‘I am entitled to a pension’
Denies he proposed and approved pension for himselfDenies ‘pushing’ for other governors’ pensionsPension scheme was stopped in 2004: HarshaBy Imsha IqbalState Minister of Money, Capital Market, and State Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivard Cabraal has stated that he is “entitled” to a pension after media reports stirred a debate that he is pressuring the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) to provide him his pension. #SriLanka #FakeNews #facts (sic).”Cabraal was responding to media reports doing the rounds on social media stating that he had proposed and approved a pension scheme from the CBSL for himself. Cabraal added that no pension has been granted thus far although he left the CBSL in 2015. The media reports also fuelled speculation that former CBSL Governor Arjuna Mahendran too would be a beneficiary of the said pension scheme for CBSL governors. Highlighting the eligibility of a political appointee to receive the pension, the SJB MP tweeted: “The obvious question is MP pension after serving 5 years.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 18:56 UTC
BPPL records Rs. 1.2 b gross profit in FY 20/21
Brush and recycled plastic products manufacturer BPPL Holdings PLC has recorded a consolidated revenue by 31% year-on-year (YoY) to Rs. Group gross profit improved by 38% YoY to Rs. 1.2 billion, in the 2020-21 financial year (FY) ended 31 March 2021. Group profit before tax (PBT) was up 20% YoY to Rs. Group profit after tax (PAT) and profit attributable to shareholders increased by 23% YoY to Rs.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 18:33 UTC
oDoc revenue soars by 106%
oDoc had recorded a growth of 70% in 1H of 2021 with an increase in the number of consultations and a 149% increase in new users on the app and oDoc’s mobile lab unit has been widely appreciated during these times leading to a 106% increase in revenue. The range of services include video consulting a doctor, home delivery of medications, as well as at-home lab testing. Furthermore, oDoc partnered with nine more corporates including Standard Chartered Bank, Lalan Group, Brandix, and Accenture to provide healthcare services to their employees. oDoc is privileged to offer premium services to our loyal users and thereby ensuring their safety and wellbeing. Moreover, a healthy and happy workforce leads to an improvement in productivity and we’re happy to offer our telemedicine services to contribute.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 18:33 UTC
Bonsoir Diaries: Brittany on the banks of the Bolgoda Lake
They owned a house on the banks of the Bolgoda Lake and said we could have it. A Far Breton is a traditional cake cum dessert from Brittany. The authentic Far Breton dates back to the 18th Century. I said: “And so friends that brings us to the end of this week’s edition of Bonsoir from Brittany in France. Au-revoir,” and gallantly rowed into the lake in Brittany (the Bolgoda Lake in reality).
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 18:33 UTC
Jay Jay Mills to invest $ 4 m in Trinco
Babywear manufacturing facility to come at Kappalthurai zoneThe Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has announced that it has entered a supplementary agreement with Jay Jay Mills Lanka to establish operations in the Kappalthurai Industrial Zone, Trincomalee. This agreement was signed by BOI Chairman Sanjaya Mohottala and Jay Jay Mills Lanka Managing Director M.B. Speaking on this agreement, BOI Chairman Sanjaya Mohottala stated: “We are deeply grateful and encouraged by the enterprising strides taken by Jay Jay Mills Lanka to establish operations in territories that require a much-needed infusion of economic activity and technical skills enhancement. Sri Lanka has no shortage of a rich reserve of intelligent talent that can be tapped across the country. We are happy, therefore, to see companies with an international footprint introducing themselves to these communities and investing in their future through gainful employment that will ultimately support the improvement of rural infrastructure and livelihoods.”With this expansion, Jay Jay Mills Lanka hopes to enhance its capacity to cater to the requirements of its world-renowned customers such as Tesco, M&S, Mothercare, Gerber, Target, Garan, and Walmart, who have contracted with Jay Jay Mills to source orders for their global infant apparel category.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 18:33 UTC
Parliamentary debate on emergency regulations today
COLOMBO (News 1st): The debate on the Emergency Regulations is scheduled to be held at the Parliament today (06). This was decided at a recent meeting of the Parliamentary Business Committee chaired by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. Accordingly, the declaration relating to the Emergency Regulations imposed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 30 August is due to be adopted after being debated today from 10.00 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Meanwhile, parliamentary proceedings have been restricted to two days this week due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna previously stated that the Consumer Affairs Amendment Bill will be presented to Parliament today.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 04:18 UTC
Top 10 trending phones of week 35
The Redmi Note 10 Pro topped our popularity chart for yet another week as Samsung's newly announced Galaxy A52s took second place in week 35. The Redmi 10 is down to third, ahead of the Poco X3 Pro, which retains the fourth position. A couple more Samsung phones follow, the Galaxy S21 Ultra and Galaxy A12 sitting pretty in fifth and sixth. Behind them is a Redmi pair - the 10 Prime and Note 10. This leaves no room for the Xiaomi Mix 4 and the Google Pixel 5a 5G, which drop out this time round.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 03:45 UTC
Emergency regulations are a gimmick says NPP
