Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a long-term programme should be formulated to minimize the spread of dengue epidemic and emphasized that, just as the country has successfully overcome previous challenges, the dengue challenge must also be addressed and overcome through a collective effort.

The Prime Minister made these remarks today (16) while addressing a special dengue prevention programme organized in kottawa in conjunction with Dengue Prevention Week. The programme was aimed at controlling the spread of dengue and raising public awareness on health and safety measures.

Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister further stated:

At present, the risk of dengue is increasing across the country. The Colombo District remains at high risk, and health authorities have identified Maharagama as one of the particularly vulnerable areas.

The risk has been identified especially in schools, government and private sector offices, and other public spaces. As a government, we have declared a Dengue Prevention Week and are undertaking special interventions during this period with the objective of addressing the risk of dengue faced by the public.

However, this effort should not be limited to a single week. A long term programme should be formulated to address this issue. At this critical juncture, all stakeholders must come together and act with determination.

Over the past one and a half years, we have successfully overcome numerous challenges. Similarly, we must collectively come forward to overcome this challenge as well. Dengue prevention should be regarded as a personal responsibility by every citizen. We must work towards transforming the Colombo District from a high-risk area into a lower-risk zone and progressively move towards eliminating the threat altogether.

Following the programme, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya also inspected the local bus stand and surrounding areas.

Addressing the occasion, Chairman of the Maharagama Municipal Council,  Saman Samarakoon, expressed his appreciation to the institutions that contributed significantly to the dengue prevention initiative, including the Maharagama Municipal Council, Kottawa Police, security forces personnel, the Maharagama Divisional Secretariat, the Public Health Inspector’s Office, the National Housing Development Authority, the Land Registry Office, the National Transport Commission, Kottawa Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Kottawa Ananda Vidyalaya, and the Kottawa Traders’ Association.

The event was attended by Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamlath, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, Sunil Watagala, Colombo District Member of Parliament, Dewananda Suraweera, Chairman of the Maharagama Municipal Council, Saman Samarakoon, and several other invitees.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

Sabri Lamouchi has been sacked by Tunisia after just one game of World Cup 2026.

The 54-year-old former France international was sacked the day after Tunisia’s  5-1 trouncing by Sweden  in their opening Group F football game in Monterrey, Mexico, on Sunday night.

Tunisian officials have installed Mondher Kebaier, who led the national team from 2019 to 2022 and has been in a technical director role since last year, as interim boss ahead of the second group game against Japan in the early hours of Sunday, also in Monterrey.

The 56-year-old previously guided the Eagles of Carthage to the final of the Arab Cup in 2021, losing to Algeria, before a quarterfinal exit in AFCON the following year.

Speaking before his departure, Lamouchi said his side had been punished for a string of costly mistakes and after the game admitted: “It’s a difficult loss. It’s painful. Starting the competition with ⁠this bad of a loss is indeed difficult.

“We made way too many mistakes.”

Lamouchi was already under pressure after a 5-0 defeat to Belgium in the team’s final warm-up game, while he has been forced to defend the presence of his son during their training camp in the media despite him not being an official member of the party.

Tunisia will face Japan and the Netherlands, who played out a pulsating 2-2 draw in their opening match in Dallas on Sunday, in ⁠their final two group fixtures, and Lamouchi said: “We have our pride. We need to react. We need to give a better image.”

Lamouchi, who holds dual Tunisian and French citizenship, represented clubs including Auxerre, Monaco, Parma, Inter and Marseille during his playing career before his first role in management saw him guide Ivory Coast to the 2014 World Cup, beating Japan in their first game only to exit in the group stage after a dramatic late defeat against Greece in their final game.

It was a second chapter of World Cup heartache for Lamouchi, who was cut from the final France squad for World Cup 1998 by coach Aime Jacquet, missing out on a place in history as Les Bleus claimed their first title on home soil.

He went on to manage Rennes and Nottingham Forest before short stints in Qatar, with Cardiff City and in Saudi Arabia before being appointed by Tunisia in January on a two-and-a-half-year contract following a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.

[Aljazeera]

A rest day on Monday will be followed by a double-header on Tuesday. Defending champions New Zealand will take on Sri Lanka from 1.30pm GMT in Southampton, where New Zealand lost their opening fixture to West Indies. Sri Lanka are also coming off a defeat, having lost to hosts England in their first game. The contest has been largely one-sided, with New Zealand winning 14 of the 16 completed T20Is against Sri Lanka. However, they have lost two of the last four of those meetings, including the bilateral series in New Zealand in March, which ended in 1-1.

In the second game of the day that starts at 5.30pm GMT, England will face Ireland, who lost their opener to Scotland on Saturday. Ireland are without a win in 18 Women’s T20 World Cup matches. The teams have met only four times in T20Is, with England winning three, but Ireland winning the last clash, against a second-string England side in 2024. The hosts will start as overwhelming favourites again though.

Suzie Bates missed the opening game, marking the first time New Zealand played a women’s T20 World Cup match without her. It remains to be seen whether New Zealand stick with the same XI at the same venue or bring Bates back at the top, moving Izzy Gaze to No. 3. They could also consider recalling the experienced Lea Tahuhu into the XI before time runs out for New Zealand.