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Trinity win J.R. Jayawardena Challenge Football Trophy

Trinity College emerged triumphant in the J.R. Jayawardena Challenge Trophy football encounter against traditional rivals Royal College, recording an impressive four victories from five age-group matches at the Trinity College Rugby Stadium in Pallekele recently.

The highlight of the day was the fiercely contested First XI encounter, where Trinity College produced a determined performance to secure a valuable 1-0 victory over the Royalists. Following a closely fought first half that ended goalless, Trinity found the decisive breakthrough after the break to seal the win and claim the coveted trophy. Trinity College lead the series with four wins from five.

The hosts continued their dominance in the junior categories, registering identical 1-0 victories in the Under-18, Under-14 and Under-12 encounters. These hard-fought wins highlighted Trinity’s consistency, discipline and fighting spirit across the different age groups.

Royal College, however, prevented a complete whitewash by producing a convincing performance in the Under-16 match, recording a 2-0 victory over their Kandy rivals.

Artist Farid Rasulov meets art lovers at Azerkhalcha exhibition hall [FOTOS]

An event featuring artist Farid Rasulov and art lovers was held at the Azerkhalcha exhibition hall in Icherisheher.

The discussion focused on how Rasulov’s works take on a new artistic form through carpet-making, as well as on Stitches That Keep Tales Alive: Karabakh Carpets, a collection created in collaboration with OJSC Azerkhalcha.

The conversation explored how an artistic idea is translated into a carpet, the creative collaboration between an artist and a carpet maker, the artistic value of handwoven carpets, and the place of traditional craftsmanship in contemporary art. Participants also discussed the carpet as both a work of art and an interior piece, the collection’s limited edition, and new ways of expressing Azerbaijan’s carpet-weaving traditions.

Created in partnership with OJSC Azerkhalcha, Stitches That Keep Tales Alive: Karabakh Carpets presents the traditions of Karabakh carpet-making through a contemporary artistic language. The collection treats this tradition not merely as a remnant of the past, but as a living part of contemporary art. The project reactivates ancient patterns in a modern visual context. Its central idea is to create a meaningful dialogue between heritage and modernity, bringing together our tales and history with contemporary artistic thought in every woven stitch.

Created especially for the International Carpet Festival, the collection was first presented there, where it was warmly received. It features six carpets: The Tale of the White Horse and the Birds, The Legend of the Karabakh Horse, The Pattern of Elegance, Echoes of Golden Feathers, The Tiger in the Stitches and Pomegranate, Crown of the Night. Made from a wool-and-silk blend using a 3D technique, the collection is built on the idea that preservation alone is not enough: cultural heritage must remain dynamic to stay relevant.

During the event, guests had the opportunity to view the carpets up close and touch them.

The carpets from the collection, created by Farid Rasulov in collaboration with OJSC Azerkhalcha, will also be on display at the Beyond Memory exhibition, presented at QGallery in Icherisheher during the festival Flight to Baku. Art Weekend: Feel the Future NOW, taking place from 30 October to 1 November.

Napolcom to pursue charges vs Pasig City cop who pulled gun on vehicle

The National Police Commission (Napolcom) will pursue administrative charges against a Pasig City police officer who allegedly pointed his service firearm at a vehicle while intoxicated at a gasoline station on Oct. 25.

In a statement on Wednesday, Napolcom Commissioner Rafael Vicente Calinisan said that a formal complaint was already filed against the officer who faces charges of Grave Misconduct and Conduct Unbecoming of a Police Officer.

Videos of the incident allegedly showed the intoxicated officer walking unsteadily with his service firearm and pointing it at a vehicle being refueled along Sandoval Ave.

He was reportedly arrested after barangay authorities responded to a concerned citizen’s request for assistance.

The officer reportedly posted bail but remains under restrictive custody at the Eastern Police District headquarters as the administrative case proceeds.

Calinisan condemned the alleged misconduct, saying personal problems could not justify drunken behavior, threatening civilians, or the irresponsible use of firearms.

