Oct 23 (DM) Seamer Matheesha Pathirana is likely to be ruled out of the World Cup due to a right shoulder injury. The 20-year-old didn’t feature in SL’s last two matches against Australia and Netherlands and will not play further part in the 13th edition of the Men’s ICC World Cup as he is still experiencing the pain in his bowling arm. Pathirana has complained about pain in his right shoulder after Pakistan’s match in Hyderabad. An MRI scan performed has shown a shoulder contusion and more..

Oct 23 (ST) Medical products are piling up at the Colombo Port owing to delays by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) CEO in signing the paperwork to clear shipments, pharmaceutical companies said, warning that this will affect supplies in the private sector. Further backlogs are feared as the Customs Department has suddenly introduced a new rule that all documents necessary to take out pharmaceutical imports more..

Oct 23 (AD) President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that the policy of the present govt is to treat every religion equally and provide equal rights to every citizen. He further stressed that he does not approve of making the Palestinian people victims in the Israel-Hamas conflict. He pledged full support to the program of the UN Secretary-General to stop the conflicts and establish peace in the region, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said in a statement. more..

Oct 23 (AD) The Irrigation Dept has issued an Amber colour flood warning in some of the low-lying areas of the Nilwala River valley in Kotapola, Pitabeddara, Akuressa, Pasgoda, Athuraliya, Malimbada, Thihagoda, Matara and Devinuwara divisional secretariat divisions. The flood warning message, valid until 8.00 a.m. tomorrow, states that a considerable rainfall has occurred in some of Upstream and Middle Reach catchment areas of Nilwala River Basin as of 2. a.m. today. more..

Oct 23 (TOI) National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths nabbed the kingpin of a human trafficking racket involved in an attempt to send 61 Sri Lankan nationals abroad illegally after bringing them to India in 2021. The accused, identified as Mohamed Imran Khan (39) alias Haja Najerbheeden, a native of Ramanathapuram, was secured from his hideout in Theni district by the absconder tracker team (ATT) of the NIA from Bengaluru. NIA said it had been tracking his movements for a few months. more..

Oct 23 (SLN) Based on information derived from a coordinated intelligence operation conducted by the SL Navy and Police Narcotic Bureau, a drug-carrying local multiday fishing trawler was intercepted by SLCG Samudraraksha. The intercepted local multiday fishing trawler was escorted to the Dondra fisheries harbour, where the careful search with the SL Coast Guard, over 212kg of heroin and crystal methamphetamine (ICE) were recovered from the trawler this morning (22). more..

Oct 23 (TM) Ramanna Buddhist Sect, under the instructions of its Chief Prelate Ven. Makulawe Wimala Thera, has called on all political parties representing the Parliament for a special meeting today to discuss the latest electricity tariff increase requested by the CEB. Secretary of the Ramanna Sect, Ven. Aththangane Sasana Rathana Thera said that they have decided to hold a special discussion with the leaders of all parties more..

Oct 23 (FT) SJB MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar highlighted the dire plight of Palestine in parliament on Friday, by quoting Israeli historian Raz Segal who has called it a A textbook case of Genocide. “The situation in Palestine resembles the colonisation and tragic experiences that our country and forefathers endured for many centuries under the rule of Portuguese, Dutch, and British imperialists,” the MP said. He highlighted that the colonisers labelled many SL freedom fighters more..

Oct 23 (FT) At least 400 Right to Information (RTI) requests have been submitted by families affected by the construction of Central Expressway seeking information from RDA and the contractors Maga Engineering Ltd. including the damage assessment and relevant financial reports related to their homes damaged in the process. RTI requests were filed by 200 local residents whose houses were damaged in the last stretch of the central highway from Mirigama to Kurunegala. more..

Oct 23 (TM) Ministry of Agriculture has decided to transfer two Ministry officials who have allegedly not fulfilled the task of calling relevant tenders for the import of fertilisers for the upcoming Maha cultivating season, despite a direction having been issued by the Cabinet of Ministers. Agriculture Ministry claimed that due to the delay in finalising tenders, SL risks incurring nearly United States $ 300 more per metric tonne (MT) of fertiliser. more..

Oct 23 (EN) Sri Lanka’s tea export revenues grew 1.8% in September 2023 to US$ 119.9 million, amid a rise in volume and fall in the average price, industry data showed. Tea exports grew to 23.16 million kilograms in September from 21.54 million last year, data from Ceylon Tea Brokers showed. Though exports volumes were up in September, tea production was down in the month. Up to September total export volumes were down to 181 million kilos from 192 million kilos last year. more..

Oct 23 (FT) In the hands of the victor, history is pure simple propaganda. This observation is attributed to historian A.J.P. Taylor whose principal focus was on 19th and 20th Century European diplomacy. Nowhere is this truer than in the struggle between what’s unfolding before the world today. The blood feud between Settler Jew and the Homeless Hopeless Arab in what’s called the Occupied Territories of Palestine unfolds before our eyes. Arabs have always lived in Arabia. more..

