News

Stressing that they shouldn't pursue band-aid solutions to resolve the Sri Lanka Cricket crisis, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the only solution is to implement the report submitted by the Committee headed by Justice K.T. Chitrasiri to introduce a new constitution to Sri Lanka Cricket through a parliamentary act.

Recalling his contribution to the development of school cricket during his tenure as the Minister of Education when president J.R. Jayawardene and former minister Gamini Dissanayake initiated projects to develop the game in the country, President Wickremesinghe observed that his efforts to develop cricket at the school level played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka's world cup victory in 1996.

When asked whose side the president is on, he quipped; "I am not on either side. I am on the side of cricket".

He revealed that the International Cricket Council had discussed the Sri Lanka cricket crisis yesterday, adding that he fears it may lead to a negative outcome.

Veteran singer Athula Sri Gamage, aged 60, passed away while receiving treatment at the Sri Jayawardenepura General Hospital, family sources said.

During his career, Athula Sri Gamage had several popular songs, including "Athmayen Athmaye," "Hima Meedum," "Paradeesaye," and "Susuma Vee Mage," which gained immense popularity among the people.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification this evening (Nov. 08) declaring the postal service as an essential public service.

The Gazette has been issued by virtue of the powers vested in the President in terms of Section 2 of the Essential Public Services Act, No. 61 of 1979.

Accordingly, the postal service has been declared to be an essential public service considering it necessary that the services provided by any Public Corporation or Government Department or Local Authority or Co-operative Society or any branch thereof being a Department or Corporation or Local Authority or Cooperative Society, which is engaged in the provision of the postal service, is essential to the life of the community and is likely to be impeded or interrupted, the gazette states.

Minister of Urban Development and Housing Prasanna Ranatunga has issued directives regarding the administration of Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo 07.

Accordingly, he has instructed the Urban Development Authority (UDA) to transfer the administration of the park to the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).

dailymirror

The Department of Posts has taken steps to cancel all the leave of its employees due to the need of maintaining the postal services, ahead of a planned strike by postal workers.

Accordingly, Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara stated that the leave of all postal staff will be cancelled on November 08, 09 and 10 with immediate effect.

Earlier today (07), it was reported that postal workers have decided to resort to a 48-hour token strike from midnight today, protesting against the government’s alleged decision to sell the postal offices in Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya.

Co-convener of United Postal Trade Unions’ Front, Chinthaka Bandara had said the postal workers stand ready to launch a continuous strike if the government fails to resolve this issue.

State sector employees will receive a salary increase of around Rs. 10,000 from 2024 budget, said government sources.

An estimated 1.5 million workers will begin receiving the hiked salaries from January.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe told his ministers on 30 October that the budget would propose to raise the salaries of all state sector workers.

He asked the private sector to follow suit and provide a salary increase for its workers.

The budget for next year, Wickremesinghe’s third, will be presented to parliament on 13 November.

An injury to his left Index finger has ruled Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan out of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.

Shakib suffered the injury while batting in Bangladesh’s penultimate league stage game against Sri Lanka in Delhi on 6 November 2023.

An X-ray after the game confirmed a fracture which has ruled him out of Bangladesh’s last match of the tournament against Australia in Pune on 11 November.

National Team Physio Bayjedul Islam Khan gave further details on the injury.

“Shakib was struck on his left index finger early in his innings but continued to bat with supportive taping and painkillers,” he said.

“He underwent an emergency X-ray in Delhi after the game which confirmed the fracture on the left PIP joint. Recovery is estimated at three to four weeks. He will leave for Bangladesh today to begin his rehab.”

Shakib hit a match-winning 82 from 65 balls, comprising 12 fours and two sixes, to guide his side to a three-wicket victory over Sri Lanka. Earlier in the day, he recorded figures of 2/57 with the ball. The fine all-round performance in a tense clash fetched him the Player of the Match award. (ICC)

Eleven Sri Lankan nationals from two families including two adults and nine children, who were stranded in the Gaza Strip have safely arrived in Sri Lanka early morning today (05 November).

The Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinated the arrangements for their return in collaboration with Sri Lanka Missions in Cairo, Ramallah and Tel Aviv.

Foreign Ministry officials received the returning Sri Lankan nationals this morning, upon their arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo.

The entry of the eleven Sri Lankans from Gaza Strip into Egypt via Rafah Border Crossing was facilitated by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Cairo in coordination with the Egyptian authorities on

November 2, 2023. The Embassy officials visited the Rafah Border to receive the stranded Sri Lankans.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs facilitated the arrangements of logistics and air transportation of the returnees with the assistance of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The Supreme Court’s determination on the constitutionality of the Online Safety Bill and its provisions was communicated to the parliament this morning (Nov. 07) by Deputy Speaker Ajith Rajapakse.

In its determination, the Supreme Court has noted that the Online Safety Bill could be passed by a simple majority in the parliament following Committee Stage amendments on certain clauses.

