News

PNB cops further remanded without being produced in court

Published

6 years ago

2020/08/19

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris and ASP Meril Ranjan Lamahewa arriving at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s court, where the case against 13 Police Narcotics Bureau officers arrested by the CID on charges of trafficking drugs was taken up for hearing. Pic by Nimal Dayaratne

By AJA Abeynayake

Thirteen officers of the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) arrested for their alleged links to drug dealers were further remanded until August 31 by Colombo Chief Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne yesterday.

However, the suspects were not produced before the court yesterday when the case was taken up.

The court was informed that the suspects were held at the Agunukolapelessa prison and would not be produced before the court due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, who appeared on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), submitted a report on the progress of the investigations carried out on the matter.

Subsequently, the hearing was postponed to August 31 and the Magistrate ordered a progress report on the investigations.

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Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years

Published

8 hours ago

2026/05/22

Priyan

A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.

It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.

Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.

His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.

Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.

(PMD)

News

ICC to widen Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy

Published

8 hours ago

2026/05/22

Priyan

The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year. [

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to broaden the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which was launched last year. Unlike the inaugural edition held in November 2025 that featured eight Associate teams, the second edition will comprise 10 teams, including five Test-playing nations. The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year.

Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Zimbabwe and Ireland will join the Netherlands, Scotland, Thailand, the UAE and Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the 10-team championship. The decision was among the key outcomes of the ICC Chief Executives Committee (CEC) meeting conducted online on Thursday.

The inaugural edition of the championship was held in Bangkok from November 20 to 30 and featured Scotland, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Papua New Guinea, Namibia, Uganda and Tanzania, besides hosts Thailand. Thailand emerged champions after four teams – the hosts, UAE, Scotland and the Netherlands – finished level on points. The champions were eventually identified on net run rate.

The ICC, under the chairmanship of Jay Shah, intends to give a major fillip to women’s cricket – a move similar to the one that had far-reaching implications for the women’s game in India during his tenure as BCCI secretary. Following the blockbuster Women’s World Cup, which recorded unprecedented global viewership and was incidentally won by India, the ICC is now aiming to make women’s cricket the most popular women’s sport in the world.

In this context, the CEC received a presentation from McKinsey & Company, which advised the ICC on a strategy refresh for women’s cricket. The firm also presented recommendations on how the ICC could potentially increase its revenues tenfold over the next decade.

The ICC also heard presentations from representatives of Oliver Wyman on its data monetisation project. The governing body is keen to create a centralised data hub that could potentially generate revenues of at least $100 million. FIFA and the ATP Tour, it is understood, earn close to $200 million each from their respective data platforms.

As previously reported by this website, there was no discussion on men’s cricket matters such as the restructuring of the World Test Championship (WTC) or the proposed two-tier Test system. Those issues have been left to the ICC Board, which is scheduled to meet in Ahmedabad on May 30.

[Cricbuzz]

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Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit

Published

8 hours ago

2026/05/22

Priyan

Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).

The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.

During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.