Oct 23 (DN) The delegation headed by Yunnan Provincial Federation of Industry and Commerce Chairman Gao Feng, who is also CPPCC Vice Chairman held discussion with PM Dinesh Gunawardena on follow up plans on trade and investment proposals emanated during the PM’s visit to Yunnan two months ago at Temple Trees on Friday. “There are many similarities between SL & Yunnan and we are keen to establish close cooperation with SL, special friend of China,” more..

Oct 23 (AD) An Indonesian passenger was arrested by the Narcotics Control Unit of the SL Customs at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) last evening (22). The woman, who had arrived from Doha, had attempted to smuggle nearly five kilograms of cocaine into the country, SL Customs reported. Accordingly, the 42-year-old woman, who had travelled to Sri Lanka from Ethiopia via Doha, had hidden 4.59 kilograms of cocaine inside books she had been carrying in her luggage. more..

Oct 23 (DM) In the midst of brewing crisis in the health sector riddled with corruption, administrative lapses and the influx of inferior quality drugs, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe removed Keheliya Rambukwella dubbed as the worst performing health minister from his Cabinet post today and appointed him as the Environment Minister instead. Daily Mirror exclusively reported last week that the Prez would effect major more..

Oct 23 (FT) SL’s choice of 2048 as the target year of becoming a rich country has some sentimental value. That is the year in which the country will celebrate the centenary of independence from Britain. However, this goal seems to be an offshoot of a similar goal announced by India in Aug 2022 to become a rich country by 2047 when it celebrates the centenary of its independence from Britain. Neither country has come up with a long-term policy strategy to reach this target by late 2040s. more..

Oct 23 (Reuters) A pill for dengue fever developed by Johnson & Johnson appeared to protect against a form of the virus in a handful of patients in a small human challenge trial in the US, according to data presented by the company on Friday. There are currently no specific treatments for dengue, a growing disease threat, the company said ahead of presentation of the data at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Annual Meeting in Chicago. more..

Oct 23 (DM) The Agriculture Ministry has begun distributing air rifles to farmers at concessional prices from yesterday, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. While initiating the programme to distribute air rifles to farmers in Agunakolapalassa, he said the farmers had demanded shotguns to prevent crop damage from wild animals. Accordingly, arrangements have been made to distribute 268 air rifles to farmers. more..

Oct 23 (EN) In Sri Lanka and in other countries with bad central banks like in Latin America, inflation and currency shortages are perpetuated by a series of false narratives repeated ad nauseum by the perpetrators until the public accepts them as true. By these actions, inflationists escape accountability for money printing or the deployment of inflationary policy to trigger monetary instability by cleverly transferring the blame to the victims, which include not only the general public but more..

Oct 23 (Island) The SJB yesterday (22) said President Ranil Wickremesinghe had made known his intention not to conduct the Local Govt (LG) polls. Top SJB spokesperson Mujibur Rahman said that addressing the Special General Convention of the UNP at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium, President Wickremesinghe had declared that the presidential polls would be held in 2024, followed by a general election, and the LG polls would be conducted in early 2025. more..

Oct 23 (DM) A schoolboy from Kudalihena in Kolonna died when his house was buried by an earth slip in the early hours of this morning. The victim Achla Akalanka was an Advanced Level student of the Dorapane National School. Residents of the area and the police said it took about one and a half hours to remove the mound of earth to trace him and admit him to the hospital only to be pronounced dead. Several areas in the Kolonna secretarial division have experienced more..

Oct 23 (AD) The overall rate of inflation as measured by National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) on a year-on-year basis has dropped to 0.8% in Sept 2023 from 2.1% in Aug 2023. Meanwhile food inflation has increased to -5.2% in Sept 2023 from -5.4% in Aug 2023. Issuing the NCPI, for the month of Sept 2023, Headline inflation as measured by the Year-on-Year change (The percentage change in the current month NCPI over same month NCPI of last year) based on NCPI has been compiled as 0.8%. more..

Oct 23 (DM) The family members of late businessman Lalith Kotelawala yesterday sought an order from the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court to conduct a post-mortem examination into the death of Mr. Kotelawala citing his death occurred in suspicious circumstances. The family members through their lawyers informed the court that the late Kotelawala was held hostage by a certain group of people for a last five-year period without more..

Oct 23 (FT) SJB MP Indunil Thushara Amarasena strongly criticised the govt’s 18% electricity tariff hike yesterday deeming it inhumane. MP criticised the CEB General Manager, Chairman, Engineers, and other personnel accusing them of fostering corruption within the institution. Amarasena said that CEB’s financial losses are a result of these actions and rampant mismanagement, and it is unjust to burden the public with yet another electricity tariff increase without more..

