Colombo High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga today fixed November 26 for the resumption of further evidence in the case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act over allegations of acquiring assets through unlawful means.

Although the case was scheduled for further evidence today, President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for the accused, informed court that his client was suffering from a back-related medical condition and was therefore unable to appear in court today.

The President’s Counsel also submitted a medical certificate to court in support of his submission.

At that stage, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara, appearing for the prosecution, informed court that the prosecution had expected to conclude presenting its evidence today.

He further informed court that only three prosecution witnesses remained to be called and that the prosecution intended to summon all three witnesses on the next hearing date.

Having considered the submissions, the High Court Judge fixed November 26 for the resumption of the trial and directed the witnesses to appear before court on that date.

The Attorney General had filed the case against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, alleging that he had committed an offence under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act by spending over Rs. 730 million to purchase five parcels of land situated in Dehiwala and Ratmalana.

Some clauses of the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill have been found to be inconsistent with the Constitution, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne announced in Parliament today. The Bill was challenged before the Supreme Court under Article 121(1) of the Constitution.

Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero and two other monks who were staging a fast-unto-death protest near the historic Ruwanweli Maha Seya in Anuradhapura have been taken into police custody following a tense confrontation.

Family members of Anojan Sivarasa, who had been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, have thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for his intervention in securing his release and acquittal on all charges.

A special application to reopen investigations into the 2012 Matale mass grave was heard at the Matale High Court yesterday (11 November). The petition was filed by attorneys Himali Kularatne and Lakmal Sooriyagoda, representing the Families of the Disappeared (FOD), an organisation comprised of family members of those who were forcibly disappeared during various time periods.

Minister K.D. Lal Kantha has advised public servants to reduce their rice consumption by two-thirds, saying excessive carbohydrate intake should be avoided.

The Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court has issued an arrest warrant against Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thera for failing to appear before court in connection with a case involving the alleged unauthorised installation of a Buddha statue along the Trincomalee coastline.

Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa has been elected Chairman of the first BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ Meeting. The meeting, aimed at taking regional health cooperation to a new level, commenced this morning (11) at the Hilton Colombo.

Colombo Fort Acting Magistrate Kinsley Hettiarachchi today ordered that the case against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Presidential Secretary Saman Ekanayake, who were produced before the court over allegations of misusing State funds, be postponed till December 9 to obtain the Attorney General’s advice on the legal action to be taken against them.

The spill gates of the Kotmale Gamini Dissanayake Reservoir were opened at 11.30 a.m. today (11), releasing water at a rate of 150 cubic metres per second into the Kotmale Oya.

India’s Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, arrived in Colombo today (11) to attend the inaugural BIMSTEC Health Ministers’ Meeting, which brings together regional representatives to discuss cooperation in healthcare and shared public health challenges.

The final document containing the 2027 Budget proposals was submitted to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for review at the Presidential Secretariat today (11). Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, was also present during the review.

Five people have been killed and dozens of others injured in a major road accident involving three passenger buses on the A9 road near the Rambewa–Welioya junction in Anuradhapura.

The Cabinet has approved a proposal to sign a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the University of Jaffna and the Board of Trustees of Southern Illinois University in the United States to strengthen academic cooperation and research ties.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of India to obtain a grant for the procurement of 100 fully equipped ambulances for the 1990 Suwa Seriya National Emergency Ambulance Service.

The Government of Japan has agreed to provide grant assistance of Japanese Yen 1 billion (approximately Rs. 2.08 billion) to strengthen the defence and maritime surveillance capabilities of the Sri Lanka Navy under its Official Security Assistance (OSA) Programme for 2026.

Former Finance Minister and MP Ravi Karunanayake has appealed to HSBC’s global leadership to reconsider its decision to close its Global Service Centre in Sri Lanka warning that the move could affect thousands of livelihoods and limit employment opportunities for young people.

The number of people injured in the three-bus collision on the A9 Road in Rambewa, Anuradhapura, has risen to approximately 70, according to the latest information released by Sri Lanka Police.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has given a nearly two-hour statement to the Central Crimes Investigation Bureau (CCIB) in connection with an ongoing investigation into allegations against New People's Front leader Sugeeshwara Bandara.

Around four million Sri Lankans aged 18 and above have yet to obtain a Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), despite a legal requirement for all adults to register with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD).

The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated slightly against the US Dollar today (09), compared to last Friday, according to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.