Maithri asked to run for President in 2024
By Buddhika SamaraweeraLocal government representatives of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) have made a request to former President and incumbent Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena to contest for the Presidential Election to be held in 2024. According to him, the request had been made by SLFP Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) members in the area, and electoral organisers. However, when asked if Sirisena has responded to the request they made, Gunasinghe said that the former has not yet commented on the matter. Following the Presidential election held on 8 January 2015, Sirisena was sworn in as the sixth Executive President before Supreme Court judge K. Sripavan at the Independence Square Colombo on 9 January 2015. After assuming the Presidency, he became the SLFP Chairman, and instead of contesting the 2019 Presidential Election, the SLFP led by Sirisena backed the current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 18:33 UTC
SLFP still undecided on KNDU
Minister of Environment and SLFP Parliamentarian Mahinda Amaraweera told The Morning yesterday (1) that the SLFP vote on the Bill will depend on the contents of the subcommittee report. Banneheka met with the SLFP yesterday. FSP Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda said yesterday that the SLFP had assured them that they stand against the militarisation of education, and shared their concerns about the KNDU Bill. Meanwhile, the FUTA President Prof. Bannehaka also met with Minister of Education Prof. G.L. 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 01, 2021 18:33 UTC
Daily COVID infections climb over 2,500
A total of 855 more people were tested positive for COVID-19 today (July 30), increasing the daily count of positive cases to 2,510. According to the Government Information Department, 2,490 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 311,349. Epidemiology Unit’s data showed that as many as 278,910 patients who were infected with the virus have regained health so far. Nearly 28,000 are currently under medical care at selected hospitals and treatment centres across the country.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 16:30 UTC
Employees in education sector also recalled to work
The Secretary to the Ministry of Education has requested all provincial, zonal and divisional education authorities, principals, teachers and non-academic staff to follow the Circular on recalling public sector employees to work from August 02. The government on Friday (July 30) decided to call all state sector employees back to work from Monday (August 02). Jayasundera officially informed the decision to Secretary to the Ministry of Public Services, Provincial Councils & Local Government J.J. Rathnasiri. Accordingly, the Circular on recalling public servants to work was published yesterday. The decision was taken with the intention of giving priority to restore normalcy in the public service as majority of public servants have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 15:33 UTC
Pet owners share hilarious photos of their cats in VERY awkward positions
But these feline lovers from all over the world have blown the myth wide open with hilarious pictures of their pets in very awkward positions. A customer, from an unknown location, spotted a white and black cat exploring a supermarket's salad section...headfirst! This perfectly-timed picture shows a cat, from an unknown location, hiding underneath a desk with its eyes perfectly placed in two holesSo Vogue! An owner, from an unknown location, made pink knitted slippers for her white cat to slip on - with hilarious resultsAnother four-legged friend, from an unknown location, was found relaxing in a rather unusual positionSay cheese! A pet lover, from an unknown location, stumbled upon his cat lying on the floor with its hind paws joined together like a fish tailSleeping on the job!
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 15:00 UTC
Sri Lanka reports 67 more COVID-19 deaths
August 1, 2021 06:59 pmThe Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 67 more COVID-19 related fatalities that have occurred yesterday (July 31). The new development has pushed the official death toll due to the virus in Sri Lanka to 4,508. According to the data released by the Department of Government Information, the new victims confirmed today include 31 females and 36 males. One of them is aged below 30 years, ten victims are between 30-59 years and the remaining 56 are aged 60 and above.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 13:30 UTC
STF cracks fuel smuggling racket at expressway construction site
The officials of the Gonahena Special Task Force (STF) camp have cracked a racket stealing fuel from vehicles used at the construction site of the Central Expressway. It has been revealed that the suspects had been involved in the smuggling of fuel from the vehicles utilized by the Chinese construction company for a long time. Along with the suspects, a bowser filled with fuel, and 5 other trucks have been seized by the STF. The arrestees are residents of Uva Pelwatta, Kadawatha, Veyangoda, Bandaragama, Dehiattakandiya, and Matara, aged 24, 25, 40, 46, 47, and 50 years. The suspects and seized property have been handed over to the Veyangoda Police for onward investigations.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 12:33 UTC
Sky News is BANNED from YouTube for posting 'numerous' Covid-denying videos
