TNA issues ultimatum to opposition
“During the discussion yesterday, I proposed that the Tamil national question should also be included in the movement’s core issues as I consider it to be the most important problem in the country. If the rest of the opposition involved in the NMJS movement is not willing to see that, then we would be continuing forward by ourselves. We do not have to be dependent on anyone else,” TNA spokesperson and parliamentarian President’s Counsel (PC) M.A. Sumanthiran PC said that when the movement was first convened under the late Most Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero, a power-sharing solution to the Tamil national question was identified. The NMJS met on 17 Saturday, attended by representatives of the country’s main opposition parties, including the SJB, the UNP, the TPA, the TNA, and the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC).
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 18:33 UTC
Motion against slaughter ban at mosques today
By Dinitha RathnayakeMuslim councilors of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) are set to table a motion today (19) against the ban on the slaughter of Qurbani animals within mosque premises announced last week. A. Rahuman said this motion would seek to permit animal slaughter during the forthcoming Haj festival. All trustees were directed not to permit any slaughter of Qurbani animals within any mosque premises in Sri Lanka by A.B.M. Ashraff, Director of Wakfs (MMCT), Director, Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs announced in a Circular dated July 13. Attempts to reach the Director, Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs was not successful.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 18:22 UTC
Brazil's Bolsonaro leaves hospital after treatment for hiccups
'I'll be back in the presidency tomorrow,' Bolsonaro told the media as he left the Vila Nova Star hospital, where he had been since Wednesday. 'I'll be back in the presidency tomorrow,' Bolsonaro told the media as he left the Vila Nova Star hospital, where he had been since WednesdayThe hospital said in an earlier statement that Bolsonaro will remain under observation as an outpatient. His medical team also advised him to go on a diet, but Bolsonaro said he may not comply. The 66-year-old president was taken to the Sao Paulo hospital for treatment relating to an obstructed intestine following a knife attack on him in 2018. 'I can't wait to get back to work, see friends, and really get Brazil moving,' Bolsonaro said on Sunday.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 18:00 UTC
KNDU protestors not appeased by President’s solution
“As far as we know, there is no ‘UGC Act’. However, we are assuming that the President meant the ‘Universities Act, No. We also urge the Government to not mix civilians with military education. “We strongly oppose the Government’s frantic attempt to amend the University Act to pass the Kotelawala Act in this manner, and the only solution to this problem is to immediately withdraw the proposed Kotelawala Private University Act,” stressed the IUSF. If he means that the Government wants to amend the ‘Universities Act, No.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 17:48 UTC
Make-or-break G.L.-Teachers meeting tomorrow
The trade union action launched by the teachers to withdraw from online teaching activities based on several demands is being implemented for the eighth day today. “This trade union action is not at all intended to harm students. However, if the government does not listen to the fair demands of teachers and principals, we will have to resort to such action. Commenting on the current trade union action to withdraw from online teaching activities, Jayasinghe said that the trade union action has proven to be extremely effective and would continue. There are about 2,160 regional learning centres that employ nearly 30,000 teachers and principals and the teachers and principals had withdrawn from those duties too.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 17:48 UTC
Fixing gender imbalance in SL politics: Amending laws, altering perceptions both vital
MP Kaviratne and MP Dr. Amarasuriya also agreed on the point that this has influenced how political parties look at women politicians. Essentially, gender budgeting could be identified as a strategy and a process with the long-term aim of achieving gender equality related goals. Gender budgeting exists in various countries, at various administration levels and in various forms. Sri Lanka’s neighbour India, however, has an internationally-recognised gender budgeting system, which, according to international reports, not only influenced expenditure, but also revenue policies. For its part, Sri Lanka joined the Commonwealth’s gender budgeting pilot project in 1997 and over the years there have been discussions about making gender responsive budgeting systems at various public institutions.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 17:37 UTC
SL at the global forefront of vaccine administrations
According to Our World in Data, as of today (18), Sri Lanka is only second to Ecuador in terms of daily COVID-19 vaccine doses administered per 100 people. Shown below is the rolling 7-day average per 100 people in the total population. For vaccines that require multiple doses, Our World in Data counts each individual dose. Meanwhile, speaking with The Sunday Morning, State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana stated that Sri Lanka is to receive over five million Covid-19 vaccine doses from various manufacturers before the end of July.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 16:30 UTC
Muslim pilgrims arrive in Mecca for downsized hajj
Muslim pilgrims began arriving in Mecca on Saturday for the second downsized hajj taking part under Covid-19 restrictions, with just 60,000 fully-vaccinated residents of Saudi Arabia able to take part. Applicants had to be fully vaccinated and not suffer from any chronic illness, the hajj ministry said. The hajj ministry has said it is working on the 'highest levels of health precautions' in light of the pandemic and the emergence of new variants. Saudi Arabia has so far recorded more than 507,000 coronavirus infections, including some 8,000 deaths. The hajj ministry received anguished queries on Twitter from rejected applicants about the tightly-controlled government lottery.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 09:22 UTC
Pfizer and Moderna for pregnant women?
