Amber alert issued over heavy rain and strong winds
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Center of the Department of Meteorology has issued an ‘Amber’ alert for heavy rain and strong winds. The Department says that the showery weather in the southwestern parts of the country and strong gusty winds over the island is expected to further continue next 24 hours. Heavy showers of above 100 mm can be expected at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. The Advisory issued this afternoon (September 26) is valid until 02.00 pm tomorrow (Monday, September 27). The Meteorology Department kindly requests the general public to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by strong, gusty winds.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 11:15 UTC
Flashback: a look back at the first 5G smartphone
Not that this stops smartphone makers from boasting about launching the latest 5G phone. Despite a slight delay it was the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G that became available first. Before we go back to the S10 5G, we should mention the phones that nearly came first. LG was planning to launch its V50 ThinQ 5G on April 16, but pushed that back to optimize the 5G modem with Qualcomm. mmWave has gone higher since then, the X65 was the world’s first 10 Gbps 5G modem, but that’s a story for another time.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 10:18 UTC
Coronavirus recoveries tally up by 843
September 26, 2021 03:54 pmThe Ministry of Health reports that another 843 coronavirus patients have recovered and have been discharged within the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of Covid-19 recoveries in the country to 454,532. Sri Lanka has so far reported 512,531 confirmed cases of coronavirus in total while 45,390 infected patients are currently under medical care at hospitals, treatment centers, and home-based care. The death toll due to the virus stands at 12,609.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 10:18 UTC
Status Quo legend Alan Lancaster dead at 72
Status Quo legend Alan Lancaster has died at the age of 72 after a battle with Multiple Sclerosis. Status Quo legend Alan Lancaster has died at the age of 72 after a battle with Multiple SclerosisHe and Lancaster had children Alan Jr, Toni and David and five grandchildren. Pictured: The couple in 1979Status Quo legend Alan Lancaster (third from left) has died at the age of 72 after a battle with Multiple SclerosisStudio portrait of English rock group Status Quo posed together in London in 1974. 'They met when Alan and Status Quo, along with Slade and Lindisfarne, toured Australia in 1973. The Spectres then briefly became Traffic Jam before being renamed once again to become The Status Quo from 1967.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 09:56 UTC
South Africa to share experiences in addressing post conflict issues
COLOMBO (News 1st); South Africa is ready share their experiences and lessons with countries looking to address post conflict issues, said South African Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Dr. Naledi Pandor during a meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister (Professor) G. L. Peiris. South African Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Dr. Naledi Pandor received Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Minister Peiris recalled his long association with South Africa dating to his Doctoral work where he had visited South African Universities and conducted a series of lectures on Constitutional Law. Foreign Minister Peiris highlighted the need to adapt South Africa’s inspiring national experience to each country’s unique circumstances and challenges. Minister Pandora also extended an invitation for the Minister to visit South Africa and renew close ties.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 07:07 UTC
Types of Breakthrough eLearning Apps
And this is not surprising – mobile platforms remain the most accessible and in-demand online learning tool for the mass consumer. Let’s take a look at five of the most disruptive technologies used in eLearning applications. However, the online video training format itself has become commonplace, so employers are likely to become more supportive of such graduates. Looking into the futureThe explosion of interest in online educational platforms is unlikely to be limited to 2020. This means that we will soon witness the emergence of new, even more, breakthrough methods and types of educational applications.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 06:56 UTC
Kyle Chalmers 'is dating fellow Australian swimmer Emma McKeon'
By Monique Friedlander For Daily Mail AustraliaPublished: 01:23 EDT, 26 September 2021 | Updated: 02:29 EDT, 26 September 2021Reports are swirling about the newest glamour couple to grace Australia's elite swimming circuit - Kyle Chalmers, 22, and Emma McKeon, 27. Kyle Chalmers, 22, (left) is reportedly dating fellow Australian swimmer Emma McKeon, 27 (right)Most recently, the pair competed together at the International Swimming League in Naples, Italy, as part of the London Roar team. Emma and Kyle boast equally impressive sporting resumés - Emma won seven medals while competing at the Tokyo Olympics this year, while Kyle won gold at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. Pictured left is Kyle Chalmers, and right is Emma McKeonSuccess story: Emma won seven medals while competing at the Tokyo Olympics this year (pictured)Kyle's rumoured new romance comes months after his split from fellow Australian swimmer and Emma's relay partner Madison Wilson, 26. Madison, who is also currently in Naples, started dating Kyle back in 2015 before calling it quits in 2017.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 06:56 UTC
Re-scrutiny of O'L results to commence after lockdown
