International Affairs

The government will present its response to the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday January, 27 Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage told the Sunday Observer yesterday. The report will be published along with the response as customary ahead of the upcoming sessions of the UN Human Rights Council late February.

LONDON - There is some evidence that a new coronavirus variant first identified in southeast England carries a higher risk of death than the original strain, the British government's chief scientific adviser said Friday — though he stressed that the data is uncertain.

WASHINGTON - Democrat Joe Biden, a fixture in Washington for nearly a half century, was sworn in Wednesday as the 46th U.S. president and called on Americans to unite in support of each other in what he called “a winter of peril and significant possibilities.”

The rescheduled Tokyo Games may have to be held behind closed doors if they are to go ahead in Japan this year, athletics chief Lord Coe has admitted.

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. intelligence officer for North Korea warned Friday the country sees diplomacy only as a means to advance its nuclear weapons development, even as the new Biden administration says it will look for ways to bring Pyongyang back to talks.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on February 23 on a brief bilateral visit, Daily Mirror learns.

A newly formed political party in India, launched by a film star, has promised salaries to housewives if voted to power. A prominent MP welcomed the idea, saying it will "monetise the services of women homemakers, enhance their power and autonomy" and create a near-universal basic income.

While saying that Sri Lanka and the US enjoy longstanding relations and a close friendship, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in a congratulatory message to US President Joseph R. Biden said Sri Lanka is committed to further strengthen and consolidate the multifaceted partnership with the United States, grounded in mutual respect, shared values and common interests.

WASHINGTON - President-elect Joe Biden is promoting a $1.9 trillion economic relief package to a country battered by a year-long pandemic that will have killed over 400,000 Americans and sickened tens of millions more before he takes office this week.

Cash strapped Sri Lanka government is receiving the Netherlands assistance to implement its ambitious rural infrastructure development programme of building roads and bridges in remote villagers.

The leading infectious disease expert in the United States says the country will participate in the global initiative to provide COVID-19 vaccines to poor countries.

WHITE HOUSE - In a farewell video released on his final full day in office, President Donald Trump offered prayers and best wishes to his successor, Democrat Joe Biden, but without ever mentioning him by name.

“This week, we inaugurate a new administration and pray for its success in keeping America safe and prosperous,” Trump said in the video posted online 20 hours prior to the end of his presidency. “We also extend our best wishes. And we also want them to have luck — a very important word.”

In the nearly 20 minutes of remarks taped on Monday, Trump took credit for creating “the greatest economy in the history of the world.” He also said he was “especially proud to be the first president in decades who has started no new wars.”

As the video was released by the White House on YouTube, a private jet carrying President-elect Biden landed at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, where Trump is to be sent off with a final ceremony Wednesday morning. The president will then make his final flight on Air Force One to the state of Florida.

Trump, breaking with tradition, is skipping the inaugural ceremony for Biden, who won both the popular and electoral votes in last November’s election. Trump falsely declared the polling fraudulent and has not congratulated Biden.

Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to attend the inauguration at a heavily fortified Capitol where Biden is to be sworn in at noon Wednesday, 15 minutes after Kamala Harris takes the oath of office as vice president.

Trump needs only to peer from the window of his third-floor bedroom in the White House to see the reviewing stand set up for the inaugural parade. It is decorated with bunting and banners reading “*2021* BIDEN HARRIS INAUGURATION.”

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has told Asian Cooperation Dialog (ACD) countries that Sri Lanka opened its borders to tourists after much consultation and preparation, while following best practices, and called on them to enable more knowledge-sharing to facilitate a collective recovery from the pandemic.

LONDON - World leaders have congratulated Joe Biden following his inauguration Wednesday as the 46th U.S. president. Many allies also offered warm words for Kamala Harris as she became the first woman to serve as vice president.

RIYADH: The 6th International Conference on Disability and Rehabilitation and the King Salman Disability Research Award will be staged in January 2022, a press conference has been told.

UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Hanaa Singer pointed out specific issues that the criminal justice system in Sri Lanka needs to address in ensuring the protection of human rights while countering-terrorism.

WASHINGTON - Vice President-elect Kamala Harris parlayed a career as a California prosecutor, state attorney general and U.S. senator to the second most powerful job in the United States

කොවිඩ් වයිරසයේ නව ප්‍රභේදයක් ලෙස ‘‘කොවිඩ් ටන්’’ යනුවෙන් වයිරසය මේ වන විට ලොව පුරා පැතිර යන බව අනාවරණය වීමත් සමග වඩාත් කල්පනාකාරී වන්නැයි ළමා රෝග විශේෂඥ වෛද්‍ය දීපාල් පෙරේරා සඳහන් කරයි.