ieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army, providing a stimulus to the field of Army sports met a mammoth gathering of Army athletes, sportsmen and women, coaches, members of all Army Athletic and Sports Committees on Tuesday (19) at Panagoda Army Gymnasium.

The arrangement, organized by the Directorate of Army Sports had collected a gathering of about 2000 personnel, inclusive of skilled sports personnel in all formations across the country, together with those who made the Army proud in the most recent ‘Commonwealth Games – 2018’ in Gold Coast, Australia.

The occasion was symbolic of the appreciative regard the Commander of the Army pays to this most prominent aspect of the organization which has already produced a large assortment of sportsmen and sportswomen of international standards. He was welcomed on arrival by Major General Dampath Fernando, Chairman, Army Sports Control Board and Major General Anura Sudasinghe, Director General Army Sports.

Symbolic of the appreciation, the Commander presented a special memento to the Commonwealth Games achiever, Sergeant Chathuranga Lakmal of the Commando Regiment. He also mingled with a section of the attendees at the occasion including wheelchair-ridden sportsmen and exchanged views with them.

Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army, Major General Dampath Fernando, Chief of Staff, Major General Piyal Wickramaratne, Commandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, Major General Sathyapriya Liyanage, Commander, Security Forces – West, Major General Sudath Perera, Chairman, Army Athletic Committee and Major General Anura Sudasinghe, Director General Army Sports were present at the occasion.

After an inspiring speech that spoke of the importance of sports and how it relates to one’s life, the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Senanayake, the pioneer behind the notion of collecting them under one roof, underlined the challenges that are lying ahead in the field of sports in this decade and beyond and urged them to be ready to take on those challenges.

“I sincerely believe you all have the capacity and the determination to achieve landmark victories in the field of sports in the years to come since you also belong to the present day Army as its one third of the strength, groomed to win accolades in sports. At a time the Army is transforming itself to be a capacity-based one, your contribution is being closely observed since your duty were to bring home more and more medals and keep the reputation of the Army flying high. From our part, we will give the maximum support possible. You must note that the Army is spending millions of rupees for promotion of your sports talents every year,” the Commander reminded. Senior Officers, Sports men and Sports women participated in the programme that openly encouraged and stimulated budding Army personnel, engaged in sports.

The UN General Assembly in 1997 proclaimed 26 June as the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture with the ultimate aim of total eradication of torture.The date also raises awareness of the international Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, which entered into force on 26 June 1987.

To mark International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2018, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) is organizing ‘Human Rights Film Festival’ The ‘Human Rights Film Festival’ will be held from 25th to 26th June 2018 at Tharanganee Theater, National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka, No. 303 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07.

The HRCSL invites the public to join them on the day to mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture.

The Hydrographic Service of the Sri Lanka Navy celebrated the World Hydrography Day 2018 at the Naval Headquarters, on Thursday (21st June) under the patronage of the Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe.

The Navy Hydrographic Service’s website www.hydro.navy.lk was launched at this occasion and published its first Electronic Navigation Chart [ENC] of Weligama Bay as an interim release for Naval Petrol Vessels and Coastguard Vessels. Navy’s Hydrographical Service expects to make the Weligama Bay ENC available for the international shipping in the near future.

The event also saw the handing over of two defence nautical charts, the “Karainagar Channel and Approaches” and “Kachchaitivu” to Naval authorities.

Senior Naval officers, Director General of the Sri Lanka Coastguard, NARA officials and other stake holders were also present at the occasion.

Slight enhance in the prevailing showery condition in the south-western part of the island is expected today.

Showers or thunder showers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western Provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. Fairly heavy falls above 50 mm can be expected at some places.

Light showers will occur in the Anuradhapura, Vauniya and Hambantota districts.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in Ampara district after 2.00p.m.

Fairly strong gusty winds (up to 40-50 kmph) are likely over North-Central, North-Western and Uva provinces and in Matale and Hambantota districts.

Marine Weather

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the sea areas extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle.

Winds will be south-westerly in direction in the sea areas around the island and wind speed will be 30-40 kmph.

Wind speed can be increased up to 60kmph at times in the sea areas extending from Puttalam to Kankasanturai via Mannar and Hambantota to Pottuvil.

The sea areas extending from Puttalam to Mannar and Hambantota to Pottuvil can be rough at times.

Other sea areas can be fairly rough at times as the wind speed can increase up to 50 kmph at times.

Naval and fishing communities are requested to be vigilant in this regard.

City Weather

The Government has issued an extraordinary gazette notification listing the names of 14 individuals living overseas with links to the LTTE and banning them from entering Sri Lanka, by placing them in the list of designated persons.

The amendment to the List of Designated persons under the United Nations Regulations No. 01 of 2012 has been made through a gazette issued by Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Kapila Waidyaratne.

Among the individuals included to the list are LTTE intelligence leaders ‘Seel Maran’, ‘Parathan’ and ‘Siranjeew Master’ as well as the terrorist organization’s international financial leader Sivasubramaniyam Jeyaganesh a.k.a Ganesh.

Inclusions to list of designated persons:

1. Nadaraja Sathyaseelan a.k.a Seel Maran
2. Kamalasinham Arunakulasinham a.k.a Kamal
3. Antonyrasa Antony Calistor a.k.a Parathan
4. Sivasubramaniyam Jeyaganesh a.k.a Ganesh, a.k.a Samraj
5. Ponnasami Paskaran a.k.a Jeyakaran
6. Velaudan Pradeepkumar a.k.a Kaleeban
7. Siwarasa Surendran a.k.a wadann
8. Sivagurunadan Murugadas a.k.a Kadirawan
9. Thirunilakandal Naguleshwaran a.k.a Pushpanadan
10. Maheshwaran Ravichandran a.k.a Mendis, a.k,a Thirukkumaran
11. Suresh Kumar Pradeepan
12. Kandasamy Krishnamoorthi, a.k,a Moorthi
13. Jeewarathnam Jeewakumar, a.k.a Siranjeew Master
14. Tony Jihan Murugesapillai

Slight enhance in the prevailing showery condition in the south-western part of the island is expected from today.