July 18, 2021 01:56 pmThe Family Health Bureau has requested the Ministry of Health to look into the possibility of administering Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to pregnant women. Director of the Bureau Dr. Chithramali de Silva said that at present, only the Sinopharm vaccine is being given to pregnant mothers. So far, 13 pregnant females in Sri Lanka have died from the COVID-19 virus and nearly 2,500 have been infected. Currently, only 175 mothers are being treated at hospitals, said Dr. de Silva.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 08:26 UTC
Sri Lanka vs. India first ODI – Probable teams and conditions
Sri Lanka team:Dasun Shanaka has so far captained Sri Lanka in three T20Is, winning all of them. Today’s will be his first ODI as the CaptainOutgoing Captain Kusal Perera and Binura Fernando are out injured. Bhanuka Rajapaksa is likely to slot in alongside Dhananjaya de Silva and Dasun Shanaka in the middle order. Sri Lanka (possible XI):1 Avishka Fernando, 2 Pathum Nissanka, 3 Minod Bhanuka (wk), 4 Dhananjaya de Silva, 5 Bhanuka Rajapaksa, 6 Dasun Shanaka (Capt. Some Stats –India last played an ODI in Sri Lanka in 2017India have not lost an ODI on Sri Lanka soil since 24 July 2012Shikhar Dhawan is 23 runs away from his 6,000 ODI runs
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 08:26 UTC
New Capt. Dasun Shanaka’s advice to team: No matter win or lose, play for national pride
No matter you win or lose, play for the country’s pride: Sri Lanka’s new white-ball Captain Dasun Shanaka’s advice to his teamIn his final words before the start of probably a new journey, the newly-appointed national white-ball cricket Captain Dasun Shanaka has told his players that, irrespective of the final result, they need to play for national pride. The six-match limited-over series between Sri Lanka and fancied India begins at Khettarama today at 3 p.m. with the first of a three-match ODI series. Under his leadership, Sri Lanka won the first match by 64 runs, Sri Lanka’s first T20I win against Pakistan in six years. He led Sri Lanka in winning all three T20Is, which was Sri Lanka’s first T20 series whitewash, as well as Pakistan’s first-ever 3-0 loss. In February 2021, Shanaka was again named as Sri Lanka’s T20I Skipper for their series against the West Indies.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 08:03 UTC
Players plead for annual contracts, feel victimised by seniors?
By Revatha S. SilvaVictimised by the seniors, the young faces of the Sri Lanka squad are willing to sign annual contracts with Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). Photo SLCThe Sri Lanka cricket squad, barring some of the senior players, have written to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) that they are now ready to sign their annual contracts. “They were expecting the annual contract pretty badly. They are of the opinion that they have been unduly victimised by the seniors, who have virtually held the juniors to ransom mainly because the newly-proposed annual contracts have brought down the seniors’ salaries by up to about 30%. [We] kindly request that [SLC] grant [our] annual contract with reciprocal effect, from 1st January 2021 for which [we] would be most grateful,” (emphasis ours).
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 07:52 UTC
Leveraging technology for pharmaceutical commercialisation
Leveraging technology for pharmaceutical commercialisationPharmaceutical commercialisation is a lengthy and complex process, and just like the development of the drug itself, it’s about getting the exact right formulation. One factor preventing the rise of information technology in the pharmaceutical industry is the lack of tech talent in the industry. In our experience, technology can offer incredible opportunities for pharmaceutical companies, but only if they leverage it properly by following these three steps. Today, pharmaceutical technology can help establish a feedback loop that connects the experiences patients are having with the precise batch of product. This improved agility is reducing operating expenses, and has the potential to revolutionise the commercialisation process.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 07:52 UTC
X-Press Pearl disaster: Lost communications hamper probe
By Yumiko PereraThe case pertaining to the doomed MV X-Press Pearl vessel was taken up before Colombo Additional Magistrate Lochini Abeywickrama last Tuesday (13), and Deputy Solicitor General Madhawa Tennakoon, who appeared on behalf of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), revealed that the exchange between the Captain of the X-Press Pearl vessel and the Harbour Master had been lost. The question however remains whether these discrepancies would ultimately impact the overall assessment of the damages incurred by the country owing to the disaster. 720 million as the initial interim claim for the X-Press Pearl disaster. Speaking with The Sunday Morning, Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation C.B. The MV X-Press Pearl vessel, which was carrying 325 metric tonnes (MT) of fuel in its tanks, caught fire on 20 May, approximately 9.5 nautical miles away from the Port of Colombo, where it had initially been anchored.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 07:41 UTC
Mega ‘India vs. Pakistan’ WC clash on the cards
Virat Kohli’s India and Babar Azam’s Pakistan have been clubbed together in the same group-2. Super 12s Group-2Group-2 will comprise former champions India and Pakistan, New Zealand, Afghanistan and the other two qualifiers from Round 1. Eight teams will contest the first round including automatic qualifiers Sri Lanka and Bangladesh with the remaining six who booked their spot through the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2019. As a major force in world cricket, the BCCI has always endeavoured to promote and assist Associate Nations. Co-hosting the World Cup will put Oman Cricket on the global stage.
Source:The Nation
July 18, 2021 06:56 UTC