President Maithripala Sirisena, this morning, met with the seventeen-year-old who hacked into his official website twice this year.
On August 26, the schoolboy hacker took down the President’s website and posted a message that expressed displeasure at the Advanced Level examination being scheduled for April, during the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
On the August 27, the message that was first posted in Sinhalese was posted in English. The Criminal investigation Division of the Police arrested the schoolboy from Kadugannawa on August 29. Of his meeting with the schoolboy hacker, the President said: ‘It's our duty to encourage our youngsters to use their talents ethically.’
The National Water Supply and Drainage Board announced that a 12 hour water cut will affect several areas including Colombo, Dehiwala-Mount Laivnia and Kaduwela from 9.00am to 9.00pm on Saturday (Nov. 19).
The water supply to the following areas will be suspended due to urgent repairs to the power transmission system supplying electricity to the Ambatale water treatment plant: Colombo, Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Kotte, Kaduwela municipal council area, Maharagama, Boralesgamuwa, Kolonnawa urban council area, Kotikawatta Mulleriyawa Pradeshiya Sabha area and Ratmalana.
The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), the newly formed political party, in its maiden news conference today described itself as the natural home of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and invited former president Mahinda Rajapaksa to lead the party.
Former minister and SLPP front-liner Basil Rajapaksa said the launching of the new party was a timely need of the people because the country’s national security and economy were at risk because ofgovernment action.
“Our main intention is not to win the upcoming election. But as a party, we intend moving forward under the guidance and vision of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa. Unlike the other political parties the SLPP’s sovereignty is centered round its members,” Mr. Rajapaksa said.
Mr. Rajapaksa said the SLPP would move ahead by strengthening its own identity even though it had itsrootsin the SLFP and added that they would rectify past mistakes which led to their defeat at the previous election and make the SLPP a victorious in the future.
Sri Lanka's new High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Amari Mandika Wijewardene presented her Letter of Credentials to Queen Elizabeth II last Tuesday at a ceremonial event held at the Buckingham Palace.
High Commissioner Wijewardene had a very cordial discussion with Her Majesty The Queen and extended the warmest felicitations of President Maithripala Sirisena to Queen Elizabeth II.
They discussed the deep rooted bilateral relationship and the importance of strengthening the friendship between the two countries.
Following the presentation of credentials, a vin d'honneur was held at the High Commission of Sri Lanka for parliamentarians of the House of Lords, House of Commons, representatives of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Ambassadors and High Commissioners based in London.
High Commissioner Amari Wijewardene counts 36 years of management and administrative experience in industry, manufacturing, marketing and exports in her career as a leading business personality in Sri Lanka.
Prior to her current appointment, she was the Chairperson and Managing Director of the Swadeshi Group of Companies, a reputed public listed company, engaged in the manufacturing and distribution of well recognized personal care and fabric care products in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB) today busted a major human trafficking network operating between Sri Lanka and Maldives, which had so far sent more than 100 Sri Lankan women to work in brothels in Maldives, where they are sold for VIPs.
SLFEB Media Unit said two Sri Lankan men, who allegedly masterminded the long-running human trafficking racket were also taken into custody in Battaramulla after an investigation done through a decoy.
Two men aged 37 and 55 were later remanded till November 25 after being produced before Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court.
The arrests had been made after the SLFEB being informed by a victim aged 35, who had escaped from the racket and returned to Sri Lanka. Another woman who was prepared to be sent to Maldives by yesterday was also rescued, the SLFEB said. During interrogations, the suspects had said they pay each woman more than Rs. 180,000 per month for engaging in prostitution in Maldives.
“First they ask for a photograph of the woman. After selecting her, a brief explanation about the job is given. The majority of the women are aware while some of them are sent under the guise of giving them job opportunities as salon workers in Maldives,” officials from the SLFEB Media Unit said.
Investigations were ongoing to arrest a Maldivian who is also largely involved in the racket by making preparations in Maldives.
When informed by the Daily Mirror, an official from the Maldives Embassy said they were unaware of the incident until then but assured that Maldives High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Zahiya Zareer would be informed soon to look into the matter adding that they would decide whether to work together with authorities in Sri Lanka in support to the ongoing probe. (Piyumi Fonseka)
Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ajith P Perera proposed to the Chair in Parliament yesterday that teleprompters be fixed on MPs desks.
Soon after Kurunegala District MP Mahinda Rajapaksa finished his speech at the second reading of budget 2017, Minister Perera said that sound system and electronic voting system had been installed were very useful but it would be better if the government could fix teleprompters too so that the MPs could make their speeches in a better and effective manner.
MP Rajapaksa read out his speech and took more than 30 minutes finish it. Presiding member was Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala (SI)
Construction of express ways in the hill country is not advisable due to environmental reasons, government MP Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera told Parliament today.
Ven. Thera, who was speaking during the debate on the second reading of the budget said express ways in the hill country could result in natural disasters. “A major disaster can happen in the event of a flood as express ways will convert hill country into a highly populated area" he said.
“An express way was built along the slopes of Kathmandu in Nepal making the area highly populated. A major flood which occurred in the area destroyed a large number of human lives" he added. “Construction of some express ways including the Central express ways had been proposed in the budget but I believe these could be amended through a dialogue" he further said. (Yohan Perera)
