US declares SLN its Indo-Pacific partner

The US has declared Sri Lanka Navy as partner of their Indo-Pacific strategy. The declaration was made onboard SLNS Gajabahu, formerly of the US Coast Guard, at the Colombo harbour early this week.

A statement issued by the US Embassy, in Colombo, quoted US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Paul Kapur, as having said on 22 June: “Today we announced the delivery of US satellite communications technology to the Sri Lanka Navy, our Indo-Pacific partner. This secure, real-time connection —representing a transformational upgrade for the Sri Lanka Navy— will be available aboard their entire fleet of offshore patrol vessels and ensures no communication gap at sea. It will allow our Sri Lanka partners to respond quickly to emergencies, protect the cargo ships that fuel our economy, and disrupt illegal activity across the Indian Ocean before it reaches our shores.”

Since 2005, SLN has taken delivery of four ex-US Coast Guard vessels, with the latest transfer taking place recently.

Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), Deputy Minister of Defence and Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, hosted Assistant Secretary Kapur aboard the vessel, where they discussed maritime cooperation and the role of advanced US communications technology in safeguarding international shipping lanes, supporting regional disaster response, and countering illicit activity across the Indian Ocean. With Fleet Broadband, the Sri Lanka Naval fleet will be better equipped to work seamlessly with partner nations to promote peace and security at sea, whether in joint exercises or real-world missions.

The Embassy announced that delivery of comprehensive Fleet Broadband system — manufactured by Cobham and Inmarsat — valued at approximately $4 million (over LKR 1.2 billion) for installation across the Sri Lanka Navy’s fleet of offshore patrol vessels. Powered by advanced US satellite communications technology, Fleet Broadband enables secure ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communications, ensuring reliable voice, data, and information sharing while operating far beyond coastal range. The system will enable the Sri Lanka Navy to maintain real-time connectivity with headquarters, aircraft, and other vessels across vast maritime areas, including remote regions of the Indian Ocean. This capability will strengthen maritime domain awareness, improve operational coordination, support emergency response, help interdict vessels engaged in illicit trafficking, track sanctioned vessels, and protect critical supply lines that underpin regional and global commerce.

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Wyatt-Hodge, Knight and bowlers power England into semi-final

England became the first team to reach the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 semi-finals with a 38-run victory over West Indies built on a gutsy half-century from Danni Wyatt-Hodge in challenging conditions.

On a scorching evening at Lord’s, where temperatures hit 34 degrees Celsius just before the toss, Wyatt-Hodge scored a 42-ball 65 and was well supported by Heather Knight’s  43 off 26 deliveries.

In their defense, England’s bowlers tied West Indies down, with spinners Charlie Dean, Sophie Ecclestone and Linsey Smith sharing four wickets between them. For West Indies, Chinelle Henry and Jahzara Claxton resisted stubbornly in a 63-run stand for the fifth wicket, with Henry remaining unbeaten on 51.

Earlier, there was controversy when Hayley Matthews, West Indies’ captain and key player, was given out caught behind for 14 on an England review with one camera angle showing an apparent mismatch between the vision and UltraEdge. That prompted Matthews to argue her case animatedly with the umpires on and off the field. While her efforts, and those of her team, were in vain, her side remains in contention for the knockouts.

Henry let out an almighty roar when she struck with the fifth ball of the match. It was a fuller one outside off stump with a hint of away swing which lured a drive from Amy Jones and found the edge, looping to Afy Fletcher at short third. But Henry conceded 17 runs off her next over as Wyatt-Hodge settled in with a pull through midwicket and a top edge which beat Fletcher.

Offspinner Ashmini Munisar entered the attack and responded to Sophia Dunkley’s reverse sweep for four with a fuller ball next – too full for Dunkley’s attempted sweep as she was pinned lbw. Despite the early falls of wicket, though, Wyatt-Hodge and Alice Capsey managed to outfox the field and take England to their best powerplay of the tournament so far at 57 for 2.

Heather Knight scored quickly [Cricinfo]

Wyatt-Hodge jumped to the top of the tournament run-scoring charts by backing up her century on the opening night with another pivotal score, having endured two lean innings in between. She punished some short bowling early, and then peppered the off side with some classic and lofted drives. Wyatt-Hodge brought up her fifty off 32 balls with a back-footed flick off the pads to cover.

