Accelerating digital economy key for inclusive integration in Asia Pacific
Participants in the webinar entitled “Accelerate Digital Economy for Inclusive Integration in Asia Pacific – Connecting Digital Industries in Pandemic” recently called for leveraging digital opportunities to build an inclusive ecosystem and promoting regional integration, which is particularly important while still combating the pandemic. Indonesia endeavours to expand the digital economy to achieve social recovery and digital transformation. Based on digital knowledge and infrastructure, the digital economy has powered a growing proportion of regional GDP and boosted resilience amid the pandemic. Le Quang Lan, when referring to enabling a digital economy ecosystem to accelerate social recovery and regional integration. The digital economy unfolding in the region addresses inclusive access to digital service, a landscape facilitating startup scale-up, and a circular, sustainable economy.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 19:07 UTC
SLASSCOM onboards Sudath Perera Associates as legal counsel
Positioned as one of Sri Lanka’s leading legal teams, Sudath Perera Associates is well known for offering high-quality customised service via its team of highly skilled professionals, and its unrivalled experience. This vast client network has empowered Sudath Perera Associates with a thorough understanding of various business aspects, including trends and industry dynamics related to technology, innovation, and digital advancements. The MoU was signed between Partner and Head of Corporate and Commercial Law Dushyantha Perera and SLASSCOM Executive Director Chamindā de Silva. He noted: “We are pleased to partner with SLASSCOM in the capacity of its honorary legal counsel. We look forward to working closely with the association as it pursues its strategic goals and objectives in the upcoming years.”“We are pleased to have Sudath Perera Associates as the legal counsel for SLASSCOM.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 18:56 UTC
CA Sri Lanka’s CEOs Forum plays nexus role to bridge gap between Govt., business community
The panel session brought together eminent speakers comprising Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Prof. W.D. Govindasamy said that the business community right now needed a serious show of confidence from the Government. This must be strongly communicated.”He said that the business community is seriously concerned over the debt situation. Therefore, most companies are now looking to diversify, and we must take advantage of this opportunity and attract some of the world’s largest companies to Sri Lanka. “In 2008 and 2011, when Sri Lanka recorded rating upgrades, the Central Bank spearheaded a committee which held dialogues with rating agencies.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 18:56 UTC
India’s HCL to take up 80% of ‘The Offices’ at Cinnamon Life
Colombo’s newest state-of-the-art office tower “The Offices” at Cinnamon Life has been chosen as the hub for leading global technology company, HCL Technologies’ growth drive in Sri Lanka. Cinnamon Life is the first A-grade office tower in Colombo to attract a leading multinational company to occupy a majority of available office spaces within its premises. For HCL, Cinnamon Life’s prime location, wide-ranging facilities, and emphasis on utmost quality proved to be a winning combination. Cinnamon Life, the much anticipated iconic mixed-development project by JKH, is set to be a key feature in Colombo’s skyline. HCL’s commitment to anchor its offices at Cinnamon Life is a testament to the long-term vision we had when we launched this ambitious project.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 18:33 UTC
‘Allocate funding for essential projects’
BY Buddhika SamaraweeraThe Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka (CBCSL) has urged the Government to prioritise and allocate funds to the most vital projects, in the wake of the country’s Covid-19-induced economic crisis, instead of projects implemented in the hope of gaining political mileage. In a press release issued recently, the CBCSL also stated that the country’s leadership should act on expert advice, and not on political and personal agendas. “The economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has left the entire country helpless, and the high unemployment rate inevitably leads to poverty, malnutrition, and famine. Therefore, the Government should have its priorities straight, and allocate funds only for the most needed projects,” it added. If the Government does not act wisely, regardless of socio-political and ethnic differences, it could have lasting and detrimental effects,” it also stated.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 18:02 UTC
Over 50% of Covid ICU beds filled
The Health Ministry’s Communications Director and Public Health Services Deputy Director General Dr. Hemantha Herath told The Morning that 81 of the 146 ICU beds earmarked for Covid-19 patients are currently occupied. Dr. Herath said that 81 of the 146 ICU beds currently earmarked for Covid-19 patients are currently occupied. Now patients are not lying in beds but are either standing or seated,” he told Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi in Parliament. He raised concerns about the increasing number of Covid-19 patients requiring hospital and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) treatment. According to the Epidemiology Unit, 2,510 new Covid-19 patients were identified on Monday (2) with 67 new deaths also reported as a result of it, on the same day.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 18:00 UTC
Legal framework for social media gaining ground
The Ministry of Mass Media Ministry is currently in discussions with the Justice Ministry to put a proper legal framework related to social media in place. Rambukwella said during the weekly Cabinet media briefing yesterday (3) that social media reports related to certain incidents might influence or obstruct ongoing investigations. Since social media is new to the world, we don’t have a specific legal system to legalise issues related to the subject. Controversy regarding the use of social media has arisen due to several recent incidents, regarding which some claim that certain social media reports have caused disgrace to the victims of crimes, especially in abuse-related cases. The regulation of hate speech and misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation on social media platforms has become a global challenge for states, private bodies, regulatory bodies, policymakers, the media, and civil society.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 18:00 UTC
