Two more including specialist doctor arrested over child sex-trafficking
Two more suspects have been taken into custody over sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old girl, says DIG Ajith Rohana. Reportedly, he was arrested this morning (July 06) in the area of Bandaragama on charges of procuration of a minor. Meanwhile other suspect, a 33-year-old who acted a procurer in the said child sex-trafficking ring, was apprehended on Monday (July 05). The new development has brought the total number of suspects currently in custody over the relevant incident to 34. Based on a complaint received by the Mount Lavinia Police last month, the Colombo Child & Women Bureau of Sri Lanka Police launched an investigation into the matter.
Source:The Nation
July 06, 2021 03:56 UTC
Commonwealth Bank suffers another outage as customers are unable to log onto their online banking
By Kevin Airs For Daily Mail AustraliaPublished: 22:30 EDT, 5 July 2021 | Updated: 22:59 EDT, 5 July 2021Commonwealth Bank customers have been unable to log online after the bank suffered its fourth major lunchtime outage in a month. Users began reporting problems around 11am on Tuesday and downdetector.com.au immediately saw a massive spike in complaints about CommBank connections. Commonwealth Bank customers have been unable to log online after the bank suffered its third major outage in a monthCommBank's mobile phone apps and ATMs appear to be less affected. On June 17, Commonwealth Bank was affected by an Australia-wide system outage that also hit a number of other banks as well as airlines and Australia Post. Akamai customers such as the Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, Telstra, and Virgin Australia airlines went offline for between one and four hours as engineers raced to repair the problem.
Source:The Nation
July 06, 2021 03:00 UTC
A third of Labour supporters support 'cancel culture'
A third of Labour voters back the cancellation of people with whose views they disagree as a major study finds that more than half of Sir Keir Starmer's supporters believe Britain is institutionally racist. Some 33 per cent of Labour voters - against 18 per cent of Conservatives - said they supported the idea of 'cancel culture', agreeing that there should be 'consequences' for those who say or do anything deemed hurtful to minorities. Labour supporters were most worried about the widening gap between rich and poor, while immigration was the biggest concern for Conservatives. And while Labour voters said the wealthy benefited the most from government spending, Tories picked 'benefit claimants'. Some 68 per cent of Tory voters agreed, compared with 42 per cent of Labour supporters.
Source:The Nation
July 06, 2021 00:33 UTC
Navy supports acceleration of COVID-19 vaccination in Western Province
Supporting the COVID-19 vaccination programme carried out by the Armed Forces Hospitals of tri-services focusing on the people of the Western Province, to control the transmission of the pandemic, Sri Lanka Navy is conducting inoculation drives to administer Sinopharm vaccine at the Lighthouse premises on Chaithya Road Colombo and Elapitiwela Chandrawansha Vidyalaya in Ragama commencing from (05th July 2021). Accelerating the vaccination programme set about by the Government to control the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sri Lanka Navy is administering the first dose of the Sinopharm vaccine to people over 30 years of age in the Western Province, as well as the second jab to those who already received the first dose. Commencing from (05th July), the vaccination programme will be held from 08.30 in the morning to 04.30 in the evening. The general public over 30 years of age in the Western Province, including government and private sector employees are entitled to get their Sinopharm vaccine as part of this programme. Meanwhile, the people on both locations were keen to receive their COVID-19 jabs adhering to COVID-19 protocols in force to arrest the transmission of the pandemic and the Navy will continue to provide necessary support for this drive in the future as well.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 23:03 UTC
SriLankan Airlines summoned before COPE today
The Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) has summoned SriLankan Airlines before the Committee in order to review its current performance, today (06) said the SecretaryGeneral of Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake. Furthermore, the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation and the National Housing Development Authority have been summoned before the COPE Committee on the 07 th and 08 th July respectively. The COPE Committee is scheduled to meet under the chairmanship of Prof. Charitha Herath, Member of Parliament. In addition to the COPE Committee, a number of Committees and Ministerial Consultative Committees are scheduled to meet during the coming Parliament week, the Secretary General added. Accordingly, the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Defence is scheduled for the 06 th , whilst the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Labour and the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Industries are scheduled to meet in Parliament on July 07 th .
