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SLPA gets new pilot boat built by Colombo Dockyard

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A new pilot boat manufactured for the Sri Lanka Ports Authority was handed over to SLPA on Monday at the Colombo Dockyard PLC, ministry sources said.

Built by the Colombo Dockyard PLC, the pilot boat was designed by Macduff Ship Designing Ltd; of Scotland. The pilot boat with a length of 19 metres is designed to easily accommodate four pilots and four sailors. With a top speed of 22 knots (units of nautical miles), this vessel is specially designed to operate under any weather condition prevailing in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the gathering, State Minister of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development, Jayantha Samaraweera said that it marked a special day for Sri Lankan marine vessel manufacturing that had well demonstrated the excellence of the Colombo Dockyard PLC in vessel building.

“This is a sustainable step forward in highlighting Sri Lanka’s state-of-the- art vessel building capacities creating a positive attitude towards craft manufacturing capabilities in Sri Lanka,” he said.

In view of the pandemic situation prevailing in the country, the event had been organized under health regulatory guidelines.

Secretary to the State Ministry of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development, D. D. Matararachchi, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), General Daya Ratnayake, Vice Chairman of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Prof. Prasantha Jayamanne, Harbour Master of Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Captain Nirmal Silva, Colombo Dockyard PLC Chairman, Hideaki Tanaka, its Managing Director / CEO, D.V. Abeysinghe and several other officials of both institutions were present.

 



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Navy seize about 11kg and 300g of gold being smuggled via sea

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A special search operation conducted by the Navy in the sea area off the Baththalangunduwa Island, Kalpitiya on 04th January 2025, led to the interception of a dinghy with 03 suspects who were smuggling about 11kg and 300g of gold.

The Navy carries out regular search operations and patrols in the coastal and sea areas around the island, with a view to preventing an assortment of nefarious activities stemming via sea routes.

As an extension of these efforts, a team of Special Boat Squadron attached to SLNS Vijaya was pressed into action, on receipt of information by the Northwestern Naval Command of a gold smuggling racket. Accordingly, naval personnel intercepted the suspicious dinghy off the Baththalangunduwa Island and recovered about 11kg and 300g of gold being smuggled from the country, concealed in the dinghy. The operation also led to the apprehension of 03 suspects in connection to the racket.

The suspects held in this operation were identified as residents of Kalpitiya. Meanwhile, the suspects along with gold will be handed over to the Customs Preventive Office, Katunayake for onward legal action.

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Trump to be sentenced over hush money case but judge signals no jail time

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A judge has ordered that Donald Trump will be sentenced on 10 January in his hush-money case in New York – less than two weeks before he is set to be sworn in as president.

New York Justice Juan Merchan signalled he would not sentence Trump to jail time, probation or a fine, but instead give him an “unconditional discharge”, and wrote in his order that the president-elect could appear in person or virtually for the hearing.

Trump had attempted to use his presidential election victory to have the case against him dismissed.

The president-elect has posted on social media  dismissing the judge’s order as an “illegitimate political attack” and calling the case “nothing but a rigged charade”.

Trump was convicted in May of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a $130,000 (£105,000) payment to adult-film star Stormy Daniels.

The charges related to attempts to cover up reimbursements to his ex-lawyer, Michael Cohen, who in the final days of the 2016 election campaign paid off the adult-film star to remain silent about an alleged sexual encounter with Trump.

The president-elect has denied all wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty, arguing the case was an attempt to harm his 2024 presidential campaign.

In the post on his Truth Social platform on Saturday Trump said the judge’s sentencing order “goes against our Constitution and, if allowed to stand, would be the end of the Presidency as we know it”.

Trump’s spokesperson Steven Cheung earlier called the order part of a “witch hunt”.

“President Trump must be allowed to continue the presidential transition process and to execute the vital duties of the presidency, unobstructed by the remains of this or any remnants of the witch hunts,” Cheung said.

“There should be no sentencing, and President Trump will continue fighting against these hoaxes until they are all dead.”

In his latest motion against the case, Trump had argued the case would hang over him during his presidency and impede his ability to govern.

Justice Merchan said he had been advised of several measures he could employ that could assuage Trump’s concerns about being distracted by a criminal case while serving as president that fell short of the “extreme remedy” of overturning the jury’s verdict.

His options included delaying the sentencing until Trump, 78, leaves the White House in 2029, or guaranteeing a sentence that would not involve prison time.

Trump had initially, and unsuccessfully, argued the case against him ran afoul of a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity.

In July, the country’s top court ruled that presidents have broad immunity from criminal prosecution for “official actions” they take while in office.

However, last month Justice Merchan ruled Trump’s hush money conviction was valid.

Trump is currently set to be the first convicted felon to serve in the White House.

He may attempt to appeal against the conviction after the sentencing.

While falsifying business records is punishable by up to four years in prison in the US, there is no minimum sentence and incarceration is not required.

Even before his election victory, legal experts thought it was unlikely Trump would face jail time given his age and his legal record.

Trump has also  been charged in three other state and federal criminal cases,  one involving classified documents and two relating to his alleged efforts to overturn his loss in the election of 2020.

The president-elect was initially scheduled to be sentenced on 26 November, but Justice Merchan pushed the date back after Trump won the presidential election.

[Cricinfo]

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PM highlights need for common education system

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Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is also the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, emphasized the importance of establishing a unified education system for all children in the country under a common examination framework. She stated that education is a priority for the government and plays an important role in driving the nation’s progress.

Speaking at a meeting with provincial education heads at Temple Trees on January 2, the Prime Minister outlined the government’s vision for a transformative era.

She remarked:

“Education is a very sensitive topic. When implementing such a transformation, we must act with agreement and understanding to avoid potential crises. While there may be diverse needs across provinces, we believe that there cannot be significant contradictions in policies. Decisions at the policy level must align with national-level objectives.”

The Prime Minister stressed that education is central to shaping the human resources necessary for the country’s renaissance. She also called for a comprehensive approach to address challenges in the sector, including the need for professional teacher training programs, addressing staff shortages in the Educational Administrative Service, and enhancing nutrition programs for children.

Key stakeholders present at the meeting included Deputy Minister of Education Dr. Madura Seneviratne, Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthree, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa, Provincial Chief Secretaries, Provincial Education Secretaries, Provincial Education Directors, and other officials.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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