Oct 21 (DM) A SL-born Melbourne financial planner, Terence Rio Rienzo Nugara, accused of pilfering about $10 million from the superannuation funds of vulnerable clients, pleaded guilty in the County Court last month to 37 charges of obtaining a financial advantage by deception and two of theft, Australia�s The Age news agency reported. On Sept 26, he pleaded guilty in the County Court to 37 charges of obtaining a financial advantage more..

Oct 21 (FT) Ambassador of SL to Viet Nam, Prof Saj U. Mendis, was invited by the Uni of Social Sciences and Humanities (USSH) of the prestigious Viet Nam Uni (VNU) to deliver a special lecture/talk on Economic Transformation and Future Trajectory of Viet Nam and SL to the senior academic faculty, lecturers, graduate students and guests. Ambassador Mendis was received by the Vice Rector of the VNU, Prof. Dr. Dao Thanh Truong, and he expressed close and congenial relations more..

Oct 21 (AD) The Centre for Environmental Justice today (20) withdrew a petition filed before the Court of Appeal accusing former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen of contempt of court. The petition had been filed against the former minister for failing to implement an order issued by the Court of Appeal, directing him to take measures for the re-plantation of the deforested area of the Marichchukaddi and Karadikkuli forest reserves located near the Wilpattu National Park, more..

Oct 21 (Island) The UK�s Channel 4 has declined to appear before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Sunday carnage. The television station has said that it couldn�t reveal confidential sources or what it called confidential journalistic material. Referring to the C4�s response, sources close to the investigation asserted that such a course of action would be severely inimical to those who valued truly independent media. more..

Oct 21 (Island) Having a caused a major upset, the Netherlands will have a spring in their stride when they take on a struggling SL in the World Cup at Lucknow today. Netherlands, who stunned South Africa in Dharamsala for their first World Cup win against a Test playing nation, will be eying an improved show from their top-order as they look for back-to-back victories. The top three Vikramjit Singh, Max O�Dowd and Colin Ackermann have not been able to get the team off to a good start, more..

Oct 21 (ST) The dispatch of airmail to four countries has been suspended due to a delay in signing an agreement with an international airline, a Postal Department senior official said. Accordingly, the Postal Department has stopped sending airmail to Cypress, Czech Republic, Poland, and Iran on this airline. The agreement has been proposed following the installation of a new customs electronic import system known as ICS2. It is used to collect data about all goods entering a country more..

Oct 21 (FT) CID investigators visited National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) to conduct an inquiry regarding the alleged forgery of documents by the medicines importer, Isolez Biotech Pharma Ag. Ltd. Isolez Biotech Pharma stands accused of engaging in document forgery and using these fraudulent documents to obtain clearance from SL Customs for the importation of materials. These materials were allegedly intended for unauthorised production of human immunoglobulin IV, more..

Oct 21 (AD) Court of Appeal has fixed a date to deliver the verdict of the petitions filed by specialist doctors against the decision of Cabinet of Ministers to bring down their retirement age to 60 years. Accordingly, the verdict will be delivered on Nov 17, as per a decision taken by Appeals Court Prez Nissanka Karunaratne and Justice Chamath Morais. A total of 176 specialist doctors had put forward petitions seeking that a court order be issued revoking Cabinet decision taken in Oct2022 more..

Oct 21 (Island) Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe is exploiting calls for progressive electoral reforms from society to delay elections, Executive Director of the IRES Manjula Gajanayake, alleged on Thursday. Gajanayake expressed his concerns to The Island, stating that this strategy may lead to long-term crises. Prez Wickremesinghe, through a Gazette, dated 16 Oct 2023, has established a Commission of Inquiry, more..

Oct 21 (CT) In what may come as a massive setback for the Sri Lankans, pacer Matheesha Pathirana�s availability for the rest of the World Cup is on the line as he is yet to recover from the shoulder injury he picked up during the Pakistan Game. It is reported he has been taking scans and is being monitored by the physios all the time, but his condition has not improved so far. 20-year-old didn�t feature in SL�s last match against Australia and is unlikely to play against Netherlands on Sat. more..

Oct 21 (WN) Mumbai Indians have welcomed their greatest bowler and a multi-time champion, Lasith Malinga, as the new bowling coach of the IPL franchise for the upcoming season, replacing Shane Bond. Malinga joins his former MI teammates - Mark Boucher and Kieron Pollard, in the coaching staff, returning to the franchise after helping them win the title in 2019. Having shared the dressing room with most of the current and former players (associated in some capacity with MI), Malinga knows more..

Oct 21 (CT) Indian Navy�s Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) arrived at the SLAF base in Katunayake for training of SL Air Force Pilots and SL Navy ships on ship borne helicopter operations. The training is planned to familiarise SLAF Pilots to the ALH and provide co-pilot experience. Further, the training team is also scheduled to undertake extensive Deck Landing Practice onboard a SL Navy Ship during the period. The training deployment is in line with the capacity building initiative more..

