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 Lisheen Mine The Indian metal and mining giant, Vedanta Resources Corporation, has paid US$698 million, nearly N$5 billion, for Skorpion Zinc as part of a deal to buy Anglo American’s zinc assets and become the biggest zinc producers globally.
The Namibian mine, the eight largest zinc producer in the world, fetched the highest price in the US, $1,3 billion deal.
Vedanta forked out US$332 million or €261.1 million for 74 per cent interest in Black Mountain Mining in South Africa and US$308 million or €242.2 million for the Lisheen mine, situated near Thurles Co.Tipperary. In both the Skorpion and Lisheen transactions, Vedanta has acquired 100 per cent of the share holdings.
The transaction however is subject to regulatory approval, which is expected over the next 12 months.
Lisheen, which presently employs about 370 workers, is due to wind down in 2014.
Analysts yesterday speculated that Vedanta could look to sell on Lisheen quickly, possibly to mining rival Xstrata, which is involved in a joint venture with Minco, on lead and zinc licences at Pallas Green on the Tipperary / Limerick border.
Vedanta is a FTSE-100 company, controlled by India billionaire Anil Agarwal. The company has annual revenues of $6.6 billion and employs more than 30,000 staff.
More than two million tonnes of ore a year are shipped from Lisheen mine.
 GAA President Christy Cooney The historic “Tom Semple‘s Field” (Semple Stadium) here in Thurles, is expected to host both the Division 1 and Division 2 Allianz National Hurling league finals on May 2nd next, after GAA President Christy Cooney confirmed that Division 1 table toppers would not be gifted a home advantage.
Last year’s final was observed by many commentators to be a ‘home venue’ for Tipperary after their high-scoring Division 1 league decider against Kilkenny was played in front of a Semple Stadium capacity crowd.
However, much like Dublin footballers being afforded a ‘home venue’ at Croke Park, the decision to fix the game in Thurles was in line with current thinking.
The last five league finals have been hosted at this historic stadium here in Thurles, together with 22 of the 39 finals (including replays), which have taken place since 1975.
GAA President Christy Cooney confirmed that a home venue for either Cork or Galway for the final has not as yet been suggested within GAA headquarters.
One of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Benjamin Franklin (1706 – 1790) stated in a letter to Jean  Baptiste Le Roy on the 13 November 1789, “But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes”.
Further clarification as to the truth of this statement appears to be now confirmed with the new imposition of VAT on burials in council cemeteries.
The new tax of 13.5% will push up the cost of acquiring a grave in a local authority cemetery from July 1st. and is a consequence of a European Court of Justice ruling, which is forcing local authorities to apply VAT to a range of services, including our waste collections.
The new “Grave Tax” will add as much as €150 to the cost of the one of the cheaper graves currently on offer and up to €2,000 in the case of a larger grave plot, should you wish to be buried in some of the bigger city cemeteries.
One consoling fact however worth noting, consumers, expecting to die in the near future, may be able to avoid this tax by buying their grave in advance, before July1st of this year.
Cremations and graves in private cemeteries are already taxed at 13.5% VAT, so this EU ruling will not affect their current price structure.
Finance Minister Brian Lenihan has confirmed that local authority cemeteries will become subject to VAT from July 1st after the passage of the 2010 Finance Bill.
Twelve people were rescued from the River Shannon on the Tipperary Clare border, near Killaloe Bridge late night. Two of these were plucked from the freezing waters having jumped from an overladen vessel on which they were partying and which had begun to take on water.
It is understood that 12 adults, all men in their 20’s, who had been attending a house party near the shoreline, decided to go boating in a 22 foot long speedboat.
 Killaloe Bridge A tragedy was only narrowly averted by the quick response of the emergency services, who managed to reach the scene within minutes of the alarm being raised.
The vessel was almost 3 kms south of the bridge and about 500 metres from the shore, in the darkness, when it began to take on water. Two of the occupants are understood to have jumped into the freezing water to attempt to swim ashore.
Rescuers found an amount of alcohol cans and bottles, in the area around the boat and most of those on board are understood to have been wearing inadequately fitting life jackets, for the intended voyage.
Killaloe Coast Guard spokesman Mr. Michael Quigley said: “So much could have gone wrong on Friday night and there is no doubt twelve lives could so easily have been lost.”
He also warned that when people gets into trouble, they should only ring 999 or 112 and not a member of the public or individual Coast Guard members. This only wastes time and can put lives further at risk.
Killaloe and Ballina is an area much sought out by tourists visiting the Clare and Tipperary region.
 Eoin Kelly returns Third placed Tipperary Hurling Team, through their manager Liam Sheedy, have announced two changes to the side which drew with Waterford last time out and which will play current league leaders Cork in the Allianz National Hurling League Division 1 on Sunday in Pairc Ui Chaoimh, throw-in 2.30pm.
Michael Cahill of Thurles Sarsfields replaces Shane Maher at left half-back, while captain Eoin Kelly, who has recovered from his injury, returns in place of John O’Brien, to captain the side.
The named Tipperary Team is as follows:
B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Maher, P Curran; D Fanning, C O’Mahony, M Cahill; B Maher, S McGrath; N McGrath, L Corbett, G Ryan; E Kelly, T Hammersley, P Kelly.
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