Oct 3 (Island) Star leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga is waiting to get visa clearance from the British High Commission in Colombo to travel to London to consult a surgeon having suffered a grade three hamstring tear lead up to the ICC Cricket World Cup. The surgeon will assess the spinner and decide whether he requires surgery. Going under the knife invariably means that he will be out of the World Cup. Hasaranga suffered a grade two hamstring tare during LPL and was ruled out of Asia Cup. more..

Oct 3 (EN) Sri Lanka�s imports picked up pace in August 2023 to US$ 1,426 million, from US$ 1,388 million a month earlier as inflows from tourism and exports also picked up. Total inflows from exports were US$ 1,119 million, down 8.7% from a year earlier, official remittances were US$ 499 million, up from US$ 325 million and tourism was US$ 211 million, up from US$ 68 million. Inflows for the month totaled US$ 1,828 million, allowing domestic agents to spend on imports or other services. more..

Oct 3 (EN) SL�s balance of payments slipped into deficit in Aug 2023, after slow reserve collections in the previous two months, data shows amid rate cuts and a statutory reserve ratio cut, which also injected liquidity. The balance of payments which recorded a surplus of US$ 2,078 million up to July 2023, reduced to US$ 2,034 million in August. CB in August cut the statutory reserve ratio to 2% from 4% injecting liquidity more..

Oct 3 (DN) SL Port Authority (SLPA) will make a profit of around Rs. 35 billion this year, Chairman SLPA Keith Bernard. He said that up to July this year they have made a profit of Rs. 20 billion. �We expect to touch the Rs. 35 billion profit margin by the end of the year.� He however said that SLPA made a profit of RS. 42 billion and he attributed this increase to exchange gain as the dollar was trading higher than the present rate. SLPA due to import restrictions also saw a dip in revenue this year. more..

Oct 3 (DN) SL will meet Afghanistan in their 2nd warm up game today at Guwahati, India. SL team led by Dasun Shanaka played their first warm up game at Guwahati but lost to Bangladesh by 7 wickets while opener Kusal Janith Perera was once again injured scoring 34 retired hurt and in today�s warm up game Kusal Janith Perera will be rested said SL team management official. SL and Afghanistan played a three match ODI series at Hambantota and SL won the series 2-1 more..

Oct 3 (FT) SL welcomed 111,938 tourists in September, missing the monthly target of 120,201 and marking lowest figure since June though the country saw cumulative performance crossing the important 1 million mark for the first time in 3 years. Over the first nine months of the year, arrivals reached 1.01 million, a remarkable rebound of 275.6% from the crisis-hit year of 2022, which saw only 29,802 arrivals. However, performance remains 25% lower compared to the same period more..

Oct 3 (SO) A ceremony to pay tribute to the country�s most senior journalist Edmond Ranasinghe (93), the founding Editor and Editorial Director of the Divaina newspaper will be held at the Presidential Secretariat on today at pm under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. It marks the launch of a program, to pay tribute to senior journalists who have made an invaluable contribution to journalism in the country. This program is a concept of Prez more..

Oct 3 (DM) The IMF, in its technical assistance report, observes that SL revenue administration is highly prone to corruption and rent-seeking and such perceptions are acknowledged by both insiders and external stakeholders to have progressively worsened in recent years, given the impunity of action against unethical and corrupt behaviour. There are three separate revenue collection departments of the Ministry of Finance more..

Oct 3 (ST) SL�s Urban Development and Housing Ministry is in a tug of war with the Public Expenditure Review Committee (PERC) on the latter�s recommendations to restructure or liquidate six institutions coming under the purview of the ministry. The committee has submitted a report on Aug 8 with 14 proposals including recommendations relating to these six state institutions functioning under the ministry to the cabinet of ministers, finance and urban development ministries. more..

Oct 3 (DM) The SJB reiterated that it officially declared its leader Sajith Premadasa, as the party's presidential candidate, scotching rumours circulating about MP Sarath Fonseka's potential candidacy for the presidency. SJB's media spokesperson MP S. M. Marikkar, addressed journalists' inquiries regarding Fonseka's rumoured presidential bid. Mr. Marikkar affirmed that the SJB's working committee had already made the decisive choice of Mr. Premadasa as their candidate. more..

Oct 3 (TM) Minister Tiran Alles has ordered IGP Chandana Wickramaratne and the CID to conduct a complete and comprehensive investigation into the resignation of Mullaitivu District Judge and Magistrate T. Saravanarajah, and the factors and events that led to it and his departure from the country. Through a letter dated 23 Sept, addressed to the Secretary of Judicial Services Commission (JSC), Saravanarajah had tendered his resignation from a range of posts that he had held - more..