Military prowess, medical knowhow
However, amidst all the so-called crises, the country has to move forward, without any disruption to the most essential activities including Covid-19 management efforts. In fact, after the military took over a considerable share of the duties pertaining to the vaccination drive, the vaccination drive was expedited drastically, and some media reports that quoted people who got vaccinated from military-run vaccination centres had said that the military had sped up many aspects of the vaccination drive, including documentation-related activities. First of all, we cannot blame the Government, because getting the military involved was the most sensible decision when healthcare workers started protesting during the pandemic. Also, even though we tend to refer to them simply as “the military”, the vaccination drive is essentially administered by medical officers attached to the military, who have had training to handle health and medical matters. If the strategic component of the vaccination drive is handled by experts in the field, the military can in fact be excellent enforcers and doers.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 17:26 UTC
Conservation of Sri Lankan Leopards
The Sri Lankan leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya), is an endangered, endemic subspecies, and the island’s only apex predator. The Sri Lankan leopard has been classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and is a leopard subspecies that is native to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan leopards are carnivorous and feed on a variety of species such as hares, sambhurs, langurs, and rats. Habitat losses, hunting for trade, and fragmentation have become reasons for the Sri Lankan leopard to rapidly decline in numbers. With the “Felidae Carnivora Project” these important habitats will be identified, which are very crucial to the survival of Sri Lankan leopards.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 17:15 UTC
Daily coronavirus cases count exceeds 2,400
A total of 1,044 more people were tested positive for COVID-19 today (July 30), increasing the daily count of positive cases to 2,450. According to the Government Information Department, 2,423 of the new cases reported today have been associated with the New Year cluster. The new development has brought Sri Lanka’s confirmed coronavirus cases tally to 316,219. Epidemiology Unit’s data showed that as many as 282,770 patients who were infected with the virus have regained health so far. More than 28,000 are currently under medical care at selected hospitals and treatment centres across the country.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 17:15 UTC
Online registration for 2021 electoral register
The Election Commission has launched a program for the online application to register in the 2021 Electoral Roll. Accordingly, information related to the new online registration process can be accessed by visiting the Election Commission website, www.election.gov.lk. Registration of Sri Lankan citizens who have attained the age of 18 years who are eligible to be included in the 2021 Electoral Register, correction of mistakes or typographical errors in the names in the existing Electoral Register, change of residence, registration of voters unregistered in 2020 will be carried out under this program. Any queries or issues regarding the process can be forwarded to the email address [email protected], the Commission said.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 15:01 UTC
The bestselling products MailOnline readers loved in July
By Emily Knott For MailonlinePublished: 06:31 EDT, 3 August 2021 | Updated: 10:55 EDT, 3 August 2021Products featured in this Mail Best article are independently selected by our shopping writers. If you make a purchase using links on this page, we may earn an affiliate commission. Want to know what everyone's buying online? July seems to have been a month for home improvement and beauty buys, with affordable products like a £4 grout reviver, a £2.43 mascara and a fancy toilet brush being added to hundreds of shoppers' baskets. Read on to discover the other bestselling products that MailOnline readers were snapping up last month.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 15:00 UTC
1,406 new coronavirus cases reported
August 3, 2021 06:52 pmThe Ministry of Health reports that another 1,406 persons have tested positive for coronavirus today (August 03). 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 315,175. Presently 27,834 infected patients are being treated at hospitals and treatment centers across the island. Meanwhile, the number of total recoveries has reached 282,770.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 13:18 UTC
Gazette issued for importing Nitrogen extracts and Potassium
August 3, 2021 05:38 pmThe Import and Export Control Department has issued a gazette notification for the import of Nitrogen extracts and Potassium. This is under the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture and the Fertilizer Secretariat of the Ministry of Agriculture. The imported Nitrogen extracts and Potassium are to be used as fertilizer for the Maha season.
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 12:33 UTC
Daily Authority: Google’s Pixel plans 📈
It’s the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, with Google’s own hardware too! Google’s Rick Osterloh confirmed it wouldn’t get the new Tensor chip, but would stick with a Qualcomm chipset. No India, but maybe that’s because the Pixel 5a will be the only Pixel phone there. No India, but maybe that’s because the Pixel 5a will be the only Pixel phone there. More: Why the Pixel 6’s Tensor chip is actually a big deal (and why it isn’t).
Source:The Nation
August 03, 2021 11:48 UTC