President invites leaders of political parties to work together in May Day message

 The International Workers’ Day comes at a time when the world’s working community is facing its greatest challenge, says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in his May Day message while once again inviting the leaders of all political parties to come to a consensus on behalf of the people to overcome the challenge.

“In the past three years, the group that faced the most serious challenges in our country is our working class. They are also the ones who were resilient in the face of all these challenges and made great commitments to strengthen the national economy,” he said. 

The President said the day-to-day challenges they face are even more intense today. The government is taking various approaches to liberate the people from this situation and alleviate the oppressive nature of the situation, he assured.

President Rajapaksa said the loss of foreign exchange has created many issues and that managing all these factors is the way to solve the issues.

“Instead of following up on who is responsible for the current problematic situation, what we need to do now is to focus on what action can be taken to provide immediate relief to the public, and also to go for the most appropriate and efficient programme to find solutions to the burning issues of the people.”

“Bearing the responsibility of creating a better future for the people of this country, as the Head of State and on behalf of the people I invited the leaders of all political parties to work together,” he said.

He stressed that each second, their goal is to find solutions to existing crises by resorting to methods that can alleviate the suffering of the people.

“On this year’s Workers’ Day, I once again invite the leaders of all political parties to come to a consensus on behalf of the people to overcome the challenge we face.”

He also respectfully called on the working people to put politics aside and join to steer the struggle in a positive direction with “a pro-people revolutionary transformation” on behalf of the working people.

“It is with these aspirations that I join with you in celebrating the International Workers’ Day that embodies the Workers’ Brotherhood, the global labour force,” President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in his May Day message. 

US deeply concerned by Shavendra Silva’s appointment as new Army Chief

The United States of America says it is deeply concerned by the appointment of Major General Shavendra Silva as the new Commander of Sri Lanka Army
.
The Embassy of the United States of America in Colombo today (19) issued a press release stating that the allegations of gross human rights violations against the new Army Commander, documented by the United Nations and other organizations, are serious and credible.
 
This appointment undermines Sri Lanka’s international reputation and its commitments to promote justice and accountability, especially at a time when the need for reconciliation and social unity is paramount,” the release read further.

Major General
Shavendra Silva was appointed as the new Army Commander and received his letter of appointment from President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.

Gotabaya named SLPP’s Presidential Candidate

The former Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been officially announced as the Presidential Candidate of the Sri Lanka Podujana peramuna (SLPP) by party leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The decision was revealed at the first-ever National Convention of the SLPP held at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

Accordingly, Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be contesting for Presidency at the upcoming presidential election.

Huawei announces its new Harmony

Chinese smartphone maker Huawei has revealed its rival to Google’s Android operating system after a ban from the US government threatened its use of the software on its phones.

The Chinese firm unveiled Harmony, a dedicated operating system for the company’s phones that the company said should offer improved security due to its design as well as improved performance and efficiency.

Huawei, which is the world’s second largest smartphone maker, was placed on a US blacklist in May due to claims it posed a security risk and allegations of sanctions violations, something the company has denied.

The listing forced Google, which develops the Android smartphone operating system used by billions of consumers, to limit the work it can do with Huawei, potentially stopping future software upgrades and security updates for the Chinese firm’s phones.

Harmony is Huawei’s back up plan if it is cut off form its US suppliers, although the company has reportedly been working on its own operating system for a number of years.

At Huawei’s developer conference in Shanghai, its smartphone chief executive Richard Yu said it could switch its phones to the new operating system “at any time” should its access to Android be completely blocked.

Huawei said it planned to make the software open-source, meaning other companies can use it for free, and work on encouraging adoption of the software in China for apps, camera technology and artificial intelligence applications.

Mr Yu said the design of the software was “completely different from Android and [Apple’s] iOS”, building the software around a smaller core of code than other systems, which Huawei claimed would make it more secure and more flexible.

Huawei had been forced to accelerate its plans for its own operating system after the US ban, which has threatened sales of  its phones in Western countries. The company said it planned to keep using Google’s Android for the time being, but the new software would also work on other devices such as smartwatches and in cars.

Russian nuclear agency confirm five deaths

Russia's nuclear agency has said five of its employees were killed when a rocket engine exploded during a test at a far-northern military base.

soon after Thursday's explosion, the Defence Ministry said two people died and four were injured, including servicemen and civilian engineers.

It was not immediately clear if the five fatalities cited in a Saturday statement by Rosatom were in addition to the previously reported deaths.

The explosion occurred at a military shooting range in Nyonoksa in the north-western Arkhangelsk region.

Nyonoksa hosts a navy facility that serves as a base for testing intercontinental ballistic missiles intended for nuclear submarines.

Mathews hopes to gain from Mahela’s England knowledge

Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews hopes to utilise Mahela Jayawardene’s inside knowledge of the England set-up when the two teams meet in a Test series later this month. 
Jayawardene, one of Sri Lanka’s greatest batsman but retired from international cricket since last year’s 50-over World Cup, recently acted as a batting consultant to England including at the World Twenty20 in India where his ‘adopted’ team reached the final. 
Jayawardene, who is due to have a stint playing for county side Somerset in English domestic cricket’s Twenty20 competition later this season, no longer has any official role with the England set-up ahead of the start of a three-Test series at Headingley on May 19. But according to Mathews, he will be close at hand for advice in his new role as a television commentator. Mathews could also tap into the experience of another Sri Lankan batting star in Kumar Sangakkara, no longer on the international scene but now playing for London-based county side Surrey. “When it comes to international cricket there are no secrets to be honest,” Mathews told reporters at Lord’s, where Sri Lanka were training ahead of this weekend’s tour opener against Essex. “I think we have a lot of video footage, they have video footage of us as well, so there are no real secrets. When you get on the park you know what they are up to and the plan for this, and we get to know it.
 “But there might be a couple of tactical ideas that Mahela can predict. “I’m pretty sure that guys like Mahela and Sangakkara will always come and help us.” Earlier this year, Sri Lanka Cricket president Thilanga Sumathipala criticised Jayawardene when he started his second stint with England at the World Twenty20. But Mathews was far more relaxed about his former team-mate working with a rival nation. “There’s no problem with guys like that working with other countries,” said the all-rounder.
 “They have the freedom to go anywhere and work and we have the luxury of asking them and inviting them to come and help us out as well. So it doesn’t really matter.” 

Singapore fall 17-33 to Sri Lanka in Asia Rugby Div 1 opener

Sri Lanka overcame a disjointed first-half performance to beat Singapore 33-17 in the opening match of the Asia Rugby Championship Division I on Sunday. Ranked 38th in the world and 21 spots higher than their opponents, the Sri Lankans began sluggishly and were put under pressure by the Singaporean forwards. The Republic scored two tries through winger Jay-Hykel Jailani and back Peter McFeeley at the Royal Selangor Stadium in Kuala Lumpur to lead 17-15 at the break. But the South Asian side awoke in the next 40 minutes to score 18 unanswered points to seal the win