New York – On the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in a productive meeting with Sir Nick Clegg, President of Global Affairs for Meta.

During their discussions, President Wickremesinghe shed light on the government’s fresh endeavors aimed at countering online hate speech and the proliferation of fake news. He underscored that the proposed bill would offer avenues for concerned parties to challenge specific aspects through the Supreme Court, with a willingness to consider further revisions during the Parliamentary Committee review.

The President received a comprehensive briefing on Meta’s advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a particular focus on open-source technologies.

In a forward-looking exchange, both parties explored potential collaborations between the Sri Lankan Government and Meta within the domain of Artificial Intelligence. Among the proposals considered was the development of a cooperative program between Meta and Sri Lankan universities, with the goal of advancing AI technology.

President Wickremesinghe outlined his two key focal points: nurturing the growth of the AI sector in the country, particularly within the realm of education, and leveraging AI to bolster data-driven initiatives geared towards combatting climate change.

Sri Lanka Customs officers have intercepted a shipment of Kush cannabis that was illicitly brought into the country. The intercepted parcel was found to contain a total of 1 kilogram and 98 grams of Kush cannabis, estimated to be worth approximately Rs. 16.47 million, as reported by Customs Director Seevali Arukgoda.

The suspicious parcel had originated from Belgium and was concealed within a shipping container. It had been addressed to a destination in Vennappuwa, adding to the intrigue of the case.

Authorities have swiftly taken action, and the confiscated contraband will be handed over to the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) for further investigation, as they work to unravel the details behind this illicit drug smuggling attempt.

Susil Premajayantha, the Education Minister, addressed Parliament with crucial information regarding this year’s Advanced Level Examinations. The Education Minister disclosed that the Commissioner General of Examinations would soon provide clarity on whether the examinations will be postponed or not.

This announcement was prompted by a proposal put forth by Rohini Kaviratne, a Member of Parliament from the SJB. MP Kaviratne suggested postponing the A/L examinations to the following year, with proposed examination dates spanning from January 22nd to February 17th.

Moreover, MP Kaviratne outlined a plan where the A/L results could be released by May of the following year, allowing for next year’s A/L examinations to be conducted in October as per the usual schedule.

Responding to MP Kaviratne’s proposal, the Education Minister acknowledged the merit of the suggestion but underscored that the ultimate decision rests with the Commissioner General of Examinations. He expressed his intention to promptly request the Commissioner General to make an official announcement regarding the matter.

During their meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, President Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his gratitude for USAID’s support during Sri Lanka’s financial crisis and provided an update on the IMF program, emphasizing the government’s commitment to its success. Samantha Power affirmed USAID’s continued support for Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts and expertise provision.

President Wickremesinghe also discussed the challenges faced by the Anti-Corruption Commission in recruiting trained staff, anticipating a two-year timeline for realizing the expected outcomes of the anti-corruption legislation, and requested swift support for the successful completion of these activities.

Showers will occur at times in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. Fairly heavy showers above 50mm can be expected at some places.

Several spells of showers may occur in North-western province and in the Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya and Hambantota districts.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Uva and Eastern provinces during the evening or night.

General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers. 

1. During the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, President Ranil Wickremesinghe was actively involved in two significant events, including a high-profile business roundtable discussion titled “Economic Opportunities in Sri Lanka,”
2. Emirates and SriLankan Airlines have signed a reciprocal interline agreement to boost connectivity for passengers of both airlines. This will enable access to new points on each other’s networks via Colombo and Dubai, utilising a single ticket and enjoying the convenience of baggage transfers. The tickets are now on sale for travel effective immediately as the interline partnership unlocks 15 regional destinations operated by SriLankan Airlines via Colombo, for Emirates’ passengers to choose from.
3. Several senior members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) are being considered for the vacant position of party’s General Secretary, with MP Duminda Dissanayake currently leading the race, while former Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, a Senior Deputy Secretary of the SLFP, is also expressing interest despite facing legal complications after a court injunction prevented him from serving as Acting General Secretary.
4. President Ranil Wickremesinghe had a productive meeting with Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, focusing on bilateral relations and cooperation between the two South Asian nations, during which Prime Minister Hasina expressed her satisfaction with Sri Lanka’s swift recovery from the financial crisis and the prompt repayment of loans.
5. Six individuals, including a father and his two sons from Katana, have been arrested by Seeduwa Police in connection with the discovery of a man’s body inside a traveling bag left on the banks of the Dandugam Oya in Seeduwa on 15 September.
6. State Minister for Social Empowerment, Anupa Pasqual, highlights the significance of empowering the disabled community for enhancing the country’s economic productivity, announced the upcoming presentation of a new Disability Bill to Parliament aimed at protecting the rights of the disabled population: emphasized the government’s commitment to reducing their dependence on government support through this legislative initiative.
7. Ranil Wickremesinghe declares the Aukus security pact between Australia, Britain and the US “a mistake” while rejecting any concerns over Beijing’s perceived influence on his debt-ridden island nation. “It is a military alliance moved against one country – China,” he said at an event hosted by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
8. Government officially gazettes the Online Safety Bill, which has received Cabinet approval and aims to establish the Online Safety Commission, prohibit certain online statements of fact, prevent the misuse of online accounts, identify prohibited online locations, and address the financing and support of false online statements of fact in Sri Lanka.
9. Susil Premajayantha states that the Commissioner General of Examinations will soon provide information regarding the potential postponement of this year’s Advanced Level Examinations in response to a proposal by SJB MP Rohini Kaviratne, who recommended rescheduling the exams to take place from January 22nd to February 17th of the following year.
10. Swimmer Ramudi Samarakoon makes history by becoming the first Sri Lankan swimmer to receive a FINA scholarship, announced the Sri Lanka Aquatic Sports Union (SLASU). At the age of 21, Samarakoon has been recognized with the scholarship for her exceptional performance, earning the highest FINA points.

