Colombo, July 9th 2021 — Expanding digital accessibility at a time of increasing demand for online transactions, Nations Trust Bank entered into a strategic partnership agreement with Paycorp International to launch innovative and safer payment capabilities, benefiting both Nations Trust Bank American Express merchant business partners as well as Cardmembers. As an authorised payment aggregator for Nations Trust Bank American Express, Diners Club and Discover Network card payments, Paycorp International supports the Bank’s merchant business partners to offer Cardmembers a seamless online payment experience that is secure and encrypted. This partnership will enable a seamless plug-and-play solution that we believe is a unique benefit to our wide network of business merchant partners.”Furthermore, Nations Trust Bank American Express merchant business partners will be able to utilise the Paycorp International IPG merchant portal to view American Express, Diners Club and Discover Network transactions processed via Nations Trust Bank. Evan Lau, Director of Bancstac said, “We are excited to partner with Nations Trust Bank to bring innovative payment capabilities to Sri Lanka. Through bank partners such as Nations Trust Bank, our PCI DSS Level 1 certified IPG makes it easy for businesses, governments and communities to facilitate secure e-commerce transactions.”Post Views: 4

COLOMBO (News 1st); The appeals filed by SLPP MP Premalal Jayasekera and two others with the Court of Appeal will be taken up on the 07th of September. The appeals were filed by Premalal Jayasekera, Ex-Provincial Council Member Nilantha Jayasinghe and Ex-Kahawatte Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Vajira Darshan request that the death sentences imposed on them by the Ratnapura High Court be made null and they be released and acquitted from all the indictments. On the 31st of July 2020, the trio was sentenced to death by the Ratnapura High Court on the indictments of shooting dead one person and injuring two others. The appeals were called up in the presence of Justices Bandula Karunaratne and R. Gurusinghe.

Once released Unity's rocket motor engages 'within seconds', according to Virgin Galactic. Sir Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Galactic Branson will evaluate the private astronaut experience and will undergo the same training, preparation and flight as Virgin Galactic's future astronauts. 'Virgin Galactic still has tests to come, and this is the time for me to assess the astronaut experience. It is set to include the pilots plus four as yet unnamed Virgin Galactic employees. Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, along with Elon Musk's SpaceX, are competing head-to-head in the emerging space tourism business.

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has decided to revisit the methodology of the computation of the ASPI to determine the possibility of index movements being linked to the public float (as opposed to the total market capitalization as is current practice) of listed company constituents of the index. This would allow the ASPI to more accurately reflect the price movements of the overall stock market in relation to shares that are freely traded. The CSE will also review enforcement rules pertaining to the securities of listed companies which are transferred to the Second Board due to non-compliance with the minimum public holding requirement with the objective of discouraging such companies from remaining on the said Second Board for excessive periods of time. Post Views: 2

COLOMBO (News 1st): The rate of Dengue patients reported in Sri Lanka has risen significantly in the past three weeks, the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) said. “Within the past 03-weeks, more than 700 Dengue patients were reported every week adding that the situation is likely to further worsen,” Community Physician Specialist Dr. Himali Herath told News 1st on Friday (Jul. Based on data at the Epidemiology Unit, during the course of this year, 9361 Dengue patients have been reported in the country so far, with 34% of the cases reported in the Western Province, Dr. Herath pointed out. According to Dr. Himali Herath, 10 districts in the country have been identified as Dengue High-Risk Zones including the Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara districts. “Measures are underway to conduct Dengue Eradication programs across the country,” Community Physician Specialist Dr. Himali Herath noted.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued a Gazette Extraordinary further amending the institutional and legal framework of the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry Economic Policies and Plan Implementation. As per the communiqué, published on Thursday (July 08), three institutions which were previously under the purview of the Finance Ministry have been listed under the Economic Policies and Plan Implementation Ministry. Thereby, the Central Cultural Fund, the Buddha Sasana Fund and the Buddhist Renaissance Fund will now function under PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. The institutions gazetted under the Ministry Economic Policies and Plan Implementation are as follows:1. Department of Management Servicesv. Department of External Resourcesvi.

Opposition Lawmakers in Sri Lanka have strongly condemned the forced quarantine of trade union activists who were arrested on Thursday (08) following multiple protests in Colombo. He said it is a person’s fundamental right to assemble while the state cannot force a person to be taken away to areas like Mullaithivu to undergo quarantine as per the quarantine law. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told the house that Sri Lanka Police is not the competent authority in enforcing the quarantine laws. ‘The Director-General of Health Services is the competent authority to enforce the quarantine law and not the police,’ he stressed. JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake alleged the quarantine law is being used to forcefully abduct the common man.

