May 11, Colombo (LNW): The Zayed Foundation, under the leadership of Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, collaborated with the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Sri Lanka to distribute 950 food hampers filled with dry rations to economically disadvantaged households in the Puttalam and Batticaloa Districts.

At the distribution ceremony, recipients eagerly queued up to receive the compassionate aid, which aimed to support Muslim families in observing their fast during Ramadan without facing undue hardship.

The initiative was facilitated by the Care Lanka Initiative, a prominent humanitarian organization known for its dedication to assisting marginalized groups regardless of religious or ethnic backgrounds. Under the guidance of Ambassador Khaled Nasser Al Ameri, the organization has effectively executed its programs.

In the previous year, the Care Lanka Initiative, in partnership with the UAE Embassy, focused on identifying and aiding malnourished schoolchildren in Colombo, Gampaha, and Kurunegala districts. Through the ‘One Billion Meals’ program initiated by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, they provided Rs. 9,000 worth of food packets, contributing to one of the largest humanitarian food drives spanning 50 countries worldwide.

The hallmark of the Care Lanka Initiative lies in its steadfast dedication to serving Sri Lanka through humanitarian assistance and participation in developmental initiatives, all geared towards advancing the cause of humanity.

May 11, Colombo (LNW): Professor Karen Flegg, President of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WOFD) and a distinguished faculty member at Sydney University, Australia, recently conducted an observation tour of Katugahahena Hospital in Matugama, Sri Lanka.

Professor Flegg, who was in Sri Lanka to attend a conference of the World Organization of National College and Academic (WONCA), visited Katugahahena Hospital, recognized as the best rural hospital in Sri Lanka in recent years. Her visit aimed to observe the measures implemented to enhance the standard of primary healthcare services.

During her visit, Professor Flegg engaged with Chief Medical Officer Ranjith Dissanayake and the hospital staff to gain insights into initiatives aimed at improving the health outcomes of rural communities. She also evaluated efforts focused on preventing and controlling the spread of non-communicable diseases, in addition to assessing the proper storage of pharmaceuticals.

May 11, Colombo (LNW): Governor Navin Dissanayake of Sabaragamuwa Province announced the initiation of applications to recruit 800 new graduate teachers for the region. The announcement came during a discussion with a group of unemployed graduates protesting in front of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council office complex in Ratnapura on Wednesday (8).

Governor Dissanayake informed that recruitment examinations for the 800 graduate teachers have already taken place, with the selection process slated for completion in the coming weeks. Additionally, arrangements are being made to recruit 800 graduates to fill the positions of teachers who will retire this year in the Ratnapura and Kegalle districts over the next few months.

Highlighting adherence to the teachers’ service minute, the Governor clarified that he lacks the authority to alter the age limit specified in the minute, currently set at 18-35 years.

Due to a shortage of Tamil medium graduates in the Ratnapura and Kegalle districts, applications were extended nationwide to fill the vacancies for Tamil medium graduate teachers, Governor Dissanayake noted.

Deputy Chief Secretary Susila Rajapaksa raised concerns about redundancy among 2,600 development officers in the Sabaragamuwa Province in recent times.

Parakrama Piyasena, Deputy Chief Secretary (Planning) of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council, revealed that a survey conducted by the Provincial Council since 2019 has identified 3,202 unemployed graduates registered within the region.

May 11, Colombo (LNW): Education Minister Susil Premajayantha announced that a memorandum addressing the salary anomalies of university non-academic staff will be presented to the Cabinet on Monday. Proposals tackling issues such as monthly allowances and wage disparities faced by this staff category will be tabled during the upcoming Cabinet meeting.

The announcement comes amidst an ongoing strike initiated by university non-academic employees, which began last Thursday and extended for the eighth consecutive day yesterday. The strike, propelled by various demands including rectification of salary disparities and receipt of monthly compensation allowances, saw approximately 13,000 non-academic staff members withdrawing from all services since May 2.

K.L.D.G. Richmond, Co-Secretary of the Inter-University Trade Union Federation, emphasized that strike action will persist, with members withdrawing from essential services if their concerns are not met with permanent solutions by the following Monday.

“The non-academic staff were compelled to take strike action due to the lack of satisfactory responses regarding prevailing salary anomalies,” Richmond stated.

The union further outlined plans to withdraw from essential services such as academic support for university students, research and laboratory services, along with other functions like garden maintenance. Additionally, the University Trade Union adjacent committee indicated that staff would boycott maintenance activities encompassing water, electricity, and cleaning services.

