News

Australian authorities today deported 41 Sri Lankans who had illegally entered the country, Sri Lanka’s Immigration and Emigration authorities reported.

According to Mawbima, the group had been arrested by Australia’s Security Force after having illegally entered the country via sea.

They were placed at Christman Island following their detention and were deported to Sri Lanka today on a special flight.

The group which was deported via Australian flight ASY – 013 arrived at the Katunayake Airport at 09.40 am today.

The deported group consists of a majority of residents from Jaffna and Valachchenai, while it is reported that they had travelled to Australia in a multiday fishing trawler.

Three officials from the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka were present at the airport to receive the deported group who had been accompanied by a group of Australian Security Forces personnel.

The group was handed over to Sri Lankan Immigration and Emigration officials by the accompanying Australian Security Forces personnel.

They were questioned by the State Intelligence Service after which they were handed over to officials from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at the airport.

After being questioned by the CID, the group is expected to be produced before the Negombo Magistrate’s Court.

State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe was sworn in as the Acting Finance Minister to perform the duties of the Finance Minister while President Ranil Wickremesinghe visits the UK.

The Finance Ministry said that appointment was made as per the powers vested with the President.

Accordingly, Shehan Semasinghe will serve as the Acting Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies until the President returns to the island after concluding his visit to the UK.

The appointment letter was officially handed over to the State Minister by the President.

State Minister of Women and Child Affairs Geetha Kumarasinghe says that a special programme has been planned in order to raise the nutritional level of small children.

Mrs. Kumarasinghe points out that it has been planned to provide a type of nutrition-rich biscuits for preschool children under the proposed programme.

Further, the State Minister mentioned that the relevant programme will be launched next month, adding that measures will also be taken to provide the children with the things they require for a nutritious meal such as eggs at a low cost.

“We are going to launch a new programme to provide a type of high-nutritious biscuit for preschool children. We are currently making arrangements for that purpose and the biscuits will be distributed to children starting next month.”

“In addition, steps will be taken to provide food items required to have a nutritious meal for children like eggs at a low cost”, she claimed.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe inaugurated the ‘Buddha Rashmi’ Vesak Zone, the National Vesak celebration organized by the Hunupitiya Gangarama Temple in Colombo on Tuesday (May 03).

The Vesak program includes various events organized at the Galle Face Shangri-la Green and Presidential Secretariat Premises on May 03, 04, 05, and 06, according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

During the inauguration, the President switched on the lights to mark the start of the Vesak program and attended the ‘Bhakthi Gee’ event on the steps of the Presidential Secretariat.

Subsequently, he offered flowers to the Buddha statue and participated in religious rituals at the Seemamalakaya of the Gangarama Temple.

The President also illuminated the “Buddha Rashmi Vesak Kalapaya” electric lights to inaugurate the Vesak celebration.

The South Asian Embassies and High Commissions had created exhibition booths at the Vesak Zone to showcase the Buddhist heritage of the Vesak region, which the President visited. He observed the designs and asked for details from the designers.

The President also made a note in the commemorative book at the exhibition hall of the Pakistani Buddhist heritage. Later, he visited the Gangarama Temple and received blessings from Venerable Dr. Kirinde Assaji Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the Temple.

He also had a friendly conversation with the local and foreign devotees who had come to visit the Buddha Rashmi Vesak program.

National organizer of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Basil Rajapaksa left for Dubai in the early hours of this morning (07), confirmed the duty officer at the Katunayake airport.

Rajapaksa, accompanied by his wife, departed on board an Emirates Airlines flight at 3.15 am, according to Neth News.

Before leaving, he informed the secretary to the president about the SLPP’s stand with regard to the appointment of new provincial governors.

Earlier, dailymirror.lk reported that a tussle has erupted in the SLPP camp after Basil was given a notable welcome at the May Day rally and his picture was shown on the main SLPP banner on stage alongside party leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Senior SLPP MPS raised objections why Basil was given so much prominence on the May Day stage and expressed disappointment over the move.

In recent weeks a campaign has been initiated by a few SLPP MPS to promote him as the next SLPP leader in the hope that he can return to active politics after the dual citizenship clause is amended again.

The President’s Fund and the Ministry of Education jointly implemented a scholarship program for students who excelled in the GCE O/L examination, under the guidance of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the Zonal Educational Office considers skill, aesthetics, sports, and extra-curricular activities, as well as the economic and social status of the student’s family when awarding points for this program.

