Keeping style on point through the third wave and beyond
Brunch reached out to a few of these businesses for their perspective on the third wave. KYND Fashion Truck Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder Saranga Dissanayake explained that KYND’s physical fashion truck (KYND Fashion Truck operates its pop-ups out of a specially designed truck on the weekends at One Galle Face) was not able to be used for the duration of the travel restriction period. Customers’ responses to the third waveBinu from TDC shared that for the TDC client, the trends from the first to third lockdowns were very different. Now that the third wave (or rather the third lockdown) is mostly in the past, how are these companies planning to move forward? Saranga shared that KYND Fashion Truck has lots of plans to expand their ranges and brand.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:52 UTC
‘Chinese companies to generate renewable power’
20 of 2009, to allow foreign companies – most likely to be certain Chinese companies – to generate electricity using renewable energy. When contacted by The Morning, CEWU General Secretary Ranjan Jayalal claimed that there are plans to amend several sections of the said Act to enable foreign companies to obtain licenses to generate electricity using solar and wind power. He further alleged that the CEWU has received information that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) is preparing to purchase the electricity that would be generated by such foreign companies at Rs. Attempts to contact State Minister Dissanayake and Solar Power, Wind and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development State Ministry Secretary D.K. However, when contacted, Power Ministry Secretary Wasantha Perera denied the allegations made by the CEWU.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:52 UTC
IFC and FCCISL to promote increased work-life balance
Over 40 Sri Lankan businesses participated in the first in a series of online learning sessions by the “Together We Can” partnership – launched under the IFC-DFAT Women in Work programme. The partnership is aimed at promoting gender-smart policies among Sri Lankan businesses, with a particular focus on helping mitigate Covid-19 impacts. According to IFC research conducted among 15 leading Sri Lankan companies, female employees were twice as likely to report increased household or care responsibilities due to Covid-19. Covid-19 has shown us that family-friendly policies are not just ‘nice-to-haves’ but ‘must-haves’,” said IFC Acting Country Manager for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Victor Antonypillai. “FCCISL is excited to join IFC in launching ‘Together We Can’ to revitalise the gender balance in the private sector workforce,” said FCCISL President Shirley Jayawardena.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:52 UTC
Govt. realising IMF is the solution: Harsha
Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Dr. Harsha de Silva has claimed that Government insiders are now considering engaging with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), despite repeatedly ruling out the possibility of an IMF programme earlier. De Silva has been continuously stating that Sri Lanka is facing a balance of payments crisis, underscoring that the repayment of Sri Lanka’s debts is a serious matter that needs to be resolved. He also claimed that despite the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) stating that the value of the dollar is around Rs. However, de Silva said that it is not too late to save Sri Lanka from a balance of payments crisis, provided that immediate action is taken. To keep the adjustment costs within a manageable level, we must deal with issues prudently and professionally,” he concluded.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:52 UTC
Journey ends for SL’s Ranindu in Chess World Cup 2021
The FIDE Chess World Cup is conducted by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and is organised this time by the Russian Government and the Russian Chess Federation. The current world chess champion Magnus Carlson and many top players of the chess world circuit are to join the event from next round. The FIDE Chess World Cup, conducted by the International Chess Federation (FIDE) an organised by the Russian Government and the Russian Chess Federation, is in progress from 10 July to 8 August. All the top players in the world including the world chess champion Magnus Carson are competing for the supremacy in the chess world in this event. The FIDE World Cup winner will receive nearly Rs.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:52 UTC
Two pilot projects to video-record children’s evidence
The Cabinet paper, which was presented by the Education Ministry on Monday, has noted the need to prevent inconveniences faced by children when publicly giving evidence before Courts. 32 of 1999, a video evidence recording unit was established in 2001. Accordingly, the Cabinet paper has sought approval to establish nine video evidence recording units within hospital premises, covering the nine Provincial units. The man was also charged with sexually assaulting the girl and was remanded after being produced before the Moratuwa Magistrate’s Court. The Police said that the girl had been sold to various people for sums of Rs.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:52 UTC
Probe ongoing into ship’s erased data
Accordingly, DSG Tennakoon has informed the Court that statements have been recorded from the Harbour Master and other relevant officials of the SLPA. DSG Tennakoon further assured the Court that justice will be served to those responsible for the erasure of this data. However, DSG Tennakoon rejected these accusations, adding that a fully independent investigation is currently being carried out into the matter. Furthermore, the Court has lifted the travel bans that were imposed on 14 of the total of 24 crew members of the MV X-Press Pearl. The MV X-Press Pearl ship caught fire on 20 May, approximately nine nautical miles away from the Colombo Harbour, after having anchored there a few hours prior to the fire.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:18 UTC
Catholic Bishops demand answers from govt on Easter attacks