By: Staff Writer

Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka has sought technical assistance and training from the U.S in the fight against corruption.

The United States underscored the importance of adopting robust anti-corruption measures and Sri Lanka provided updates on its proposed anticorruption legislation, seeking technical assistance and training from the U.S. government.

Sri Lanka has made this appeal from the US AT the fourteenth Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) Council Meeting in Colombo on Monday 18

The Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to workers’ rights was highlighted and Sri Lanka outlined its ongoing labour law reform efforts.

The United States stressed the importance of consulting relevant stakeholders and ensuring public review and comment in the process. Sri Lanka detailed its procedures for labour law reforms, with the United States expressing readiness to support these efforts

Julie Chung, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Mrs. Chandanie Wijayawardhana, Acting Secretary to the President, set the tone with their opening remarks, acknowledging the 75th anniversary of bilateral relations between the two nations.

During the TIFA Council meeting, both delegations addressed policies impacting the investment climate, recent labour reforms, intellectual property protection and enforcement, customs and trade facilitation, technical barriers to trade and market access for apparel, gem and jewellery and agricultural products.

The discussions also extended to collaboration and technical assistance in areas such as the digital economy, gem and jewellery industry, floriculture, boat building sectors and the Coconut Research Institute’s technology transfer and research commercialization.

Transparency and efficiency in approving foreign direct investment (FDI) were emphasized as key drivers of domestic economic growth and foreign investment attraction.

Both nations discussed the reduction of agricultural trade barriers to enhance food security in Sri Lanka. The United States advocated for greater market access for U.S. exports of agricultural products, including animal feed. Biotechnology’s role in sustainable agriculture and food security was also explored.

Intellectual property (IP) protection and enforcement were affirmed as crucial for bilateral trade and innovation. Sri Lanka shared updates on its IP legislative reforms and the United States offered capacity building support.

The meeting concluded with both governments committing to making sustained progress on trade issues, looking ahead to the next TIFA Council Meeting scheduled for 2024.

The fourteenth TIFA Council Meeting served as a testament to the United States and Sri Lanka’s dedication to strengthening their economic ties and fostering mutual prosperity.

Speaker of Bangladesh Parliament, Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said upcoming BIMSTEC and IORA meetings will boost cooperation between the countries in the region.

She referred to close cooperation between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in international forums, and emphasized the need for further expansion of people-to-people ties between the two countries.

The Speaker said this when she called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees today (September 18).

She expressed appreciation over the rapid recovery made by Sri Lanka after the recent economic crisis. She said Sri Lanka has tremendous potential to expand tourism as she noticed that required infrastructure is in place already.

The Prime Minister discussed the ways and means to further develop links between the Parliaments of both countries and to implement a new program to exchange the experiences of the Parliamentary activities of the two countries. Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury said such cooperation could strengthen best democratic parliamentary practices in the two countries.

The Prime Minister conveyed his greeting to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and appreciated the fact that several high positions in Bangladesh are being held by the women.

The Speaker said that Bangladesh is very keen to use Trincomalee and other Sri Lankan ports, in addition to the Colombo Port to cater to expanding the country’s growing international trade.

At the meeting, the Prime Minister said cooperation in pharmaceutical drugs manufacturing in Sri Lanka as Bangladesh has expertise in the field.

They also discussed the proposed Climate University, energy cooperation in South Asia through a common grid and potential for investments in information technology, education and tourism.

Minister of State Tharaka Balasuriya, MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Bangladesh High Commissioner Tareq Md Ariful Islam and Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake also took part in the discussion.

Prime Minister’s Media Division