‘We all have problems, but dealing with them by drinking, causing trouble, pulling out firearms, and harming others is unacceptable,’ he said.

‘More is expected from us. I think we fell short here and damaged the public’s trust, that’s why we need to repair it by swiftly acting on this case, and imposing the correct punishment,’ Calinisan added.

He said such incidents weaken public trust in law enforcers who are expected to protect rather than intimidate.

Calinisan earlier called for a stricter screening of aspiring police officers and reforms in criminology education, saying entry into and advancement within the police service should be based on merit and a commitment to public service.

He also called for more support for police personnel’s mental health and welfare, citing the demands and pressures of police work.

Calinisan said the commission already recognized the need for such support during visits to police stations even before the incident.

‘Police work is very difficult and demanding,’ he added.

Napolcom coordinated with Dr. Miriam Cue, chairperson of the Professional Regulatory Board of Psychology under the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), to provide police personnel with mental health screening and access to professional consultations, Calinisan said.

Four Myanmar workers hunted over Lat Krabang attack

Police are looking for four Myanmar workers, two married couples, who allegedly beat and stabbed two Chinese employers at a construction workers’ camp in Bangkok’s Lat Krabang district, killing one and seriously injuring the other, before fleeing with about 50,000 baht in wages.

The attack was believed to have stemmed from an argument after the workers asked to resign but were refused payment, reportedly because they had failed to give advance notice as agreed.

The incident occurred at a construction site at Soi Phatthana Chonnabot 3 in Khlong Song Ton Nun area, said Pol Capt Jaennarong Aree, deputy investigation chief at Lat Krabang police station, who was told about the incident at 8pm on Tuesday.

Police, forensic officers, medical personnel, forensic officers and rescue workers were dispatched to the scene.

Upon arrival, officers found a man, identified later as Yang Zhongxu, 39, a Chinese national, lying critically injured with head and facial injuries believed to have been inflicted with a hard object. Rescuers performed CPR, but failed to resuscitate him.

Another Chinese man, 49, suffered head injuries and a stab wound to the back. He was taken to Sirindhorn Hospital.

Polce found a 60-centimetre bloodstained steel reinforcing bar and a bloodstained cash envelope used for wage payments at the scene. Both were collected as evidence.

According to preliminary witness statements, Yang and the injured Chinese man arrived at the camp at 6.30pm on Tuesday to distribute monthly wages to more than 60 Myanmar workers.

During the payment process, Yang reportedly scolded the two married couples over the quality of their work. The four then abruptly asked to resign, but Yang refused to pay their wages, citing an agreement requiring advance notice before resignation.

Enraged by the refusal, the four allegedly attacked the two employers, striking them with the steel bar and stabbing them with a knife. They then fled with about 40,000-50,000 baht in cash.

Lat Krabang investigators were examining CCTV footage along escape routes. One of the four suspects has been identified as Soe Htike Aung, 25.

PCC developing water buffaloes that can tolerate heat

The Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) is developing heat-tolerant water buffaloes that can sustain milk production and reproductive performance amid the threat of El Niño-driven droughts on livestock.

According to PCC, extreme heat could reduce livestock’s productivity, disrupt reproduction, and increase susceptibility to disease and mortality.

With this, the agency’s National Institute for Animal Sciences (NIAS) is implementing a project titled ‘Development of Climate-Smart Interventions to Enhance Water Buffalo Production in Heat-Stressed Conditions in the Philippines,’ which is in its second phase.

Funded by the Department of Agriculture’s Biotechnology Program (DA-Biotech), the project aims to identify water buffaloes with natural heat tolerance and develop reproductive interventions to sustain their productivity during hot weather.

The PCC said the research builds on its Genetic Improvement Program (GIP), which aims to enhance the genetic potential and overall productivity of water buffaloes.

‘Researchers are now incorporating thermotolerance, or the ability to withstand high temperatures, as an additional trait in selecting breeding animals.’