Oct 21 (ABC) It was billed as the cricket event like no other. Forget the Ashes or the World Cup, the hottest fixture of last summer would be at a suburban oval in Melbourne's south-east where some of the game's greatest limited-overs players would take centre stage over two weekends. To some, the thought of Chris Gayle and Tillakaratne Dilshan hammering fours and sixes on Dandenong's Shipley Oval � while DJ Havana Brown blasted tunes in the innings break � more..

Oct 21 (AD) Speaker announced the parliament that a committee was appointed to look into the allegations made by State Minister Diana Gamage that SJB MP Sujith Sanjaya Perera assaulted her outside the Chambers today (20). The committee, headed by Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse, comprises MP Chamal Rajapaksa, Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, MP Gayantha Karunatilleka and MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar. more..

Oct 21 (DM) Accumulated losses of the National Housing Development Authority (NHDA) have exceeded Rs. 20 billion while disparities have taken place since 2015, as revealed by the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). The total losses at NHDA have been Rs. 5 billion during the last few years. Total loans that have to be collected are more than Rs. 10 billion. It was revealed that loans worth Rs. 10 billion have been disbursed in 2011 without any collateral. more..

Oct 21 (Island) Three former service commanders have been cleared by the Parliamentary High Posts Committee to take up top diplomatic assignments. The Parliament announced that Admiral (retd.) Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne has been named the new High Commissioner to Pakistan, Admiral (retd.) Damith Nishantha Sirisoma Ulugetenne as new Ambassador to Cuba and Air Chief Marshal (retd.) Sudarshan Karagoda Pathirana as the new Ambassador to Nepal. more..

Oct 21 (FT) In a significant diplomatic encounter, President Xi Jinping yesterday extended China�s unwavering commitment to aiding SL in achieving economic stability and progress, devoid of any political agenda. This gesture was made during a meeting at the Great Hall of the People Beijing with Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe who was on a four-day official visit to China attending the third Belt and Road Forum for Int'l Cooperation. more..

Oct 22 (SO) The prospects for peace in the Middle East, particularly in the volatile Israel-Palestine region look bleaker than ever following the deadly events of the past two weeks. The crisis in this region has been simmering for over 70 years, ever since the British created Israel out of mainly Palestinian lands in 1948, but the flashpoint for the current imbroglio was the brutal attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas two Saturdays ago. Hamas, designated as a terrorist group by US FBI more..

Oct 22 (FT) There is no disputing the fact that the Aragalaya which attracted a phenomenal backing of the masses in support of the main front-liners, succeeded in inducing a former, ruthless strongman to abdicate his Presidency and flee from his official residence. To face this eventuality, he either had to be the most Democratic President our country had or his family deserting him or both together, with a few more undisclosed reasons known to him and his family. more..

Oct 22 (SO) A dedicated cinephile and producer, Buddhisiri Keerthisena, who spent his entire life cherishing the nation�s cinema, was laid to rest in his hometown yesterday. Despite relocating to Colombo for business endeavours, his heart always remained connected to his beloved native village of Koswadiya. Buddhi, or our beloved Buddhi Aiya, the visionary behind the globally renowned brand Buddhi Batik, more..

Oct 22 (CT) The ongoing economic crisis/financial meltdown that has sparked in the country and what appears to be the result of an imprudence financial management of the previous Govt has given rise to dire consequences in the lives of many middle-class, average and underprivileged and the grass-roots level to the extent that they had to take refuge on pavements. Ceylon Today spoke to a section of cobblers and street vendors near the Dehiwala Junction flyover to observe more..

Oct 27 (Island) Sri Lanka Cricket is set to reward medal winners of the Asian Games with handsome cash awards. As the richest sports body they are in a position to outdo the country�s Sports Ministry and the National Olympic Committee who are yet to react, even a fortnight after the dust settled on the 19th edition of the multi sports event in Hangzhou, China. The track and field team at the Asian Games gave the medal-starved Sri Lankans some rare moments to celebrate. more..

Oct 22 (SO) The Sunday Observer spoke to State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya regarding the Govt�s course of action, relief for the public and the future program with the IMF. Q: Do you think the political situation in the country is stable? A: There is a very simple answer. All these things should be seen relatively. Go back a year. How was the situation then and how is it today? The difference is clear. The Govt is very stable. more..

Oct 22 (Island) Nobody can be faulted for being deeply suspicious of the various ongoing moves of the govt to make changes to the country�s electoral laws ahead of upcoming elections due within the next few months. Prez Ranil Wickremesinghe, as everybody knows, is serving out the former president�s term of office which ends in November next year when a successor must take office. Thus the presidential election process must kick off some weeks earlier by August/Sept more..

