Travel ban imposed on hospital directors over alleged kidney racket

A broker arrested over alleged kidney racket which was exposed recently at Western Hospital in Borella Cotta Road was yesterday ordered to be remanded till December 13 by Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Inter House Athletics Meet 2022 of the Lyceum Gampaha

Inter House Athletics Meet 2022 of the Lyceum International School Gampaha was held at the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium Diyagam on Sunday. On the invitation of Lyceum International School Gampaha Director Dilmi Ratnayake and Principal Thilanka Karunaratne the Secretary to the Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs Dr. Amal Harsha De Silva graced the occasion as the chief guest .

Morocco dump Spain out of the tournament by winning penalty shoot-outs 3-0

Morocco stunned Spain on penalties to advance to the quarter-finals of the World Cup after a 0-0 draw at the Education City Stadium.

’’Stop selling state properties’’

The Trade Union Coordination Centre (TUCC) today staged a protest in Kottawa and Homagama, demanding to withdraw the attempt to sell state properties and grant concessions for the people. Pix by Nisal Baduge

Wanindu takes first ever LPL hat-trick

Wanindu Hasaranga took the first hat-trick in Lanka Premier League history, dismissing three of the Colombo Stars’ batsmen on the opening day of the third season of the LPL on Tuesday.

School canteens, buses, vans will be drug-tested from Jan.

Not only the school canteens, but school children’s buses and vans will be checked for drugs in partnership with the police, along with the program to eradicate the drug menace from schools, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said.

CEB employees protest...

The Ceylon Electricity Board Joint Trade Union Alliance (CEBJTUA) today staged a protest in front of the CEB headquarters against several demands, such as the actions taken to increase the electricity bill and against selling national assets and risking their employees’ jobs. Pix by Samantha Perera

Thilini alleges she was stripped in prison

Thico Group owner Thilini Priyamali filed a complaint with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission through her lawyers claiming her rights were violated in prison.

Sri Lanka needs coordinated assistance, global financial institutions agree

Sri Lanka needs a coordinated assistance programme supported by multilateral financial institutions, representatives of the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank agreed after meeting President Ranil Wickremesinghe today.

Over 300 graduates imprisoned last year

A total of 14,547 prisoners and 62,426 suspects have been imprisoned in Sri Lanka for various charges during the last year alone and more than 300 graduates were among those imprisoned, the Prisons Department said.

Kanchana accuses PUCSL Chief of providing low cost power to hotels

Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara today accused the Public Utilities Commission (PUCSL) Chairman, Janaka Rathnayaka for providing electricity to the hotels and apartments at a lower rate.

Talking about cyber harassment

The Lanka Change Makers held a media briefing today to describe issues relating to sensitive matters such as cyber harassment, cyber bullying, and illegal online stalking that people in the country face. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel

Indonesia bans sex outside marriage in new criminal code

Indonesia’s parliament approved a criminal code on Tuesday that bans sex outside marriage with a punishment of up to one year in jail, part of a raft of legal changes that critics say undermine civil liberties in the world’s third-largest democracy.

Economic hardships force poor families to sell kidneys, racket busted

The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) uncovered a massive human organ trafficking racket operating at a private hospital in Borella deceiving people from poor families during the ongoing economic crisis.

Diana’s dual citizenship issue raised in Parliament

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene said he would look into the matter with regard to the alleged dual citizenship of Parliamentarian Diana Gamage.

Maithripala’s writ petition fixed for inquiry

A writ petition filed by former President Maithripala Sirisena challenging the magisterial inquiry and issuance of summons against him in connection with the Easter Sunday attack incidents was today fixed for January 17 by Court of Appeal.

No bus fare revision: Gemunu

Bus fares would not be revised as announced earlier following the reduction of the price of diesel by Rs. 10 yesterday, the Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) said today.

Immigration Chief says Diana Gamage not a Sri Lankan Citizen

The Immigration and Emigration Controller in a letter addressed to the Secretary of Ministry of Defence has informed that MP Diana Gamage has been found to be a citizen of UK and therefore a Sri Lankan passport cannot be issued to her.

Nearly 8-hour daily power cuts from January

Six to eight hour daily power cuts will have to be imposed from next year, if the proposed electricity tariff amendments were not implemented, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said.

SLTB chairman hits back at Bandula

Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) Chairman Kingsley Ranawaka said today that he has not been informed by the Transport Minister to resign from the chairmanship.

World Bank approves Sri Lanka’s eligibility to access concessional financing from IDA

The World Bank yesterday approved Sri Lanka’s request to access concessional financing from the International Development Association (IDA).

Landslide buries bus in Colombia, killing at least 34

At least 34 people died when a landslide buried a bus in northwestern Colombia on Sunday, the government disaster agency said yesterday.

China calls for joint efforts to ease Sri Lanka’s debt burden

China hopes relevant countries and international financial institutions will work with China to play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka overcome the current difficulties.

Soldier dies after army tank hits him during training

The Mankulam police launched an investigation after a soldier who was engaged in a training exercise in Kokavil in Mankulam had died after being hit by an army tank used for the training..

Economist says time right to start debating if Sri Lanka should charge for tertiary education

It is high time that Sri Lanka started debating whether the tertiary education must be charged and should the private sector be allowed to get engaged more actively in this sector,

US provides 9,300 MT of fertilizer to paddy farmers in Sri Lanka

The United States officially handed over 9,300 tonnes of urea fertilizer to the Ministry of Agriculture to distribute to more than 193,000 smallholder paddy farmers in Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Monaragala districts, a statement from the US Embassy said.

PRS Campus Convocation

A convocation ceremony to award diploma certificates for nurses by the PRS campus held recently at the BMICH. The chairperson of the institute, Dr. Vinya Sachinthani Handunge and the Head Nurse of the National Hospital Pushpa Ramyani de Soysa were present at the ceremony. Pix by Nimaldiri Edirisinghe

National demonstration countrywide against rising CoL and budget

Trade unions of top state institutions including Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Inland Revenue Department, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Colombo National Hospital (CNH) and leading other hospitals are amongst a range of bodies to protest today as part of the countrywide national demonstration against the rising cost of living and the 2022 budget with a heavy tax burden on people.

President says no plans for reforms; stresses need for new economic model

Sri Lanka has no plans whatsoever for reforms going forward, President Ranil Wickremesinghe told a room full of the country’s top private sector business leaders yesterday but instead would be thinking bigger and bolder in terms of its growth agenda.

Revised National Defence Policy to strengthen National Security: Def. Secy

The success or the failure on the battlefield depends upon the leader who is wise enough to understand the context and bold enough to pursue success, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne said.