On This Day – 11 August
1884 – The first double-century stand in Test cricket was completed, at the Oval. Billy Murdoch and H.J.H “Tup” Scott scored 207 for the third wicket, with Scott scoring his only Test century. A right-arm medium-pace bowler and proficient batsman in the lower-order, Karnain showed signs of developing into a handy all-rounder at ODI level. Karnain is one of the national cricket selectors now1977 – English cricket legend Geoffrey Boycott making his 100th hundred to become the first ever to do so. In a perfect piece of stage management, he scored it on his home ground, Headingley, in a Test against Australia.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 21:00 UTC
How India reaped huge success at Tokyo 2020
It belongs to India,” Chopra has said after his return to his mother countryIndia’s 1.38 billion-strong population is beaming with pride. Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold medal in the men’s javelin event in Tokyo on Saturday (7) brought the nation’s Olympics performance to a spectacular close. Set against this backdrop, Indian athletes have managed to ignite a fresh sense of national pride among a still mourning nation. Bandana Chhetri, partner at FairPlay sports, which manages top Indian athletes, believes that Chopra’s win will become a “watershed moment” in sports in India. In New Delhi on Monday night, Chopra walked onto a large stage for the Indian Olympic Champions’ Felicitation Ceremony.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 21:00 UTC
Liverpool pre-season prep hampered through injury
On the bright side, Liverpool were able to give Virgil van Dijk his first outing on home soil in more than 10 months. And Liverpool have Matip, new-signing Ibrahima Konate, the returning Joe Gomez, and the new cult hero Nat Phillips to choose from, for their defence. * Martial, front runner to replace LukakuFrench forward Anthony Martial is the man Inter Milan want to replace Chelsea-bound Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian will get his wish of a return to Stamford Bridge once Chelsea had convinced Inter over deal worth £ 97.5 m (Rs. * PSG offer official bid (£ 25 m a year) for MessiThe French giants PSG have offered Lionel Messi an initial two-year deal, thought to be worth £ 25 m (Rs.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 19:30 UTC
Tier II Technopark in Uva Province
The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka announced that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between ICTA and TRACE Expert City (Technology Reawakening Culture of Excellence) Uva Chapter recently, to establish a framework formalising the mutual agreement and understanding to establish, construct, operate and maintain a Tier II Techno Park within the Uva Province of Sri Lanka. The Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) with its vision and policy to build a technology-centric economy has initiated the establishment of technology parks through the Ministry of Technology (MoT), throughout identified locations in Sri Lanka. The ICTA, therefore, has been tasked with carrying forth the developments and establishment of regional clusters within which several techno parks are to be established in identified provinces, and through its technology transformation strategy will facilitate technological development initiatives. The TRACE City Uva Chapter will facilitate the development of technology within the Uva Province by providing assistance in designing, setting-up, organising, and managing the TRACE Chapter in the identified location at the Uva Province. ICTA will strengthen the regional ecosystem through technology innovation, diffusion, startup, and career advancement.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 19:04 UTC
ComBank secures $ 50 m from UK finance institution
SMEs represent 80% of businesses and provide about 35% of jobs in Sri Lanka. CDC’s investment will equally provide capital that will allow Commercial Bank to extend credit toward renewable and climate-supportive projects. British Acting Deputy High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Bruce Bucknell said: “We welcome today’s announcement as a step towards financial empowerment for small businesses and communities throughout Sri Lanka. CDC and Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s partnership offers a blueprint for investments that could transform Sri Lanka’s economic future. We are delighted to partner with the UK government funded CDC in its quest to support SMEs, which are the backbone of the economy of our country.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 19:04 UTC
Poster for Penelope Cruz movie is censored
'You should be ashamed of yourselves, Instagram,' Spanish designer Javier Jaen who created the poster wrote in a post on the image-centric social network. 'As expected @Instagram has removed the poster which we made for the latest Almodovar film. A robust online debate saw some defending the image as artistic while others said it was 'too explicit'. Starring one of Almodovar's favourite actresses, Penelope Cruz, 'Parallel Mothers' will open this year's Venice film festival, which runs September 1-11. Cruz plays one of two women, a generation apart, who find themselves inextricably linked by their brief time together in a maternity ward.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 18:56 UTC
Working capital loans for public ventures
The Cabinet of Ministers has yesterday (10) approved a proposal to implement a working capital loan scheme under concessionary conditions for revitalising public ventures affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the ventures have confronted a difficulty in supplying working capital required for day-to-day operations. By the end of 2020, with the repercussions of the Covid outbreak throughout the country, the Government implemented a concessionary loan scheme named “Saubhagya Covid-19 Rehabilitation Facility”, under the supervision of the Central bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), in order to accomplish the working capital requirements for minor and medium-scale sectors. 156 billion has been granted to around 53,200 entrepreneurs under the said loan scheme. Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Finance to provide the opportunity to accomplish working capital requirements of state ventures under said loan scheme.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 18:56 UTC
OnePlus appears to be trolling Samsung, or it’s also announcing a foldable soon
TL;DR The official OnePlus Twitter account just shared a teaser that appears to show a OnePlus foldable or possibly dual-display phone. The tweet includes a video clip of what appears to be a foldable phone or, possibly, a dual-display phone. is there a OnePlus foldable coming tomorrow? Check out the tweet and video below:So far, we have seen zero leaks related to a OnePlus foldable or dual-display device. Is OnePlus trying to say that Samsung’s foldable phones are just as good as two OnePlus phones smooshed together?