Sky News has been banned from uploading videos to YouTube for seven days (stock image)If the broadcaster receives three warnings within 90 days, the channel will be permanently removed from YouTube. 'We do allow for videos that have sufficient countervailing context, which the violative videos did not provide.' Sky News Australia says it 'expressly rejects' that any of its hosts ever denied the existence of Covid-19. The Sky News Australia YouTube channel has published more than 20,000 videos over the past year. New South Wales reported 239 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 12:00 UTC
‘My 24-year unblemished career, remains unblemished’ – Avishka Gunawardana
COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Sri Lanka cricketer Avishka Gunawardana in a recent statement to the media says his 24-year unblemished career, remains unblemished and unscarred, with his name in the clear. The statement from his laywers was released on the 29th of July as disciplinary proceedings against Gunawardana reached a close. In May 2021, an independent Anti-Corruption Tribunal has unanimously cleared former Sri Lanka player Avishka Gunawardene of two charges against him under the Emirates Cricket Board’s Anti-Corruption Code, allowing him to resume participation in cricket with immediate effect. Gunawardene was charged with:Article 2.1.4 – Directly or indirectly soliciting, inducing, enticing, instructing, persuading, encouraging or intentionally facilitating any Participant to breach Code Article 2.1. Avishka Gunawardana in the statement said these charges were brought at a time when he was at the top of his career, a career that had been progressing swiftly in preceding years up to that point.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 12:00 UTC
Sri Lanka reports 1,792 more COVID-19 recoveries
August 1, 2021 04:39 pmThe Ministry of Health says that another 1,792 patients who were being treated for COVID-19 have been discharged after completing their recovery. This increases the country’s coronavirus recoveries to 278,910. Sri Lanka has thus far confirmed a total of 308,839 positive cases of Covid-19 while 25,488 patients infected with the virus are currently under medical care. The death toll due to the virus currently stands at 4,441.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 11:03 UTC
Sri Lanka Railways resumes services tomorrow
August 1, 2021 by Aazam Ameen No CommentsGeneral Manager of Sri Lanka Railways Dhammika Jayasundara stated that train services between the provinces will commence from tomorrow (02). This decision is in line with the measures taken to resume public transport services between provinces as public servants have been asked to return for duty as per usual. Meanwhile, inter-provincial bus services resumed from today (August 01). The operation of buses on the Southern Expressway also commenced this morning. However, employees of bus services claim that there is a considerable shortage of passengers.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 10:52 UTC
‘Naughty boy’ pissed off, plans to leave for US
August 1, 2021 by Revatha No CommentsA leading national cricketer, probably the most controversial one in recent years for his appalling disciplinary conduct, is now contemplating on retiring from the game for good and migrate to U.S.A., following past week’s developments in Sri Lanka cricket, highly-placed Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) sources revealed yesterday (31 July).
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 10:02 UTC
Nawaz ‘unpopular’, Sudarshana next SL batting Coach?
Dhammika SudarshanaIt is unlikely that current Sri Lanka (SL) Batting Coach Grant Flower is to remain in his position for another term. As his term is to be over later this year, along with that of Head Coach Mickey Arthur, there is going to be three leading contenders to Flower’s post: Avishka Gunawardene, Dhammika Sudarshana, and Naveed Nawaz. As Nawaz’s name has already created some discontent within the team itself, former Richmond College Coach Sudarshana is more likely to fill in Flower’s shoes, out of the remaining two, insiders told the Sunday Morning Sports. Mind you, how many Richmondites are there in the current national squad?
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 09:56 UTC
Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Yupun can’t impress as Jamaican lasses steal the show
Australia / 10 / 3 / 14 / 27* Yupun fails to reach personal bestSri Lanka’s Yupun Abeykoon runs on the lane from left in his men’s 100 m heats at Tokyo 2020 Olympics yesterday (31 July). Photo courtesy SLRCSri Lanka’s Yupun Abeykoon finished sixth in men’s 100 m third heat yesterday (31 July) at Tokyo 2020 Olympics. yesterday was below his personal best … Abeykoon was the only Sri Lankan to achieve direct qualification standards for Tokyo 2020. The Italy-based sprinter was also the only Sri Lankan male track and field athlete to compete at the Olympics this time. Meanwhile fellow American Katie Ledecky won the 800 m freestyle gold for the third successive Olympics.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 09:33 UTC
Xander Schauffele wins Olympic golf gold, while CT Pan takes bronze in SEVEN-WAY play-off
By Faaez Samadi For MailonlinePublished: 04:44 EDT, 1 August 2021 | Updated: 04:49 EDT, 1 August 2021American Xander Schauffele took the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics golf while Chinese Taipei's Pan Cheng Tsung took bronze after a thrilling seven-way play-off. The first four play-off golfers - USA's Morikawa, Chinese Taipei's Pan, Chile's Mito Pereira and Colombia's Juan Sebastian Munoz - all scored par on the first sudden death hole. They all held par to move to a third sudden death hole to find a bronze medal winner. Chinese Taipei's Pan then equalled the American with his own second shot landing similarly close to the pin. The final play-off hole was between Morikawa and Pan.
Source:The Nation
August 01, 2021 09:00 UTC