Capsey, meanwhile, unfurled a lovely reverse for four off Karishma Ramharack but then advanced to a length ball two deliveries later and lobbed it to Henry at long-on, thus ending a 65-run stand with Wyatt-Hodge for the third wicket. Wyatt-Hodge and Knight put on 40 more, but when they ran on Knight’s cut straight to the cover fielder, Wyatt-Hodge didn’t have the legs in the sapping heat to make it to the other end.

There was to be no reprise of the high-powered union between Freya Kemp and Dani Gibson which blew Scotland away at Headingley on Saturday night when Matthews bowled Kemp attempting to sweep. Knight was eventually run out after surviving a couple of near misses. Gibson too fell cheaply on the penultimate ball of the innings, but by then, the home side had plenty on the board.

Matthews was nonplussed when England managed to overturn a not-out decision for caught behind as she attempted a cut off Linsey Smith in the fourth over. Matthews was adamant she hadn’t made contact with the ball, and one angle on the replay showed a gap between bat and ball while UltraEdge indicated a spike. TV umpire Nimali Perera ruled that Matthews was out, but the West Indies captain spent a good deal of time making her case to the on-field umpires.

Hayley Matthews has a heated discussion after her dismissal [Cricinfo]

Matthews watched more replays in the West Indies dugout and continued to disagree with the decision in conversation with the fourth umpire on the sidelines. It was reminiscent of last year’s Ashes Snicko controversy when TV umpire Chris Gaffaney upheld a not-out decision for Australia’s Alex Carey when a clear spike appeared several frames before the ball had passed the bat. But, in this instance, the scorecard showed Matthews out for 14.

In the last over of the powerplay, Deandra Dottin helped herself to 15 runs off Dean’s first four balls, including back-to-back fours followed by a thumping six over long-on. But Dean’s riposte on the last ball was to toss one up on middle and leg as Dottin looked to clear long-on once more. She didn’t connect fully, and found Capsey just inside the boundary.

West Indies were 46 for 2 after six overs, and some frugal bowling by Ecclestone, followed by Dean’s second wicket in as many balls when she had Jannillea Glasgow chopping on with the first ball of her next over, kept England in control.The last time these sides met at a T20 World Cup, in 2024, a rash of fielding errors cost England the match and the chance to progress to the knockout phase. While they are a vastly improved side, the hosts missed two chances in three balls as Claxton and Henry dug in.

SCORES:
England Women 186 for 7 in 20 overs (Danni Wyatt-Hodge 64, Sophia Dunkley 14, Alice Kapsey 28,  Heather Knight 43; Chinelle Henry 1-25, Hayley Matthews 1-32, Ashmini Munisar 2-42, Karishma Ramharack 1-23) beat West Indies Women 148 for 5 in 20 overs  (Hayley Matthews 14, Deandra Dottin 19, Shemaine Campbell 20, Jahzara Claxton 21, Chinelle Henry 51*;  charlie Dean 2-31, Lauren Bell 1-20, Linsey Smith 1-35, Sophie Eccleston 1-22) by 38 runs

[Cricinfo]

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Trump health alert triggered by 'compassionate use' request for weight loss drug

Donald Trump has alarmed experts and critics who believe the 47th POTUS has requested weight loss pills to deal with signs of heart failure

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Haaland scores two as Norway beat Senegal 3-2, enter World Cup knockouts

Erling Haaland scored his second World Cup brace in a row as Norway beat Senegal 3-2 at New York New Jersey Stadium to secure their place in the last 32.

Norway substitute Marcus Holmgren Pedersen struck late in the first half, before Haaland doubled the lead shortly after the break in the Group I fixture on Monday.

Ismaila Sarr cut the deficit for Senegal, only for Haaland to punish more slack defending as Norway progressed to the knockout rounds with a game to spare, despite a late consolation from Sarr.

Manchester City forward Haaland now has four goals in two games at the tournament, hot on the heels of Lionel Messi’s double earlier in the day, which carried him to a record 18 World Cup goals. Not to be outdone, Kylian Mbappe scored another brace, too, as France beat Iraq 3-0.

Norway have lost only once in their last 18 matches and will take on France in a compelling battle for top spot in the group in Boston on Friday.

Senegal must beat Iraq, who are also without a point, in their final game to stand a chance of avoiding an early exit.

Led by the unstoppable Haaland, who increased his astonishing international goals tally to 59 in 52 games, Norway recorded back-to-back wins at the World Cup for the first time.

They added weight to the belief they can do serious damage at these finals with a dominant display against a Senegal side that paid heavily for their errors.

