discuss matters further. Indeed, by now, he was convinced that the letter was a mistake. He wanted me to do an alternate draft. I said that I would do so only if he would place both drafts before the Prime Minister, not telling her who drafted the alternative, until she had decided which one to send. This was too important a matter for any bias to creep in. I thereupon changed the whole tenor of the letter from one of protestations and criticism to what I thought was a more balanced approach. India was congratulated on her achievements in Science and Technology and our satisfaction at this record mentioned. But the Prime Minister urged caution on going the nuclear route and she said that she was encouraged by the Indian Prime Minister’s statement that India would not develop a nuclear arsenal. (The various reasons why India and Pakistan developed nuclear weapons later would be a matter for study, debate and even controversy. But this was 1974, and we had to react at that time.) Suitable reference was also made to the issue of the Non-Aligned stance on nuclear proliferation. The whole tenor or the letter was an expression or admiration and recognition of India’s achievements in science and technology, but at the same time a friendly expression of concern about the prospect of nuclear proliferation. WT’ thought that my draft was much better. I soon forgot about it amidst other work. A few days later WT walked into my room. He had done what I had suggested and the two drafts had been placed before the Prime Minister. She had immediately reacted, and had angrily asked, who had done the first draft. She had stated that the second draft was the one that really reflected her views, and that she was misled into signing the first. It was only at this point that WT had mentioned who the author of the second draft was. This whole episode brings up some interesting points. In the first instance, it was by sheer accident that there was ever a second draft. The earlier letter would have been disastrous. This surmise indeed was subsequently proved by the Indian Prime Minister’s warm and lengthy response to the Prime Minister’s letter. This was a time, when Mrs. Gandhi was having serious internal problems in India too. The reply was an outpouring from the heart of a beleaguered leader to one whom she could trust. Amongst many candid and personal matters contained in the reply, there was gratitude expressed for Mrs. Bandaranaike’s understanding and vision. The relationship could have ended up being quite different.

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The Detroit Lions will play without two high draft picks in rookie cornerbacks Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. while possibly getting back veteran Emmanuel Moseley against the host Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Arnold was downgraded Saturday from questionable to out because of a groin injury. He was limited at practice on Thursday and participated in a full practice on Friday. The Lions drafted Arnold with the 24th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Alabama. Arnold, 21, has started all 10 games and has 38 tackles and six passes defended. Rakestraw (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve after not practicing all week. He already had been ruled out for Sunday's game. Detroit picked Rakestraw in the second round (61st overall) out of Missouri. He has played in eight games and has six tackles. Rakestraw, 22, has played on 46 defensive snaps (8 percent) and 95 special teams snaps (42 percent). Moseley had full practice sessions all week and was activated from injured reserve on Saturday but was listed as questionable for Sunday. The 28-year-old is in his second season with Detroit and appeared in one game last season before going on IR in October 2023. He was placed on IR on Aug. 27 with a designation to return. Moseley played from 2018-22 for the San Francisco 49ers and had 162 tackles, four interceptions -- one returned for a touchdown -- and 33 passes defensed in 46 games (33 starts). Detroit elevated linebacker David Long on Saturday for game day. Long, 28, signed with the practice squad on Tuesday after the Miami Dolphins released him on Nov. 13. He had started six of eight games for the Dolphins this season and had 38 tackles. In other Lions news, the NFL fined wide receiver Jameson Williams $19,697 for unsportsmanlike conduct for making an obscene gesture during a touchdown celebration in last Sunday's 52-6 home win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, the NFL Network reported Saturday. Williams, 23, scored on a 65-yard pass from Jared Goff with 12:55 remaining in the third quarter. --Field Level MediaSeoul, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 30th Dec, 2024) A Air plane flying to with 181 people on crashed on landing , killing 179 with just two people plucked alive the wreckage. Here's what we know so far. - What happened? - A Boeing 737-800 aircraft belonging to low-cost carrier Air, flying to Muan , was warned of a bird strike by the control tower, officials said, during its first attempt at landing shortly after 9:00 am (0000 GMT). Minutes later, the pilot issued a "mayday" warning