Ranindu Liyanage loses hard fought opener
The Grandmaster was strong and Liyanage, having less time in his clock, made the game in favour of the Russian. The FIDE Chess World Cup, conducted by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) an organised by the Russian Government and the Russian Chess Federation, is in progress from 10 July to 8 August. All the top players in the world including the world chess champion Magnus Carson are competing for the supremacy in the chess world in this event. FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich made the ceremonial opening of the FIDE World Cup on Monday at the Galaxy Entertainment and Leisure Complex Sochi, Russia at 3 p.m. Russian time. The FIDE World Cup winner will receive nearly Rs.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 19:52 UTC
Increase female nominees to Polls by 30%
The Caucus has called to ensure a gender balance of 30% females – 70% males at all levels of governance – the Parliament, Provincial Councils and Local Government, while urging that the minimum of 25% quota for women guaranteed under the Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) Act, No. 16 of 2017 be retained without any amendments. Further recommendations include 33% women’s representation in all statutory bodies, boards and commissions and to consider allocating exclusive electorate divisions for female representatives, which is already practiced in a number of other countries. The WPC has also proposed that 33% of all leadership positions, committee positions, executive positions, and working committee memberships in a given party structure or hierarchy should be held by women. There are currently only 12 women serving in the Parliament.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 19:52 UTC
A YOUNG BOY WITH BIG DREAMS
Bandara, Principal of his school Sri Dheerananda National School, Pilimatalawe, KandyFrom time to time, we come across sports people who make an immediate impact on you. The officials of the SLABA, including its President Dian Gomez who himself was in attendance to watch the young boxers in action, could certainly take a bow. With his two elder brothers having taken part in boxing, Kavindu had taken up boxing in January 2018 under the tutelage of the school boxing coach K.K. With it being his first taste of international boxing, he had lost to a fighter from Thailand there. Afterwards, he had taken part in the Schools Boxing Meet in the early part of 2020 at Kamburupitiya in Matara and had won the gold medal.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 19:52 UTC
Google will pay $590 million fine in latest legal headache
TL;DR France has fined Google the equivalent of $590 million for allegedly failing to negotiate deals with news publishers in ‘good faith.’ Google has two months to propose compensation for news content. Android Central noted that Google has agreed to pay a €500 million fine (about $590 million) after France’s competition regulator (Autorité de la concurrence) determined the search giant hadn’t negotiated news content deals “in good faith” with publishers. It pressed companies to negotiate deals for the News Showcase (which repackages stories as elaborate presentations) while giving up income from search. The French fine is the latest in a long string of legal trouble for Google. Google might not have choice but to rethink much of its behavior if it wants to avoid more legal repercussions.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 19:52 UTC
On This Day – 14 July
He is one of the greatest cricketing heroes Sri Lanka produced. He played a pivotal role in Arjuna Ranatunga’s World Cup-winning team in the 1990s1967 – Former Sri Lankan Test captain Hashan Tillakaratne was born today. His career at the highest level looked to be over until he was recalled to the Sri Lankan side in 2001-02. In five Tests against India, Bangladesh and West Indies, he made 549 runs and was dismissed only once. This humdinger of a game that no one deserved to lose, and no one did, was tied at the end of the 50th, and so was the Super Over that followed.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 19:41 UTC
A lesson in ‘Dutch courage’
Sri Lanka rarely sees politicians that openly regret and apologise for their actions, even if their decisions and actions had caused national-level crises, and the country’s history has ample examples for it. The sad truth is, complacency has cost Sri Lanka things too numerous to mention. In the several weeks that followed, Piliyandala became one of the areas in the Western Province that recorded a higher number of Covid-19 cases. However, Sri Lanka did not hear any apology or see anyone taking at least part of the responsibility. It is a non-alcoholic “Dutch courage” that Sri Lanka’s politicians and administrators badly need a sip of.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 19:41 UTC
Drug traffickers get dolled up
BY Dinitha RathnayakeDrug traffickers are resorting to the use of various methods to transport narcotic substances from Colombo to various destinations, such as through the employment of courier services to send packages of drugs in the form of gifts, information received by the Police revealed. The Police had received information about a gift that was sent to Anuradhapura through a courier service centre. The Police Narcotic Bureau (PNB) had subsequently recovered a doll with narcotic substances concealed inside, which had been couriered as a gift to the Anuradhapura area. This had led to the arrest of the drug trafficker going by the alias “Kudu Noni” in Slave Island over the incident. There have been previous instances reported in the country where animals such as birds and cats too were used as drug mules to transport drugs.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 19:30 UTC
Piyal Wijetunge to be SL’s temporary Coach!