Norway quickly set the tone as Kristoffer Ajer’s header forced Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy into a terrific save with his legs at a corner, but they lost full-back Julian Ryerson to injury early on.

Captain Martin Odegaard skied over an inviting cut-back from the right for Norway, as Nicolas Jackson looked to be Senegal’s most dangerous threat.

Mendy again came to Senegal’s rescue with a superb block to deny Odegaard, after Haaland cushioned down Antonio Nusa’s chipped cross into the box.

But Mendy allowed Pedersen’s low drive to creep under him after a dreadful mistake from skipper Kalidou Koulibaly gave the ball to the replacement right-back on the edge of the box.

Haaland rolled against the post from a tight angle after Mendy got in a tangle, but he made amends three minutes into the second half as Norway sliced Senegal apart on the counterattack.

Odegaard surged upfield and slid a pass through to Haaland, who buried an emphatic finish past Mendy to add to the two goals he scored in Norway’s opening 4-1 victory over Iraq.

Senegal clawed their way back as Sarr showed great composure to poke home after tumbling to the ground following a clever flick into the area by Sadio Mane.

However, Koulibaly was at fault once more, failing to clear as Haaland steered a volley in off the crossbar from Patrick Berg’s cross, delighting Norwegian fans, who provided a colourful backdrop with their viral, rowing chant.

Norway fans perform their traditional rowing celebration in the stands [Aljazeera]

Mory Diaw came on for the injured Mendy in goal, but only a headed goal-line clearance from Pathe Ciss prevented Oscar Bobb from netting Norway’s fourth.

Sarr’s second of the night set up a tense finish, but Norway held on to join France in the next round and leave Senegal’s hopes hanging by a thread.

Sarr also became the first Senegalese player to score at two different World Cups.

[Aljazeera]

 

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Chamari Athapaththu ton revives Sri Lanka’s semi-final hopes

A merciless unbeaten 106 off 61 balls from captain Chamari Athapaththu sent Sri Lanka scorching to the target of 131 with 27 balls and nine wickets to spare against Ireland.  Athapaththu’s fourth T20I hundred was her first in World Cups, and was brutal from start to finish. She had begun the innings with a scintillating boundary through cover, and finished it with an equally domineering stroke through the same region.

Ireland had recovered from a poor start to post 130 for 5, thanks largely to a 59 off 50 from their own captain Gaby Lewis. But their bowlers were no match for Athapaththu in this mood, and only Orla Prendergast could provide a breakthrough, dismissing opener Imesha Dulani.

Sri Lanka needed desperately to raise their net run rate to keep even their razor-thin hopes of making semi-finals alive. Athapaththu’s innings has raised their NRR to less than negative one, with Scotland still to play, and other matches remaining in the group.

Athapaththu unleashes

Following the disheartening loss to West Indies, Athapaththu had called herself a failure as a captain owing to her never having led Sri Lanka to a World Cup semi-final. [She is the only captain to lead Sri Lanka to an Asia Cup win, however]. In this innings she seemed intent on at least keeping Sri Lanka alive in the tournament. She drilled her first ball through cover and walloped eight further boundaries in the powerplay, peppering the legside boundaries in particular.

Chamari Athapaththu got Sri Lanka off to a brisk start [Cricinfo]

Her pace barely relented when the field went back. She reached 50 off the 29th ball she faced, and continued to clobber Ireland’s bowlers. Her slog-swept six off Cara Murray in the ninth over was the 100th of her career. The square leg, cover and straight regions were her favourite hitting zones, and though Prendergast managed occasionally to slow her down, she went to triple figures off the 58th delivery she faced, having lionised strike right throughout. By the end of Sri Lanka’s innings, she had hit 79% of their runs.

Gaby Lewis revives Ireland

It was not until the 14th ball of the innings that Ireland managed a run off the bat. By that stage, they had already lost two wickets. Rebecca Stokell attempted to shock Ireland into motion with boundaries down the ground, but after she was dismissed in the fifth over, Lewis found her timing. She hit her first boundary – a pulled four – off the last ball of the powerplay and would continue to find the pull shot productive through the course of her innings. She was also strong square of the wicket on the off side.

Gaby Lewis goes for a sweep [Cricinfo]

She was joined in a 66-run fourth-wicket stand by Leah Paul, who hit 20 off 41. Lewis got to a half-century after Paul was dismissed, but was visibly drained from the effort in hot conditions by British standards. She faded late in the innings, but Ireland had Alice Tector to help give the innings a final push, with 28 off 21.

