X-Press Pearl: Sunken, but still deadly
Therefore, it is certain that if supported with strong evidence, Sri Lanka can claim significant remuneration for the damages caused by the X-Press Pearl. They must be required to strictly adhere to their duties and responsibilities in assisting Sri Lanka without creating further problems. One example is that there is no harm caused to the marine ecosystem of the country from the X-Press Pearl destruction. Thirdly, as it was already mentioned, all the dead marine animals are not washed up onto the beaches. On 22 July, The Morning reported that an oil sheen was visible around the debris of the MV X-Press Pearl.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 17:03 UTC
Windows 365 Doesn't Make Much Sense
With the Windows 365 service, businesses will be able to stream Windows devices directly from Microsoft’s servers—like Netflix, but for your work computer. What comes with Windows 365 Cloud PC? With Windows 365, businesses can create accounts for up to 300 users, each with their own instance of Windows PC (Windows 10 for now, and Windows 11 when it’s released). G/O Media may get a commissionWhile the asking rate of $32/month might seem like a lot, here’s what a Windows 365 subscription gets you:Should you pay for Windows 365 Cloud PC? It’s the same case if a business wants to host/control its own instance of Windows; it’s just not possible in Windows 365.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 17:03 UTC
Sri Lanka loses opportunity to host Mrs. World
BY Dinitha RathnayakeSri Lanka has lost the opportunity to host the 2021 Mrs. World pageant as the event’s organising committee has decided to hold the competition in Las Vegas, Winchester, Nevada, United States in January 2022, instead of in Sri Lanka as had been previously planned. The Mrs. World organising committee made the official announcement on Facebook saying:“The Mrs. World pageant will take place at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino from 9 to 16 January 2022. Sri Lanka was to host the 2021 Mrs. World pageant. This was after Jurie became the second Sri Lankan to be crowned Mrs. World at a pageant held in Las Vegas in 2019. However, in April this year, Mrs. Ireland Kate Schneider was made the new Mrs. World after Jurie stepped down.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 17:03 UTC
Govt yet to define ‘fake news’
BY Pamodi WaravitaCabinet Spokesman and Mass Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday (4) said that the Government is yet to “define” what is meant by fake news, despite stating recently that a final draft of a legal framework pertaining to regulating social media would be presented to the Cabinet of Ministers soon. Responding to a question posed by The Morning at an online discussion held yesterday, Rambukwella said that the definition of fake news is still “under preparation”. “The framework is being made based on wide ranging discussions and consultations, which we will continue to have. We assure that it will not be used as a tool by the Government for oppression. However, spreading disharmony among communities and information that affects national security through social media is a serious concern,” noted Rambukwella.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 16:52 UTC
Teachers’ protests: Over 27 males, 13 females arrested
BY Buddhika SamaraweeraMore than 27 males and 13 females who were staging a protest near the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo Fort demanding solutions to teachers’ issues were arrested by the Police yesterday (4) evening. The trade unions had organised four motorcades from Kadawatha, Welisara, Moratuwa, and Kottawa to Colombo yesterday commencing at around 10 a.m. However, the trade union representatives informed the Police that there would be no violation of health guidelines through the motorcades, and headed towards Colombo. Later, the motorcades which started from all four locations reached Colombo Fort, and they also staged a protest near the Presidential Secretariat. It was attended by nearly 2,000 trade union representatives.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 16:52 UTC
Canines to be trained to detect mosquito larvae
By Dinitha RathnayakePolice dogs are to be trained to trace mosquito larvae in order to combat the spread of dengue, according to Police Media Spokesman Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Ajith Rohana. Two police dogs, named Johnny and Roma, have already undergone six months of training to identify mosquito larvae, and will be used for this purpose. A total of 31,162 suspected dengue cases were reported during 2020, while 10,956 suspected dengue cases were reported to the Epidemiology Unit from all over the island to date since January 2021. Approximately, 37.9% of these dengue cases were reported from the Western Province. Symptomatic illness can vary from undifferentiated fever (viral syndrome), dengue fever, dengue haemorrhagic fever, and dengue with unusual manifestations.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 16:18 UTC
Govt defers KNDU Bill amid protests
Meanwhile, Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa proposed yesterday that the KNDU Bill be completely withdrawn, and that a new Bill be drawn up which protects free education and the Universities Act, No. Accordingly, the SLFP appointed committee has proposed that the KNDU should not be excluded from the regulation and control of the University Grants Commission (UGC). FUTA President Prof. S. Banneheka told The Morning that although several parties had suggested certain amendments to the KNDU Bill including the SLFP, those are not what is actually required. This Government aimed to pass the Bill in Parliament in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, by forcing the public to remain silent,” claimed Jayagoda. 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 04, 2021 16:18 UTC
Mongolian Noodle Soup | Cooking with Aunty D
Once the water starts boiling, add the Maggi family meal pack into the pan followed by cabbage, dark soy sauce and mix well. Next, add an egg and mix well. Finally, once the noodles are cooked as well, remove from the heat and serve accordingly. Aunty D. is a full-time mom working a little magic in the kitchen whenever she’s got time on her hands. She brings to you easy and fast recipes with a twist of Sri Lankan spices and cooking techniques.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 15:00 UTC
