Vertical integration in Sri Lanka’s apparel industry is one of the quickest ways to do that, said Sri Lanka Chamber of Garment Exporters (SLCGE) Secretary General Hemantha Perera. An apparel industry veteran himself, Perera noted that certain fabrics used for apparel production are currently being imported from regions that disqualify the manufactured product for tariff reductions under the EU’s GSP+ concessions. Synthetic fabric often has to be imported to Sri Lanka, making them ineligible for GSP+ concessions to the EU. At the same time, Dr. Silva indicated that those who assumed that Sri Lanka could do without GSP+ concessions at this stage were mistaken. The other speakers at the event included EU Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Denis Chaibi and Sri Lankan Ambassador to the EU Grace Asirwatham.

August 31, 2021 18:33 UTC

Sri Lanka is set to get a fresh influx of over $ 1.2 billion to boost its official foreign reserves which have fallen to an alarmingly low level of $ 2.8 billion in the recent past. Attygalle yesterday (31) announced that Sri Lanka was set to get an accumulated influx of $ 1.2 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Bangladesh, and China Development Bank (CDB). Bangladesh Bank grants the loan under a currency swap agreement it entered with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). The Opposition stated that Sri Lanka has fallen to such a low level to obtain loans from a country (Bangladesh) that used to export rice sacks to Sri Lanka. 12 of 2017 to include the provision for the increased rate of interest on SDAs.

August 31, 2021 18:33 UTC

You can also do this in a Smith machine instead of a squat rack. Many squat racks have a pullup bar already built in, and many houses have a doorway that’s well-suited to a doorway pullup bar. For example, I couldn’t buy the squat rack with the built-in pullup bar because my garage’s ceilings aren’t high enough. The barbell pullup bar was a perfect solution. (Always be considerate of others when using shared equipment, though; if somebody is waiting to do squats, don’t monopolize the squat rack if you do have other options.)

August 31, 2021 18:33 UTC

BY Buddhika SamaraweeraTwo State-owned companies have been instructed to purchase and distribute organic fertiliser produced locally by various companies and to distribute them among farmers through the Agrarian Development Department. (formerly the Colombo Commercial Company Ltd.) and the Ceylon Fertiliser Company Ltd.“Local companies are currently manufacturing organic fertiliser according to their capacity. Ranasinghe also said that all organic fertiliser products purchased in this manner should comply with the standards introduced by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI). Attygalle, speaking to The Morning, said that no chemical fertiliser would be imported in bulk as had been done previously. The list includes nitrogen fertiliser, phosphate fertiliser, potassium fertiliser, fertilisers containing such minerals and chemical fertilisers containing a combination of fertilising elements.

August 31, 2021 18:00 UTC

By Will Griffee For MailonlinePublished: 13:10 EDT, 31 August 2021 | Updated: 13:25 EDT, 31 August 2021Real Madrid have secured the signing of Eduardo Camavinga on a deal running until 2027. The Spanish club saw off competition from Manchester United to recruit the 18-year-old France international having had a bid of £27million plus add-ons accepted by Rennes. Eduardo Camavinga, seen here in action for France, has agreed a deal to join Real MadridThe club announced his signing with a short message on their website. It read: 'Real Madrid CF and Stade Rennais FC have agreed to transfer the player Eduardo Camavinga, who will remain linked to the club for the next six seasons, until June 30, 2027.' PSG were also interested in the youngster but it is Real who stole a march on their rivals to secure the teen on a long-term contract.

August 31, 2021 18:00 UTC





BY Pamodi WaravitaFollowing the launch of Sri Lanka’s roadmap to reduce urban food waste in mid-August, Environment Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe told The Morning yesterday (31) that the ultimate aim of the roadmap is to halve the amount of urban food waste by 2030. In order to reduce urban food waste, we must first begin with major hotel chains, caterers, small hotels, and then finally, domestic households. The goal is to reduce food wastage in urban areas by about 50% by 2030,” said Dr. Jasinghe. “This programme is focused not only on the management of the consequences of food waste, but also on its minimisation. Food waste minimisation helps in resource conservation and reduces the impact of climate change by reducing the amount of methane gas which is released into the atmosphere as a result of food waste piling up in dumpsites,” Dr. Jasinghe had said at the launch.

August 31, 2021 18:00 UTC

“SriLankan Airlines has launched a special promotional campaign to promote Sri Lanka as an attractive destination in Russia, and Sri Lankans wishing to attend the inaugural visit to Russia also had the opportunity to attend during this tour. According to the Ministry, investment opportunities between Sri Lanka and Russia were expanded during this visit, and accordingly, the Government is ready to provide the necessary support to Russian investors to invest in Sri Lanka. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, new tourism investment approvals of $ 879.94 million have been submitted in the recent past. New tourism investment proposals worth $ 34 million were made during the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Last year, there were 49,400 Russian tourists before Sri Lanka closed its borders in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.

