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Cardinal calls on youth to fight for justice

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By Norman Palihawadane

Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has called on the country’s youth to rise against injustice and change the current system, which, he says, has become the cause of misery.

Addressing a gathering at the premiere of the movie, titled ‘Prana’, at Colombo City Centre, recently, the Cardinal said: “The youth must rise up and fulfil their obligations; they must work hard to bring about true freedom to the country and the future generations. We must come together for the sake of the future and to save the country. We have descended to a situation where our freedom is now being limited. We know that the youth who stood up for democratic rights are either in jail or in the courts. This is not democracy. It is clear that we need a new vision so that we can put aside our differences and come together as brothers to create a new Sri Lanka. That is what the girls and boys who engaged in the protests asked for – a change to the current system. I think it is a reasonable request. We need to go for a new system with a new way of thinking.”

“For 74 years, political leaders thought only of themselves and their safety, without thinking about the people. Having destroyed the political and economic freedom we received, we have become an impoverished nation.

“Are we the people truly experiencing the freedom we gained 74 years back? Freedom means the ability to live one’s life according to one’s beliefs. What is important for Sri Lankan society is having respect for others, recognizing our differences and coming together as one,” he said.

The Cardinal said that rulers cannot break people by incarcerating them. People in the 20th century witnessed World War II. A tyrant by the name of Adolf Hitler incarcerated and then killed millions of people by gassing them because they belonged to another race. Then in Russia a ruler by the name of Joseph Stalin jailed millions of people and banished them to work camps in Siberia. They did not win. You cannot defeat humanity and win. You cannot imprison people and break them,” the Cardinal said.Among those present were President of the Catholic Bishops Conference and Bishop of Kurunegala Rt Rev Dr Harold Anthony, Ven Rambukkana Siddhartha Thera and members of the Maha Sangha.



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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Kalutara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura

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The Landslide Early Warning Centre of the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued early warnings to the Districts of Kalutara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura from 1600hrs on 13th June 2026 till 1600hrs on 14th June 2026.

Accordingly,

LEVEL I (YELLOW) landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surounding areas of Palindanuwara and Agalawatta in the Kalutara district,  Ambagamuwa in the Nuwara Eliya and Ayagama, Pelmadulla,
Godakawela, Elapatha, Kalawana, Ratnapura and Nivithigala in the Ratnapura district.

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INS Sharda departs Colombo concluding replenishment visit

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The Indian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Sharda’ departed the island today (13 Jun 26), concluding her replenishment purposes.

On departure  the vessel was accorded a traditional naval farewell by the Sri Lanka Navy at the Port of Colombo.

The visit also paved the way for vibrant personnel interactions, fostering camaraderie and goodwill. The crew of INS Sharda and personnel from the Sri Lanka Navy participated in a
friendly volleyball match and a joint yoga session. A

dditionally, Sri Lanka Navy personnel had the opportunity to visit the Indian naval vessel, while the visiting crew took time to explore several culturally significant landmarks across the island.

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Special Dengue Prevention Week declared in Colombo District from June 15 to 21

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A decision has been taken to declare a Special Dengue Prevention Week from 15 to 21 of June by the Colombo District Dengue Control Committee to curb the spread of the disease in the Colombo District.

This decision was taken at the meeting of the Colombo District Dengue Control Committee held on Friday  (12) at the Colombo District Secretariat under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.

Compared to last year, the number of dengue cases reported this year has increased significantly. According to the National Dengue Control Unit, approximately 39,100 dengue cases have been reported island wide to date, of which 25.8% have been recorded in the Colombo District. Following this situation, the Colombo District has been identified as a high-risk district.

Health authorities informed that the increasing spread of the disease has been influenced not only by the nature of circulating virus but also to the lack of sufficient immunity among the population. They further noted that the recent period of heavy rainfall has aggravated the spread of Dengue.

It was also identified that the current outbreak is being reported more frequently from public places such as government institutions, private establishments, schools, and religious venues rather than from residential premises. Observations have identified improperly managed solid waste and drainage systems in offices and other public locations as major breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Accordingly, during the Dengue Prevention Week from 15 to 21 June, a series of measures will be implemented, including, organising community clean-up campaigns in government and private institutions, schools, residential areas, and other public spaces; Conducting inspections of high-risk premises by Divisional Secretariats and taking legal action, where necessary, followed by awareness programmes; Distributing informational leaflets, displaying banners, and carrying out public awareness campaigns through the media. Health authorities also requested school administrations not to involve students below Grade 10 in school cleaning programmes and to immediately notify the relevant Medical Officer of Health (MOH) office if a student is diagnosed with dengue.

The programme is expected to receive the active support and participation of the district’s political leadership, religious leaders of all faiths, public officials, local government institutions, the tri-forces, the police, and the general public.

The event was attended by the Chairperson of the District Coordination Committee, Members of Parliament, representatives of local government authorities, government secretaries, police officers, and officials representing the education and health sectors, among others.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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