Govt. to promote use of electric vehicles in Sri Lanka
The Cabinet of Ministers has given the go-ahead to a resolution to draw up a strategic plan for promoting the use of electric vehicles in Sri Lanka. According to the Department of Motor Traffic, the number of vehicles registered in the country by the end of year 2020 has exceeded 8 million. A considerable portion of these vehicles are older than 10 years and it has been identified that the lack of proper maintenance of such old vehicles lead to poisonous gas emissions, the Government Information Department said in a press release. Meanwhile, several researches carried out by the University of Moratuwa in tandem with a few other institutions have confirmed that 60% of air pollution in Sri Lanka is caused by vehicular emissions. Thereby, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the relevant resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to devise a strategic plan to promote the use of electric vehicles in the country, the Government Information Department said further.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 09:33 UTC
There is an attempt to handover Yugandanavi Plant to US: AKD
There is an attempt to hand over all the operations of the Yugadanavi Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya as well as the supply and storage of LNG, to a US-based firm, alleged Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake today (13). Speaking to reporters, Dissanayake said that based on this attempt a Cabinet Memorandum was presented to the Cabinet of Ministers by the Finance Minister recently. New Fortress already announced that it has signed a Framework Agreement with the Government of Sri Lanka to supply natural gas or LNG to the existing 300 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant. New Fortress Energy Inc. announced that it is negotiating the purchase of the Government’s 40% stake in the company that owns the Yugadanavi Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya. According to Anura Kumara Dissanayake Cabinet has given the green light for change in stake of the Yugadanavi Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 09:33 UTC
High Quality Home Appliances at Your Doorstep with LEXCO
Navigating through the pandemic and lockdowns, LEXCO has continued to provide high quality electrical appliances to its customers. Even during the travel restrictions, LEXCO continued to provide doorstep delivery through selected courier services island wide. Speaking on the changes made within their operation Pubudu Suraweera, Co-Founder/Managing Director of LEXCO said, “During the lockdowns many consumers were stuck with getting high quality home appliances delivered to them. LEXCO commenced operations in February 2016 and is today one of the leading suppliers of household electronics and smart living apparatus. LEXCO Australia specializes in home & kitchen, living & wellness, and tech products.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 08:48 UTC
Tag Heuer is launching a Super (expensive) Mario smartwatch
TL;DR Tag Heuer is partnering with Nintendo to debut a Super Mario-themed smartwatch. Luxury watchmaker Tag Heuer is collaborating with Nintendo on a new limited edition Super Mario-themed smartwatch (h/t The Verge). For Tag Heuer, it bolsters the firm’s smartwatch program. The watch is effectively a Tag Heuer Connected based on Wear OS. A watch like no other!#Nintendo’s iconic character, Mario, is taking over the TAG Heuer Connected with a new limited edition timepiece in a daring, creative style.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 08:48 UTC
Over 20 infected with Delta variant found in Sri Lanka
The Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath today (13) confirmed that 24 people infected with the Delta COVID variant were detected in Sri Lanka so far. Dr. Hemantha Herath stated that even though travel restrictions have been relaxed, people should operate in a manner that would prevent the spread of the virus. The University of Sri Jayawardenapura said it commenced another study on the spread of the Delta COVID variant in Sri Lanka. Dr. Chandima Jeewandara, the Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the University of Sri Jayawardenapura said tests will be carried out on 96 samples obtained from COVID-19 patients. These samples were obtained from across the country at random, he said.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 06:56 UTC
Sri Lanka records highest daily vaccinations on Monday
Sri Lanka yesterday (July 12) recorded the highest number of COVID-19 vaccines administered within a single day, according to the Epidemiology Department of the Ministry of Health. Accordingly, a total of 232,526 vaccine doses have been administered yesterday. State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana stated that 173,988 first doses and 40,276 doses of the China-produced Sinopharm vaccine were administered yesterday. Further, 13,357 doses of the Sputnik V vaccine, 4,725 of the Pfizer vaccine, and 18 doses of the AstraZeneca (Covishield) vaccine have been administered as well. Sri Lanka yesterday commenced the vaccination of teachers and non-academic staff of schools island-wide.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 06:22 UTC
Highest number of Covid vaccines administered yesterday
Under the Covid immunization program, the maximum number of vaccinations per day done in 24 hours was done yesterday (12). Accordingly, 232,526 doses were given yesterday (12), the Epidemiology Unit said. The Epidemiology Unit says that 1,504,809 people have been vaccinated so far. Meanwhile, 224 persons have been arrested in the past 24 hours for violating quarantine rules, said Police Media Spokesman, Senior DIG Ajith Rohana. Accordingly, 49,643 persons have been arrested for violating the rule so far, the police spokesman added.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 05:48 UTC
Japan to donate AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Sri Lanka through COVAX
Japan will make additional donations of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Sri Lanka and other Asian neighbours, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Tuesday. An additional 11 million doses donated through the COVAX sharing scheme will be sent this month to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Iran, Laos, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, as well as various Pacific Island states, he said. Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry expressed thanks for the gesture, particularly at a serious stage in Japan’s own coronavirus battle. Japan has donated about 3.4 million doses to Taiwan in a show of support for the Chinese-claimed island. Japan has pledged $1 billion and 30 million doses to COVAX.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 05:48 UTC