The validity period of all types of visas obtained by foreigners residing in Sri Lanka has been extended by 30 days, says the Department of Immigration and Emigration. Accordingly, the visa extension will be effective from July 09 (Friday) until August 08. Instructions for Tourist Visa holders to get endorsed visas:Tourist Visa holders can follow one of the following methods to make payments for the extension of visa and to get visa endorsement. To obtain Tourist Visa, the tourist visa holders are advised to pay the relevant visa fee and get the visa extension via the below mentioned link on or before August 08: https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/02. Instructions for Resident Visa holders:The visa extension from July 09, 2021 to August 08, 2021 also applies to all resident visa holders.

ZTE is currently the only company that is commercially selling a smartphone with а selfie camera hidden under the display and it's about to release its second generation any moment now. We expect the Samsung Galaxy Fold3 to also adopt the tech, Oppo has also been working on a solution, and now Huawei is on its way to join them after patenting a smartphone with a UPC. The official documents came with illustrations that were used by the folks over at LetsGoDigital to create renders of the phone. It looks a lot like the Honor X20 SE with its camera island and overall design, but of course patent drawings don't have to reflect the actual upcoming products, so it may be something else entirely. The actual patent was filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), which is little surprise as China is Huawei's only major market when it comes to smartphones these days.

COLOMBO (News 1st): There is a possibility that COVID-19 patients infected with the new LAMBDA variant of the virus, could be detected in Sri Lanka at any time, the Ministry of Health said. “NO patients infected with the LAMBDA variant were reported in Sri Lanka as of now, despite cases of the LAMBDA variant being reported across the world. However, cases of the LAMBDA variant could be reported in Sri Lanka at any time and health authorities are vigilant regarding the matter,” Dr. Hemantha Herath, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services told reporters on Thursday (Jul. According to Dr. Hemantha Herath, samples obtained from across the country are being tested for the LAMBDA variant at the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of the Sri Jayawardenapura University. Moreover, no measures, in particular, can be taken to prevent the LAMBDA variant, Dr. Herath pointed out, adding “Measures can only be taken to prevent the COVID-19 virus from entering the country through returnees and travellers who visit Sri Lanka.”

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued an extraordinary gazette further amending the new ministerial portfolio titled, “Minister of Economic Policies & Plan Implementation.”According to the extraordinary gazette issued on Thursday, the 08th of July, the Buddha Sasana Fund, Buddhist Renaissance Fund, and the Central Cultural Fund, which were listed under the Ministry of Finance, will NOW come under the purview of the Ministry of Economic Policies & Plan Implementation. The Ministry of Economic Policies and Plan Implementation was established through an extraordinary gazette issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday (Jul. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was sworn in as the new Minister of Economic Policies and Plan Implementation before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday (08).

The remaining stock of Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccines will be rolled out among the fisherfolk in Mannar area, says the Commander of Sri Lanka Army. “Some countries do not allow the entry of non-vaccinated individuals while some countries accept only Pfizer vaccine recipients,” General Shavendra Silva explained. A consignment of 26,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines purchased by the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation (SPC) had arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday morning (July 05). Sri Lanka is expecting 26,000 more doses of Pfizer vaccine next week and another 60,000 and 90,000 more in the third and fourth weeks of July respectively. Speaking further, General Shavendra Silva stated that 2,315 students who are going abroad for higher studies have registered themselves to receive the Sinopharm vaccine.

By Aazam AmeenAfter yesterday’s (08) conclusion of Supreme Court proceedings which heard the case of the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition requesting the release of Parliamentarian and Leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Rishad Bathiudeen, who is currently being detained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), The Morning learnt that his detention order may be converted into a restraining order. Speaking to The Morning, Bathiudeen’s lawyer Rushdie Habeeb stated that a request to convert the detention order into a restraining order is being considered by the Attorney General. Further, Habeeb explained that if the same is approved, Bathiudeen will be able to remain at home and move around within the geographical limits of the order. However, when The Morning asked Habeeb if international eyes were watching over the Court’s proceedings, he stated that no such observer was present. We are not aware of the reply given to the IPU by the Supreme Court Registrar in this regard,” Habeeb said.

July 9, 2021 by Mihi Perera No CommentsIn the past day, 266 people have been arrested for violating quarantine laws. Police said they were arrested for not wearing masks and not keeping distance. So far 48,808 people have been arrested for violating quarantine laws. Police also said that 205 persons who were attempting to cross the border violating active travel restrictions were diverted.

Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Finance says that if there are any shortcomings in the decisions taken by the government so far, it will be rectified and the country will be rebuilt. After assuming duties as the new Minister, the Minister went to pay homage to the Bellanwila Temple and expressed his views to the media. The Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa who visited the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya first called on the Chief Incumbent. It was only after that that, the Minister received blessings by participating in religious ceremonies. Speaking to the media following the ceremony, Basil Rajapaksa said that he will strive to provide relief for the people and that the President will take a decision based on the overall economy.