Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu will travel to India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh May 10 -15.

His trip will strengthen bilateral cooperation with each country and demonstrate U.S. support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

In Chennai, Assistant Secretary Lu will meet with Consulate personnel to bolster bilateral engagement in southern India.

He will then travel to Colombo to engage with officials from across the political spectrum and deepen the United States’ partnership with Sri Lanka. In his meetings, he will reaffirm the United States’ support for Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, as well as the importance of a robust civil society as a cornerstone of a free and democratic society.

Assistant Secretary Lu will conclude his trip in Dhaka, where he will meet with government officials, civil society leaders, and other Bangladeshis to discuss U.S.-Bangladesh cooperation, including on addressing the climate crisis and deepening economic ties.

Mujibur Rahuman was sworn in as a Member of Parliament today (May 10) morning.

He took oath as an MP in the presence of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana.

Issuing an extraordinary gazette on Thursday (09), the Elections Commission announced that Mujibur Rahuman was Declared Elected as a Member of Parliament to fill the vacancy created due to the determination of the Supreme Court canceling the Parliamentary membership of Diana Gamage.

However, in a letter to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus had urged to appoint a suitable female to the parliamentary seat of Diana Gamage.

State Minister for Technology, Mr. Kanaka Herath, announced that the amended bill to amend the Telecommunications Regulatory Act after 28 years will be presented to the Parliament today (May 10).

He said this yesterday during a press conference conducted today (09) at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) under the theme “Collective Path to a Stable Country.”

Noting that regulations concerning undersea cables were non-existent previously, the State Minister said that legislation addressing this matter has become feasible now.

He also highlighted plans for the drafting of the National Cyber Security Act in May.

The user base across all social networks has surged from 60 million to 74 million. However, there is an imperative for a National Cyber Security Act. Consequently, plans are underway to draft the pertinent legislation by May 2024. Additionally, collaborative efforts involving 29 government agencies, alongside Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SL CERT), have been undertaken to strengthen cyber security, resulting in the implementation of five projects, he added.