It has been decided to commence the re-scrutiny of 2020 G. C. E. Ordinary Level Examination results as soon as the quarantine lockdown imposed in the country is lifted. The results of the examination were released recently, however, the Department of Examinations has not yet released any information regarding re-scrutinization of the results. Meanwhile, the process of sending the results of the O/L exam to schools has already begun. The results will be mailed to schools in the next few days, the Commissioner-General of Examinations said. The lists of results will soon be able to be downloaded from the official website of the Department of Examinations as well, he added.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 05:26 UTC
JVP questions formation of new gas company
The Ceolit gas company initiated by a committee led by the Secretary to the President P B Jayasundara and the Finance Secretary has come under Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) fire. This company has been established along with the Litro gas company to give a monopoly to the Laugfs gas company which is already suffering losses and is endebted largely to the Bank of Ceylon and the Peoples Bank. How was a company formed when it was only an appointment of a committee?” JVP member Sunil Handunnetti remarked. With a shortage of Laugfs gas cylinders, the Government permitted the hike in the price of Gas. Only Laugfs gas was allowed to raise the price, whereas Laugfs gas was unable to meet the demand of the people, and the shortage continued.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 05:15 UTC
Sri Lanka s largest PCR testing facility commences operations
The largest PCR testing laboratory built in Sri Lanka officially commenced its operations yesterday (September 26). Accordingly, 53 persons who arrived in Sri Lanka from Dubai were tested for COVID-19 infections at the facility yesterday. The passengers had arrived on an Emirates flight at around 6.30 pm and foreign tourists had been among them. The laboratory is built jointly by the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (PVT) Limited, and a private company, at the cost of USD 05 million. Accordingly, this laboratory will carry out PCR tests on fully vaccinated local and foreign air passengers.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 04:18 UTC
Meghan wears $4,500 designer dress while preaching about vaccine equity
The website selling the dress says, 'The gentle structure of the crepe silhouette is signature Valentino.' She paired the dress with black heels and wore her hair in a low ponytail. During Meghan and Harry's joint, coordinated speech, Meghan said, 'Every single person on this planet has a fundamental right to get this vaccine. For the solemnity of her World Trade Center Memorial visit, Meghan wore a black polo, heavy black wool £1,368 Emporio Armani coat with matching $889 black trousers and $615 Aquazzura heels. Meghan was spotted wearing the ring on the first day of her trip – but since then it has not been seen.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 03:00 UTC
Realme GT Neo2 confirmed to launch in India next month
Realme announced the GT Neo2 a few days ago in China and said it would launch the smartphone globally without providing a timeframe. Later, on Twitter, Mr. Madhav Sheth - VP of Realme and CEO of Realme India, Europe, and Latin America - confirmed that the GT Neo2 will come to India, and now Mr. Sheth tells us that the GT Neo2 will launch in the company's biggest market in October. The Realme GT Neo2 is a successor to the GT Neo, introduced in India in May as the X7 Max 5G. But it won't arrive in India as an X series smartphone since the X lineup is replaced by the GT series. The GT Neo2 also features an in-display fingerprint reader, stereo speakers, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 03:00 UTC
Kayla Itsines gets handsy with mystery new boyfriend in Adelaide
Fitness queen Kayla Itsines has made quite the debut with her new boyfriend - weeks after splitting from her videographer ex Mitch 'G'. Fitness guru Kayla Itsines, 30, (right) put on a very tactile display with her mystery new boyfriend (left) in Adelaide on ThursdayClearly enjoying the tactile display, Kayla was seen smiling as the pair made their way through the parking lot arm-in-arm. Kayla showed off her svelte frame in a pair of black high-waisted leggings and a white cropped T-shirt that revealed a glimpse of toned torso. Meanwhile, her buff companion dressed down in black Nike sweatpants, a baggy white T-shirt and white sneakers. While Kayla stopped short of revealing the mystery man's identity, it is believed the man to whom she was referring was Mitch.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 03:00 UTC
Tory crackdown on 'online harms' puts Red Wall seats at risk
The campaign group Index on Censorship is highlighting the potential impact on free speech by sending ‘saucy’ seaside postcards to MPs to highlight the ‘risks to humour’. Matthew Lesh, head of research at the Adam Smith Institute, said: ‘This polling should frighten the Government – the Online Safety Bill is a political train wreck waiting to happen. A policy to censor legal speech online is simply not why people voted Conservative in 2019. The polling shows that Brexit voters, who were key to delivering the Conservative Party its land-slide majority in the Red Wall, dislike the Online Safety Bill’s attack on free speech. It shows that voters value free speech and don’t want the state to require censorship of legal speech.
Source:The Nation
September 26, 2021 01:18 UTC
The Land of the Blind and Dumb
The Land of the Blind and Dumb View(s):I was reminded this month about that old Sinhala saying ‘In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king’ – and musing about the fact that this observation is so true in our own country today. It is not that we citizens of Sri Lanka are simply blind – we are blind as well as dumb. Our country could ill afford the political mismanagement and gross lack of responsible governance that went by the name of Yahapalanaya. Today, politicians disregard the dignity of us ordinary citizens and show scant respect for the rule of law in this country. Almost all his cabinet ministers were quite affluent – rich enough in their own right to afford to be honest.
Source:Sunday Observer
September 26, 2021 00:56 UTC