Oct 23 (ENS) Officers investigating the suicide of a four-member family in Kadamakkudy have uncovered the potential role of SL-based criminal networks linked to online instant loan applications Probe took a significant turn with police tracing the whereabouts of the number used to send obscene images of one of the victims to relatives. Nijo Johny, 39, his wife Shilpa, 32, and their children, Ebel, 7, and Aron, 5, were found dead on Sept 12 at their residence in a suspected case of suicide. more..

Oct 23 (CT) Since there is no need to increase the water tariff at this juncture, Cabinet will not approve such a proposal, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. Govt admits that the increase in electricity tariffs was difficult for the public to bear at this time. But due to the current state of war between several countries, the price of imported materials has increased. Therefore, Minister said it is regrettable that the public have to more..

Oct 23 (AD) The SLPP has raised concerns over the latest Cabinet reshuffle, claiming that the changing of ministerial portfolios was a wrong decision by the President. Speaking to the media in this regard this afternoon, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam accused President Ranil Wickremesinghe of having taken the wrong decision in this regard, in particular the removal of Keheliya Rambukwella from the post of Minister of Health. “There were false allegations made more..

Oct 23 (DN) The general public has been cautioned over the increased spread of three infectious diseases in the island, as a result of the prevailing inclement weather conditions. Public has been warned of the spread of eye diseases, diarrhea, and respiratory diseases, often associated with high body temperatures, and are therefore urged to take all possible precautionary measures while also paying attention to their personal health habits. Speaking further in this regard, more..

Oct 23 (EN) SL expropriated and now state-run Pelwatte and Sevenagala sugar firms are burying ethanol, State Minister Chamara Dasanayake said, after a tax hike on top of a currency fall led to a collapse in demand. “What the less affluent people drank was ‘extra special (athi vishesha),” Dasanayake told parliament. “The cost of production is 1,200 rupees but it is sold at 3,200 rupees. The economic experts (arthiker osthar) are advocating high taxes but what they do not know more..

Oct 23 (AD) The further hearing of the petition filed by Ministers Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando, challenging the decision taken by SJB to oust them from the party and disqualify them of their parliamentary seats, has been postponed until 27 Oct by the Supreme Court. The relevant order was issued by a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising of Justices Vijith Malalgoda, Gamini Amarasekera and Arjuna Obeysekera, when the petition was called in court this morning, more..

Oct 23 (AD) Minister Kanchana Wijesekera, announced that a comprehensive proposal pertaining to the restructuring of the CEB is scheduled for submission to the Cabinet next week. Minister further emphasized that a mechanism will be developed immediately for a systematic approach to revise the electricity bill once every six months. Minister providing additional insights remarked that the Public Utilities Commission had more..

Oct 23 (FT) A group of 125 civil society leaders and 37 organisations and collectives has issued the following statement on the draconian Online Safety Bill and the Anti-Terror Bill alleging both will put an end to democracy and fundamental rights. They called upon the Government to withdraw both bills and engage in a public conversation with qualified persons and citizens on public policy. They also called upon the MPs to vote against these two bills. Following are excerpts of their statement. more..

Oct 23 (CT) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe announced the commencement of the construction of a temple and a Stupa in Henan Province, China, designed to embody traditional SL architectural elements reminiscent of the historic White Horse Temple. This temple complex is recognised as China’s first Buddhist shrine. The decision to undertake this project was made during a recent discussion held in Beijing, in which Prez engaged with the head of the White Horse Temple, His Holiness Yin Lee. more..

Oct 23 (DM) The Bar Association, media institutions, advocacy groups, and more than 40 other petitioners challenged the Online Safety Bill in a two-day hearing before the Supreme Court judges Priyantha Jayawardhene, Achala Wengappuli, and Shiran Gunarathne last week. The petitioners warned that the Bill provides very little online safety but is drafted to stop people from expressing ideas and views on the internet and social media. more..

Oct 23 (DM) The initial programme to send 100,000 toque monkeys to zoos in China was disrupted due to lawsuits filed by environmental organizations, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. While distributing air rifles to farmers in Agunakolapalassa, he said crop damage is mostly caused by toque monkeys. However, the proposals presented by these environmental organizations to prevent crop damage caused by wild animals are not practical at all, he charged. more..

Oct 23 (Island) The Justice Ministry over the weekend announced that a person named Suranga Dilruk, proprietor of the building Atambahamula bim vasiya in Kuliyapitiya had moved Court of Appeal against journalist Chamuditha Samarawickrema, Harini Cabraal Wijetunga and Keerthi Ratnayake for their comments on the judiciary in relation to an ongoing court case. Justice Ministry released the three petitions filed by Dilruk in terms of Article 105(3) of the Constitution. more..