Catholic Bishops demand answers from govt on Easter attacks
Declining to say what any “alternative actions” they might take, the bishops and the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to provide a credible answer to its letter. Signing the letter were Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo, Bishop Valence Mendis of Chilaw, Bishop Harold Anthony Perera of Kurunegala, Bishop Raymond Wickramasinghe of Galle, and Colombo auxiliary bishops J.D. Cardinal Ranjith said in March 2020 that he was ready to launch street protests if Sri Lanka’s government did not find and arrest the culprits behind the Easter bombings. “The investigations into the Easter attack were carried out carelessly,” the cardinal said. “It is now 26 months since the Easter Sunday bomb attack of April 21, 2019.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:05 UTC
12,000 acres in Yala under threat
By Pamodi WaravitaOpposition and Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday (14) alleged that 12,000 acres of the Yala National Park are under threat due to certain construction activities taking place within its borders. “There is reliable information that the Government is planning to take away 12,000 acres from Block One of the Yala National Park for unknown purposes. Official sources at the Wildlife and Forest Conservation Ministry denied the existence of any plans to obtain 12,000 acres from the said National Park. Attempts to contact Wildlife Conservation Department Director General Chandana Sooriyabandara and Wildlife and Forest Conservation Minister C.B. Designated as a National Park in 1938, Yala spans 130,000 hectares, and is home to 44 species of mammals and a large concentration of leopards.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Teachers query fate of WB funding
Teachers query fate of WB fundingBY Buddhika SamaraweeraThe Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) has called on the Government to immediately reveal what happened to a sum of Rs. 980 million that the Union claims was provided by the World Bank (WB) to the Government to restore the education of students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. 980 million as assistance to restore education that had been affected due to Covid-19, in or around July 2020. Fernando further stressed that the said amount of money should be used to restore education as soon as possible. The World Bank stated that the said monetary provisions would help facilitate learning at home via tele-education and electronic learning for school children, especially in rural, smaller, and under-resourced schools.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Sri Lanka as a ‘home’ for digital nomads
This week saw new plans in this regard, with a focus on attracting “digital nomads”, a type of traveller Sri Lanka is not very familiar with. Promoting digital tourism in Sri LankaIn a novel step, Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities said they were looking into promoting “digital tourism” to earn more foreign exchange, in a bid to uplift the tourism industry and strengthen the national economy. While Sri Lanka is making plans to attract digital nomads, a number of other countries have already taken steps to ease their travelling activities. Only 30% of digital nomads report working over 40 hours per week, and van lifers (those living out of their vehicles, either full or part time) constitute 17% of American digital nomads. However, now that many countries have initiated and are considering initiating relaxed requirements for digital nomads, Sri Lanka will have some competition.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Strike to go on, with or without Stalin
The trade union action initiated by more than 15 teachers and principals’ trade unions continued for the third day yesterday (14). When contacted by The Morning, CTU President Priyantha Fernando said that the release of the group of activists including Stalin was only one of their demands. Therefore, we will further engage in trade union action until a reasonable solution is given,” he explained. We will continue trade union action until the other demands are met,” he noted. Teachers’ and principals trade unions had decided to withdraw from all online teaching activities from 12 July until further notice in protest over the arrest of a group of trade unionists and student activists including Stalin.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
HRCSL barred from Mullaitivu centre: FSP
BY Pamodi WaravitaThe Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday (14) alleged that officers from the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) have been denied entry to the Mullaitivu quarantine centre, where a number of protestors are being held in quarantine against their will since last week. At a press conference held yesterday, FSP Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda claimed that HRCSL officers who had gone to investigate the centre had been denied entry, which is a violation of the HRCSL Act, No. A total of six of them, including our Propaganda Secretary Duminda Nagamuwa, were forcibly sent to a quarantine centre in Pallekele although they were granted bail by the relevant Court. A protest had been held yesterday as well, headed by Nagamuwa, at the Pallekele quarantine centre. The Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) has meanwhile filed a habeas corpus writ petition yesterday regarding those held at the Mullaitivu quarantine centre.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Wildlife officers to quit field work
Speaking to The Morning, the All Ceylon Wildlife Officers’ Association (ACWOA) President Shanuka Ranawaka Arachchi said that although Wildlife Conservation officers on field duty are at high risk of contracting Covid-19, no programme has yet been implemented at the Departmental level to vaccinate them against Covid-19. When performing most of the duties, Wildlife Conservation officials have to associate with the community. Also, since such field officers also visit office premises, those who work at offices are also at risk. In protest over the same issue, several trade unions within the DWC withdrew from all field duties on 7 July. Accordingly, the Wildlife Conservation officers will be given the vaccines in the near future,” he added.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:33 UTC
BREAKING: Leading SL senior opening batsman OUT of India ODIs
Leading Sri Lanka senior opening batsman is reportedly out of the ODI series against India, starting on Sunday (18) at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The alleged reason for the dashing batsman’s possible ouster is considered to be a shoulder injury. But insiders told The Morning Sports that it is “a fake injury” which had been enacted since the said batsman was removed from his leadership role. BREAKING:Leading SL senior opening batsman OUT of India ODIs. The reason is considered to be a shoulder injury.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:22 UTC
You Can Make Instagram Less Addicting, If You Want
Use the Threads app to escape the Instagram feed vortexThe real secret to spending less time on Instagram, is to use a separate app from Instagram altogether. To set an alert for yourself, go to your profile in the Instagram app, tap the Menu button, and choose Your Activity. Plus, opening the Instagram website in a browser is an added (annoying) step, and that’s an additional roadblock. Limit your Instagram use to your computerAnother trick for spending less time on Instagram without full-on quitting is to have device separation. In other words, simply don’t use Instagram on your smartphone or tablet.Restrict use just to your computer (using the Instagram website).