Oct 3 (FT) Sri Lanka ranks 116 out of 165 jurisdictions included in the Economic Freedom of the World: 2023 Annual Report, released by Advocata Institute in conjunction with Canada�s Fraser Institute. The current ranking represents a decline in the economic freedom of the country which ranked 104th during 2020. Report measures the economic freedom of individuals�their ability to make their own economic decisions�by analysing the policies & institutions of 165 jurisdictions. more..

Oct 3 (Island) Top Opposition spokesperson Prof. G.L. Peiris said that the govt should take full responsibility for the suspension of USD 2.9 bn IMF bailout over SL�s failure to achieve the anticipated revenue mobilisation. The former External Affairs Minister found fault with the govt for tax concessions granted to investors and the failure on its part to collect taxes, in spite of reaching an agreement with the IMF in that regard. more..

Oct 3 (FT) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa announced that a future Govt led by the SJB, with him at the helm, will initiate steps to renegotiate the IMF deal in a manner that prioritises the welfare of the SL people. He criticised the Govt for pursuing a lacklustre, feeble, and ineffective approach in its negotiations with the IMF. He emphasised the importance of conducting negotiations in a way that maximises the benefits for the people. He remarked, �However, it seems that the current Govt more..

Oct 3 (DM) Controversial unpaid Rs. 2.6 million electricity bill of MP Namal Rajapaksa, which was being circulated on social media under the letterhead of the CEB, was settled by State Minister Sanath Nishantha. State Minister said that he settled the bill out of respect to former Prez Mahinda Rajapaksa who had ended the war, and because of being a friend who supported him in politics and in business. "Today I paid the total electricity bill of Rs. 2,682,246.57 to CEB on behalf of MP Namal more..

Oct 3 (TG) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, lashed out during an interview with Deutsche Welle when asked for a response to serious concerns raised by the Channel 4 documentary on the Easter Sunday bombings and the need for an international investigation. Channel 4 documentary alleged that senior SL govt and military figures played a role in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings which killed over 250 people. more..

Oct 3 (USE) In a joint initiative aimed at fostering energy efficiency among businesses and simplifying energy usage reporting, US Agency for Int'l Development (USAID) has partnered with the SL Sustainable Energy Authority (SLSEA) to unveil a groundbreaking tool. On Sept 14, USAID, in collaboration with SLSEA through its SL Energy Program, introduced the National Energy Benchmarking Portal (NEBP). This innovative platform is designed to assist businesses more..

Oct 3 (FT) Since its independence, SL has established friendly relations with China. The relations between the two countries have developed steadily, especially in the fields of culture and trade, and have resulted in very close ties. A very memorable partnership has been formed between our two countries. The history of friendly interactions between China and SL dates back a long time. In ancient Chinese texts, SL was once referred to as the Lion Country or Simhaladvipa Country. more..

Oct 3 (FT) The IMF agreement states to reduce the State enterprises making losses and to maintain cost recovery in electricity pricing. This would mean that State enterprises should be efficiently managed and if they are a monopoly like the CEB then the inefficiencies, wastages, bad planning and management should not be passed on the consumer putting the blame on the IMF. They need to be accountable and free from political interference and be responsible to the regulator. more..

Oct 3 (DM) Former President of the Sri Lanka Young Journalists' Association, Tharindu Uduwaragedara today filed a Special Determination petition before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the Online Safety Bill, which was placed on the order paper of Parliament today (3). Through this petition, the petitioner is seeking a declaration that the bill requires approval by the people at a Referendum in addition to the 2/3 approval of Parliament. more..

Oct 3 (EN) Sri Lanka has not agreed to some recommendations by the IMF as they would add to the people�s burdens and has instead proposed alternatives, Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe said. In an interview given to DW in Berlin during an official visit, Wickremesinghe dismissed concerns that the IMF has stopped the second tranche of a US$ 2.9 billion EFF extended to SL. �It is not that they�re stopping the second package. more..

Oct 3 (EN) Cabinet approved a proposal submitted by the minister of justice, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, to establish a new commercial high court. �There are a lot of commercial disputes which needs to be quickly resolved,� Minister Bandula Gunawardena said at Cabinet decisions press briefing. �There are delays in the law and quick decisions must be taken.� �Achieving development goals requires taking necessary steps to maintain a better investment environment in the country. more..

Oct 3 (AD) Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has warned that SL will have to face grave consequences as a result of the enforcement of the Online Safety Bill. Joining the parliamentary debate on the matter this morning, Premadasa explained that as of now, several social media and tech giants including Facebook and Google have extensively opposed the relevant Bill. Speaking on the recent concerns voiced by the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) in this regard, Premadasa questioned how more..