and tried to land again. Video showed the plane, its landing gear still retracted, attempting a belly landing. Dramatic video shows the plane skidding along the runway with smoke trailing behind until it slams into a wall at the end and bursts into flames. - but two are killed - 175 passengers and four of the six crew members onboard were killed. The passengers were Korean apart two Thais, a three-year-old and a 78-year-old, authorities said. Rescue workers plucked two survivors -- flight attendants aged 25 and 33 -- the wreckage. - What caused the accident? - Investigations have been launched, but officials are focusing on a possible bird strike and . "It really has to be a series of catastrophic events that led to such a high loss of life," aviation Philip Butterworth-Hayes told AFP. "Crash protection systems on board are extremely robust," he said, describing the disaster as "the most serious incident I've seen" in recent years. When asked whether the runway might be too short, one official said this was likely not a factor. "The runway is 2,800 metres long," or 9,200 feet, "and similar-sized aircraft have been operating on it without issues," the official said. Both black boxes -- the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder -- have been recovered, deputy transport minister Joo Jong-wan said. - What is a bird strike? - A bird strike -- a collision between a bird and an aircraft in flight -- can be hazardous to aircraft. Jets can lose power if birds are sucked into their air intakes, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a agency. Bird strikes have caused a number of fatal accidents globally. "We're looking at substantial birds hitting an engine, and that is, as we know, very rare," said Butterworth-Hayes. He mentioned the famous "Miracle on the Hudson" incident in 2009, when a US Airways Airbus A320 was forced to ditch in 's Hudson River after a bird strike damaged both of its engines. aboard managed to escape. - Rescue operation - Hundreds of firefighters and other emergency responders, including military, were deployed to the Muan area, with the country's acting president designating the a special disaster zone. members, many crying in despair, waited on the 's first floor. - response - The occurred with in the throes of a political crisis that began when then-president Yoon Suk-yeol declared on 3, days before being impeached. Acting President Choi Sang-mok, on his third day in office, convened an emergency meeting with members and visited the crash scene. - Aviation safety record - 's aviation has a solid safety record and the crash was the first fatal for Air. On 12, 2007, strong winds caused a Air-operated Bombardier Q400 carrying 74 passengers to veer off the runway at another southern , Busan-Gimhae. A dozen people were . Before , the deadliest plane crash on soil took place on 15, 2002, when an Air Boeing 767 traveling hit a hill near Busan-Gimhae, resulting in 129 deaths. The most recent fatal crash of a airline happened in , California on 6, 2013. Asiana Airlines' Boeing 777 aircraft missed its landing, leaving three and 182 hurt. The deadliest disaster to hit a airline goes back to 1, 1983, when a Soviet fighter jet shot down a Boeing 747, which claimed was mistaken for a spy plane. 23 crew and 246 passengers aboard the Korean Air flight -- a New York-to-Seoul flight via , Alaska -- were killed.

Historical movies resonate with stories from the past for an audience watching them with a sense of awe after many years. The effect is gobsmacking when you see what you have fancied in your imagination on the silver screen as the events in history unveil how our world is shaped. Besides the benign charm that the historical movies generate, there is a triviality involved in distorting the history through false narratives. Historical movie directors and scriptwriters often get lambasted for culling the stories by adding their whims and fancies which lead to fabricating stories devoid of historical accuracy. The South Asian audience is especially agitated before such cinematic creations regardless of the artistic value. The hullabaloo occurred after screening Jodhaa Akbar in India and Aba in Sri Lanka, which exposed the tip of an iceberg. Thus, writing a screenplay based on historical facts or directing a historical movie can be a Herculean task for any movie maker in this region. It is by no means an exaggeration to describe the recently released Sinhala movie “Sri Siddha “ as a movie standing above such accusations. Rear Admiral Dr. Sarath Weerasekera wrote the script and also took the plunge of directing the movie, which brings the theatrical talents of many Sri Lankan artists such as Jagath Chamila, Paboda Sandeepani, Udari Warnakulasooriya and many more into the silver screen. The long silence that Dr. Weerasekera took after his debut Gamini in 2011 hasn’t marred his skills as a director, which is visible from the entertaining manner in which he presents a wonderful historical story full of humour and pathos equally. The movie is based on the Panakaduwa Cooper Plate discovered in 1948, which unveiled the toughest times of Vijayabahu I in his childhood escaping from the Chola invaders and the content