August 04, Colombo (LNW): The Committee on Public Accounts (CoPA) has emphasised the importance of promoting Wallapatta cultivation, recognising its significant potential to generate foreign exchange for Sri Lanka.
This issue was raised during a recent discussion with the Department of Forest Conservation. Committee Chair Lasantha Alagiyawanna instructed officials to focus on Wallapatta due to its economic benefits.
Forest Department officials confirmed that cultivating Wallapatta is legal, but cutting and transporting the plants from forests without permits is prohibited.
They noted that the cultivation of Aquilaria, an imported plant with similar characteristics, has commenced in Sri Lanka.
Distinguishing between Wallapatta and Aquilaria is challenging, leading smugglers to falsely market forest-sourced Wallapatta as plantation-grown.
The officials assured the Committee of plans to develop a scientific method to differentiate the two plants.
August 04, Colombo (LNW): The Postal Department is set to deploy approximately 8,000 staff members to distribute polling cards to voters across the country for the upcoming Presidential Election.
In a circular issued by Deputy Post Master General Rajitha Ranasinghe, all post offices nationwide have been informed of this initiative.
The circular also mentions that special arrangements are being made to handle regular postal letters by employing additional personnel.
August 04, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has been honoured with the Best International Tourism Board award at the Global Tourism Awards 2024.
Tourism and Sports Minister Harin Fernando, who attended the ceremony in New Delhi on 2 August, returned to Sri Lanka via Katunayake Airport on 3 August.
Very satisfying day today indeed , team did so well to tie a game , tourism won the global awards for the best tourism board international award at the global tourism awards in Delhi. #visitsrilanka#srilankacricketpic.twitter.com/MG1khhQYzq
August 04, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s preparations for the second match against India have been severely impacted with the news that cricketer Wanindu Hasaranga is ruled out due to injury.
Hasaranga sustained a hamstring injury during the first ODI, rendering him unavailable for the remainder of the home series.
Experienced spinner Jeffrey Vandersay has been named as his replacement and may feature in the playing XI on Sunday.
“Hasaranga will miss the rest of the ODI series due to a left hamstring injury,” stated Sri Lanka Cricket. “He felt pain in his left hamstring while bowling his 10th over in the first ODI. An MRI confirmed the injury. Jeffrey Vandersay joins the squad in his place.”
This injury follows the loss of fast bowlers Matheesha Pathirana and Dilshan Madushanka, who were sidelined a day before the first match.
Despite these setbacks, Hasaranga showcased an outstanding performance by taking three wickets and contributing valuable runs, helping Sri Lanka post a competitive 230-run total at Colombo’s R Premadasa Stadium.
August 04, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka Police are requesting public assistance to locate three suspects involved in a shooting incident in Athurugiriya on July 08, 2024, which resulted in two fatalities and injuries to four others.
Photographs and details of the suspects have been released.
Information on the suspects can be provided through the following contact numbers:
OIC – Western Province South Crimes Division – 072 4222223
OIC – Athurugiriya Police Station – 071 8591657
Suspect details:
Waruna Indika de Silva alias “Sankha” (NIC: 951350753V)
Peti Harambage Ajith Rohana alias “Chandi” (NIC: 199207801772)
Muthuwandura Tharindu Madhusanka de Silva alias “Bahirawaya”
The shooting incident went viral across Sri Lanka due to it being the cause of death of Surendra Wasantha Perera alias ‘Club Wasantha’.
August 04, Colombo (LNW): Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment, Manusha Nanayakkara, announced that 24 Sri Lankans, including event organisers and musicians, were arrested by Kuwaiti authorities at a gathering organised by the JVP-affiliated ‘Ethera Api’ organisation.
The minister stated on ‘X’ that he has reached out to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Kuwait, which is collaborating with Kuwaiti officials to secure their release promptly.
Further details regarding the arrests have not been disclosed.
I have been notified that Kuwait has arrested 24 Sri Lankans, including organizers & musicians, who attended an event organized by JVP-led Ethara Api organization. I have contacted our embassy & they are working with Kuwaiti officials to secure their release as soon as possible pic.twitter.com/UGIAJrNFdw
August 04, Colombo (LNW): A naval operation in the Iramathivu sea area of Kilinochchi on August 03 2024 resulted in the arrest of three individuals and the seizure of a dinghy carrying over 176kg of Kerala cannabis.
Conducted by SLNS Buwaneka and the Rapid Action Boat Squadron, the search uncovered 86 parcels of cannabis valued at over Rs. 70 million.
The suspects, aged 22 to 35 from Mannar and Valeipadu, have been handed over to Jayapuram Police for further legal proceedings.
August 04, Colombo (LNW): Showers will occur at times in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts, the Department of Meteorology said in its weather forecast today (04).
Several spells of showers may occur in North-western province.
Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere in the island during the evening or night. Fairly heavy showers above 50mm are likely at some places.
General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Marine Weather:
Condition of Rain:
Showers will occur at several places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Galle via Colombo.
Winds:
Winds will be westerly to south-westerly and wind speed will be (30-40) kmph. Wind speed can increase up to 50 kmph at times in the sea areas off the coasts extending from Kankasanthurai to Puttalam via Mannar and from Hambantota to Pottuvil.
State of Sea:
The sea areas off the coasts extending from Kankasanthurai to Puttalam via Mannar and from Hambantota to Pottuvil will be fairly rough at times.
August 03, Colombo (LNW): The Montana National Guard and U.S. Pacific Air Forces, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Air Force and the Maldives National Defence Force, have commenced ‘Atlas Angel,’ a joint military exercise focused on enhancing preparedness and response to natural and man-made disasters. From August 5-9, over 70 U.S. personnel and two C-130 Hercules aircraft will participate alongside their Sri Lankan and Maldivian counterparts, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation in disaster response and the U.S. commitment to fostering a resilient and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Atlas Angel will feature six exercises, including urban and medical search and rescue, as well as airfield repair, culminating in a crisis management exercise on August 9. These activities aim to test and improve response capabilities across various scenarios, ensuring participants are well-prepared for real-world disasters. Following the main exercise, U.S. Air Force surgeons will engage in a knowledge exchange session at the Kotelawala Defence University in Colombo, sharing best practices with Sri Lankan military and civilian medical counterparts.
U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung applauded the disaster response cooperation, stating, “Disasters know no borders and are increasing in frequency and intensity worldwide. The United States is committed to enhancing disaster preparedness, recognizing the importance of international collaboration to minimize damage, protect lives and livelihoods, and foster resilience and prosperity in the region. By sharing our expertise through practical exercises like Atlas Angel, we strengthen communities’ abilities to respond swiftly and effectively when disaster strikes.”
Sri Lanka Air Force Commander, Air Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, remarked, “Exercise Atlas Angel is one of the main combined exercises operationalized under the Montana State Partnership Programme. It provides space for greater engagement between Sri Lanka Air Force and Montana National Guard through subject matter expert exchanges, developing strategic foresight on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, as well as Search and Rescue missions, and promoting interoperability for collective security in the region.”
Montana National Guard Adjutant General Pete Hronek emphasized the critical role of training in disaster management: “Effective disaster management hinges on robust training that equips first responders, local authorities, and community members with the skills and knowledge they need to act decisively in times of crisis. Throughout this week, I look forward to working with regional counterparts and learning from their expertise as we go through realistic simulations, ensuring we are all ready to act in the event of an emergency.”
