Celebrities rally behind Emma Raducanu ahead of the US Open Final
Celebrities are rallying behind British tennis sensation Emma Raducanu as she prepares to fight for a Grand Slam tittle. British celebrities have been cheering on Emma Raducanu, 18, ahead of tonight's final of the US open, where she will face Leylah Fernandez, 19. Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock also wrote a message of encouragement on Twitter, saying: 'Best of luck to @EmmaRaducanu tonight in the US Open final. Olympic golfer Justin Rose and TV presenter and actor Greg Scott also wished Emma luck, saying she was already a winner'Anyone else nervous?! We’re all behind you Emma Raducanu.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 20:03 UTC
Drafting of new constitution: Final draft in November
By Asiri FernandoThe expert committee appointed to draft a new constitution has sought a three-month extension to submit the final draft to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa while an initial draft is being studied by the Legal Draftsman’s Department, The Sunday Morning learnt. The extension gives the committee till December to submit a final draft. The nine-member committee to draft a new constitution was approved by the Cabinet in September last year. When contacted on the matter, Minister of Justice Ali Sabry expressed confidence that the committee will have a final draft ready by the end of November. The appointment of the expert committee is the first step in several processes that would be required to draft a new constitution for Sri Lanka.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 19:30 UTC
Sunny Side Up: Wimal to replace Cabraal?
September 12, 2021 by News Admin No CommentsThe governing Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is looking at nominating Wimal Geeganage to fill the National List slot in Parliament that falls vacant following State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal’s resignation this week, it is learnt. It is also learnt that the SLPP leaders are considering giving Geeganage the appointment as a token of gratitude, since he had given up his registered political party to form the SLPP.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 19:18 UTC
Sunny Side Up: Ranjan waitlisted
Former Opposition parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake is currently in the President’s waiting list for presidential pardons. Ramanayake is serving a four-year rigorous imprisonment term for making defamatory comments against the Judiciary. However, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa as well as artistes have requested the President to grant Ramanayake a presidential pardon. Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga too requested for a presidential pardon for the MP in a letter addressed to the President on Friday (10). The letter stated that Ramanayake had been sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for contempt of court, whereas many other convicts of various crimes are set free by the Government.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 19:18 UTC
Sunny Side Up: A displeased PM
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa last Friday (10) left for Italy to attend a summit in Bologna with a heavy heart. “If only I was asked whether I was going to meet the Pope, I could have told the truth to Cardinal Ranjith,” Rajapaksa had told several staff members. However, it was later revealed that the Prime Minister was not scheduled to meet with the Pope and that his visit was organised to attend a summit. However, there had been many requests from governing Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) supporters in Italy for the Prime Minister to make the trip. “The visit is a scheduled one and there was no plan to meet with the Pope,” the government source said.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 19:18 UTC
Sunny Side Up: Another jogging track suspended
The construction of jogging tracks has come under severe scrutiny by the public on various social media platforms. A proposed jogging track on the breakwater of the Parakrama Samudra tank in Polonnaruwa caused much controversy, resulting in the Government suspending the project. However, the Government has suspended the construction of yet another proposed jogging track, this time in the vicinity of the Kantale Tank. Director General of Irrigation Nihal Siriwardana had reportedly stated that the proposed project in the Trincomalee District had been suspended. Apart from objections over the construction of jogging tracks around tanks, one of the key issues raised was the cost being incurred at a time the country was facing a pandemic and an economic crisis.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 19:18 UTC
Sunny Side Up: Yo’s joke
The resignation of State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal from Parliament to enable his return to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) as its Governor made way for speculation over the individual who would fill the parliamentary National List slot if and when vacant. Two names were being tossed around as contenders for the National List slot – namely, former MP Jayantha Ketagoda (who recently resigned from his National List slot to make way for Basil Rajapaksa) and Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Yoshitha Rajapaksa. While some reports on social media noted that Rajapaksa would fill the slot, some other reports stated that Ketagoda would be the popular choice. However, when social media reports were being widely circulated on Rajapaksa’s possible appointment, several inquiries were made from him (Rajapaksa) by various quarters on whether he would actually be entering Parliament. After listening to all comments and questions, Rajapaksa laughed and said that it was all a joke.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 19:07 UTC
SRI LANKA CRICKET: CONSPIRACY TO UPSET THE APPLE CART
The lobbying has already begun for him to enter the current national selection committee, probably as one of its members or as its new chief. The official is also willing to include him in the panel,” a senior Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) official revealed last week. A shady pastPramodya Wickramasinghe heads the current three-member senior national selection committee which also includes Romesh Kaluwitharana and Hemantha Wickramaratne. During such times Sri Lanka lost quite unexpectedly against very lesser countries,” remembered the said source. Yet, after a new-look Sri Lanka side under Skipper Dasun Shanaka started winning and regaining confidence of the local cricket followers, such criticism faded gradually.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 18:56 UTC