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
Central Bank permits banks to invest in dollar-denominated bonds
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) yesterday (5) noted that it has allowed Licensed Commercial Banks (LCBs) as well as National Savings Bank (NSB) to invest funds sourced externally in US dollar-denominated International Sovereign Bonds (ISBs) and Sri Lanka Development Bonds (SLDBs), equally splitting such investments into both ISBs and SLDBs, having considered all relevant risks. “With a view to mitigating the risk arising from their foreign currency borrowings, licensed banks are required to make such borrowings subject to a limit computed based on external credit rating and the capital adequacy ratios of the bank. According to the Central Bank, foreign currency liquidity positions are monitored through Basel III liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) and LCR monitoring tools to ensure that licensed banks keep adequate foreign currency liquid stocks to meet their foreign currency obligations. Further, licensed banks are required to strengthen the market risk management, foreign exchange trading activities, market conduct and treasury operations, to mitigate any foreign exchange risks in licensed banks. Accordingly, arrangements are already in place to settle $ 1 billion worth of ISBs maturing on 27 July 2021.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
Sri Lanka banks’ performance exceeds Fitch expectations
Above expected performance attributed to stimulus and regulatory relief measuresSri Lankan banks’ performance in 2020 and 1Q21 exceeded Fitch Ratings’ initial expectations, thanks to stimulus and regulatory relief measures, Fitch Ratings noted yesterday (5). However, Fitch believes risks to the banks’ performance and operating environment remain, due to pressures stemming from Covid-19 and the sovereign credit profile. Sri Lankan banks’ loan growth in 2020 dipped below historical averages due to subdued private credit demand and reduced appetite for new lending. According to the rating agency, state banks’ capital buffers have come under pressure from rapid loan growth, while private banks remained broadly intact on the back of a faster pace of earnings retention and capital-raising by some banks. “Banks’ funding profiles remained largely unchanged, although the share of foreign currency funding in total funding continued to decline, to 21% by end-1Q21 (2019: 23%).
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
Sri Lanka is now a video-first internet market
However, Sri Lanka is now a video-first internet market, and 70-80% of all data consumption happens on video. For some reason, the masses of Sri Lanka felt viewing the same video on YouTube instead of on Facebook would consume more data. The global average of online video viewing in 2020 jumped 400% to four hours and three minutes per day from a single-hour average, as mentioned in the State of Online Video 2019 study. Fast adaptation can be seen in tier-one cities in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. He’s the highest globally and locally awarded digital marketer in Sri Lanka.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
JKH inks JV with English shipping company
Establishes Inchcape Mackinnon Mackenzie Shipping (Pvt.) The John Keells Group ports and shipping businesses comprise Sri Lanka’s first private sector terminal operator – South Asia Gateway Terminals in consortium with A.P. Moller terminals, Lanka Marine Services – the primary supplier of marine bunker fuels and lubricants in Sri Lanka, and Mackinnon Mackenzie and Company (Shipping) Ltd., which is widely known and respected by both Sri Lankan and overseas shipping communities. This new venture will allow Inchcape to offer an improved and expanded offering to its customers in this growing and important market. We could not have a better partner to take this next step than John Keells Group and Mackinnon Mackenzie Shipping,” noted Inchcape Vice President – Marine Services for the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa Matthew Paice.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
DIMO to expand water business overseas
Plans to become EPC contractor in water projects by 2024DIMO is planning to expand its water infrastructure development projects business to the overseas market while leveraging the local operations, the company noted in a press release issued yesterday (5). DIMO was chosen to spearhead the local agency of KSB pumps from Germany several decades ago and has expanded to become a long-standing contractor in implementing state-of-the-art water projects for the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB). Today, the company has become a highly reliable contractor that successfully executes total water projects on turnkey basis for the NWSDB by means of contributing to enhance the technology in the areas of water transmission, water treatment, water distribution, automation, and many others. DIMO Chairman and Managing Director Ranjith Pandithage stated: “As our experience in water projects developed, we expanded into other areas within this domain. DIMO is accredited by the Construction Industry Development Authority (CIDA) as a C2 (for civil scope) and EM-1 (electromechanical)-graded contractor for water projects, thereby making the company a qualified contractor to undertake integrated water projects in Sri Lanka.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
