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“School Nutrition Programme’’to continue, without interruption
The Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake stated that the government has taken a policy decision to continue, without interruption, “School Nutrition Programme’’ aimed at reducing anemia among schoolchildren, which is being implemented with the assistance of the World Food Programme.
He made these remarks on Wednesday (23), during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat with representatives from relevant Ministries and government institutions involved in the programme, along with officials from the World Food Programme, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Pathfinder Foundation.
The school meal programme, aligned with the government’s initiative to provide nutritious lunch to primary school students in districts identified as having high levels of malnutrition, specifically targets the reduction of iron deficiency among schoolchildren. The initiative is jointly coordinated by the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Provincial Councils, the Food Promotion Board and the Partnership Secretariat for the World Food Programme Cooperation. The government has allocated Rs. 32 billion for this programme for the current year.
A pilot project is currently being implemented in four selected districts. Based on a formal health and nutrition study assessing the outcomes of this pilot project, there are plans to expand the programme island-wide. The study aims to determine the extent to which iron deficiency among schoolchildren can be reduced through this initiative.
As part of the programme, fortified rice enriched with iron and folic acid will be included in the school meals to specifically address anemia among students.
The World Food Programme, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gateway Foundation and the Pathfinder Foundation have pledged their continued support for this effort.
Present at the occasion were Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Janaka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa, Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media Dr. Anil Jasinghe, and Secretary to the Ministry of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment Malarmathy Gangatharan, along with other government officials and representatives from partner organizations.
[PMD]
It has been reported that veteran Sri Lankan actress and former member of parliament, Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly known as ‘Malini Fonseka’ or the “Queen of Sri Lankan Cinema,” has passed away this morning (24) at the age of 76, while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.
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Veteran Sri Lanka all-rounder Angelo Mathews will retire from Test cricket after the first Test against Bangladesh in Galle, starting June 17. Mathews, who turns 38 just before the match, will bring the curtains down on a decorated Test career that began at the very same venue in July 2009. While this marks the end of his red-ball journey, he has made himself available for white-ball selection “if and when my country needs me.”
“It is time for me to say goodbye to the most cherished format of the game, international Test Cricket! I have given everything to cricket and cricket has given me everything in return and made me the person I am today,” Mathews wrote in a social media post.
The Galle Test will be Mathews’ 119th in the format, 34 of which he played as captain. He is set to finish as Sri Lanka’s third-highest run-scorer in Tests, behind only Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Heading into his final match, he has amassed 8,167 runs at an average of 44.62, with 16 centuries and a highest score of 200*. He also chipped in with 33 wickets.
Among the highlights of his career was a prolific stretch between 2013 and 2015, when he averaged 74.60, 77.33 and 42.25 across the three years, scoring six hundreds and 12 fifties. That purple patch included a second-innings 160 in Sri Lanka’s memorable win at Headingley. Though he never quite recaptured those heights, Mathews averaged over 50 in both 2022 and 2023, notching up four more centuries. His most recent ton came against Afghanistan in 2024.
“I stand grateful to the game and thankful to the thousands of Sri Lanka cricket fans who have been there for me throughout my career during my highest of highs and lowest of lows,” Mathews wrote. “I believe this Test team is a talented side with many future and present greats playing the game. Now seems like the best time to make way for a younger player to take the mantle to shine for our nation.
“A chapter ends but the love for the game will always remain.”
Prominent music agent Dave Shapiro is among those who were killed after a small plane crashed into a residential street in San Diego, according to his talent company.
Shapiro was the co-founder of Sound Talent Group, whose clients include rock bands like Sum 41, Story of the Year and Pierce the Veil.
Daniel Williams, former drummer for the metal band The Devil Wears Prada, is also feared to have been involved in the crash. Media reports indicate he posted on social media from the plane.
The crash destroyed one home and damaged 10 other buildings in the Murphy Canyon neighborhood, leaving charred cars and debris in the street. Eight people on the ground were injured.
“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends,” a spokesman for Sound Talent Group said in a statement to the BBC. “Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy. Thank you so much for respecting their privacy at this time.”
The company said it lost “three employees in the plane crash” including Shapiro. It did not identify the others.
San Diego authorities confirmed at least two people were killed in the crash, though the National Transportation Safety Board – which is investigating the incident – said the total death toll is still unclear. Authorities have not released the names of any of those killed.
The plane, a Cessna 550 aircraft, veered into the neighbourhood around 3:45 local time (10:45 GMT). Such planes can carry up to 10 people, including a pilot, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
In addition to his music career, Shapiro was an avid pilot and a certified flight instructor with 15 years of experience, according to his aviation company Velocity Aviation.
Daniel Williams, who is thought to have also been on the plane, posted several Instagram stories in the hours before the crash. The posts showed him with Mr Shapiro and him sitting in the co-pilot seat next to the music executive, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
The post showed the flight number, which matched the one that crashed, the newspaper reported.
[BBC]
Showers above 75 mm are likely at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Northwestern provinces and in Galle, Matara, Nuwara-Eliya and Kandy districts.
Vetran actress Malini Fonseka passes away at the age of 76
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