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PM participates in innaugural session of SAARC Heritage Forum 2025

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The Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the inaugural meeting of the SAARC Heritage Forum 2025 for promoting Regional Art, Culture, Heritage Sites, Museums, and Archives organized by the Cultural Center (SCC) with the support of the Government of Sri Lanka on Tuesday (Sep 30) at the National Museum, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The forum which commenced on 30th of September will conclude on 2nd  October.

SAARC Heritage Forum 2025 aims to bring together experts, professionals, and scholars in the field of Archeology, Cultural Heritage and Museums to foster dialogue, share knowledge, and explore innovative approaches towards the preservation and promotion of South Asia’s rich cultural heritage by strengthening cooperation, establishing the SAARC Heritage List with its Operational Guidelines and creating Cultural Trails that connect major Buddhist historical sites and facilitate access to sacred sites associated with Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, and other faiths.

Addressing the inaugural occasion, the Prime Minister emphasized the government’s commitment to call to action and call to reaffirm the shared vision of regional unity, regional vitality, and diplomatic renewal in preserving the cultural heritage and strengthening cooperation with SAARC. The Prime Minister further stressed the committed to supporting the institutionalization of the Forum as an annual event, with rotating leadership and inclusive participation.

Reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to achieving the purpose and outcome this forum, the Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi stated that our cultural assets must be protected not only as the relic of the past but as resources that contribute to the identity, dialogue and inclusive development.

The event was attended by Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, High Commissioner of Pakistan to Sri Lanka Major General (Retd) Faheem-ul-Aziz, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Sri Lanka  Andalib Elias, High Commissioner of Maldives,  Masood Imad, Ambassador of Nepal,  Purna Bahadhur, delegates representing SAARC, the Director of the SAARC Cultural Centre (SCC)  Dr. Kaushalya Kumarasinghe, representatives of the European Union and Embassy of America and professionals, scholars and experts in the field.

(Prime Minister’s Media Division)



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Former UN rapporteur who investigated Israeli abuses interrogated in Canada

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Richard Falk served as the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory from 2008 to 2014 [File: Aljazeera]

A former United Nations special rapporteur who investigated Israeli abuses against Palestinians says he was interrogated by Canadian authorities on “national security” grounds as he travelled to Canada this week to attend a Gaza-related event.

Richard Falk, an international law expert from the United States, told Al Jazeera that he was questioned at Toronto Pearson international airport on Thursday alongside his wife, fellow legal scholar Hilal Elver.

“A security person came and said, ‘We’ve detained you both because we’re concerned that you pose a national security threat to Canada,’” Falk, 95, said on Saturday in an interview from Ottawa, the Canadian capital. “It was my first experience of this sort – ever – in my life.”

Falk and Elver – both US citizens – were travelling to Ottawa to take part in the Palestine Tribunal on Canadian Responsibility when they were held for questioning.

The tribunal brought together international human rights and legal experts on Friday and Saturday to examine the Canadian government’s role in Israel’s two-year bombardment of the Gaza Strip, which a UN inquiry and numerous rights groups have described as a genocide.

Falk said he and his wife were held for questioning for more than four hours and asked about their work on Israel and Gaza, and on issues of genocide in general. “[There was] nothing particularly aggressive about his questioning,” he said. “It felt sort of random and disorganised.”

But Falk said he believes the interrogation is part of a global push to “punish those who endeavour to tell the truth about what is happening” in the world, including in Gaza.

[Aljazeera]

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Pakistan opt to field in 3rd ODI, Asalanka out with illness

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Shaheen Afridi and Kusal Mendis at the toss [Cricinfo]

Pakistan have won the toss and elected to field first. The game is played on the same wicket the first ODI was played on, with a high-scoring affair expected.

With the series already wrapped up, the home side have rung the changes in Rawalpindi, with four men who played the second game sitting out. Haseebullah Khan makes his ODI debut at the top as Saim Ayub sits out, while Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah and Abrar Ahmed all drop to the bench. Faheem Ashraf, Muhammad Wasim and Faisal Akram all come in as well.

Sri Lanka, too, have made four changes, with captain Charith Asalanka sitting out because of illness. Middle-order batter Pravan Ratnayake, fast bowler Eshan Malinga and spinner Jeffrey Vandersay play their first games this series.

Pakistan: Fakhar Zaman,  Haseebullah Khan (wk),  Babar Azam,  Mohammad Rizwan,  Salman Agha,  Hussain Talat,  Faheem Ashraf,  Mohammad Wasim Jr,  Shaheen Afridi (capt),  Haris Rauf,  Faisal Akram

Sri Lanka:  Pathum Nissanka,  Kamil Mishara,  Kusal Mendis (wk, capt),  Sadeera Samarawickrama,  Pavan Rathnayake,  Janith Liyanage,  Kamindu Mendis,  Maheesh Theekshana,  Pramod Madushan,  Eshan Malinga,  Jeffrey Vandersay

[Cricinfo]

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Bavuma, Harmer and Jansen script sensational South Africa win at treacherous Eden Gardens

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That's the Test - Keshav Maharaj leads the celebrations [Cricinfo]

South Africa started the day staring at defeat, only 63 ahead with three wickets in hand, but registered a stunning win, their first in India in 15 years and the second-smallest successful defence in Asia. The whooping and cheering among the South Africa players echoed amid a shocked Sunday crowd at Eden Gardens as the visitors bowled India out for 93 in the absence of their injured captain Shubman Gill.

Temba Bavuma was ever present, scoring the only half-century of the match and taking South Africa to a formidable lead of 123 on a pitch with extravagant sideways movement and variance in bounce. He was helped a little by some ordinary spin bowling on the third morning, but he had earned the errors after defending resolutely on the second evening.

The target of 124 was always going to be tricky with Simon Harmer outbowling India’s spinners in the country where he had a forgettable tour in 2015-16. The uneven bounce made Marco Jansen a handful, causing the double jeopardy you need to defend small totals.

Brief scores:
South Africa 159 in 55 overs (Aiden Markram 31; Jasprit Bumrah 5-27, Mohammed Siraj 2-47, Kuldeep Yadav 2-36)   and 153 in 54 overs  (Temba Bavuma 55*, Corbin Bosch 25;  Ravindra Jadeja 4-50, Mohammed  Siraj 2-2, Kuldeep Yadav   2-30) beat India 189 in 62.2 overs (KL Rahul 39: Marco Jansen 3-35, Simon Harmer 4-30) and 93 in 35 overs (Washington Sundar 31, Axar Patel 26;  Simon Harmer 4-21, Marco Jansen 2-15, Keshav Maharaj 2-37) by 30 runs

[Cricinfo]

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