Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, is scheduled to undertake an official visit to Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from today (08) to 11 Nov., to attend the 26th Session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).

During the visit, Minister Herath will participate in high-level sessions of the UNWTO and hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from several member states, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism said in a statement.

“Sri Lanka is a founding member of the UNWTO, established in 1975. The visit of Minister Herath is aimed at advancing Sri Lanka’s tourism agenda through potential collaborations with the UNWTO and its member states,” it added.

Former Diyawadana Nilame Pradeep Nilanga Dela has been re-elected to head the Sri Dalada Maligawa, securing a decisive 145-vote majority in yesterday’s election.

Dela garnered 195 votes, defeating his closest rival, Diminda Bandara Udurawana, who received 50 votes. The third candidate, A.W.A. Bandaranayaka, Basnayake Nilame of Natha Devala, secured just 13 votes.

While eight individuals initially expressed interest in contesting, only three nominations (Dela, Udurawana, and Bandaranayaka) were officially accepted, as the remaining submissions had not been duly seconded.

The victory marks another term for Dela at the helm of the revered Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic.

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Israel has confirmed that three Sri Lankan migrant workers have been attacked in a series of reported chemical-laced water assaults targeting foreign workers in Israel.In a statement issued from Tel Aviv, the Embassy said it had been alerted to videos and reports, circulating on social media over the past few days, which claimed that foreign migrant workers were being sprayed with chemically mixed water by small groups in isolated areas.

According to the Embassy, the incidents appear to have targeted individuals travelling alone. Three Sri Lankans, who were attacked, have since reported their experiences to the Embassy.

Following these reports, the Sri Lankan Embassy has officially notified the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Population and Immigration Authority (PIBA), requesting urgent action to ensure the safety of all foreign workers, including Sri Lankans.

Israeli police have since arrested five teenagers, aged between 13 and 19, in connection with the first reported attack. The suspects are currently in custody, and investigations are ongoing using CCTV footage and other evidence to identify those responsible for similar incidents.

Sri Lankan workers in Israel have been advised to exercise caution, travel in groups, especially when sending money home, and keep valuables and mobile phones secure while travelling. They have also been urged to use the local emergency hotlines — 100 for police and 101 for ambulance

services — and to contact the Embassy’s 24-hour hotline (+94718447305) for assistance in case of emergencies.

The Embassy said Israeli security agencies are closely monitoring the situation and taking measures to prevent further incidents. According to unconfirmed reports many of the Lankans employed there are ex-military types earning premium salaries by Lankan standards with each earning about one million rupees a month.