Staying true to its calling as the National Body of Accountants, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka) unveiled a unique loan scheme which paves way for its massive student base to purchase laptops on an easy payment scheme facilitated by two leading banks. Students who obtain the loan, can settle it within 12, 24, 36 or 48 months. In December 2020, CA Sri Lanka introduced the virtual exam with over 1900 Corporate and Strategic Level students sitting for it. Subsequently, in March this year, at the Corporate and Strategic Level physical exam, over 4500 candidates sat for the exam. This loan scheme is one such initiative,” Mr. Jayesinghe added.

Slowing down the grape ripening process can improve the quality of the berry and result in increased levels of chemicals linked to more pleasing notes, a study has shown. They grew Cabernet Sauvignon wine grapes at a commercial vineyard in the San Joaquin Valley in California then tweaked their growing conditions over time. Wine grapes are particularly finicky when it comes to their environment, according to corresponding author Professor Christopher Ford. In experiments at a commercial winery in San Joaquin Valley in California, ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon wine grapes was speeded up or delayed. Higher frequencies of heat and drought have had remarkable repercussions for grape and wine quality traits.

The Ministry of Health says 1,180 more persons were tested positive for the novel coronavirus today (June 30). All new cases have been associated with the New Year COVID-19 cluster. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the country thus far 258,405. As per statistics, more than 29,000 virus-infected people are currently being treated at designated hospitals and treatment centres across the island. Meanwhile, the recoveries count climbed to 225,952 today as 2,481 patients who were under medical care for novel coronavirus had returned to health.

Kanya D’Almeida has been declared the overall winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, for a “captivating” tale set in a Sri Lankan “sanctuary for the forsaken”, thebookseller.com reported today (30)D’Almeida, from Sri Lanka, was named the winner by actress Dona Croll in an online ceremony on 30th June. D’Almeida, who won for her story “I Cleaned The—”, is the first Sri Lankan to win the overall prize and the second to win for the Asia region. “I Cleaned The—”, is a story about “dirty work”—domestic labour, abandonment, romantic encounters behind bathroom doors and human waste. Commenting on her win, she said: “Winning the Commonwealth Short Story prize during this moment of global upheaval feels like a tremendous honour and an equally tremendous responsibility. I’ve long felt that fiction is the last ‘free’ place on earth in which to fully envision (and execute!)

With ambitious game-changing companies redefining growth in 2021 and beyond, Extreme SEO Internet Solutions has now rebranded as Prime One Global LLC. Prime One Global is a full-service performance marketing agency founded in 2008 and headquartered in Sri Lanka with an office in the USA. It is an entrepreneur-owned, globally recognised, Award-Winning Multinational performance marketing agency specialising in performance marketing that encompasses performance, inbound, and omnichannel marketing. They intend to keep growing and expanding its service and implementing the latest performance marketing tactics geared for their client’s needs. They create personalised and target solutions, blending technology with proven performance marketing policies.

Many of the ship’s 1,486 containers tumbled into the sea before the mammoth blaze was put out earlier this week. The MV X-Press Pearl contained 278 tonnes of bunker fuel oil, 50 tonnes of gas oil, and about 20 containers of lubricating oil. The butterfly effect it continues to have and will have on future industries, communities, and our ecosystem is at debilitating apocalyptic proportions. The magnitude of this incident will dissipate, and with it, the media hype surrounding this calamity will also periodically subside. It isn’t only the fishing industry and the communities therein, but many related industries that are devastated.

But the dream of its inventor has now become a reality after the 'AirCar' completed its first ever inter-city flight in Slovakia. Engine: Prototype 1 has a 160 horsepower fixed-propeller engine but Prototype 2 will be equipped with a 300 horsepower engine. 'This flight starts a new era of dual transportation vehicles,' said Professor Klein after getting out of the AirCar cockpit. AirCar has wings that unfurl and a single propeller at the rear. AirCar Prototype 2, the pre-production model, will be equipped with a 300 horsepower engine and is expected to have a cruise speed of 300km/h (186mph) and range of 1,000km (621 miles).

The National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) has issued an updated announcement on the isolation orders. Thereby, the following 06 localities will be under isolation orders from 6.00 am today (June 30) until further notice:Monaragala DistrictBibila Police Area• Kanulwela GN DivisionKegalle DistrictWarakapola Police Area• Niyadurupola 1,2,3 and 4 estates in Hallawa GN DivisionDehiowita Police Area• Devalakanda Watta area in Kannagama GN Division• Pambegama Watta area in Godampola GN DivisionKalutara DistrictDodangoda Police Area• Eladuwa Watta area in Eladuwa GN DivisionGalle DistrictElpitiya Police Area• Divithura Eastate in Old Colony GN DivisionMeanwhile, the isolation orders issued on the following 05 areas have been lifted from this morning:Kalutara DistrictKalutara South Police Area• Minnerithenna Tsunami VillageGampaha DistrictMeegahawatta Police Area• Upul Wasantha Road in Siyambalapewatta GN DivisionMatale DistrictLaggala Police Area• Kavulawadiya GN Division• Guruwela GN DivisionKegalle DistrictDehiowita Police Area• Denseworth Watta area in Algoda GN Division