The National People’s Power (NPP) has condemned the Gazette which details imposition of emergency regulations on essential foods issued by the President and says it is a gimmick which will allow for the President and the Government to gain extra power. In the three page media release, the party accused the President of self-imposing powers into his own hands and abusing the power vested by himself to make decisions related to the country for his own benefit. The concerns brought up by the NPP included issues such as ‘sudden emergency’ decisions taken by the President, the extraordinary gazette giving the President ‘power’ to do as and what he feels, and the powers being misused by the Government to gain full control of the country, similar to a militarisation scenario. Furthermore, the NPP have accused the Government of encouraging racial chaos by not attending and acknowledging the matters at handThe statement went on to note that such a ‘dangerous’ amount of power vested into one individual goes against democracy and the freedom of the people of Sri Lanka is now at stake.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 03:00 UTC
Shocking footage shows shirtless driver going on 'rampage'
Shocking scenes captured in Godalming on Friday night showed a shirtless man driving a blue Land Rover into several other vehicles before causing a sickening collision with the teenage motorcyclist. The biker, who was driving down the A3100 main road, had no chance of avoiding the Land Rover as it was driven out of a side road without stopping. The teen smashed into the driver's side front wheel and somersaulted over the bonnet into the road, lying motionless as the Land Rover reversed and drove away. The driver then performs a u-turn in the middle of a junction and lines the Land Rover up, driving back off the road onto the verge at speed. The shirtless driver emerges from the Land Rover – which has learners' L-Plates on it – and tells onlookers 'my steering lock's broke' before grabbing items from the boot.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 02:26 UTC
Kmart Australia shoppers vent frustration over 'annoying' online checkout feature
A note at the bottom of the payment section also said the delivery fee to her postcode was 'TBC'. 'Kmart, why do you feel it's necessary to get my hopes up for no reason?' A second said she went back to add another item to her cart, but by the time she had reloaded the checkout page, two of her products had sold out. 'So annoying I just wanted to add one more thing and it tells me two things go out of stock,' she wrote. Bemused shoppers also took to a Facebook community page to slam the store for disappointing fans at the last moment (stock image)Daily Mail Australia has contacted Kmart for comment.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 00:56 UTC
Overcoming adversity
At no point in 2020 was Sri Lanka’s health infrastructure at risk of being overwhelmed. Indeed by April 2020, the Global Response to Infectious Disease (GRID) Index by CMA Australia ranked Sri Lanka’s pandemic response as the 9th best in the world. Vaccine Procurement: Too Little, Too LateDespite these evidently sub-optimal decisions, Sri Lanka still had every opportunity to get ahead of the global curve. Another point to consider: why did the Government not diversify its risk on vaccine procurement; was there an over-reliance on the Serum Institute of India and Covishield? Vaccine procurement and pricing aside, were necessary investments made to expand ‘test-trace-isolate’ facilities?
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 00:22 UTC
Inside WhatsApp groups where stars boast about cocaine during lockdown
Explosive rumours are emerging of private WhatsApp groups where Melbourne celebrities openly share photos of themselves attending drug-fuelled parties during the strict Covid lockdown. A well-placed source claimed last week's leaked video of Nadia Bartel snorting white powder was not an isolated example of a privileged Melburnian flouting the rules. Scroll down for videoExplosive rumours are emerging of private WhatsApp groups where Melbourne celebrities openly share photos of themselves attending drug-fuelled parties during the strict Covid lockdown. 'These sorts of videos of celebrities behaving badly are doing the rounds everywhere – in private WhatsApp groups and Facebook chats. Ms Bartel has apologised for flouting Melbourne's lockdown by hosting a gathering on Thursday night at which she snorted white powder believed to be cocaine.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 00:00 UTC
New unusually large species of gecko found at Kalthota
Galle District MP Nanayakkara questioned the rationale behind SLPP MPs highly publicized visit to NMRA at a time the institution was under fire over deleted cloud data. Therefore, at least one of them had to be involved in the deletion of data, MP Nanayakkara, said, urging the government to name those responsible for it. MP Nanayakkara said that it wouldn’t be difficult to establish the identity of the person behind the clandestine operation. The group of SLPP MPs who visited NMRA addressed the media outside the authority and subsequently at the Government Information Department. MP Nanayakkara said that the SLPP had proved over and over again the new administration couldn’t be trusted.
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 00:00 UTC
Government of Sri Lanka calls for Request for Proposals for the Foreign Currency Term Financing Facility
The links to the Request for Proposals (RFP) published on the Foreign Currency Term Financing Facility for the Government of Sri Lanka 2021, in the Ministry of Finance (MoF) website and the External Resources Department (ERD) website are as follows:Ministry of Finance (MoF) LinkExternal Resources Department (ERD) Link
Source:The Nation
September 06, 2021 00:00 UTC
Official: Gadhafi son freed after 7-plus years in detention
Al-Saadi Gadhafi walked free from Tripoli's al-Hadaba prison, where many Gaddafi regime officials are being held pending trial, mostly in connection to the crackdown on the 2011 uprising that toppled the longtime ruler and led to his killing. At the time of the 2011 revolt, al-Saadi Gaddafi headed a special forces brigade that was involved in the crackdown on protesters and rebels. Seif al-Islam, the one-time heir apparent to his father, has been in Libya since his release from detention in 2017. During his father's rule, al-Saadi Gadhafi was known for his lavish lifestyle and he treated Libya's football league as his personal fiefdom. The elder Gadhafi ruled Libya with an eccentric brutality for nearly 42 years before he was ousted by an uprising in August 2011.
Source:The Nation
September 05, 2021 23:00 UTC