Showers or thunder showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. Fairly heavy falls above 50 mm can be expected at some places particularly in Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces.

Light showers will occur in the Anuradhapura, Vauniya and Hambanthota districts.

Fairly strong gusty winds (up to 40-50 kmph) are likely over Northern, North-Central, North-Western and Uva provinces and in Matale, Trincomalee and Hambanthota districts.

Marine Weather

Strong gusty winds (up to 60-70 kmph) are likely over Northern sea areas and in Gulf of Mannar.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the sea areas extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle.

Winds will be south-westerly in direction in the sea areas around the island and wind speed will be 35-45 kmph.

Wind speed can be increased up to 60-70 kmph at times in the sea areas extending from Puttalam to Kankasanturai via Mannar and the sea areas extending from Puttalam to Mannar can be rough or very rough at times.

The sea areas extending from Hambantota to Pottuvil can be rough at times as the wind speed can increase up to 60 kmph at times.

Other sea areas can be fairly rough at times as the wind speed can increase up to 50 kmph at times.

Naval and fishing communities are requested to be vigilant in this regard.

City Weather

Commissioner General of the Department for Registration of Persons, P.V. Gunathilake has requested students sitting for the G.C.E. Ordinary Level and Advanced Level examinations this year to send in the applications for the National Identity Card (NIC) at the earliest possible.

Sending the applications in due time will make the NIC issuing procedure convenient and uncomplicated for the department, stated the Commissioner General. He added that nearly 40% of the candidates, who will be sitting for the examination this year, have not yet applied for their NICs.

It was reported that a considerable number of applications that have already been submitted are filled out incorrectly. The Commissioner asks all the Head Monks of Piriven, principals, candidates and their parents to heed to direct the applications to the department without delay.

The 4th Contingent of the Aviation Unit under the United Nations helicopter deployment in South Sudan (UNMISS) passed out at SLAF Base Katunayake on 19th June.

This helicopter deployment will be tasked to carry out VIP and troop transportation, transportation of food and equipment, domestic flying and medical evacuation in South Sudan, in support of the overall UN mandate for that nation.

At the end of the 3rd successful SLAF Contingent in South Sudan, the 4th Contingent consisting of 19 Officers including 10 Pilots and 85 airmen will depart from Sri Lanka in the near future to replace the 3rd contingent and serve under the UN flag for a one-year period.

Commander of the Air Force Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy took the salute of the parade Commanded by Wing Commander KMSPB Kulathunga, the Contingent Commander of the 4th Heli-Deployment.

Chief of Staff Air Vice Marshal DLS Dias and members of the Air Force Board of Management, Officers, Other Ranks and family members also present at the passing out parade.

The State Minister’s visit coincides with the arrival of the Norwegian research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen to  Sri Lanka. The research vessel will arrive in Colombo on the 21st of June followed by a 26 days research journey around the island. The research vessel will assist Sri Lanka in mapping her marine resources. 

The State Minister will also meet senior politicians, ministers and members of civil society in Sri Lanka. This visit will provide an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual benefit and interest, including bilateral cooperation, environmental challenges and promotion of oceanbased industries, says the Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. ThorbjørnGaustadsæther.

 The oceans offer huge potential for human development globally. Norway has a long history as a marine nation, and there are considerable opportunities for sustainable growth in ocean-based industries in the future.

The State Minister will speak at the opening of a regional symposium organized by the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development of Sri Lanka in co-operation with the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo about “SDG 14 – Life Below Water”. Participants from countries from the Bay of Bengal and other stakeholders will discuss challenges and opportunities for sustainable use of the ocean.

The State Minister will also pay a short visit to Jaffna, where he will learn more about the outcomes of the long-term Norwegian support to sustainable livelihood activities in the resettled areas. While in Jaffna, the State Minister will open a fruit and vegetable packing center to the Palali East Cooperative and join beach cleaning in Gurunagar with local fishermen and their families. Before ending his visit, the State Minister will open a Business Conference on Blue Economy organized by the Norwegian Embassy, with participants from the maritime, marine and aquaculture sectors in both Norway and Sri Lanka. This conference will help to build new partnerships within the blue economy sectors.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority held an Awareness and Training programme for Tuk Tuk Drivers and Home Stay/Bungalow Operators in Ella recently.

Around 120 Tuk Tuk drivers and 87 Home Stay operators took part in the meeting held at the District Secretariat building. Upon completion of the programme, certificates were awarded to all participants by Minister of Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure Development and Foreign Employment Harin Fernando and SLTDA Chairman Kavan Ratnayaka.

This comes as part of the SLTDA’s larger plans to support and streamline the tourism industry in Ella- a vibrant tourism hotspot in Sri Lanka.

In addition to the programme, the SLTDA Chairman, its senior officials and the Chairman of the Ella Pradeshiya Sabha Ella conducted a site inspection to assess and identify areas that need further improvement and upliftment. A discussion was also held to set up a ‘tourist comfort center’ with adequate toilet facilities and to install a proper drainage and sewerage disposal system in the area.

The SLTDA also decided to set up a Tourist Police Unit in Ella to ensure the safety of foreign and local tourists. Facilities will also be upgraded at the Ella railway station, one of the main tourist entry points to the area.