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Trump nominated Republican presidential candidate

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Donald Trump won formal nomination Monday as the Republican presidential candidate and picked a right-wing loyalist for running mate, kicking off a triumphalist party convention in the wake of last weekend’s failed assassination attempt.

Trump announced 39-year-old Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his vice presidential pick, rewarding a one-time harsh critic who became one of his most reliable — and uncompromising — supporters in Congress.

Trump, 78, is guaranteed a hero’s welcome at the convention in Milwaukee, where delegates delivered their formal nomination two days after the scandal-plagued former president survived an assassination attempt at a rally.

“As Vice President, J.D. will continue to fight for our Constitution, stand with our Troops, and will do everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

While Trump is increasingly confident of a shock return to the White House — despite multiple legal problems and two impeachments during his first term — President Joe Biden is reeling from weak polls and Democratic concerns over his health.

In the delegates count in Milwaukee, Eric Trump put his father over the threshold on behalf of the Florida delegation, calling him “the greatest president that ever lived.”

Vance had been widely expected as Trump’s pick. He will bolster the ticket on the right wing, but with less chance of expanding appeal to more moderate voters and women.

The standard-bearer for a new kind of populism that has come to the fore under Trump, Vance is also one of the least experienced VP picks in modern history.

But he embraces the ex-president’s isolationist, anti-immigration America First movement. Vance is further to the right than his new boss on many issues including abortion, where he embraces calls for federal legislation.

He initially made his name with the 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” a best-selling account of his Appalachian family and modest Rust Belt upbringing, which gave a voice to rural, working-class resentment in left-behind America.

Turning his back on previous opposition to Trump, whom he once said might be “America’s Hitler,” Vance reinvented himself and ultimately won the ex-president’s key endorsement in the 2022 Ohio Senate race, launching his meteoric rise.

Trump’s convention comes as the country is still reeling from a botched attempt by a gunman to kill Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania Saturday.

Some 50,000 Republicans descended on the shores of Lake Michigan for the four-day gathering, four months before election day.

The attempted assassination — in which one bystander was killed, two more wounded and Trump received a light wound in his ear — was expected to dominate proceedings.

The Secret Service, which is battling criticism it failed to protect Trump from the shooter, said it was “fully prepared” to ensure security at the convention.

Leading in multiple polls, despite being convicted at his hush-money criminal case in New York, Trump is exuding confidence.

At 81, Biden is facing calls from his own side to quit the race over concerns around his age.

His campaign released a statement saying the Trump-Vance agenda would “take away Americans’ rights, hurt the middle class, and make life more expensive — all while benefiting the ultra-rich and greedy corporations.”

Trump scored another victory Monday as a judge dismissed the criminal case against him over accusations he endangered national security by holding on to top secret documents after leaving the White House.

He immediately took to Truth Social to call for the dismissal of all legal cases against him, insisting again that he was being targeted for political reasons.

Trump told the New York Post he had “prepared an extremely tough speech” about Biden’s “horrible administration” to deliver at the convention.

As some Republicans — including Vance — sought to blame Democrats’ anti-Trump rhetoric for the attack, Trump also said he hopes to “unite our country.”

Still, that would see him have to rein in the instinct to settle scores — demonstrated by his cry for supporters to “fight” in the seconds after Saturday’s attack.

The Milwaukee gathering is largely designed in Trump’s image, with digital banners beaming out a message in the cavernous convention arena: “Make America Great Once Again.”

The branding reflects his takeover of the party.

A diminished figure after his 2020 election loss and a subsequent riot at the Capitol by his supporters, Trump has spent much of the last four years reshaping Republican politics.

Installing loyalists including his daughter-in-law Lara Trump atop the Republican National Committee, the billionaire has effectively crushed dissent.

Source: Agencies

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President AKD meets German Minister for Economic Cooperation & Development

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President Anura Kumara Disanayake, currently on an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, met this afternoon (June 13) with the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms. Reem Alabali-Radovan, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin.

The discussion focused on the shared economic challenges both countries face in the context of emerging global economic trends. The two sides engaged in a comprehensive dialogue on potential areas for further strengthening economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Germany.

The President acknowledged the longstanding history of bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Germany, highlighting Germany’s significant contributions to vocational training institutions such as the Ceylon German Technical Training Institute (CGTTI), as well as to sectors like healthcare. The President conveyed his profound gratitude for this assistance. The discussion also focused on the importance of enhancing such contributions into mutually beneficial partnerships in the future.

Joining the meeting were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany Varuni Muthukumarana and Director General for Europe and North America at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sugeeshwara Gunaratna along with other officials..

(President’s Media Division)

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SL urges Lankans in Israel & Iran to remain vigilant

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A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism in Sri Lanka has urged both Israel and Iran to ‘exercise restraint, engage in dialogue and pursue diplomatic initiatives to de-escalate the tense situation.’

“Sri Lanka is deeply concerned by the recent developments between Israel and Iran. We urge both countries to exercise restraint, engage in dialogue and pursue diplomatic initiatives to de-escalate the tense situation,” the statement notes.

“The Sri Lanka Missions in both countries are closely monitoring the situation and remain in contact with the Sri Lankan nationals in the respective countries. They are advised to exercise utmost caution and remain vigilant, the statement adds.

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Controversy over President AKD’s nomination of Justice Laffar to SC?

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has nominated Acting President of the Court of Appeal – M.T. Mohamed Laffar, to fill an upcoming Supreme Court (SC) vacancy set to arise on June 20 with the retirement of Justice Gamini Amarasekara.

The nomination, sent to the Constitutional Council on June 09, has raised concerns among legal experts, as such appointments are typically made only after a vacancy becomes official.

Meanwhile, it is also reported that Justice Laffar is to retire just 02 days before the vacancy occurs, turning 63 on June 18.

This also prompts speculation that the President had aimed to secure the appointment before Laffar’s own retirement.

According to Article 41(c) of the Sri Lankan Constitution, the Constitutional Council is required to obtain the views of the Chief Justice when making decisions related to appointments to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal but it is said that the CJ’s directive is also yet to be secured in this case.

Earlier this year, when 04 Supreme Court vacancies were filled, Justice Laffar was not among those recommended by the Chief Justice, despite his seniority.

Instead, Senior judges Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Menaka Wijesundera and less senior Appeal Court judges Sampath Wijekoon and Sampath Wijeratne were appointed to the SC, on the Chief Justice’s recommendations.

(Source: Anidda Newspaper)

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