Pursuant to Article 84(2) of the Constitution, Clauses 3, 5, 7, 9, 11,12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 36, 37, 42, 45, 53, and 56 should be passed by a special majority in the parliament.

However, if these clauses are amended during the Committee Stage, the Online Safety Bill can be passed by a simple majority in the parliament, the Supreme Court has said further.

As such, the Supreme Court has arrived at the conclusion that subject to the aforementioned particulars, neither the Online Safety Bill nor its provisions are inconsistent with the Constitution.

On October 19, the Supreme Court concluded deliberation of the petitions filed challenging the much-debated Online Safety Bill, which had been tabled in the parliament by the government recently. The hearings were held before the three-member Supreme Court judge bench consisting of Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, Achala Vengapulli and Shiran Gunaratne.

Accordingly, the judge bench’s confidential verdict regarding the relevant petitions was communicated to President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

During the October 18 parliamentary session, the Speaker revealed that 45 petitions in total had been filed against the proposed legislation.

Petitions were filed by many parties including social activist and independent journalist Tharindu Uduwaragedara; Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith; the Socialist Youth Union (SYU); General Secretary of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara; SJB’s Rehan Jayawickrama; former BASL presidents Saliya Peiris and Geoffrey Alagaratnam; National People’s Power (NPP) MP Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) member Prof. G.L. Peiris, challenging various provisions included in the legislation, alleging that the relevant bill is in violation of the fundamental rights of freedom of speech and expression guaranteed by the Constitution.

The petitioners had sought an order determining that if the relevant bill were to be passed, it must be approved by a two-thirds majority in parliament, followed by a referendum.

The Online Safety Bill, published in the government gazette on September 18, aims to ban online communication of certain statements in the country, prevent the use of online accounts – both authentic and inauthentic – for the use of prohibited purposes, to suppress the financing and other support of communication of false statements and other related matters.

However, the Bill has come under fire for some of its problematic aspects, with the Asia Internet Coalition (AIC) which consists of multiple tech giants including Apple, Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Yahoo, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) voicing concerns.

(adaderana.lk)

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed the Constitutional Council in writing that he has recommended only incumbent C.D. Wickramaratne to be the police chief, reports ‘Deshaya’.

This week, he wrote to speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the chairman of the CC, after it asked the defence secretary for a list of four probables for the position of IGP.

In his letter, the president quoted the relevant constitutional clauses and questioned the legal basis for the CC’s request.

Also, there are several court rulings that highlight presidential powers with regard to matters of national security, he wrote further.

Thereafter, Abeywardena got in touch with the Presidential Secretariat and noted that with the CC having twice recommended Wickramaratne, it would not object if the president names him to be the IGP.

According to sources at the Presidential Secretariat, the president intends to keep him in the position until the presidential election is held.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews was dismissed in a controversial manner in the 2023 ICC World Cup match against Bangladesh.

The 2023 World Cup playing conditions state a new batter needs to be ready to face their first ball within two minutes of arriving.

He did not face a ball within the stipulated time and Bangladesh appealed for him to be given out. The former Sri Lankan captain tried to explain some to the umpires but to no avail.

As per the rules, a new batsman has to be ready to face the ball within three minutes. Mathews was out on the field but there was some issue with his helmet. The star all-rounder wasn’t ready to bat due to the issue with his gear.

Bangladesh decided to appeal against Mathews and the umpire had no option but to adjudge him out. The on-field umpires can only give a batsman out if the opposition players appeal. Mathews would have stayed in the middle had Bangladesh decided to withdraw the appeal. He is the first player to be given Timed Out in international cricket.

It has happened only six times before in any format, all in first-class cricket.

Mathews walked back to the pavilion without facing a delivery. His wicket left Sri Lanka reeling at 135/5. Dhananjaya de Silva has joined Charith Asalanka in the middle.

Earlier, Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl first. They got an early scalp of Kusal Perera, who managed a score of 4. Pathum Nissanka took the onus after the fall of early wicket and added 61 runs for the second wicket with Kusal Mendis (19).

Sadeera Samarawickrama also played a crucial knock of 41 before getting out. It was after his dismissal that Mathews came out to join Asalanka. But he ended up getting dismissed without facing any delivery.

With just 2 wins from seven matches, Sri Lanka are placed at the seventh spot in the points table. They are in contention to qualify for the semi-final. With just one win from seven matches, Bangladesh are at the ninth spot. They have crashed out of the tournament.

Source: Times Now

--Agencies

The National Dengue Control unit said that the number of Dengue high-risk zones is on the rise.

Its Director Dr. Nalin Ariyaratne stated that the number of high-risk zones has increased up to 36.

He adds that dengue breeding spots have been discovered from public places, and Government and Private institutions, in addition to houses.

The National Dengue Control Unit informs school students to refrain from wearing clothes that expose their skin, to protect themselves from the dengue mosquitoes.

69.0008 dengue cases have been reported from across the island so far in 2023.

The National Dengue Control Unit says that 4,000 dengue cases were reported in October 2023.

Almost 500 child dengue cases have been reported in the last three days of November alone.