Kaushini shines behind the stumps again

Sri Lanka’s wicketkeeper-batter Kaushini Nuthyangana has been having a sparkling tournament so far, and did not take long to impose herself in this match. When Ireland’s openers took off for a leg bye first over, Nuthyangana swooped on the ball, turned, and threw down the stumps to catch Amy Hunter centimetres short. After a straightforward stumping to remove Prendergast, she also anticipated a scoop from Leah Paul, which she intercepted to pluck another wicket out of the air.

Scores:
Sri Lanka Women 134 for 1 in 15.3 overs  (Chamari Athapaththu 106*, Imesha Dulani 20; Orla  Prendergast 1-22) beat Ireland Women  130 for 5 in 20 overs (Gaby Lewis 59, Rebecca Stokell 13, Leah Paul 20, Alice Tector 28*; Mithali Ayodhya 1-18, Sugandika Kumari 1-26, Chamari Athapaththu 1-23, Nilakshika Silva 1-12) by nine wickets

[Cricinfo]

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Back-to-back bookings signal demand

Sohan Weerasinghe is not only a drawcard in Colombo, but he also has a solid track record, overseas.

From fronting Sohan & The X-Periments to commanding the stage solo, Sohan has become the entertainer everyone talks about, and he’s ready to do the needful in Toronto, Canada, next month.

In fact, Toronto’s calling him back for a second time this year. When one show isn’t enough, you know he’s doing something right.

On Friday, 31st July, the organisers, in Toronto, say it will be an intimate musical evening with legendary Sohan Weerasinghe.

What’s more, he will have for company a band that is turning out to be extremely popular in Toronto – CEYMPHONY – made up of Sri Lankan musicians, based in Toronto, Canada.

This much-looked-forward-to event will be held at the Angus Glen Golf Club, from 8.00 pm to 12.00 midnight.

As one of our most popular singer/entertainers, his smooth vocals and stage charm have a special hold on audiences, especially the ladies up front.

Sohan also mentioned that while in Canada, he plans to take a short vacation, when he meets up with his family members, and travel to America, and switch on the relax mode for about a week.

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Sri Lanka developing independent hydrographic capabilities

Sri Lanka Navy Hydrographic Service (SLNHS) has achieved a historic milestone by producing 27 Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs) covering major ports, harbour approaches and coastal waters around the country. This achievement has been made within three years of the establishment of SLNHS on 14 Dec 2023 under the Ministry of Defence.

Sri Lanka National Hydrographic Office (SLNHO) serves as the nation’s hydrographic authority, coordinating hydrographic activities, national chart production, international cooperation and maritime geospatial information management.

World Hydrography Day is celebrated annually on 21 June under the patronage of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) to raise awareness of the vital role hydrography plays in ensuring safe navigation, supporting maritime trade, protecting the marine environment and advancing the sustainable use of the world’s oceans.

Sri Lanka is set to celebrate World Hydrography Day 2026 on 23rd June at the Wave n’ Lake Navy Hall, Welisara. The national event will be held under this year’s theme announced by the IHO: “Transforming how ocean data is shared.”

The Chief Guest at the celebration will be the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd). The keynote address will be delivered by Senior Professor Nalin Ratnayake, Vice Chancellor of the Ocean University of Sri Lanka.

As part of the World Hydrography Day Programme, the SLNHO will also conduct a special two-day theoretical and practical training programme for university students on 23 and 24 June 2026.

The initiative is also designed to expose students engaged with the subject on hydrographic surveying techniques, sonar systems, positioning technology, chart production, data processing and field survey operations. Participants will receive hands-on exposure to modern hydrographic equipment and technologies currently employed in professional survey operations.The programme aims to build national awareness of hydrography and inspire the next generation of hydrographers, marine scientists and geospatial professionals who will contribute to Sri Lanka’s future maritime development.

This year’s celebration takes place at a historic moment for Sri Lanka’s maritime sector following the enactment of the National Hydrographic Act in 2024, a milestone that established a comprehensive legal framework for hydrographic governance in the country.

The Act provides a comprehensive legal framework for hydrographic governance, strengthens national coordination, supports maritime safety and security and enables Sri Lanka to fulfil its international obligations as a responsible maritime nation.

The governance of SLNHO is overseen by the National Hydrographic Council (NHC), an 18-member body representing key ministries, government agencies and maritime stakeholders.

Although Sri Lanka possesses a proud maritime heritage dating back centuries, national chart production of the country remained mostly untouched in the post-colonial period thus incurring considerable financial loss to the country.