Under the first phase, 3,000 students across the country qualified, and 110 scholarship recipients with the highest merits in 11 education zones symbolically received their scholarships of Rs. 5,000 per month for two years at the Presidential Secretariat.

The scholarship program will award a total of 30 scholarships per zone, providing support to 3,000 students in 100 educational zones throughout the country. The scholarship program’s total estimated cost for the two-year duration is Rs. 360 million.

The PMD stated that the Ministry of Education informed schools through a circular and a newspaper advertisement was also published to encourage applications for the scholarship program.

Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha and Presidential Senior Adviser on National Security, Chief of Presidential StaffSagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, Secretary of the Ministry of Education M.N. Ranasinghe, Secretary of the President’s Fund W.A. Sarath Kumara and several others participated in this event.

Niloofar Hamedi, Elaheh Mohammadi and Narges Mohammadi have been named as the laureates of the 2023 UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, following the recommendation of an International Jury of media professionals.

The three laureates

Niloofar Hamedi writes for the leading reformist daily newspaper Shargh. She broke the news of the death of Masha Amini following her detention in police custody on 16 September 2022. She has been detained in solitary confinement in Iran’s Evin Prison since September 2022.

Elaheh Mohammadi writes for the reformist newspaper, Ham-Mihan, covering social issues and gender equality. She reported on Masha Amini’s funeral, and has also been detained in Evin Prison since September 2022. She had previously been barred from reporting for a year in 2020 due to her work.

Niloofar Hamedi and Elaheh Mohammadi are joint winners of both the 2023 International Press Freedom Award by Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE), and Harvard's 2023 Louis M. Lyons Award for Conscience and Integrity in Journalism. They were named as two of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2023.

Narges Mohammadi has worked for many years as a journalist for a range of newspapers and is also an author and Vice-Director of the Tehran-based civil society organization Defenders of Human Rights Center (DHRC). She is currently serving a 16-year prison sentence in Evin Prison. She has continued to report in print from prison, and has also interviewed other women prisoners. These interviews were included in her book “White Torture”. In 2022, she won the Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) Courage Prize.

Women journalists under threat

Globally, women journalists and media workers face increasing offline and online attacks and are subject to disproportionate and specific threats. The gender-based violence they are exposed to includes stigmatization, sexist hate speech, trolling, physical assault, rape and even murder.

UNESCO advocates for the safety of women journalists and collaborates with partners to identify and implement good practices and share recommendations with all parties involved in countering attacks against women journalists, as recognized by numerous UN resolutions.

In 2021, UNESCO published The Chilling, a study on global trends in online violence against women journalists, which demonstrated the extent of attacks against women journalists and the impact on their well-being, their work and press freedom at large.

UNESCO works with partners to develop practical tools for journalists, media managers and newsrooms to respond to online and offline abuse. UNESCO also partners with specialized organizations to train women media workers on the ground and through online training courses, and works with security forces to sensitize them on freedom of expression with a gender focus.

The petition filed by state minister Diana Gamage against the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s decision to annual her parliamentary seat has been fixed for argument by the Supreme Court.

A three-judge bench today (02) decided to take up the case on June 08.

Petitioner Gamage seeks an order revoking the annulment of her seat by the SJB after she voted in favour of the 20th amendment to the constitution.

No disciplinary action or inquiry took place before that decision, making it illegal and in violation of the principle of natural justice, she claims.

SJB general secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara, the chairman of the Election Commission and the secretary general of Parliament are among those named as respondents.

A meeting of the heads of state of the Commonwealth of Nations was convened in London yesterday (05), with the presence of King Charles III and President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

During the event, President Wickremesinghe extended his congratulations to King Charles III and engaged in a cordial conversation. Prof. Maithrie Wickramasinghe was also in attendance.

During the gathering, President Wickremesinghe emphasized the importance of the Commonwealth playing a more significant role in supporting education reforms that encourage youth involvement. He also called on the Commonwealth to bolster connectivity through digitization.

In addition to this, President Wickremesinghe held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, to discuss ways of strengthening relations between their countries.