60% of total BOI workforce vaccinated
As of Sunday (4), more than 60% of the total workforce have been vaccinated and staff of all the institutions under the Board of Investment (BOI) in the Eastern Province are fully vaccinated while around 85% in the North are vaccinated, BOI noted yesterday (5). Ltd. General Manager and President of the Free Trade Zone Manufacturers Association Jatinder Biala mentioned that Sri Lankan industrialists pay more attention to employee safety and welfare in the manufacturing process. Free Trade Zone Manufacturers Association Secretary Dhammika Fernando said that despite the situation, industrialists, while bearing a heavy cost to manage the pandemic, consider it a national responsibility to maintain the job security of employees while ensuring that export performance is also maintained. Crystal Martin CEO Mark Mueller, BOI Deputy Director General Maj. Gen. The Free Trade Zone Manufacturers Association has provided Rs.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
Will bring forex by reviving idled state resources: Cabraal
By Cassendra DooleState Minister of Money and Capital Market, and State Enterprise Reforms Ajith Nivaard Cabraal said the Government hopes to bring in foreign currency by utilising resources that have been left idle. Addressing concerns raised with regard to printing money, the State Minister said that difficult actions need to be taken in order to bring the country back to a stable environment. In the meantime, the State Minister noted that banks in Sri Lanka have also been informed to be conscious and not allow the rupee to depreciate further. According to Hashim, law’s methods led to bankrupting France and that is the same path Sri Lanka is currently on. The State Minister urged both importers and exporters to act responsibly in order to bring the situation back to a manageable state.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
National initiative launched for digital technology awareness, adoption in northern region
We have identified five areas – digital government, digital economy, digital laws and policies, digital services, and digital technology. Namely, technology industry development, startup ecosystem development, capacity building, technology diffusion, and regional cluster development. For example, the second largest startup community in Sri Lanka is represented by the Northern Province. Mahinda B. Herath and Northern Chamber of Information Technology Chairman T. Thavaruban, signifying the partnership between both organisations in moving forward towards developing digital technology in the northern region. Ltd., Hutchison Telecom Sri Lanka, Lanka Bell Ltd., the University of Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Association of Software Services Companies (SLASSCOM), the Federation of Information Technology Sri Lanka (FITIS), the Chairman of British Computer Society (BCS), NCIT, CSSL, SLINTEC, SLIBTEC, and Extreme SEO.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:56 UTC
‘Tour-only contract’ before India series too
“The players are to sign a tour-only contract for the India series. The Sri Lanka versus India white-ball series is scheduled to be held between 13 to 25 July. “India Tour of Sri Lanka: Big development as Sri Lankan selector declare, ‘we may pick second string Sri Lankan side for India’, reported India’s The Inside Sports yesterday. Rajapaksa has agreed to enter an annual contract with SLC and is likely to be included in the Sri Lanka squad for the India series. He last played for Sri Lanka in January last year in a T20I in India.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 21:45 UTC
World Rugby: All blacks hit century against Tonga
* All Blacks 102 – 0 TongaAll Black Will Jordan crossed over for five tries against Tonga on Saturday (3)The All blacks kicked off 2021 season with a huge 102-0 win against Tonga on Saturday (3). * Māori All Blacks 38 – 21 Manu SamoaMāori All Blacks beat Samoa 38-21 in the Steinlager Series on Saturday. Samoa was always in the game but the two penalty tries and having to play with 14-men for 20 minutes proved to be their downfall. It was tit-for-tat as Josh van der Flier then got an Ireland try followed by Jacob Stockdale’s try gave Ireland a comfortable lead. Wales in their first Test match of the summer scored 10 tries, with Callum Sheedy adding 14 points from the tee.
Source:The Nation
July 05, 2021 19:41 UTC