News
DONALD TRUMP INDICTED
by Vijaya Chandrasoma
Thursday, March 30, 2023. A Manhattan Grand Jury indicted Donald J. Trump on over 30 charges on financial fraud, including a felony charge for his role in paying hush money to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign. The New York District Attorney’s office confirmed the indictment on Thursday afternoon. Prosecutors had contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his arraignment and surrender to authorities in Manhattan on Tuesday, April 4.
The indictment, which remains under seal, stems from a near-five-year investigation of Trump and the Trump Organization. The relevant charges will be unveiled on April 4 by New York State District Attorney Alvin Bragg.At the arraignment, Trump will be booked and presented with the charges against him. He will certainly plead “not guilty” and be released on bail. Trump has vowed to fight what he has claimed to be yet another witch hunt against him.
The 36,000 strong New York Police Department, the largest in the nation, is fully equipped to deal with any public disturbance anticipated to be caused by Trump supporters during the arraignment.
Trump became the first serving or former president in the history of the United States to be indicted on criminal charges. As the news of Trump’s indictment spread, reaction broke on familiar partisan lines, reflecting a country still divided by the deeply controversial years of Trump’s term in office, and his false rejection of the 2020 election results.
Republicans are furious in their claim that Trump is the victim of a politically motivated investigation. Vice President Pence called the indictment on a campaign finance issue an “outrage”. Trump reacted with the usually ill-spelt post on his Truth Social network, writing, “These Thugs and Radical Left Monsters have just INDICATED (sic) the 45th President of the United States of America, and the Leading Republican Candidate, by far, for the 2024 Nomination for President”.
Democratic leaders reacted as expected, echoing the chorus that “nobody is above the law”.
However, it seems premature to arrive at any conclusion about the validity and justice of the indictment until it is unveiled and charges known.
Trump is currently facing other serious charges under investigation. The District Attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, has appointed a Grand Jury to look into allegations into interference in the 2020 Georgia State election by Trump and his allies. The Department of Justice has appointed a Special Counsel to recommend necessary legal action on Trump’s role in the incitement of the January 6 insurrection and government documents illegally stored at Trump’s Mar a Lago home in Florida. All these investigations are said to be far along the line.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