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 17:37 UTC
Don’t wait for lockdowns, protect your family: Fernandopulle
State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics, and Covid-19 Disease Control Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle urged the public to not leave their homes unless urgently required to do so. This month is very risky; stay home.”She was speaking to the media following the Gampaha District Covid-19 Control Committee meeting, where she added: “My opinion does not matter. Do not wait for the Government and the Ministry of Health. Protect your family; don’t wait until a lockdown is imposed, or someone makes rules. This is a matter of life and death.”
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 17:15 UTC
Leakage from X-Press Pearl collected for use in proceedings
A stock of nearly 1,400 metric tonnes (MT) of plastic pellets from the wreckage of the MV X-Press Pearl has been collected by the Central Environment Authority (CEA), noted Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday (9). Speaking at a virtual progress review meeting on the damage caused by the X-press Pearl, he noted that the above stock was deposited in about 40 containers for storage in a yard in the Hendala area, until receiving the recommendations of the Attorney General (AG) and the President-appointed committee to look into the damage caused by the ship. Minister Amaraweera noted that the stock of plastics could be used for plastics production and had been requested by plastics manufacturing companies and some parties. However, he noted, the plastic stockpile was important in the ongoing court proceedings over the damage caused by the X-Press Pearl. He said that he had instructed the CEA to take care of them safely, and that the officials were doing a very good job.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 17:15 UTC
Most 30 plus HIV positive persons vaccinated
“We have noticed a decrease in the number of people getting tested for HIV over the past year. Thus, they must definitely be among the priority groups for the vaccine,” said Dr. Doherty. She added that all WHO approved Covid-19 vaccines are safe to be used among people living with HIV. Meanwhile, Dr. Doherty noted that over the course of last year, there has been a reduction in testing and access to HIV related services in many countries, as a result of the pandemic. According to the National STD/AIDS Control Programme, by the end of 2019, there were approximately 3,600 people living with HIV in Sri Lanka.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 17:01 UTC
Protest crackdown worst since 2008: FUTA
“In July 2008, the then Education Minister threatened us. The Education Minister at the time threateningly told the then FUTA President that he would like to meet him. But more than both those two incidents, the threats in 2021 are more fearful” said former FUTA President Prof. Rohan Fernando. He added that at the protest on 3 August, FUTA members were verbally threatened after the protest. The KNDU Bill has received widespread criticism from various quarters for its alleged threats to free education and the militarisation of education.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 16:52 UTC
More than 2,900 fresh COVID cases confirmed within the day
A total of 912 more people were tested positive for COVID-19 today (August 10), increasing the daily count of positive cases to 2,904. According to the Government Information Department, the new cases reported today have been associated with the New Year cluster. The latest infections and delayed reported cases for the last week have brought Sri Lanka’s confirmed coronavirus cases tally to 339,092, the Epidemiology Unit said. Official data showed that as many as 298,162 patients who were infected with the virus have regained health so far. More than 35,000 are currently under medical care at selected hospitals and treatment centres across the country.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 16:52 UTC
Get vaccinated, ob-gyns urge pregnant women
BY Dinitha RathnayakeThe Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SLCOG) urged pregnant women to obtain the Covid-19 vaccine at the nearest hospital or clinic. The provision of Covid-19 vaccines for pregnant women was recently launched on 9 June and about 300 pregnant women have been vaccinated so far. The scientific opinion is that it is practical to get vaccinated properly to protect against the B.1.617.2 Indian Delta strain of Covid-19 and also because 12 pregnant women have died so far from Covid-19. The Morning reported yesterday (10) about the slow progress of pregnant women being vaccinated, even though the vaccination of pregnant women is scheduled to be completed within one month. Issues in administering the vaccine to expectant women at Army-run 24-hour centres, owing to the documentation related to the special consent letters pertaining to pregnant women allegedly not being provided by the relevant Health authorities to these centres, were reported.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 16:41 UTC
Weddings limited to 50 guests
‘Curfew is last resort’: KeheliyaSLMA reiterates call for travel restrictionsBY Pamodi Waravita and Dinitha RathnayakeThe Government yesterday (10) revised the existing Covid-19 health guidelines reducing the number of guests permitted at weddings effective from midnight yesterday. However, a curfew or stricter travel restrictions are yet to be determined. National Operations Centre for the Prevention of the Covid-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Task Force Head and Army Commander Gen. Shavendra Silva said yesterday that the number of guests at weddings is to be reduced to 50 from the previous 150 guests. “We are ready to accept the health experts’ advice about travel restrictions. On 9 August, parliamentary opposition parties Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) and National People’s Power (NPP) called for a nationwide lockdown.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 16:30 UTC