May 11, Colombo (LNW): Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in most provinces of the island after 2.00 p.m.Heavy showers more than 100mm are likely at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

Showers may occur at several places in the coastal areas of Southern province during the morning too.

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

Meanwhile the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is expected to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Northern and North-central provinces and in Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts.

May 10, Colombo (LNW): A Sri Lankan business delegation is to explore the possibility of promoting local products and reintroduce Sri Lankan SMEs to the Maldivian market.

The Sri Lanka-Maldives Business Council (SLMLBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) and the Sri Lankan High Commission in the Maldives, is organising a business delegation to the renowned Hotel Asia Exhibition in the Maldives from 13-15 May.

The Hotel Asia Exhibition is renowned as the Maldives’ premier food and hospitality event, attracting stakeholders from resorts, hotels, guest houses, safari boat operators, restaurants, and cafeterias. 

From food and beverage to catering equipment, furniture, and health leisure equipment, with over 3,000 visitors and 250 companies expected to attend, the exhibition covers a wide spectrum of offerings, aligning with Sri Lanka’s export capabilities.

In response to the recent downturn in Sri Lanka’s market presence within Maldives’ imports, the SLMLBC and EDB have launched a strategic initiative to reintroduce Sri Lankan SMEs to the Maldivian market. 

The Sri Lanka Pavilion at the exhibition is strategically designed to support this objective, focusing on expanding the market share for value-added products and pinpointing opportunities for novel offerings.

With over 3,000 visitors and 250 companies expected to attend, with a total of 16 SMEs and four large-scale export companies participating, the Sri Lankan Government, through the EDB, has pledged to cover 50% of the stall costs for each participating company, along with the support of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in the Maldives.

Industry partnerships with Ocean Trade and Logistics, the Bank of Ceylon, and Aitken Spence supporting logistics, banking, and travel services respectively, will further facilitate industry participation. 

The delegation will also meet with several senior Government officials and representatives of business chambers, thereby offering further networking and business development opportunities. 

Participating in this Business Promotion Mission provides businesses with invaluable opportunities to enhance market access and networking opportunities.

May 10, Colombo (LNW): In an alarming revelation Russian multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provide Kaspersky yesterday announced that in 2023, its products detected 15 million local incidents on the computers of Kaspersky Security Network participants in Sri Lanka. 

 Overall, nearly 46 percent of users in Sri Lanka were targeted by local threats during this period.

Additionally, 9.3 million different Internet-borne cyberthreats have been detected on the computers of KSN participants in Sri Lanka. Overall, 39.5 percent of users were targeted by web-borne threats during this period.

“In Sri Lanka, we observe high incidence of malware spread through removable media such as USB drives. These attacks exploit vulnerabilities in local systems, often bypassing initial digital defenses,” said Kaspersky General Manager for Southeast AsiaYeo Siang Tiong.

Tiong, who is in Sri Lanka for the launch of Kaspersky’s new product line, noted that on the web front, the majority of attacks are executed through browsers, leveraging drive-by download tactics that exploit browser and plugin vulnerabilities. 

“Coupled with the rise in social engineering attacks, where users are deceived into downloading seemingly legitimate files, our data underscores the critical need for comprehensive cybersecurity strategies,” he said.

Kaspersky yesterday introduced in Sri Lanka its new flagship product line ‘Kaspersky Next’. The solution combines robust endpoint protection with the transparency and speed of EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) alongside the visibility and powerful tools of XDR (Extended Detection and Response).

The new solution allows customers to choose from three product tiers tailored to their business requirements, the complexity of their IT infrastructure, and their available resources.

“With Kaspersky Next, we aim to empower Sri Lankan businesses to effectively combat these diverse and sophisticated threats, ensuring robust protection and resilience against cyber intrusions,” said Tiong.

As the most advanced and effective cybersecurity solutions, EDR and XDR help companies to withstand the more prevalent, evasive, and sophisticated attacks, providing businesses with total visibility, control, rapid response and proactive threat hunting.

Kaspersky Next is deployment-agnostic and allows for both cloud and on-premise installations

May 10, Colombo (LNW): President Ranil Wickremesinghe will today ceremoniously launch the world’s first of its kind “Global Gestures for Empowerment” aimed at discouraging sexual harassment.

The ground-breaking initiative is by DP Education of Dhammika and Priscilla Perera Foundation. The campaign includes three gestures created by Andy Jacobs, from US Hawaii who is a TV and Internet producer.