Declining to say what any “alternative actions” they might take, the bishops and the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to provide a credible answer to its letter. Signing the letter were Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo, Bishop Valence Mendis of Chilaw, Bishop Harold Anthony Perera of Kurunegala, Bishop Raymond Wickramasinghe of Galle, and Colombo auxiliary bishops J.D. Cardinal Ranjith said in March 2020 that he was ready to launch street protests if Sri Lanka’s government did not find and arrest the culprits behind the Easter bombings. “The investigations into the Easter attack were carried out carelessly,” the cardinal said. “It is now 26 months since the Easter Sunday bomb attack of April 21, 2019.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 19:05 UTC
12,000 acres in Yala under threat
By Pamodi WaravitaOpposition and Samagi Jana Balawegeya (SJB) Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday (14) alleged that 12,000 acres of the Yala National Park are under threat due to certain construction activities taking place within its borders. “There is reliable information that the Government is planning to take away 12,000 acres from Block One of the Yala National Park for unknown purposes. Official sources at the Wildlife and Forest Conservation Ministry denied the existence of any plans to obtain 12,000 acres from the said National Park. Attempts to contact Wildlife Conservation Department Director General Chandana Sooriyabandara and Wildlife and Forest Conservation Minister C.B. Designated as a National Park in 1938, Yala spans 130,000 hectares, and is home to 44 species of mammals and a large concentration of leopards.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Teachers query fate of WB funding
Teachers query fate of WB fundingBY Buddhika SamaraweeraThe Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) has called on the Government to immediately reveal what happened to a sum of Rs. 980 million that the Union claims was provided by the World Bank (WB) to the Government to restore the education of students affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. 980 million as assistance to restore education that had been affected due to Covid-19, in or around July 2020. Fernando further stressed that the said amount of money should be used to restore education as soon as possible. The World Bank stated that the said monetary provisions would help facilitate learning at home via tele-education and electronic learning for school children, especially in rural, smaller, and under-resourced schools.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Sri Lanka as a ‘home’ for digital nomads
This week saw new plans in this regard, with a focus on attracting “digital nomads”, a type of traveller Sri Lanka is not very familiar with. Promoting digital tourism in Sri LankaIn a novel step, Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities said they were looking into promoting “digital tourism” to earn more foreign exchange, in a bid to uplift the tourism industry and strengthen the national economy. While Sri Lanka is making plans to attract digital nomads, a number of other countries have already taken steps to ease their travelling activities. Only 30% of digital nomads report working over 40 hours per week, and van lifers (those living out of their vehicles, either full or part time) constitute 17% of American digital nomads. However, now that many countries have initiated and are considering initiating relaxed requirements for digital nomads, Sri Lanka will have some competition.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Strike to go on, with or without Stalin
The trade union action initiated by more than 15 teachers and principals’ trade unions continued for the third day yesterday (14). When contacted by The Morning, CTU President Priyantha Fernando said that the release of the group of activists including Stalin was only one of their demands. Therefore, we will further engage in trade union action until a reasonable solution is given,” he explained. We will continue trade union action until the other demands are met,” he noted. Teachers’ and principals trade unions had decided to withdraw from all online teaching activities from 12 July until further notice in protest over the arrest of a group of trade unionists and student activists including Stalin.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
HRCSL barred from Mullaitivu centre: FSP
BY Pamodi WaravitaThe Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday (14) alleged that officers from the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) have been denied entry to the Mullaitivu quarantine centre, where a number of protestors are being held in quarantine against their will since last week. At a press conference held yesterday, FSP Education Secretary Pubudu Jayagoda claimed that HRCSL officers who had gone to investigate the centre had been denied entry, which is a violation of the HRCSL Act, No. A total of six of them, including our Propaganda Secretary Duminda Nagamuwa, were forcibly sent to a quarantine centre in Pallekele although they were granted bail by the relevant Court. A protest had been held yesterday as well, headed by Nagamuwa, at the Pallekele quarantine centre. The Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) has meanwhile filed a habeas corpus writ petition yesterday regarding those held at the Mullaitivu quarantine centre.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Wildlife officers to quit field work
Speaking to The Morning, the All Ceylon Wildlife Officers’ Association (ACWOA) President Shanuka Ranawaka Arachchi said that although Wildlife Conservation officers on field duty are at high risk of contracting Covid-19, no programme has yet been implemented at the Departmental level to vaccinate them against Covid-19. When performing most of the duties, Wildlife Conservation officials have to associate with the community. Also, since such field officers also visit office premises, those who work at offices are also at risk. In protest over the same issue, several trade unions within the DWC withdrew from all field duties on 7 July. Accordingly, the Wildlife Conservation officers will be given the vaccines in the near future,” he added.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:33 UTC
BREAKING: Leading SL senior opening batsman OUT of India ODIs
Leading Sri Lanka senior opening batsman is reportedly out of the ODI series against India, starting on Sunday (18) at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The alleged reason for the dashing batsman’s possible ouster is considered to be a shoulder injury. But insiders told The Morning Sports that it is “a fake injury” which had been enacted since the said batsman was removed from his leadership role. BREAKING:Leading SL senior opening batsman OUT of India ODIs. The reason is considered to be a shoulder injury.
Source:The Nation
July 14, 2021 18:22 UTC