August 31, 2021 17:37 UTC

BY Dinitha RathnayakeCollege of Medical Laboratory Science President Ravi Kumudesh claimed that hospital authorities are not taking action to prevent the spread of Covid-19 among healthcare personnel and staff. He said that this situation can easily be prevented by having the facility perform rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests, rapid antigen tests (RATs) and antibody tests in the out-patient departments (OPDs) when a patient enters a hospital. Kumudesh added that the Health Ministry should encourage the heads of hospitals to have these tests conducted on-site. “Medical laboratory scientists have already volunteered to revive the process, but the authorities have not responded to our requests for eight months now.”He alleged that the Health Ministry administration has become a puppet of “some so-called experts” who have lined up to defend the various monopolies and trade mafias within the Health Ministry, thereby placing the hospital staff and the public at great peril. Health Ministry Communications Director Dr. Hematha Herath was not available for comment.

August 31, 2021 17:37 UTC

BY Dinitha RathnayakeThe three-member Advisory Board that was recently appointed under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 (PTA), as amended, is to hold a meeting with the participation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa after the present lockdown ends. Speaking to The Morning, Presidential Secretariat Director – Legal Affairs Harigupta Rohanadeera said the allocation of logistics has already begun on 30 August in order for the Advisory Board to be provided with Zoom facilities. He also said that the President will participate in an upcoming meeting with said Advisory Board that was appointed by him in accordance with Section 13 of the PTA. Rohanadeera further said that the prisoners who had no opportunity to make representations on their rights, since an Advisory Board had not been instituted in a long time, will now be given the opportunity to submit their issues with the appointment of this Advisory Board.

August 31, 2021 17:37 UTC

BY Pamodi WaravitaThe Association of the Relatives of the Disappeared – Northern and Eastern Provinces has written to the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (HCHR), Michelle Bachelet, stating they lack faith in the current Office on Missing Persons (OMP) and has requested her to ensure that an appropriate judicial mechanism is formulated to investigate the plight of missing persons in the country. “Only a woman can understand the plight of another woman. “Hence, the international community and the UN should accept the fact that the OMP is incapable, and should therefore advise the Sri Lankan Government to abolish the OMP immediately. The UNHRC is due to hear the oral update by the Office of the UNHCR and Bachelet on the situation of human rights in Sri Lanka at its upcoming session, which will begin on 13 September. Furthermore, criticisms have been levelled, by many parties, at the current Government for appointing former Police Chief Jayantha Wickramaratne as a Member of the OMP.

August 31, 2021 17:37 UTC

BY Pamodi WaravitaA two-month-old baby was yesterday (31) identified with the post-Covid-19 disease known as the Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome In Children Temporally Associated With Covid-19 (MIS-C). “We received news that two children have been identified with MIS-C. One of them is a two-month-old baby. “The three children at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, with MIS-C, are recovering,” Dr. Kithulwatta said. Dr. Kithulwatta explained to The Morning that it is however more commonly observed in children between the ages of eight and 15 years. Sri Lanka has so far experienced three deaths due to MIS-C,” Dr. Kithulwatta further said.

August 31, 2021 17:37 UTC

Current Head of national cricket selectors Pramodya WickramasinghePakistan A will be arriving here in Sri Lanka mid October, ending a long drought of A-team cricket in the country. The two teams are scheduled to play two unofficial (four-day) test matches and three one-day games, a senior Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) executive committee official confirmed to the Morning Sports last week. Sri Lanka A played India in India during May-June 2019 under Ashan Priyanjan’s captaincy. Many of the players in the national A side then are now featuring in the main Sri Lanka national team. Sri Lanka are expected to allow many young and emerging talents in the current structure to play in the Pakistan A series, which will be utilised by the selectors as an opportunity to earmark future national players.

August 30, 2021 19:30 UTC

Now, horror streamer Shudder is diving in with Superhost, from writer/director Brandon Christensen. Shudder Time to scream with this horror streaming service Horror movie fans will find a lot to watch with the Shudder streaming service. It serves up a collection of classic and contemporary horror movies to chill you to your core. Checking in to SuperhostYouTubers Teddy and Claire run the Superhost channel, where they profile different vacation rental hosts. This is where Superhost really shines.

August 30, 2021 19:07 UTC

Resistance forces in Afghanistan have vowed to continue in their fight against the Taliban as they trained in the Panjshir Valley, a strategic fortress which sits north of Kabul. Elsewhere, others resistance members, dressed in military gear and carrying weapons, were spotted marching through the deserted streets of the mountain enclave. It comes as the Taliban claimed they were sending hundreds of fighters to the region and had the Panjshir surrounded. Now Mr Massoud has vowed to fight on to the last and defend the 170,000 residents of the Panjshir. The Northern Alliance tweeted: 'Earlier this morning, resistance forces got a first support from Tajikistan helicopters have imported enough equipment, guns, full-ammunitions & foods.

August 30, 2021 18:56 UTC

COLOMBO (News 1st); Samagi Jana Balawega MP Nalin Bandara on Monday (30) lodged a complaint with the CID requesting an immediate inquiry into the deletion of the National Drug Regulatory Authority’s files from the Lanka Government Cloud. He pointed out in his complaint that the sudden disappearance of sensitive data of the Drug Regulatory Authority is an action against the provisions of Sections 24 and 130 of the National Drug Regulatory Authority Act No. Meanwhile, Dr. Rukshan Bellana, Chairman of the Government Medical Officers’ Forum says that the loss of sensitive information can be seen as a mafia attack. He mentioned that the Ministry of Health and the Secretary to the Ministry of Health are responsible for this attack. He added that an investigation into the matter should be launched after arresting the relevant suspects.

August 30, 2021 18:56 UTC