Kusal Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga added 99 runs for the fourth wicket. Put to bat Sri Lanka collapsed either side of a 99-run partnership between Kusal Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga to be bowled out for 185 runs. They lost their first three wickets for 46 runs, and their last seven for 40. With Sri Lanka ranked ninth on the ODI rankings, this was already looking like a mismatch, before they lost six of their players. While Perera and Hasaranga were at the crease, however, there was mild hope that Sri Lanka might muster a somewhat creditable total.

This project was initiated by the Ministry of Health (MOH), guided by Dr. Asela Gunawardena – Director General of Health Services, in collaboration with the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) under the directive of the President and the minister of health. The fully-fledged integrated home-based care solution will help reduce the burden on the hospital healthcare system and support COVID-19 patients presenting mild or no symptoms with a practical and hassle-free recovery process. The objective of the 1390 home-based care solution is to provide maximum comfort to asymptomatic patients, enabling them to be isolated at home while also being remotely monitored by a qualified doctor. The entire programme is administered, facilitated and governed by the MOH under the guidance of Secretary Health and Director General Health Services. The 1390 trilingual service is free of charge for all Sri Lankans, and it can be accessed by dialling 1390 from any network.

The Presence/Absence of the Definite Article ‘The’ in Other LanguagesAgainst the backdrop of English, having only one definite article ‘the’, in Spanish one needs to choose from among four definite article, namely, el, la, los and las. We will, therefore, explore the specifics of the subject proper, that is, the use, misuse and non-use of THE in the English language. Professor of Modern English Language at the University of Birmingham, and who pioneered work in corpus linguistics, discourse analysis, lexicography, and language teaching, says that “the English word ‘the’ is by far the commonest word in English”. Further, apart from THE being one of the important grammatical words of the English language, on its own it does not have any absolute/real meaning. The errors found were of two main types, the omission of the definite article, and the incorrect addition of the definite article.

Media in Germany today lamented the 2-0 loss against England, after Gareth Southgate's squad knocked the national team out of the Euro 2020 at Wembley. Those watching at home were 'absolutely devastated' at the defeat, and in a cruel turn of the weather, the heavens opened in Berlin in the minute the whistle sounded. Photographs from beer gardens in the capital show gutted football fans huddling under umbrellas and outdoor shelters following the loss tonight. Local media echoed their frustration, with tabloid newspaper Bild declaring 'It's all over, we're out,' and Abendzeitung München lamenting the 'bitter' loss. Many German fans were forced to watch the Euros clash from home due to the pandemic, with the BBC reporting the atmosphere in a Berlin beer hall was quiet following the defeat.

It might have been introduced with the best of intentions but it has been a mess. OK, it is too simplistic to say it was just about one of the most one-sided series possible. Nobody emphasises the pickle England have got themselves into regarding when their best players should be used more than Moeen Ali. George Garton deserves a game in one of the remaining matches to see how far he's comeThen there is our fifth choice. Yet he has not given the selectors much of a nudge until his surprise call-up for the ODI series against Sri Lanka.

Photographs from Croydon in south London capture hundreds of football fans jumping to their feet as England secured its first major victory over Germany since the 1966 World Cup final. Those in Birmingham and Manchester embraced their friends and climbed on top of tables after Gareth Southgate's men secured England a place in the Euro 2020 quarter finals. And, just seconds before the half time whistle was blown, England captain Harry Kane had the ball robbed from him with the Germany goal wide open after a brilliant run by Raheem Sterling. Both England captain Kane and his German counterpart Neuer are wearing rainbow armbands in support of Pride month during tonight's showdown. While West Ham player Declan Rice given a yellow card in the first ten minutes, Sterling quickly raised England fans' hopes with an early long-range shot that tested German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

While the locals took to the streets demanding a suitable road, the PS Chairman and others had reportedly assaulted a group of protestors. Dissanayake said that locals in the area and Balagalla had already filed a complaint against the Rideemaliyadda PS Chairman and other Members of the said PS who allegedly assaulted the JVP politician and several others. A protest was organised by the JVP in Rideemaliyadda calling for the culprits to be arrested. When the people of Mahiyanganaya are fighting for the safety of their lives, thugs who came in vehicles belonging to the Rideemaliyadda PS assaulted the protesters. Attempts to contact the Rideemaliyadda PS Chairman Nishantha Jayasundara proved futile.