As the entire Sri Lanka coaching staff was under quarantine –following Batting Coach Grant Flower’s and Data Analyst of the Sri Lanka national team G.T. Niroshan’s* Covid-19 positive reports last week– SLC Spin Bowling Coach Piyal Wijetunge had been nominated by SLC to temporarily overlook the national team’s training, The Morning Sports learnt last afternoon. A series SLC cannot missThe India white-ball series, which consists of six limited-over games –three ODIs and three T20Is respectively– are to be held now from 18 to 29 July at Khettarama under lights. ‘Everyone pulling on one direction’This unhealthy development, which is reported from the most recent and much-respected three Sri Lanka Captains, is only for the detriment of an already distraught Sri Lanka side. * We inadvertently said in our sports-page lead story on Monday (12 July) that the Data Analyst of the Sri Lanka team, who tested positive for Covid-19, was Shirantha Niroshan.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 18:56 UTC
Mahanama to replace Mickey Arthur after World Cup?
Arthur will most likely be replaced permanently by Sri Lanka World Cup-winning batsman Roshan Mahanama, the source added. In June he joined as the Head Coach of Australian Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Melbourne Renegades. Yet he was removed as Head Coach of Pakistan following their poor run which continued into the 2019 World Cup. Flower, a former Zimbabwe all-rounder, had also worked with Arthur during the latter’s Pakistan stint, again as the Batting Coach. Until then Wijetunge, who is current Spin Bowling Coach attached to SLC, will look after the Sri Lanka squad’s overall coaching.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 18:33 UTC
End of the pandemic?
July 13, 2021 by Revatha No CommentsAs England opened gates for fans in sports, two major iconic events were held on Sunday (11); the Wimbledon men’s tennis finals and the Euro 2020 football finals, also involving England as one of the two finalists. The massive crowds that flocked to the two venues in London carried us back to the post-Covid normalcy. No face masks or no social distancing as fans cheered the heroes, chanting, singing, dancing, jumping, and hugging each other. Are we on the verge of ending the darkest times of our lives? Sports probably have shown those signs quite glaringly.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 18:22 UTC
Anusha Palpita appointed secretary to PM s new ministry
Development Lotteries Board (DLB) Chairman Anusha Palpita has been appointed as the Secretary to the newly-established Ministry of Economic Policies and Plan Implementation. Last month, it was reported that the former Secretary to the Ministry of Industries had written to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, seeking a premature retirement. The Senior Sri Lanka Administrative Officer has previously served as Director General of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) as well as the Additional Secretary to Ministry of Home Affairs. A Special Grade Officer of Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS), he was appointed as the Secretary to the Ministry of Industries when the incumbent government came to power. Accordingly, Palpita will be serving as the secretary of the prime minister’s new ministry.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 17:37 UTC
Sri Lanka to implement program to attract digital tourists
The Cabinet of Ministers has given the approval to implement an action plan to promote Sri Lanka as a favorable destination for digital tourists and to introduce a long-term visa category for them. The program is expected to be kicked off by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau. “People who use digital technology for their livelihood and travel around the world as tourists are called digital tourists. Sri Lanka will be able to earn more foreign exchange by attracting digital tourists into the country and providing them with facilities required to stay longer, the Govt. Information Department pointed out.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 15:56 UTC
Deaths among hospitalized COVID-19 patients almost halved during 2020
COVID-19 deaths among hospitalized patients nearly halved after surging in the early months of the pandemic, a new study finds. In March and April 2020, nearly one in five patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. died of the disease. Researchers developed models that can predict a Covid patient's clinical outcomes based on measurements taken the day they arrive at the hospital. About 6,600 patients - 20.2 percent of the hospitalized group - had a severe clinical outcome. Other common conditions among the more severe patients included older age, male sex, liver disease, dementia, and obesity.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 15:33 UTC
Sri Lanka’s Ageing Population and The Challenges it Presents
Demographic experts have explained that a contributor towards economic growth comes from dividends gained by a country’s government when its working population exceeds dependents (elderly and children). As Sri Lanka’s working population ages, its productivity also shows a decline due to physical and cognitive hindrances caused by ageing. By encouraging greater participation of women in the country’s labour force, the percentage of dependents of the population can be reduced. Prior to changes in the working age, a new set of population necessities such as visual and hearing aids and mobility equipment for an efficient working senior population, also needs to be addressed. Thus, areas such as palliative care and senior citizen psychology will have to develop with the ageing population of Sri Lanka.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 15:00 UTC
How To Engage Your Community Via Facebook Groups
Facebook groups are one marketing strategy that everyone underestimates when they’re trying to think of ways to generate leads and engagement. However, while most use Facebook groups to simply gain referral traffic, it isn’t necessarily the best way to leverage the power of these groups. The following Facebook group tips can help you do so for free. Posting one of these items lets your group members share their thoughts or opinions, interact with you, and interact with each other. Bottom LineThese seven quick Facebook group tips can help you engage with and grow a lively audience all centered around your products, services, or brand.
Source:The Nation
July 13, 2021 14:37 UTC