7 of the Best Smartphones for Older People (2021)
When it comes to picking the best smartphone for senior citizens, there are quite a lot of choices. Phone screen size remains the biggest problem for senior citizens. The zoom mode in iPhone makes everything bigger and easier to read, plus cranking up the text size on a global scale is easy. It’s big enough that it won’t feel cramped, even with the text size and UI cranked up, but not too big or heavy to hold easily. Plus, Moto doesn’t overdo it with the bloatware, while still offering accessibility features that let you increase the text size and UI.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 14:37 UTC
SAT enters data analytics, AI and brings Tableau to Sri Lanka
South Asian Technologies (SAT), master distributors of leading ICT solutions, recently introduced Tableau, the world’s leading analytics platform to Sri Lankan users. Aimed at helping people see and understand data, Tableau was created with the purpose of helping people and organisations take more data-driven decisions while simplifying raw data in an easy-to-understand format. “With the increasing necessity for data visualisation in the workspace, now more than ever, organisations need proven solutions to help secure their data in businesses. For nine years, Tableau has been recognised as the leader in the Gartner magic quadrant for analytics and business intelligence platforms. Today, Tableau is a part of the Salesforce company, combining the power of the world’s #1 CRM with the world’s #1 analytics platform.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 13:52 UTC
A more efficient judicial system in three years: Sabry
Sabry noted that although there are more than 200 judges per million population in the developed countries, Sri Lanka now has only 15 judges. Accordingly, the number of judges is expected to increase to 218 and the number of courts to 245, the Minister said. He further stated that the development of the infrastructure required for these judges will be expedited under this next three-year plan. It is expected to strengthen the Mediation Board and the number of disputes resolved is expected to double by next year. The Minister said that several expert committees have been set up to reform the judicial system and the report of the committee set up under the chairmanship of Supreme Court Judge Samayawardena has been received.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 13:07 UTC
Android 11 comes to Nokia 5.3
HMD is finally seeding Android 11 to its Nokia 5.3 smartphone nearly a year after the phone’s announcement and only about a month before Android 12 rolls around. The first wave of countries to receive the update include Cambodia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Taiwan and Vietnam. HMD will roll out the update to 30% of the approved markets immediately, then to 50% by August 5 and the full list by August 6. The update weighs in at 1.67 GB and brings the June security patch. You get the standard Android 11 goodies including chat bubbles, one-time permissions, media controls in the notification shade and updated privacy toggles.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 13:02 UTC
Singer wins Best Distributor in South Asia from Dell Technologies
Singer Sri Lanka PLC, the country’s premier consumer durables retailer won the Best Regional Distributor of the Year and Best Distributor of the Year – Sri Lanka Awards at Dell Technologies South Asia CSB Partner Connect event for the year 2021. The virtual event was held to review the regional performances of distributors in 2020, with the participation of Anothai Wettayakorn, Vice President – Dell Technologies Asia Emerging Markets and several other dignitaries from Dell Technologies and regional distributors. Commenting on the latest achievement, Mahesh Wijewardene, Group CEO – Singer Sri Lanka PLC said, “We are humbled and honored to receive both the regional and country awards for the Best Distributor. I would also like to thank the support provided by Dell Technologies, with whom we have a strong relationship since 2014.”The virtual event also featured a fireside chat where Mahesh Wijewardene, Group CEO – Singer Sri Lanka PLC and Shanil Perera, Marketing Director – Singer Sri Lanka PLC, in conversation with Anothai Wettayakorn, Dell Technologies Asia Emerging Markets, Vice President shared Singer’s success story to becoming the leading distributor for Dell Technologies within the region. Singer Sri Lanka PLC is the leader in Sri Lanka’s consumer durables market and is renowned for offering a wide range of top-quality local and international brands to its growing number of consumers across the country.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 12:45 UTC
Sri Lanka reports 1,720 new COVID cases
August 4, 2021 06:20 pmThe Ministry of Health reports that another 1,720 persons have tested positive for coronavirus today (August 04). All new cases are associated with the New Year Covid-19 cluster. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the country thus far to 317,914. Presently 28,745 infected patients are being treated at hospitals and treatment centers across the island. Meanwhile, the number of total recoveries has reached 284,524.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 12:45 UTC
Mrs World 2021 pageant venue moves from Sri Lanka to Las Vegas
The venue for the Mrs. World Pageant for the year 2021 has been moved from Sri Lanka to Las Vegas in the United States, the Pageant announced. Accordingly, Mrs. World Pageant 2021 will be held at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in Las Vegas from January 9 - 16, 2022. Previously, it was planned to be held in Sri Lanka; however, the venue had been changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation on the island. Sri Lanka’s Caroline Jurie held the title Mrs. World 2020 until the controversy at the Mrs. Sri Lanka beauty pageant made her voluntarily relinquish her crown to Ireland. The reigning Mrs. World is Kate Schneider from Ireland, who was the first runner-up at the relevant pageant.
Source:The Nation
August 04, 2021 12:33 UTC