Meanwhile, Prof. Wickramasinghe participated in the Fireside Chat program, which was organized as a parallel event to the Leaders Meeting. The Fireside Chat program provided a platform for discussions on various topics and issues related to the Commonwealth and its members.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe also met with Rwandan President Paul Kagame in London to discuss potential areas of cooperation between their countries. The meeting was held yesterday (05), and both presidents expressed their interest in exploring opportunities for collaboration, particularly in the agriculture and healthcare sectors.

President Wickremesinghe proposed an exchange of visits by relevant ministers, which would enable officials from both countries to explore potential avenues for cooperation. The two leaders also discussed the possibility of further military cooperation, with President Wickremesinghe offering to provide training by Sri Lanka's defense forces for rapid responses to natural disasters.

The meeting was attended by Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to London, Ms. Saroja Sirisena, and the President's Director of International Affairs, Mr. Dinouk Colombage.

Chief of the Air Staff of Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari has arrived in the island today (May 01) on a 4-day official visit on the invitation of the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, the SLAF Media Unit said.

Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, PVSM, AVSM, VM, ADC, arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport on 1 May on a four-day official visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force.

Air Vice Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa, Chief of Staff, Sri Lanka Air Force and Deputy High Commissioner of India, Mr. Vinod K. Jacob warmly welcomed Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari on his arrival.

During the visit, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari is scheduled to make courtesy calls on President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, and have meetings with Minister of State for Defence, Defence Secretary, Chief of Defence Staff and Service Commanders.

“The visit symbolises strong relations and close cooperation between the two friendly neighbours, with Sri Lanka being accorded the status of ‘Priority One’ partner by India,” the Indian High Commission said.

Underlining the strong bonds of friendship between the two services, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari would be laying the foundation stone for India- Sri Lanka Friendship Auditorium at Sri Lanka Air Force Academy, Trincomalee under 250 Million LKR Grant assistance by Government of India (GOI), in line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, the statement said.

As part of GOI’s commitment towards capacity building of Sri Lanka Armed Forces, Chief of Air Staff of Indian Air Force would be presenting AN-32 propellers to ensure high operational readiness of the aircraft held with Sri Lanka Air Force, it said.

He would also be interacting with students at the prestigious National Defence College, Sri Lanka and the Air Force Academy, China Bay, wherein training aids for the students would be gifted.

The visit of Chief of Air Staff, Indian Air Force is expected to strengthen the existing relations between the two countries and facilitate discussions on common security challenges and enhancing capacity and capability building initiatives towards ensuring Security And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR), as propounded by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

King Charles III was crowned at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday (06) in a ceremony that promises to be brimming with royal splendor and rituals that date back more than 1,000 years.

The St Edward's Crown was placed on King Charles III head by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Gun salutes involving 400 personnel marked the moment St Edward's Crown was placed on the King's head.

Twenty-one rounds were fired at 11 locations around the UK - including Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast - and on Royal Navy ships at sea.

The last coronation was of the Late Queen Elizabeth II, which was nearly 70 years ago.

King Charles III was four years old when his mother Queen Elizabeth was crowned in 1953.

The Queen’s coronation ceremony was on June 2, 1953 and was held at Westminster Abbey. Per the palace, the Abbey has “been the setting for every Coronation since 1066.

Over 8,000 guests attended the ceremony at London’s Westminster Abbey.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he would work to create the political and economical changes called for by the youth in the country.

He was speaking at the UNP May Day rally in Colombo on Monday (1) morning, at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

The went on to note that five youth members would be appointed to the Parliament Select Committees and the Sectoral Oversight Committees, and the appointments would be made in May.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his Labour Day statement on Monday (1) said he expects to reach an agreement this year to solve the country's long-drawn ethnic issue with the Government's commitment to policies that benefit all communities in Sri Lanka.

President said, "My motivation was not rooted in politics, but in properly managing the country's economy and alleviating the burdens on its citizens. For this reason, I took on the role of the presidency, as I had faith in my ability to revive the economy and work alongside supportive ministers to achieve these outcomes."

President Wickremesinghe noted that as the country approaches the centenary of independence in 2048, the goal should be to become a country with a developed economy, just like India aims to achieve in 2047 and China in 2049. "Let 2048 be the year of development for Sri Lanka. We are not only building this economy for the present generation but also for the youth and children of the future," he said.

The President said that in order to address the issues faced by the Tamil community in this country, it is futile for Tamil political parties to distance themselves & called on all parties to work together towards building a new, competitive, and sustainable economy that is inclusive and just for all communities in Sri Lanka