The three gestures are to convey the following message “You are harassing me” and ”You are harassing me, and I need public help” aimed at those who may be subject to harassment and “I’m sorry I respect your space” for possible offenders. 

To discourage sexual harassment online or in the cyber space, a different set of emojis will be launched as well along with Global Gestures web site www.dpgestures.com. 

DP Global Gestures for Empowerment or GG movement is being introduced to eradicate sexual harassment against women and girls in public spaces and to empower them to combat harassment effectively.

The GG movement is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Target 5.2, which advocates for the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls in public and private realms.

At today’s launch at Nelum Pokuna, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Representative for Sri Lanka and Country and Country Director for the Maldives Kunie Adeniyi will be present as well.

Public awareness of the GG movement will be created via stickers and videos, which are available for download and use via a dedicated web portal www.dpgestures.com. 

All schools, universities, vocational training centres and workplaces will be encouraged to widely use these the Global Gestures for Empowerment in addition in public places and transport. The hashtag is #EndSexualHarassment

 ”By introducing a set of protective and alerting gestures, along with a series of emojis for digital communication, this initiative equips women with essential tools to protect themselves and seek help, thus bolstering their safety and independence. T

he launch event will be a transformative gathering that fosters gender equality and empowers women and girls worldwide. It also presents an opportunity to involve men and boys, inspiring them to consistently show respect towards women,” a spokesperson for GG movement said.

May 10, Colombo (LNW): Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, is set to embark on a diplomatic tour to India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh from May 10 to 15, aimed at bolstering bilateral cooperation and reaffirming U.S. commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Beginning his journey in Chennai, Assistant Secretary Lu will engage with Consulate personnel to enhance bilateral ties in southern India, setting the stage for increased collaboration.

In Colombo, his next destination, Assistant Secretary Lu will hold discussions with officials spanning the political spectrum, underscoring the United States’ unwavering support for Sri Lanka’s economic revival. Moreover, he will emphasize the pivotal role of a vibrant civil society in upholding the principles of freedom and democracy.

The culmination of Assistant Secretary Lu’s tour will take place in Dhaka, where he will engage with government officials, civil society leaders, and other stakeholders to explore avenues for enhanced U.S.-Bangladesh cooperation. Discussions will encompass joint efforts to combat the climate crisis and further strengthen economic partnerships between the two nations.

1. President Ranil Wickremesinghe states that for the reconstruction of the fallen country, economic stabilization and recovery programs were formally implemented and that as a result, the journey of economic growth started in the middle of 2023. Wickremesinghe said he assumed leadership of the country without any conditions, despite being a sole member of Parliament. He cited his well-thought-out plan, extensive experience and international relationships as reasons for his confidence in the country’s recovery from its challenges.
2. The Election Commission also said that by virtue of the powers vested in the commission to fix the date for the election, it will hold the presidential election between 17th September and 16th October 2024.
3. The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court has ordered the former CEO of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Dr. Vijith Gunasekara to be remanded in custody until May 20, 2024. He was produced before the court following the recording of a statement by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
4. State Minister for Technology, Kanaka Herath, announced that the amended bill to amend the Telecommunications Regulatory Act after 28 years will be presented to the Parliament. Additionally, he highlighted plans for the drafting of the National Cyber Security Act in May.
5. The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is yet to submit the proposals regarding the reduction of electricity tariffs to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), according to PUCSL chairman Prof. Manjula Fernando. The said proposals were initially expected to be submitted to the PUCSL by the 1st of May.
6. The Colombo Magistrate’s Court has issued an overseas travel ban on former State Minister Diana Gamage. This order was issued by Colombo Magistrate Thilina Gamage after considering a request made by the attorneys of the petitioning party in the case related to her dual citizenship.
7. Litro Gas Company opens its new gas filling station in Mabima, Kaduwela, which was established with an investment exceeding Rs.01 billion.
8. Minister of Labor and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara has urged the general public not to seek military employment opportunities in foreign countries. Issuing a statement in this regard, the Minister highlighted the presence of a human trafficking network that is currently facilitating the recruitment of Sri Lankan youths for military service in Russia.
9. Sri Lanka’s Dairy Industry is set to enhance the production and quality of liquid milk and milk based products in a new partnership with the Department of Animal Production and Health revolutionizing the industry. This collaborative effort aims to modernize dairy farming practices, enhance livestock genetics, and boost dairy productivity across the nation.
10. The Cricket Selection Committee has selected a 15-member squad to take part in the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said. Issuing a statement, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) said the team will depart for the World Cup on May 14, 2024.