“NO shortage of clothes & undergarments”- Assures Trade Minister
COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena has assured there will be no shortage of clothes and undergarments in the country. Speaking to reporters on Saturday (11), he said that garment factory operators are in the possession of sufficient and extra stocks of clothes to be released to the local market. “We home to take the necessary measures to sell clothes via state agencies at a lower price,” he said.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 18:56 UTC
Sunny Side Up: The ‘pimps’ in Parliament
Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage, who is known for his outspoken nature, last week claimed there were “pimps” in the House. Aluthgamage last Monday (6) accused the Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) of being “pimps” who were willing to put down the nation in order to rise to power. Aluthgamage, referring to a speech by United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, who, on an earlier occasion noted that the UNP had plans for the future of Sri Lanka, said that there was no point in talking of the future when they had already “ruined” the country. The Minister went on to question whether the SJB would be any better, since it is a by-product of the UNP.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 18:56 UTC
Cyclist, 35, 'attacked' by naked men in London
Email [email protected]A cyclist who was 'attacked' by naked men in London has claimed the pair rampaged through the streets beating innocent bystanders before being arrested and released by police. The two men were spotted outside Elephant & Castle underground station on Thursday at around 2.30pm, one in their underpants and the other in the nude. He said: 'I thought it was more of a shove, I didn't realise they took a run up and took a kick. Mr Strafford-Taylor said he had begun filming the pair after he noticed they were naked and they were 'shouting and causing a scene'. Other people on Twitter explained they had also witnessed the naked men wandering in the street.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 18:56 UTC
Sunny Side Up: Mahinda’s challenge
Senior member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera last week issued a challenge to Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam. Amaraweera challenged Rasamanickam to prove that a minister representing the SLFP was involved in alleged sand mining in the Eastern Province with the aim of selling the sand to the Maldives. Amaraweera claimed that he was prepared to resign from his portfolio as well as his parliamentary seat if the TNA MP provided evidence to prove that a minister of the SLFP was involved in the alleged project. Rasamanickam told Parliament last week that a minister of the SLFP was involved in a sand racket in the East. Responding to the allegation, the Environment Minister claimed that there was no truth to the allegation levelled by MP Rasamanickam.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 18:56 UTC
Johnston blames Yahapalanaya for delay in Central Expressway construction
Construction work of the second phase of the Central Expressway from Mirigama to Kurunegala is expected to be ready for public use by November 15, says Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando. Blaming the previous government for the delay, Minister Fernando said that the construction was to be completed 10 months ago, yet it was delayed as the Yahapalanaya government wanted to give the contract to their acquaintances and companies owned by their Ministers. Our only aim is to take this country forward during the tenure of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” the Minister further remarked. These remarks from Fernando came during a tree planting event along the Central Expressway from Mirigama to Pothuhera under a green project to plant one million trees on roadsides. The event was attended by Chairman of Road Development Authority (RDA) Chaminda Athaluwage, RDA’s Director General Sardha Weerakoon, Project Director of the second phase of the Central Expressway Anura Kehelella and several other officials.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 11:03 UTC
Weekly Authority: Edition #159
For this edition’s Weekly Wonder, we’re taking a look at Mike Flanagan, writer and director of popular Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor (as well as many of our favorite horror movies). Flanagan’s newest show, Midnight Mass, hits Netflix on September 24, so you’ve still got time to catch up on Hill House and Bly Manor before then — though this new show isn’t related to the other two. Check out Netflix’s synopsis: “The tale of a small, isolated island community whose existing divisions are amplified by the return of a disgraced young man (Zach Gilford) and the arrival of a charismatic priest (Hamish Linklater.) When Father Paul’s appearance on Crockett Island coincides with unexplained and seemingly miraculous events, a renewed religious fervor takes hold of the community — but do these miracles come at a price?“We can’t wait to see this when it lands later this month.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 10:52 UTC
No food crisis in Sri Lanka to come out from, Cabraal tells BBC
State Minister of Money and Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms, Ajith Nivard Cabraal has reiterated that there is no food crisis in Sri Lanka to come out from. “Like other countries of the world Sr Lanka too faces challenges. The country’s economic growth rate this year will be 4.5 percent,” Mr. Cabraal said in an interview with BBC. When asked as to why the government denied there is a food shortage while a food emergency has been declared to address the same issue, Cabraal responded that some unscrupulous traders had mischievously hoarded stocks of several food items in order to create an artificial shortage and profit by such exercise. Speaking further, the state minister pointed out that the creation of an artificial shortage by unscrupulous elements obviously leads to increases in prices.
Source:The Nation
September 11, 2021 10:18 UTC