Police arrest five persons on charges of posting obscene photos online
Police say five people have been arrested in the past week on charges of releasing obscene photos and videos online. Police Media Spokesman, Senior DIG Ajith Rohana stated that the suspects were arrested during investigations into complaints received by the Police Computer Crimes Division. The 31-year-old man was arrested on a complaint that he had accessed another person’s Facebook account, changed his password and posted obscene photos, a police spokesman said. Police Media Spokesman, Senior DIG Ajith Rohana stated that the suspects will be produced before court and further investigations will be carried out. Senior DIG Ajith Rohana said that there is a tendency to post pre-wedding photos and videos on social media in various ways when marrying someone else.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 05:48 UTC
Cabinet approves plan to promote use of electric vehicles
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to prepare a strategic plan for promoting the use of electric vehicles in Sri Lanka. According to the Department of Motor Traffic, the number of motor vehicles that have been registered by the end of the year 2020 has exceeded 8 million. A considerable portion of those vehicles are older than 10 years and it has been identified that lack of proper maintenance of such old vehicles lead to poisonous gas emissions. It has been confirmed by several researchescarried out by the University of Moratuwa with a few other institutions that 60% of air pollution in Sri Lanka is caused by vehicular emissions. Attention has been drawn to utilize renewable energy even for vehicular operations since, immediate implementation of renewable energy projects is one of the foremost actions the Government has to be taken.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 04:41 UTC
Opposition Leader asks to postpone impending examinations
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has requested the government to postpone the scholarship examination scheduled to be held on October 3 and the GCE Advanced Level examination scheduled to begin on October 4. In a statement, the Leader of the Opposition requested that the examinations be adjourned and given the opportunity to cover the syllabus. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said in a statement that the two examinations were being held in a situation where the children were facing severe mental distress. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says that the children are in a state of confusion as the school education and tuition classes have almost completely collapsed. The Leader of the Opposition said in a statement that the online education system is still foreign to many parts of the country and that more than 2,000 schools have no online facilities and that the government has so far failed to formulate a practical program to promote online education.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 04:07 UTC
Suspect arrested on charges of aiding reorganization of LTTE
A man has been arrested on charges of aiding and abetting the reorganization of the LTTE since 2019. The suspect was arrested by the Terrorist Investigation Division at the Mulliyaweli Quarantine Center yesterday (12). Police Media Spokesman, Senior DIG Ajith Rohana stated that the suspect had fled Sri Lanka to Qatar in 2019. The Terrorism Investigation Division has since obtained a blue notice through Interpol to arrest him. The suspect had been in Sri Lanka for 14 days and was arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division shortly afterwards.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 03:22 UTC
Five areas released from isolation status
The isolation orders issued on five areas were lifted with effect from 6.00 am today (July 13), the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) announced. Accordingly, the following localities will no longer be under isolation status:Gampaha DistrictWattala police area• Olanda Village in Hendala North GN Division• Rubber Watta Village in Hendala North GN DivisionBatticaloa DistrictKattankudy police area• Manjanthoduvai North GN Division• Jinnah Road in Manjanthoduvai South GN DivisionColombo DistrictKolonnawa police area• Sinhapura GN Division
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 02:03 UTC
Dozens killed in COVID hospital fire in Iraq
At least 52 people have been killed in a fire at the coronavirus isolation ward of a hospital in Iraq, the second such deadly blaze in a COVID-19 unit in three months. A medical source with the health directorate told AFP news agency the “main reason behind the fire… was the explosion of oxygen tanks”. “Many people have taken to the streets in Nasiriya and in front of the hospital,” said Abdelwahed, who said that the manager of the hospital had resigned. The blaze at the Nasiriya hospital is the second such tragedy this year. In April, a fire at a Baghdad COVID-19 hospital sparked by the explosion of badly stored oxygen cylinders killed 82 people and injured 110 others.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 01:52 UTC
Big scene for father and daughter
Some InterAction Council MembersBy Dr Laksiri FernandoUnder the present international and national circumstances of each and every country, balancing human rights with human duties and responsibilities is of paramount importance. Although this has been a theme from the beginning of human civilization, humans have always had a tendency to undermine duties and responsibilities. Past Religious DiscoursesAlmost all religious leaders and most (ancient) philosophers emphasised the importance of human duties and responsibilities along with or separate from rights. However the pertinent question is why did the drafter’s of the UN ‘Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)’ in 1948 overlook this side of human nature or necessity? ConclusionMore pertinent to our discussion here is the InterAction Council’s initiative, during 1996 and 1997, to bring a ‘Universal Declaration of Human Responsibilities’ which in fact was a great achievement.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 00:11 UTC