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Let us dispel the roots of greed, hatred, and delusion, and transform our lives into a nobel period that brings peace and serenity – PM
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya in her Vesak day message called upon all Sri Lankans to dispel the roots of greed, hatred, and delusion, and transform their lives into a nobel period that brings peace and serenity
The Prime Ministers Vesak day message:
“It is an honor to extend Vesak day felicitations to all citizens of the nation during this sacred period in which lives are shaped in accordance with the noble teachings preached by Lord Buddha, and upholding the practice of Dhamma.
Just as the external world is illuminated by lanterns, this Vesak season should also be an opportunity to illuminate our own hearts with compassion, kindness, and wisdom. Let us dispel the roots of greed, hatred, and delusion, and transform our lives into a nobel period that brings peace and serenity.
“abhittharetha kalyāṇē” – Let us hasten towards the common good. The theme for this year’s State Vesak festival reflects the social needs of the present time. While eliminating narrow beliefs and mindsets, this Vesak festival should become a source of blessings and strength for us to build a nation dedicated to the common good and radiant with the values of the Dhamma.
Followed by the guidance of the Mahanayake Theros and the All Island Sasanarakshaka Mandalaya, I extend wishes for the State Vesak Festival, jointly organized by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government.
Through the deep bond that exists between the state and” Buddhism, the progress and prosperity of the country can be achieved through righteous governance. It is essential that we cultivate the patience needed to overcome the economic and social challenges we face as a nation, founded on the noble ideal of “May all beings be well, happy and at peace” where justice is ensured for all regardless of caste, race, or religion.
I respectfully invite all of you to join in celebrating an environmentally conscious and nature-friendly Vesak, walking the Middle Path. Let us move forward together towards a society grounded in principled conduct.
May everyone be blessed with a peaceful and meritorious Vesak!
The head of Turkiye’s football refereeing body and four other officials have been placed in pretrial detention by a court as part of a corruption investigation, the state news agency Anadolu reports.
Ferhat Gundogdu, head of the Central Referees Committee, and six others appeared before a judge over allegations of manipulation of the referee administration process, Anadolu said on Saturday.
They appeared on Friday before a judge at Istanbul’s Caglayan courthouse on several charges, including forgery of official documents, breach of trust and illegal acquisition of personal data, the report said.
The judge remanded five people in custody and granted the other two conditional release, Anadolu said.
It was the latest scandal to shake football in Turkiye, coming exactly a year after the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) suspended 149 referees on charges of illegal betting.
On Thursday night, police from the illegal betting and sports crime unit also detained Yasin Kol, a referee from Turkiye’s top-flight Super Lig, as well as an assistant referee, media reports said.
Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said prosecutors are examining claims about “interference in the processes of referee classification, assignments, scoring and appointments as well as the exams on rules”.
During raids on Tuesday, police searched the VAR room at TFF’s headquarters in Istanbul. Observers said the investigation was likely linked to last year’s betting scandal and would have implications for the federation.
“It does seem to be a continuation of 2025, and it looks like it will continue further,” sports journalist Ayhan Sensoy told the AFP news agency.
Sensoy, who wrote a 2024 book on the issue called The Gambling Pit, said it was unlikely that federation bosses “have any chance of staying in office”.
So far, the TFF has not directly addressed the arrests as its top officials are due to fly home on Saturday after attending Friday night’s Belgium-Turkiye UEFA Nations League clash in Liege, which Turkiye lost 3-0.
[Aljazeera]
A car has crashed into a crowd of rugby league supporters in the eastern Australian city of Newcastle, injuring 10 people, including three children.
New South Wales police said on Saturday that two of the injured – a five-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man – were in a critical condition and the other eight were in stable condition in hospital.
Police said they had arrested the 18-year-old man driving the vehicle and were investigating what happened. They said the crash was not believed to be related to “terrorism”.
The crowd had gathered to farewell the local rugby league side, the Newcastle Knights, ahead of their grand final against the Sydney Roosters on Sunday.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Gavin Morris said the driver, a rugby league fan, had lost control of his vehicle and had been taken into custody.
“He was revving the car, he was excited, he was a supporter, he was there for the joy of the moment,” Morris told the national broadcaster ABC.
“Somehow he lost control of the car … and he’s gone into the crowd,” he added.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “My thoughts are with everyone injured or involved in the horrible incident this morning in Newcastle.”
“Rugby league brings people together, and this should have been a weekend of excitement and pride for Newcastle fans,” he wrote in a social media post.
[Aljazeera]
Polls have opened in Latvia for an election taking place against the backdrop of perceived security threats from Russia and a nationwide cost-of-living squeeze.
Saturday’s vote is the first electoral test for Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs after coming to power in May this year when his predecessor resigned due to a backlash from stray drone incursions from Ukraine.
Kulbergs, whose right-wing United List party is currently polling at about 20 percent, is expected to hold onto his position, but the decline of two allies in his current coalition means he is set for a complicated negotiation over the makeup of any future government.
Polls opened at 05:00 GMT and will close at 17:00 GMT. The results are not expected to change Latvia’s pro-European and pro-Ukrainian course.
About 1.5 million people are eligible to vote in the country’s 11th parliamentary election since independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Latvian politics are highly fragmented, with parties rarely seeing above 20 percent vote share and coalitions being the norm.
This year, 14 electoral lists are contesting the election, but polls indicate only seven are likely to enter parliament, with the rest expected to fail to meet the minimum 5 percent vote threshold.
Rising living costs, low wages, strains on the healthcare system and long-term population decline have all featured prominently in campaign debates.
Most parties in Latvia are pro-Ukraine; however, the populist Sovereign Power party – which says it wants Ukraine to win but argues money spent supporting Kyiv would be better spent at home – looks likely to become the country’s second-biggest party, with more than 9 percent of the vote. Most other parties have ruled out forming a coalition with Sovereign Power.
Latvia First, a pro-Ukraine and populist nationalist party currently polling at about 9 percent, could be a potential coalition partner for PM Kulbergs.
The Progressives, a pro-European social democratic party, are polling at 6 percent.
Ethnic Russians make up roughly one in four Latvian citizens, but their vote, which has traditionally been cast along identity-based lines, looks set to be made according to economic and social issues.
Latvia is the poorest of the Baltic states, and it has sharply increased its defence spending since Russia invaded Ukraine, now allocating nearly 5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) to defence.
[Aljazeera]
No handshakes and a delayed ceremony as India beat Pakistan at Asian Games
Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island after 1.00 p.m
Lanka enters new phase of prosecutions as hurdles clear
Police warn: Court evaders face property seizure
Nearly 20 Iranian tankers stranded off Lanka amid US sanctions
IRD tax revenue rises 24% to Rs. 2.04 trillion
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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