Since its establishment, the SLNHO has spearheaded an unprecedented expansion of Sri Lanka’s hydrographic and nautical charting capabilities. Collectively, SLNHO efforts have added 115,396.81 square kilometers of new ENC coverage.

Sri Lanka’s maritime area under national jurisdiction extends over 538,162.02 square kilometres. Through the dedicated efforts of the SLNHO, ENC coverage has now expanded to 115,733.35 square kilometers, representing 21.5% of the nation’s maritime waters.

The production of 17 new ENC cells in 2026 alone represents a landmark achievement for Sri Lanka’s hydrographic programme and demonstrates the country’s growing capacity to produce internationally compliant nautical chart products independently.

This remarkable progress reflects the effectiveness of the National Hydrographic Act, the strategic guidance of the National Hydrographic Council, and the professional expertise of Sri Lanka’s hydrographers, cartographers and survey technicians.

The rapid expansion of ENC coverage strengthens navigational safety, supports maritime trade and port development, enhances national security concerns, contributes to the Blue Economy and reinforces Sri Lanka’s position as a responsible maritime nation in the Indian Ocean region.

These internationally compliant digital charts are used by mariners worldwide and play a critical role in ensuring the safety and efficiency of maritime navigation. Their production incorporates state-of-the-art technology, including multibeam echo sounding systems, advanced geospatial processing software, satellite positioning systems and modern cartographic software that comply with international hydrographic standards.

The ENC productions have also delivered significant economic benefits. Through international distribution to global chart service providers and maritime users, Sri Lankan chart products generate valuable foreign revenue.

Since its inception, the SLNHO has generated a total revenue of USD 278,645.82 through the production and distribution of ENCs.

In 2025, SLNHO generated a total of USD 88,232.41 in revenue from ENCs. Owing to the increasing number of ENC productions, SLNHO earned USD 73,397.50 during the first quarter of 2026. Based on the current trend and the anticipated increase in ENC production, it is projected that the revenue generated through ENCs will exceed USD 300,000 by the end of 2026.

This projected growth reflects the expanding ENC production capability of SLNHO and its growing contribution to sustainable revenue generation, highlighting the Office’s increasing role in supporting the development of the national hydrographic sector

Additional income is also earned through hydrographic consultancy and survey services supporting national development projects, including port expansion, coastal infrastructure development, dredging operations and marine construction projects.

All revenue generated by the SLNHO is credited directly to the Government Consolidated Fund, ensuring that the benefits of hydrographic services directly contribute to the national economy.

The success of the SLNHO is underpinned by a highly qualified workforce comprising IHO recognized Category ‘A’, Category ‘B’ hydrographers, marine cartographers and qualified survey technicians capable of conducting hydrographic surveys and chart production in accordance with IHO standards.

Sri Lanka is also an active member of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the North Indian Ocean Hydrographic Commission (NIOHC), enabling the country to contribute to regional hydrographic initiatives while benefiting from international cooperation and knowledge exchange.

A significant milestone in this journey was the finalizing of an arrangement with the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), the most reputed international nautical chart seller of the world, facilitating the global distribution of Sri Lankan nautical chart products and enhancing the country’s profile within the international maritime community.

These partnerships continue to strengthen Sri Lanka’s ability to adopt best practices, access emerging technologies and maintain internationally recognized standards in hydrographic surveying and nautical chart production.

The establishment of the SLNHO has significantly enhanced Sri Lanka’s self-reliance in hydrographic matters.

Historically, the country often depended on assistance from friendly foreign nations to conduct specialized hydrographic surveys following natural disasters such as X-press pearl incident and Tsunami occurred in 2004, maritime emergencies and major infrastructure projects. Today, supported by survey vessels indigenously made by Sri Lanka Navy, advanced hydrographic equipment, trained personnel and institutional expertise, Sri Lanka possesses the capability to undertake and manage such operations independently.

This transformation represents a major advancement in national preparedness and maritime resilience, enabling faster responses to navigational hazards, coastal disasters, environmental emergencies and maritime incidents while reducing dependence on external assistance.

As shipping, offshore energy exploration, fisheries, marine tourism, blue economy initiatives and coastal development continue to expand across the Indian Ocean region, the demand for accurate hydrographic information will become increasingly critical.

By strengthening charting capability, improving ocean-data management, embracing technological innovation and investing in human capital, Sri Lanka is positioning itself to meet these future challenges and opportunities with confidence.

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