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 17:26 UTC
Chrome will let you demand secure pages from every website
TL;DR Chrome 94 will offer an HTTPS-first mode that demands secure pages from every website. Google is determined to encourage secure web browsing in Chrome, and it will soon give you a way to force that security. The company has outlined plans for an “HTTPS-First Mode” in Chrome M94 that, as the name implies, will demand HTTPS connections to websites. Enable the optional mode and Chrome will try to upgrade every site load to HTTPS rather than use the best available connection. You may get more info when deciding to trust an insecure site, too.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 17:03 UTC
Antoine Griezmann's swap deal with Saul Niguez is back ON
Sportsmail understands that agreement is all-but finalised between the two clubs, but wage details still need to be worked out on both sides. Antoine Griezmann's (L) swap deal with Saul Niguez (R) is back on, with talks almost finalisedGriezmann had resisted leaving Barcelona after just two seasons and sources close to the player say he would not have left for any other club than Atletico, where he will reunite with Simeone. Saul has been the fall-guy in the last two seasons at Atletico, constantly moved from position to position, and frequently used at full-back where he feels least comfortable. The Saul–Griezmann swap helps them because the midfielder will earn less than the Frenchman and register as a reduction in their bloated wage bill. Sportsmail understands that Messi has agreed to take a 50 per cent pay-cut to sign a new five-year deal with Barcelona.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 15:56 UTC
Daily coronavirus case tally at 1,453
July 14, 2021 08:46 pmThe Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry reports that another 465 persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Sri Lanka, moving the daily total of new cases to 1,453. This brings the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus reported in the country to 279,059. As many as 253,014 recoveries and 3,611 deaths have been confirmed in Sri Lanka since the outbreak of the pandemic. The Epidemiology Unit’s data showed that 22,471 active cases are currently under medical care.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 15:11 UTC
Community COVID vaccine clinic at Viharamaha Devi Park from tomorrow
The general public above 30 years of age in the Western Province are able to receive the first dose of Sinopharm vaccine at the Colombo Viharamaha Devi Park open theatre from tomorrow (July 15), says Sri Lanka Army. The latest community vaccination centre will be manned by army medical teams. The vaccine clinic will be held between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm from tomorrow until further notice, the Army said further in a media release. The Army-managed community vaccination centre at Werahera-based 1 Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps Regiment HQ will continue the project as per usual, the statement read further. However, Battaramulla ‘Diyatha Uyana’ community vaccination centre will cease to function beginning from tomorrow until it resumes operations again on Monday (July 19) at 8.30 am and continues on Wednesday (July 21) as well, the Army added.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 14:48 UTC
Several teacher’s trade unions stage protest
July 14, 2021 by Aazam Ameen No CommentsSeveral trade unions including teacher’s unions staged a protest in Colombo today (14) against the arrest and release of a student on bail on charges of violating quarantine rules during a protest organized by the Students’ Movement for Free Education. Pics by Pradeep Dambarage
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 14:37 UTC
COVID- 988 new cases and 955 more recoveries reported
The Ministry of Health says 988 more persons were tested positive for the novel coronavirus today (July 14). This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the country thus far 278,507. According to official data, more than 21,000 virus-infected people are currently being treated at designated hospitals and treatment centres across the island. The recoveries count climbed to 253,014 today with 955 more patients who were under medical care for novel coronavirus returning to health. Meanwhile, the death toll from the pandemic outbreak in Sri Lanka reached 3,611 as the Director-General of Health Services confirmed 37 new fatalities today.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 14:03 UTC