A nation in crisis
No decision as yet to impose countrywide lockdown but inter-province travel restriction will be seriously monitoredDoctors had now increased sequencing to identify in which provinces the Delta variant had spread and were now even on the look out for the Delta Plus, which was a mutated version of the Delta variant, already spreading havoc in certain countries. “The Delta Plus is when the Delta variant mutates naturally when the transmission of the Delta variant is very high. Although it has not been detected in Sri Lanka yet, doctors are on alert and monitoring the situation,” it is said. Those who are employed have been urged to work from home if their work does not require them to report to office. Those in offices have been urged to complete their work and leave the premises immediately, adhering to all health guidelines.
Source:The Nation
August 11, 2021 01:30 UTC
Japan appreciates Sri Lanka’s solidarity exhibited through participating in the Olympics
Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka Akira Sujiama called on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and expressed his gratitude for the solidarity shown by Sri Lanka by participating in this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan. Minister Gunawardena conveyed that the Government of Sri Lanka and its people are grateful to the Government of Japan and its people for donating 1.45 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines, at the request made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the Prime Minister of Japan. The Japanese Ambassador stated that the Government of Japan is very pleased with the prompt action taken by the Government of Sri Lanka to make the vaccines donated to Sri Lanka available to the public at the earliest. The two sides also exchanged information on bilateral relations between the two countries and the progress of the development projects in Sri Lanka under Japanese investment as well as new investment opportunities. The meeting took place at the Foreign Ministry on 9th August.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 23:37 UTC
The '£20' PCR tests that really cost FIVE TIMES more
Under the traffic-light system for going abroad, double-jabbed people must take a single PCR swab by day two after returning from green or amber countries. We found testing firm ArrivingUK advertising 'self swab at home' day two kits for £20 on the Government portal. But on the firm's website this was only available to people who could collect them from Wembley in north London. It came as one vaccine expert said many holidaymakers were paying far more than a 'fair' price for gold-standard PCR tests, which are more accurate and can detect mutant strains. Virginia Messina, of the World Travel & Tourism Council, called on ministers to subsidise PCR tests if they keep insisting on them, or let travellers take cheaper rapid tests.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 23:02 UTC
How to Avoid Getting Caught by the Android 'FlyTrap' Malware
Beware, Android users—a new trojan malware is infecting smartphones worldwide, stealing thousands of users’ personal data and compromising their Facebook accounts. The hackers can then hijack the user’s Facebook account to send more phishing links to the user’s contacts via direct messages and posts, or send them links hiding other, even more dangerous malware. If a user engages with the ad, the app will ask them to log in with their Facebook account to claim the free offer—only for them to learn the “offer” has expired. And that’s why FlyTrap is such a threat: it can quickly spread to multiple users through seemingly legitimate links and apps. The malicious ads are also still active in the wild, so Android users need to take care to keep their devices safe.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 21:56 UTC
In Brief – More international sports news
* New Zealand female cyclist Olivia Podmore, who competed at the 2016 Rio Games, died at the age of 24. * Moeen Ali’s return to England Test team was confirmed yesterday (10). Ali is likely to slot straight into the England line-up that drew their first Test at Trent Bridge last week. * Former Sri Lankan batsman Thilan Samaraweera was named in the New Zealand coaching staff for their T20I and ODI series in Bangladesh and Pakistan next month. * Bangladesh beat Australia on Monday (9) in Dhaka in a cricket series for the first time in their history, with 4-1 score-line at T20Is.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 21:56 UTC
Cricket to enter Olympics!
Parag Marathe (USA Cricket Chairman)Great Britain beat France in cricket in Olympic Games 1900. Thirty-million cricket fans live in the U.S.A., making ‘LA 2028’ the ideal Games for cricket to make its return to Olympic competition. ICC Chair Greg Barclay said the addition of cricket to the Olympic Games would be beneficial to both the sport and the Games themselves. But we feel now is the time to put our best foot forward and show what a great partnership cricket and the Olympics are.”USA Cricket elatedParag Marathe, USA Cricket Chairman, believes the time is now for cricket to make its long-awaited return to the Olympics, confident the sport’s inclusion at the showpiece event would accelerate the growth of the game in the USA. “USA Cricket is thrilled to be able to support cricket’s bid for inclusion in the Olympics, the timing of which aligns perfectly with our continuing plans to develop the sport in the USA,” he said.
Source:The Nation
August 10, 2021 21:33 UTC
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
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