Ryan-Thomas Shaw / Android AuthorityTL;DR OnePlus has accidentally listed the Nord 2 on its website, confirming its existence. OnePlus announced a rather interesting deal for Europe yesterday (May 25) as it offered Stadia Premiere Edition with every new OnePlus device sold. The OnePlus website has all the details, but it looks like the company accidentally confirmed something else too. The OnePlus website FAQ section briefly listed the Nord 2 as a qualifying phone for this deal too (h/t: Android Police), alongside the likes of the OnePlus 9 series, OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8T, and the original Nord. OnePlus has since removed the Nord 2 mention, but Android Police took a screenshot of it, seen below.

WhatsApp and the Indian government’s recent tug-of-war has taken another turn. The Facebook-owned company has now filed a legal complaint against the Indian government in a bid to declare its new social media laws unconstitutional. Notably, this law doesn’t just affect WhatsApp, but every other social media and messaging firm, too. WhatsApp’s push back against the Indian government comes after it announced controversial changes to its own privacy policy. Nevertheless, WhatsApp believes the Indian government’s new laws could “lead to real abuse,” it told Axios in a statement.

Another 500,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine donated by the Chinese government were brought to Sri Lanka this morning (26). The consignment of vaccines was brought to the Katunayake airport by a special aircraft belonging to SriLankan Airlines. Sri Lanka had previously received 600,000 doses of the vaccine as a grant from the Chinese government. The Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka has officially handed over the consignment of vaccines to the Government of Sri Lanka at the Katunayake Airport. Speaking at the event, Minister of State Prof. Channa Jayasumana said that preliminary steps have been taken to manufacture the Chinese-made Sinovac vaccine in Sri Lanka.

The original OnePlus Nord was announced in July of last year and went on to become available in August. In fact, OnePlus itself confirmed the Nord2 name, on its own website, in the FAQ section of a new Stadia Premiere Edition promo that it's running in the UK, Germany, and France. This promo runs until September 30, and there's no point in including the upcoming Nord2 if it doesn't become available before then. From the few things we've heard about the Nord2 so far, it looks like it will have the MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset at the helm. We've heard countless rumors about OnePlus using SoCs not made by Qualcomm in past years, but that's never happened, so this would be a truly unprecedented move, if it does indeed pan out.

According to News 1st’s airport correspondent, the consignment of Sinopharm jabs was brought to Sri Lanka aboard UL 869, which departed from the Beijing International Airport. Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ministers Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Namal Rajapaksa, Prasanna Ranathunga, and D.V. According to State Minister Prof. Channa Jayasumana, the Sinovac jab produced in China will soon be manufactured in Sri Lanka as well. “We have held discussions for several months to manufacture in Sri Lanka, the other major COVID-19 vaccine manufactured in China known as Sinovac. According to the State Minister, the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka had also informed that the Chinese government will provide a stock of medical equipment required at the moment, to Sri Lanka.

The President pointed out that it is also an excellent opportunity to display this unique quality cultivated in the heart of a Buddhist to the world. The President reminded the public to keep in mind the advice given by the Thrainikaika Mahanayake Theros to hold the State Vesak Festival only symbolically in view of the current pandemic situation in the country. We must be determined to engage in Amisa Pooja and Prathipaththi Pooja with great veneration towards the Three Noble Events (Themangula) by staying at home. We should keep in mind the advice given by the Thrainikaika Mahanayake Theros to hold the State Vesak Festival only symbolically in view of the current epidemic in the country. For the well-being and as well as for the safety of all citizens, we must strive to observe the rites bearing in mind the Three Noble Events.

COLOMBO (News 1st): The first total lunar eclipse of the year 2021 will be visible to Sri Lanka today (May 26). The Penumbral Lunar Eclipse will be visible in the sky over Sri Lanka, when the moon is in the less dark shadow of the Earth (penumbra), as a penumbral lunar eclipse with a little dimming of the Moon’s brightens. Accordingly, starting from 6:23 PM to 7:20 PM on Wednesday (May 26), the brightness of only a part of the moon will be slightly reduced and the lunar eclipse will be visible to Sri Lanka. However, the same Penumbral Lunar Eclipse will be visible to many other countries around the world, as a Complete Lunar Eclipse from 2:17 PM to 7:20 PM. The first total lunar eclipse of 2021 will be visible in East Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and America.