The approach would help identify male and female buffaloes with heat-tolerant traits that could eventually produce offspring capable of maintaining their physiological stability and productivity under heat-stressed conditions, the PCC explained.

‘The team found that buffaloes identified as thermotolerant were able to maintain relatively stable milk production, with smaller declines in milk yield during periods of high temperatures,’ the agency said.

‘These findings highlight the potential of incorporating thermotolerance into the agency’s genetic improvement efforts to develop buffaloes that are both productive and more resilient to extreme heat.’

Beyond genetic selection, the PCC said the project also wants to improve buffalo reproduction during the summer months, when high temperatures can adversely affect conception rates.

It added that researchers developed an enhanced reproductive intervention called the ‘summer protocol for reproduction,’ which builds on the agency’s existing timed artificial insemination (AI) technology.

The modified protocol introduces an additional treatment intended to improve the effectiveness of timed AI during high temperatures, according to PCC.

Through the integration of genetic improvement and enhanced reproductive technologies, the agency said it aims to develop ‘practical, science-based interventions’ that would help buffalo farmers sustain production despite changing climatic conditions.

Comelec: Give 70% of party-list seats for marginalized groups

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is pushing for major reforms to the party-list system, proposing that 70 percent of its seats in the House of Representatives be strictly reserved for marginalized and underrepresented sectors.

Comelec Chairman George Erwin M. Garcia emphasized the urgent need to amend the current law to clearly define eligible sectors and curb the dominance of major political parties.

Under Garcia’s proposed breakdown, 70 percent will be allocated exclusively to marginalized and underrepresented sectors like farmers, fishermen, women, youth, urban poor, overseas Filipino workers, and veterans with 20 percent open to political parties and 10 percent designated for other non-enumerated groups.

Rather than running against all groups nationwide, organizations would compete solely within their designated sector. ‘For example, if five seats were allotted to women, organizations seeking to represent that sector would compete only for those five seats,’ Garcia explained.

Garcia pointed out that well-funded political parties currently enjoy an unfair advantage owing to their established machinery and deep financial resources. The system, he argued, has strayed from its original purpose and is increasingly exploited by powerful interest groups.

He cited the Bangsamoro parliamentary elections as a successful model for sector-specific voting, which helps citizens elect representatives who directly reflect their communities.

While completely abolishing the party-list system would require a constitutional amendment, Garcia noted that amending the existing legislation is a faster, viable way to fix its critical flaws and restore real grassroots representation.

Why Tinubu, Uba Sani deserve Southern Kaduna votes – Sen. Katung

The Senator representing Kaduna South Senatorial District, Sunday Marshall Katung, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani have earned the support of Southern Kaduna through visible, life-changing interventions and deserve a second term.

Senator Katung stated this in an exclusive interview with Invicta FM, Kaduna, while assessing the impact of the APC-led administrations at the federal and state levels.

According to him, President Tinubu rates Kaduna as a strategic state for the actualization of the Renewed Hope Agenda, which informed the decision to flag off the APC campaign in the North-West state.

‘He is a caring President who knows that Kaduna is like home. As far back as 2007, I led a delegation with my Senator, then Senator Caleb Zagi, to meet him on issues concerning Kaduna and he accepted,’ Katung recalled.

He listed two federal projects as game-changers for the state: the light rail project and the $29.62 Million (N40 Billion) Ginger Processing Hub in Kachia.

‘You can’t go to Kachia today and ask what the President has done. People will tell you their lifestyle has changed. The same will happen in Kafanchan and Manchok. By the time the light rail starts, jobs will be created, food vendors will sell. Value chains will change,’ he said.

Katung cited the rising value of land in Kachia as proof of economic revival. ‘In November 2023, 15 plots were offered at N300,000 each. By February 2026, the remaining 5 were selling at N1.1 million per plot. That is what the President’s intervention has brought.’

On Governor Uba Sani, Katung described him as an inclusive leader who has given Southern Kaduna a true sense of belonging after years of exclusion.