of the Copper Plate refers to the veneration given by the Sinhalese monarch to a leader called Sipna Budalna for protecting him during the turbulent period he underwent. Taking from the first scene that shows how Prof. Senerath Paranavithana grasped the hidden value of the Copper Plate, the rest of the movie flows exploring the different stages of Vijayabahu’s life until his arch triumph of restoring the Sinhalese dynasty in Rajarata by overthrowing the Chola rule. While unfolding this historical narrative the movie evokes many subthemes ranging from love to betrayals that add a catharsis to this find work. As a commentator in military history and strategic studies, my admiration would naturally go to Dr. Weerasekera’s effort in tracing how Sinhalese organised themselves against the large forces of the Chola empire after the complete dissolution of Anuradhapura. According to Prof. Raj Somadeva, the fall of Anuradhapura was more an offshoot of internal chaos within the polity than the magnitude of Cholas as the historical chronicle Mahawamsa affirms the feeble rule of Mahinda V, the last king of Anuradhapura. The State’s reliance on the mercenaries went haywire when the treasury had no money to pay them which propelled the mercenaries to switch sides by deteriorating the situation. The first half of the movie refers to all the anarchy that prevailed after the total eclipse of Anuradhapura and how Sipna Budalna, the ferocious Sinhalese leader from the Rohana devoted himself to safeguarding Prince Kitthi, who hailed from Rohana principality. Panakaduwa Copper Plate The basis of the Panakaduwa Copper Plate reveals the bonhomie of Sipna Budalna, the chieftain from Ruhuna who protected Vijayabahu as the Plate narrates the following annotation. Ruhunadadanayaka Sithnarubimmudalnavan Vadithansahaviyahi Vadaminlovadavada Several scenes from the move depict the military mastery of Budalna and the way he inculcated the military discipline in young Vijayabahu. Although no evidence from the Mahawamsa or the Panakaduwa Copper Plate corroborates this, Dr. Weerasekera’s imaginative endeavour adds glamour to the rich tapestry of the movie. A historical movie can feel tedious if it doesn’t evoke human emotions like love and grief throughout its narrative. Beyond showcasing the heroic endeavours of Vijayabahu, the film touches on the softer side of this tough monarch, who lives in the forests to unify his country. His romantic involvement during his exile ultimately ends in tragedy, as he must sacrifice his love for the preservation of the crown. When Dr. Weerasekera included this element in the plot, he likely intended to connect it to a broader geopolitical reality during the late Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa eras. The intermarriages between the Sinhalese kings and the Pandyan royal families acted as a shield, protecting the Sinhalese monarchy from Chola invasions, as the Pandyans formed a formidable alliance with the Sinhalese against their common enemy, the Cholas. The practice of intermarriage as a political strategy was not new to the Asokan state system in the Indian subcontinent; ancient Indian strategist Shukracharya endorsed it in his well-known work, “Shukra-Nithi.” This approach served as a pragmatic tool for smaller States to secure their positions against more powerful neighbours. The movie illustrates how Prince Vijayabahu adopted this time-honoured practice for long-term political gain, even at the expense of his personal sentiments. Another notable aspect of Sri Siddha is its engagement with the military strategies adopted by Vijayabahu in taming the formidable Chola opponents who kept their grip over Rajarata by transforming it into a part of the Chola Mandala system. After the cascade of failures, Vijayabahu finally vanquished the enemy by encircling them from two sides and his alliance with the Pandyan King brought the due results when Pandyans militarily engaged with Cholas, which reduced their capacity to send reinforcements to Mahathiththa in Sri Lanka. More than an artistic piece filled with love, humour, sorrow and bravery, this is an eye-opener for a vigilant reader in history, who wants to know the strategic factors behind the long occupation of Cholas in Rajarata. To be precise, the narrative throughout “Sri Siddha” unfolds the perennial geopolitical uncertainties around the island and how our ancestors successfully outmatched them. Historical films Like many historical films, this one has notable flaws. Specifically, the fighting scenes and the use of technology are quite disappointing, especially considering the advanced AI tools available to filmmakers today. The depiction of the Chola ships arriving at Mahathiththa and the representation of the Chola fortress do not do justice to the intriguing plot. However, despite these minor shortcomings, viewers should not be discouraged from watching “Sri Siddha”, as it is a commendable effort to recreate our history and honour the characters who deserve our respect. The writer is a lecturer at the Department of International Law, Faculty of Law, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University

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