News
Xi Jinping to head ‘Secretive’ conclave to consolidate authority, secure third term as President
ANI:In a bid to consolidate power to secure third term as China’s President, Xi Jinping will be holding a major “secretive” party conclave in Beidaihe, the run-up to which is marked by developments seemingly aimed at reinforcing Xi’s authority, media reports said.In the summer resort of Beidaihe, the Communist Party of China is heading for a most crucial hurdle which will see the presence of party elders and top officials.
This type of hurdle takes place each August where the most influential members of the party discuss matters including appointments to high-level posts. These appointments will play an immensely important role for Xi as he eyes for a rare third term as the party’s general secretary, reported Asia Nikkei.
However, what holds the attention is the kind of security and arrangements that are taking place at the seaside venue. The venue which is 300 km east of Beijing appears to have already been beefed up compared with last year.An electronic road sign posted at a highway exit leading to Beidaihe warned that drones and flammable hazardous materials were not allowed. Local police barred entry as a coronavirus countermeasure, in contrast to 2021, when the area was still accessible as of July 23.
“Retired senior officials have been starting to gather since last week” at Beidaihe, a party source said. Chinese President Xi Jinping will head to the venue after a Politburo meeting this month to discuss economic policy for the second half of the year.
Ramped-up security measures are just one part of the story. The recent release of a four-volume account of the Communist Party’s 100-year history, written by a party institute is also seen as an action by Jinping to reinforce his authority.Two volumes to the era of Mao Zedong, one to the period from Deng Xiaoping to Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao, and one to Xi alone are covered in the work.
It is clearly evident that this is being done to put Xi Jinping ahead of Deng and on par with Mao.According to a report by Hong Kong’s Ming Pao newspaper on July 12 Xi will be officially awarded the title of “People’s Leader” at the party congress — a parallel to Mao’s “Great Leader.”
A mainland political scientist speculated that Xi will not step down until the 2032 party congress. The Chinese leader’s position is not unassailable.However, the memory of COVID-19 is far from fading. Lockdowns imposed under his government’s zero-COVID policy hit the brakes on China’s economy, and youth unemployment remains stubbornly high. Xi’s “strong country” policy has inflamed tensions with the U.S., spurring calls even within China for a detente.Therefore, whether Xi will be able to promote his allies at the party congress as planned is not entirely clear.
It has been reported quoting family sources that veteran singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke has passed away this morning (10) at the age of 68
She had been receiving treatment at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital.
The wife of retired Major General Suresh Sallay has lodged a further complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), alleging that her husband’s fundamental rights continue to be violated as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers prevent him from having confidential consultations with his lawyer while he is under detention at the National Hospital.
In a letter addressed to the HRCSL Chairman on Thursday, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay has said the latest complaint was filed in relation to an earlier complaint concerning the detention and treatment of her husband.
Full text of the letter: I, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay, respectfully write to lodge this further complaint in relation to my earlier complaint bearing reference H RC-HO-1 103-26, concerning the detention and treatment of my husband, Retired Major General Suresh Sallay.
I wish to bring to the attention of the Commission a further serious violation of his fundamental rights that occurred on 08 July 2026 during a consultation between my husband and his Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Asith Siriwardena, while my husband remains under detention and is receiving treatment at the National Hospital.
I am informed by his Counsel that he is presently permitted to consult with my husband only once a week for a period of approximately twenty minutes. During the consultation held on 08 July 2026, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) stationed at the Cardiac Coronary Care Unit of the National Hospital informed Counsel that they had received instructions from higher authorities that my husband should not be permitted to meet with his
legal counsel in private. Consequently, the officers remained present throughout the consultation and refused to permit a confidential lawyer-client meeting.
This conduct constitutes a grave infringement of my husband’s fundamental right to communicate privately and confidentially with his legal counsel. Confidential communication between an accused or detainee and his lawyer is an indispensable safeguard of the right to legal representation, the right to prepare his defence, and the right to a fair trial. The denial of confidential legal consultations undermines these fundamental protections guaranteed under the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the applicable provisions governing persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The confidentiality of communications between a lawyer and client is also a well-recognized principle under international human rights law and forms an essential safeguard against arbitrary detention, coercion, and unfair legal proceedings.
In view of the foregoing, I respectfully request the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to urgently intervene and take all necessary steps within its statutory mandate to:
1. Ensure that my husband is afforded immediate and unrestricted confidential access to his legal counsel without the presence or supervision of law enforcement officers;
2. Inquire into the instructions allegedly issued by higher authorities requiring CID officers to remain present during lawyer-client consultations;
3. Direct the relevant authorities to cease any practice that interferes with confidential legal consultations; and
4. Take such further action as the Commission considers appropriate to safeguard my husband’s constitutional and human rights.
This complaint is made as a further complaint to Complaint No. H RC-HO-1103-26, and I respectfully request that it be placed on the same file and considered together with my previous complaints.
I respectfully seek the Commission’s urgent intervention in this matter.
The Supreme Court yesterday (9) upheld a Colombo Commercial High Court order directing former Minister Wimal Weerawansa to pay Rs. 1 million in damages to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva for violating intellectual property rights.
A three-member Supreme Court bench dismissed in its entirety an appeal filed by Weerawansa challenging the earlier Commercial High Court ruling.
The case was instituted by Silva, who alleged that Weerawansa had violated provisions of the Intellectual Property Act by publishing his book “Neththa Wenuwata Aththa” (“Truth Instead of Lies”), which contained the JVP’s political ideology and official party documents without authorisation.
The Supreme Court also affirmed the order restraining the publication and distribution of the book in its existing form. However, the court ruled that the book could be republished if the 60-page section identified as infringing intellectual property rights was removed.
Dharmaraja and Kingswood set for historic rugby clash on Saturday
Sri Lankan singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke passes away at the age of 68
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