‘Governor Uba Sani has shown that he is a Governor for all. He has restored peace, brought projects to our zone, and runs an open-door government. For us in Southern Kaduna, this is the first time in a long time that we feel truly part of Kaduna State,’ he noted.

He dismissed concerns about President Tinubu not touring all states, saying the President has built a strong support system of governors and National Assembly members to take the message to the grassroots.

‘Rallies don’t win elections. What wins is the door-to-door approach, sitting with the people, listening to them, and explaining what you intend to do. That is what we did. We held town hall meetings and asked: what do you want us to do?’ he said.

Senator Katung called on the electorate to sustain the current momentum.

‘My appeal is that we give President Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani another chance. What is to be achieved is greater than what we are seeing now. When these economic policies mature, Nigerians will appreciate the vision.’

‘I support the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the re-election of Governor Uba Sani, and indeed all APC candidates, because I know that is the platform that will give us what we want in Southern Kaduna,’ Katung declared.

Kogi Gov Justifies Airport Project

Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo, has defended the state’s international airport project at Zariagi, near Lokoja, describing it as a strategic investment to unlock the state’s economic potential, improve connectivity and attract investment.

Ododo spoke on Tuesday during an inspection visit to the ongoing project, where he expressed satisfaction with the pace of construction and credited President Bola Tinubu’s support for enabling the state to pursue the infrastructure initiative.

The governor said Kogi’s geographical location, with access to several major commercial centres, including the Federal Capital Territory, made an airport a strategic necessity for strengthening economic activities and connectivity.

He noted that despite the state’s location and commercial links, Kogi had operated without its own airport until the Tinubu administration approved the project and supported its execution.

Ododo said his administration would continue to monitor construction to ensure compliance with required standards and timelines, expressing optimism that the project would reach an advanced stage of development by next year.

He also urged critics questioning the feasibility of the airport project to visit the site and assess the level of work, insisting that construction was progressing beyond claims circulating about the initiative.

‘Please, I want them to come here to see things by themselves. It is not an AI thing. You can see the equipment working, and they are working day and night. We are not going to make noise about it; we invite them to come and see,’ he said.

Ododo described Tinubu’s support for the project as evidence of the Federal Government’s commitment to extending critical infrastructure development to states, adding that the airport was intended to deliver long-term benefits to Kogi residents.

CA Sri Lanka secures six-wicket win

The cricket team of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) made an impressive debut in the Professional League Cricket Tournament 2026, securing a six-wicket victory over the Town Planners in its opening match, played at the Katana grounds on Saturday, 3 October. This marks the first time CA Sri Lanka has participated in the tournament.

Batting first, the Town Planners posted 146 for seven, with Savinda Senarathna top-scoring with a well-compiled 52. In reply, the Chartered Accountants produced a commanding batting performance, spearheaded by Lahiru Fernando, who struck a brilliant unbeaten 103 to guide his team to 150 for four in just 18.3 overs and secure a convincing victory.

The result marks an encouraging start to CA Sri Lanka’s campaign in the tournament, which commenced on 1 October 2026. The Institute has fielded a 24-member squad of Chartered Accountants to compete in both the 50-over and 20-over hard-ball formats, marking its participation in a sporting initiative that brings professionals from across the country together through their shared passion for cricket.

The Professional League Cricket Tournament 2026 brings together ten professional communities in a distinctive competition for a single championship title. The participating professions are marketers, engineers, surveyors, doctors, lawyers, aviators, architects, town planners, interior designers and Chartered Accountants.

The 24-member cricket team representing CA Sri Lanka in the Professional League Cricket Tournament 2026 comprises: Raditha Alahakoon (Captain), Janaka Mohan Kumara (Vice Captain), Theja De Sliva, Lakmal Ranasinghe, Lahiru Fernando, Thahir Raza, Tharindu De Silva, Chaminda Senaviratne, Asela Karunathilaka, Navod Sangeeth, Nafaz Nilam, Suranga Fernando, Chalith Rathnaweera, Jeewantha Bandara, Logendran Sivaluxsan, Prasad Lakmal, Saman Sri Lal, Nalin Pushpakumara, Chamara Sampath, Suresh Motha, Gamini Wanasinghe, Rajith Perera, Pasan Ilangaratne and Jezeer Fazeer.