The Samsung Galaxy A22 5G still hasn't become official, but it definitely can't be long now. The phone's name implies that this is going to be Samsung's cheapest 5G handset yet, and today a supposed retailer listing from the EU has pretty much confirmed that unsurprising fact. The phone is listed at €185 sans VAT, which strongly implies a final price, inclusive of the tax, around €229, depending on country (since VAT is different in each one). Perhaps in some nations we might even see it go lower, but it's very unlikely the price will be below €199. Still, that will in fact make this the cheapest 5G Samsung ever to launch in the EU, if not by much - the Galaxy A32 5G can currently be had for €238 at the moment (although it did launch at €279).

Fairly heavy rains above 75 mm can be expected at some places in Sabaragamuwa province and in Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Naval and fishing communities have been advised not to venture into the deep and shallow sea areas around the island and Bay of Bengal sea areas until further notice. Showers or thundershowers can be expected at times in the sea areas extending from Mannar to Hambantota via Colombo and Galle. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places in the other sea areas around the island. Wind speed will be (40-50) kmph and wind speed can be increased up to (60-70) kmph.

The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka donated 4,700 PCR test kits worth Rs.13 million to the Ministry of Health today (25). Mr. Bradley Elder stated that the US Government has supported Sri Lanka in tackling the spread of Covid-19 from the beginning and would continue to do so to further enhance the bilateral relations between the two countries and simultaneously to eradicate the Coronavirus. The donation was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief while the U.S. Embassy has coordinated the purchase and delivery of supplies. The Ministry of Health will distribute these PCR test kits to laboratories island-wide that are conducting PCR tests. Secretary to the Ministry of Health Major General Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Secretaries to State Ministry Saman Ratnayake and Amal Harsha de Silva were also present at this occasion.

It is correct that there is a gradual decline in the productivity of tea lands during the last few years. https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/8222/Owuor_2001.pdf?sequence=1The average tea yields of Sri Lanka are considerably lower than the potential yields. In view of the importance of soil degradation, the Ministry of Environment, in 2005, established an expert committee on Land Degradation. The Ministry of Environment (ME) needs to activate the already established Committee on Land Degradation, which would make appropriate recommendations to reduce land degradation to be implemented by the ME and other organizations. I hope that the Chairman, Sri Lanka Tea Board will get the RPCs to develop an appropriate database, which will be extremely useful in sustaining tea yields.

Argument generates the heat of emotion but rarely the light of understanding – I attempt merely to share some perspectives on race and racism. However, the boundary delimited by one cultural criterion – system of government, language, religion, social customs and practices – does not coincide with those established by other criteria. “Sri Lanka” means for many “Sinhalese Buddhist”, and secondly Sinhalese Christians. As Patrick Grant writes (‘Buddhism and Ethnic Conflict in Sri Lanka), Dharmapala lauded Buddhist tolerance and inclusion but believed in Sinhalese hegemony. Camps are “cruelty’s quintessential sites” and perpetrators create them in a manner guaranteeing the victims will suffer cruelty “regularly, daily and nightly”.

https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/8222/Owuor_2001.pdf?sequence=1The average tea yields of Sri Lanka are considerably lower than the potential yields. In view of the importance of soil degradation, the Ministry of Environment, in 2005, established an expert committee on Land Degradation. There are many ministries, departments and other institutions such as the TRI, which are expected to take appropriate measures to control land degradation. The Ministry of Environment (ME) needs to activate the already established Committee on Land Degradation, which would make appropriate recommendations to reduce land degradation to be implemented by the ME and other organizations. I hope that the Chairman, Sri Lanka Tea Board will get the RPCs to develop an appropriate database, which will be extremely useful in sustaining tea yields.

Panasonic today announced an updated version of its venerable LUMIX GH5 camera. The GH5M2 features a revised set of specifications, largely due to the upgrade to the newer and latest generation Venus Engine processor. The GH5M2 will also be able to simultaneously record in 4K 60p in 10-bit 4:2:2 to an external recorder. The GH5M2 comes with the Panasonic V-Log L log profile pre-installed, which was an optional paid extra on the GH5. The GH6 will be able to do 4:2:2 10-bit DCI 4K 60p internal recording without any time limits and also 10-bit 4K 120p HFR recording.

The tournament was to be organised by SLAF under the supervision of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) to celebrate the former’s 70th anniversary. Just the other day he was quoted in the newspapers stating that Sri Lanka had received hosting rights for two Asian Rugby Sevens tournaments. To conduct an international rugby tournament SLR needs the support of the Sports Ministry and Ministry of Health. From the perspective of player wellbeing Sri Lanka Badminton conducted an online fitness programme for the players titled ‘keep shuttle fit’. Careers of many rugby players were saved as a result of far thinking by the SLR (Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union back then).