Oct 22 (Island) The message of the 2022 Aragalaya, which drove a Prez and a PM and other members of that political family out of office, expressed in clear and explicit terms, was a complete rejection of the authoritarian, patronage-based, corrupt system of governance introduced into this country by the 1978 Constitution and its 21 Amendments. A total of 45 years of autocratic presidential rule marked by massive loss of human life and unprecedented levels of corruption, more..

Oct 22 (TM) It doesn�t take rocket science to come up with a prognosis on what ails and awaits � in consequence to it � this once proud and prosperous paradise of a nation. Years of unmitigated degeneration in morals, ethics, decency, and ultimately, in every aspect of governance due to poor leadership, have left this country broken at its foundations and, in turn, put its people in the doldrums. At the time it gained independence from the British, Sri Lanka, or Ceylon, more..

Oct 22 (EN) The tender for Sri Lanka�s proposed $4 billion oil refinery in the investment zone near Chinese built Hambantota port will be awarded within three weeks. China�s Sinopec and Vitol Asia based in Singapore are the two firms shortlisted out of 7 companies that responded to an expression of interest early this year. �We have issued the RFPs (request for proposal) for the two firms shortlisted. They have submitted the RFPs and now we are in the process of reviewing the RFPs,� more..

Oct 22 (ST) Sri Lanka�s next High Commissioner to Britain, former Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, has finally received his Agrement from the host country after some unexplained delay in accepting him. The one-time UNP Minister also served in the Kumaratunga and Rajapaksa administrations and as Governor of Eastern Province. He is expected to assume duties in mid-November. more..

Oct 27 (Island) We tend to place the blame on the doorstep of the administration, selectors and coaches for the setbacks our cricket has suffered in recent times. Our chances of making it to the semi-finals of the sport�s showpiece event are fading away fast. True, the administration needs to accept part of the blame. But, what about the players themselves? They too are responsible for our downfall. A decade and half ago, when we literally reached the finals of every ICC event, more..

Oct 22 (ST) Supreme Court�s decision earlier this month in Environment Minister Nazeer Ahamed�s case (Oct 6) upholding his expulsion from his party must surely cause serious concern to other Members of Parliament who crisscross the floor of the House with gay abandon. Depending on which way the political winds blow, they are compared to long-legged frogs usually, though not always, jumping from the Opposition benches to the Govt side in search of power and place. more..

Oct 27 (SO) Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe lost yet another stand-off against seemingly invincible officials of SLC who were quick on the draw to hit him into a corner and declared obsolete as the repentant batsman Dhanushka Gunathilaka who pleaded for a comeback was pardoned by his employer. Minister Ranasinghe found himself cut down amid fears that his disputed stint has been confined to mere hollow actions making him arguably one of the biggest off-target more..

Oct 27 (CI) Heinrich Klaasen crumpled to his haunches in a dripping mess after every shot. In between whiles, he flayed England's bowlers for a 61-ball century to set up an emphatic South Africa victory at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. The brutality of Klaasen's 109 from just 67 balls all told matched the harshness of the heat and humidity which had also left England bowler David Willey cramping throughout South Africa's innings, ending on 399 for 7 and requiring second-highest more..

Oct 22 (TM) Russia mineral export giant Black Sand Commodity has won this year�s long-term coal tender to supply coal to Lakvijaya, Sri Lanka�s only coal power plant in Norochcholai. Black Sand Commodities, based out of the UAE, was established in June 2022 as an exclusive exporting company of Joint-Stock Company Siberian Coal Energy Company (JSC SUEK), the largest Russian coal producer. more..

Oct 22 (AD) Sri Lanka Police have offered a reward of Rs. 2.5 million for a tip-off about the Constable who aided and abetted the recent escape attempt of notorious underworld figure Harak Kata at the CID. The police officer in question, named Munipalage Ravindu Sandeepa Gunasekara, remains at large since September 10. The members of the public can provide any information about this officer via the following contact numbers: 071 8596150 or 071 8591960. more..

Oct 22 (SO) S. Thomas� College and Visakha Vidyalaya emerged under-19 tennis boys and girls champions respectively at the All-Island Inter-School championship held at the SLTA courts last week. S. Thomas� beat Ananda College narrowly 3-2 in the final while Visakha beat Ladies College also narrowly 3-2 in the two under-19 finals. According to the organizers a high standard of tennis was witnessed throughout the meet with young players showing plenty of promise for the future. more..

Oct 27 (CI) An unbeaten 91 from Sadeera Samarawickrama shepherded home a tricky chase as Sri Lanka overcame a resilient Dutch outfit and finally got points on the board. The result means Sri Lanka join Afghanistan, Netherlands, Bangladesh and England on two points after four games; they did however go past Afghanistan on net run rate - before England plummeted later in the evening - to move off the very bottom of the table.* more..