Nigeria earns more from remittances but pays more on foreign investments

Nigeria recorded higher inflows from diaspora remittances in the second quarter of 2026, but the gains were partly offset by rising payments on foreign investments, highlighting competing pressures on the country’s external accounts.

The secondary income account surplus rose to $6.30 billion in the second quarter of 2026, from $5.47 billion in the preceding quarter, largely driven by a 10 percent increase in diaspora remittance inflows to $5.82 billion.

However, the primary income account deficit widened to $4.20 billion from $3.23 billion in the first quarter, reflecting higher interest payments on portfolio investment liabilities and increased earnings accruing to non-resident investors.

The figures highlight the dual impact of international financial flows on Nigeria’s external position, with remittances providing a significant source of foreign exchange while payments on foreign investments and external loans contributed to higher income outflows.

According to the Central Bank’s report, the improvement in the secondary income account reflected sustained gains from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ongoing reforms, particularly the narrowing spread between the official and parallel exchange rates, which reduced the incentive to route remittances through informal markets.

General government transfers also increased to $530 million in the second quarter, from $220 million in the preceding quarter, further supporting the secondary income surplus.

On the other hand, the deficit in the investment income sub-account widened to $4.50 billion from $3.47 billion in the first quarter, driven mainly by a higher deficit in portfolio investment income, which increased by 20.3 percent to $2.49 billion.

Interest payments on short-term instruments held by non-resident investors rose to $2.11 billion from $1.90 billion, while payments on long-term debt securities increased to $480 million from $190 million.

The deficit in direct investment income also widened to $1.82 billion from $1.40 billion, reflecting higher reinvested earnings accruing to non-resident investors, which rose to $900 million from $780 million.

At the same time, earnings on residents’ direct investments abroad fell to $110 million from $430 million, contributing to the widening deficit.

Dividend payments to non-resident investors moderated slightly to $1.02 billion from $1.04 billion, while income on reserve assets declined to $530 million from $570 million.

The deficit in other investment income also widened to $710 million from $630 million, reflecting higher interest payments on external loan liabilities. However, the surplus in the compensation of employees sub-account increased to $300 million from $240 million in the preceding quarter.

Beyond the income accounts, Nigeria recorded a higher net foreign exchange inflow of $21.09 billion in the second quarter, compared with $20.30 billion in the first quarter, supported by a decline in aggregate foreign exchange outflows.

Total foreign exchange inflows fell by 4.24 percent to $30.03 billion from $31.36 billion, while outflows declined by 19.17 percent to $8.94 billion from $11.06 billion.

Foreign exchange inflows through the Central Bank fell by 20.47 percent to $8.12 billion from $10.21 billion, while inflows through autonomous sources increased by 3.59 percent to $21.91 billion from $21.15 billion.

Consequently, autonomous sources recorded a net inflow of $17.74 billion, compared with $17.53 billion in the first quarter. The Central Bank’s net inflow also increased to $3.35 billion from $2.77 billion.

Meanwhile, average turnover at the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market declined by 7.56 percent to $530.42 million from $573.81 million in the preceding quarter.

The average exchange rate of the naira strengthened to N1,365.95 per dollar in the second quarter from N1,384.48 in the first quarter, representing a 1.36 percent appreciation during the review period.

The performance of other emerging-market currencies was mixed during the quarter. The Chinese renminbi and Russian ruble appreciated by 1.74 percent and 5.33 percent, respectively, supported by export earnings and other market factors, while the South African rand depreciated by 0.79 percent amid global risk aversion linked to uncertainty in the Middle East and domestic concerns over anti-immigration demonstrations.