Oct 3 (DM) A total of USD 56 billion has been parked abroad by powerful persons during the past few years, Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksha informed Parliament today. �A sum of USD 9 billion has been parked this year alone,� Minister said. I propose a special motion to order these persons to bring back their money which is parked abroad. There are some secretaries of some MPs who have parked more than USD 150 million each,� more..

Oct 3 (NR) Nadeesha Dilhani Lekamge has won the silver medal in the women�s javelin throw event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. She won the silver with an impressive throw of 61.57m which is also her personal best. This is the first athletics medal for Sri Lanka at the Asian Game in 17 years. India�s Annu Rani won the gold medal in the event while China�s Lyu Huihui won the bronze medal. Lekamge�s medal is only the second at this year�s games for Sri Lanka. more..

Oct 3 (CT) CID has launched an investigation into how a person had boarded an airplane, scheduled to take off for Japan, from BIA, without any legal travel document. Individual was arrested while seated in the plane. A senior official at the CID said that the security and immigration officials will be questioned and CCTV footage will be analysed. It is highly questionable as to how the passenger avoided all the security measures and boarded the plane without any legal document for air travel, more..

Oct 3 (EN) SL plans to release 100 million fish fry and 50 million juvenile freshwater shrimp into reservoirs this year in order to increase the production of freshwater fish. �Minister Douglas Devananda, proposed to increase the production of the fisheries industry by releasing 500 million fish fry annually and continuously, however this was unsuccessful,� Cabinet spokesperson, Bandula Gunawardena said. �Now there is a plan to release 100 million fish fry and more..

Oct 3 (DM) The female elephant Seetha, who was injured following a shooting incident by a wildlife officer, underwent several scanning tests, including three thermal imaging scans, WCD Health Director Tharaka Prasad said. He said that after the thermal scans, he found several rubber bullet parts inside the left leg of the elephant. "These parts were found less than 2 cm deep in the skin. No reaction was found from the body of the elephant against the rubber bullet parts. more..

Oct 3 (CT) The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said that a total of 3,672 families, comprising 15,496 individuals, across 51 Divisional Secretariat divisions, spanning four districts in the country, have been severely affected by the ongoing adverse weather conditions. In the Ratnapura District, 214 families, consisting of 827 members, were affected by falling trees, cutting failures and floods due to the heavy rains. more..

Oct 3 (DM) Danushka Gunathilaka who was found not guilty by a Sydney Court on a sexual assault case in Australia, is scheduled to return to SL today after 11 months. Danushka Gunathilaka, 32, was accused of assaulting a Sydney woman at her home after a Tinder date in November. Last week, Judge Sarah Huggett acquitted Gunathilaka as he sat at Sydney�s Downing Centre district court. Gunathilaka - who has represented Sri Lanka in more than 100 matches including eight Tests - more..

Oct 3 (FT) The ICF Colombo Chapter is organising SL�s first Professional Coaching Conference from 17 to 19 October 2023 at the Cinnamon Grand Colombo. The event is centred on the theme, �Coaching for Human Connectedness � A Call for Meaningful Conversations� and will focus on four key segments: Conversations for Change, Conversations for Collaboration, Conversations for Compassion and Conversations for Results. Speaking about the thought behind more..

Oct 3 (TM) In the wake of around six wild elephants being killed after colliding with trains during the course of last week, Railways Dept called for collaborative measures with the Dept of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) in order to prevent such incidents. During the course of last week, nearly six elephants were reportedly killed by train accidents that had taken place along the Batticaloa line. According to reports, four elephants had died more..

Oct 3 (DM) Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) has stressed the need to introduce a price formula to regulate the price of wheat flour. This was discussed when the CoPF met recently under the Chairmanship of Dr. Harsha de Silva. Committee emphasized that a price formula should be prepared immediately in order to work in a more diversified manner. Chair instructed the AG's Dept to calculate the amount of wheat flour currently available in SL's warehouses and submit an audit report more..

Oct 3 (EN) SL constitutional council is the most inefficient in the history of parliament, Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said, chastising both govt and opposition representatives in the council for failing to implement the recently passed anti-corruption act. Speaking in parliament, Aluthgamage said both Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and PM Dinesh Gunawardena as well as Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena must take responsibility for the council�s inaction. more..

Oct 3 (DM) Kepong MP Lim Lip Eng has called for an investigation into the death of a 43-year-old SL man while in police custody at the Jinjang Central lockup in Malaysia. While urging all parties to allow the police space and time to conduct their investigation, Lim emphasized the need for serious action to be taken in cases of deaths in police custody. He called for a post-mortem exam to be conducted and for the CCTV footage inside the lockup center to be thoroughly examined. more..