- Poll conducted by an internationally funded Research organisation says the approval rating of the Government has plunged from 21% in June’23 to 9% in October’23: economic confidence score has also fallen from negative (-) 44 in June to negative (-) 62.
- “Lawyers’ Collective” condemns the 4th extension granted to IGP C D Wickremeratne, who passed the mandatory retirement age 8 months ago: alleges the extension has been granted unconstitutionally without the concurrence of the Constitutional Council.
- Urban Development & Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga instructs the UDA to return Viharamahadevi Park to the Colombo Municipal Council: since 2011, the park had been under the UDA & modernised as part of the Metro Colombo Urban Development Project with a World Bank loan.
- Media spokesman of the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineer Noel Priyantha says the electricity supply of a staggering 788,235 consumers has been disconnected due to the non-payment of the electricity bills in the last 10 months: 120,474 disconnections of supply have been recorded in August’23, while in July’23, 118,481 disconnections were carried out.
- Cabinet appoints a 4-member Ministerial Committee to look into SL Cricket’s future activities & the appointment of Members to a SLC Interim Committee by the Sports Ministet: the 4-member Ministerial Committee to be Mohamed Ali Sabry (Chairman), Kanchana Wijesekara, Manusha Nanayakkara & Tiran Alles.
- Former MP & SL Ambassador to Iran M M Zuhair says the US, UK & other European countries must respect the growing global public opinion, mostly in the
West, including thousands of principled Jews, against the horrific crimes being committed against the Palestinians under cover of a ‘war on Hamas’ for the past one month. - The All Ceylon Makkal Congress says the Party has revoked the party membership of MP Ali Sabri Raheem who attempted to smuggle a stack of gold & mobile phones into the country.
- US District Court Judge Denise Cote grants SL’s request for an interim halt on Hamilton Reserve Bank’s legal action against the country until 29th February’24 in it’s ISB dues claim: says the requested “stay action” by SL has been granted for 6 months, to enable the conduct of its sovereign debt restructuring negotiations with sovereign & commercial creditors: also says a breakdown in restructuring negotiations could threaten SL’s progress towards IMF targets & economic recovery.
- SL loses to Bangladesh by 3 wickets in their ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Group match: SL – 279 all out (49.3 overs), Charith Asalanka – 108, Pathum Nissanka – 41: Bangladesh – 282/7 (41.1 overs), Dilshan Madushanka – 69/3, Mahesh Theekshana – 44/2: Madushanka becomes the highest wicket-taker in the tournament so far, with 21 wickets.
- SL top batsman Angelo Mathews becomes the first batsman in international cricket to be given out by way of being ‘timed out’: following an appeal from Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan, Umpires rule Mathews out since he failed to receive the ball within the stipulated time from the previous dismissal.
