Dodgy number plates are the most common illegal vehicle modification
New research has uncovered the UK's illegal vehicle modification hotspots, based on the number of offences reported in the last year. Most common illegal vehicle modifications: Altered numberplate, such as this example of incorrectly spaced characters, are the number one type of modification offence in the UKDrivers in the county - which has a population of 637,100 - racked up 925 illegal modification offences in 2020. The Welsh county, which has a population of 594,200, saw only four illegal car modifications in 2020, equivalent to seven cases per one million people. Incorrect lights (5,723 offences), illegally tinted windows (4,183 offences) and modified exhausts (776 offences) were the remaining common illegal vehicle modification offence types in the UK behind altered numberplates. Currently, drivers displaying illegal plates are slapped with a fine of £100.
Source:The Nation
June 25, 2021 09:00 UTC
Over 700,000 students deprived of online studies
COLOMBO (News 1st): More than 700,000 children within Sri Lanka’s school system LACK the necessary infrastructure required for online education, according to the Ministry of Education. Currently, 4.3 million students are receiving their education at 10,155 schools across Sri Lanka; of these, over 3000 schools do NOT have proper network signal to conduct studies online, Prof. Kapila Perera, the Secretary to the Education Ministry told News 1st on Friday (Jun. “There are Mahindodaya Technological Laboratories in the country, where students could be provided with the required internet facilities for online studies. Assuming that they live close to these IT labs, this is the most immediate solution that can be provided,” the Education Secretary said. Thereby, students can continue online studies from 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM under the supervision of an officer assigned for this matter, he noted.
Source:The Nation
June 25, 2021 09:00 UTC
Two killed in accident in Dikkandayaya
June 25, 2021 by Mihi Perera No CommentsTwo persons were killed in an accident in the Dikkandayaya area on the Mahiyanganaya – Keselpotha road, the Dikkandayaya Police said. The motorcycle had skidded off the road and collided with a tree, police said. Both the motorcyclist and the passenger who were seriously injured in the accident were admitted to the Mahiyanganaya Hospital and later succumbed to their injuries. The deceased have been identified as two residents of the Mapakadawewa area in Mahiyanganaya. Mahiyanganaya police are conducting further investigations.
Source:The Nation
June 25, 2021 09:00 UTC
Calculator created to 'predict your risk of dementia'
The team say dementia risk can be offset through physical activity, healthy eating, reducing alcohol and tobacco use and managing diabetes and high blood pressure. 'What sets this dementia risk calculator apart is that you don't need to visit a doctor for any tests,' said Dr. Stacey Fisher, the lead author of the study. Factors in the Dementia Population Risk Tool (DemPoRT) include age, smoking status and exposure, alcohol consumption, physical activity levels, stress and diet. The calculator can be used by individuals to assess their dementia risk and help them modify their lifestyle, according to the researchers. Through this research, the team has developed the first predictive tool designed to predict dementia at a population level.
Source:The Nation
June 25, 2021 08:48 UTC
Fire erupts in container ship in Indian Ocean off Sri Lanka
June 25, 2021 01:24 pmA fire has erupted in the engine room of a Liberia-flagged container ship on route to Singapore from Sri Lanka, the navy spokesman confirmed today. According to Captain Indika de Silva, the fire has broken out aboard ‘MSC Messina’ nearly 480 nautical miles off Great Basses Reef Light House in off Kirinda, Sri Lanka. The Matirime Bulletin reported that the incident took place at around 1930 UTC yesterday (June 24). “The ship was disabled, and as of 0415 UTC June 25 remained disabled, adrift.”
Source:The Nation
June 25, 2021 07:52 UTC
Govt. suspends import of organic fertilizer
June 25, 2021 by Mihi Perera No CommentsThe government has decided to suspend the import of organic fertilizer. This was stated by the Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture. It is further reported that despite the Cabinet approval to import organic fertilizer, it has been decided to suspend the importation considering the possible impact it could have on local organic fertilizer production.
Source:The Nation
June 25, 2021 07:08 UTC
John Keells Praja Shakthi Empowers Women’s Entrepreneurship
Meanwhile, John Keells Foundation together with Ceylon Cold Stores (Elephant House) had initiated John Keells Praja Shakthi in Ranala. John Keells Praja Shakthi is a sustainable community empowerment initiative centred around locations of identified businesses of the John Keells Group, led by John Keells Foundation and powered by active and sustained engagement of the respective businesses. However, John Keells Foundation supported us once again by promoting sales through their channels and we managed to sell 1,883 lanterns. John Keells Foundation also handed over seed capital to the Ranliya Women’s Society to support them procure raw materials for their planned activities. Gender empowerment has always been an integral and cross-cutting theme of development initiatives undertaken by John Keells Foundation.
Source:The Nation
June 25, 2021 07:07 UTC
Britney Spears was 'embarrassed to share' her conservatorship trauma
Britney Spears is apologizing for 'pretending like I've been ok the past two years' on social media in wake of her recent bombshell testimony, where she admitted to being 'traumatized' by the conditions of her ongoing conservatorship. In a series of filtered videos, Sam and Britney looked to be in great spirits as they sat next to one another on a private jet. ET's insider further stressed that Britney is 'beyond exhausted' under the constraints of her conservatorship and is 'ready to live her life.' On Wednesday, Spears admitted her bizarre social media posts 'are a lie' in shocking testimony from her conservatorship battle. #FreeBritney: Britney Spears admitted her bizarre social media posts 'are a lie' in shocking testimony from her conservatorship battle (seen in 2018)She spoke to judge Brenda Penny via telephone where she revealed the severity of her health and well-being under the court-ordered conservatorship.
Source:The Nation
June 25, 2021 00:00 UTC
India and Sri Lanka agree to co-operate on common issues in the region
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, in a telephone conversation held (21 June) with the Indian External Affairs Minister said that the steps that both countries have taken so far to enhance bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and India have been fruitful. Foreign Minister Gunawardena thanked the Indian External Affairs Minister for the financial assistance and COVID relief support extended by the government of India to combat the pandemic. During the discussion, the two Ministers agreed to work in collaboration with the regional organizations such as BIMSTEC and IORA. Plans were also exchanged to continue cooperation especially through common platforms like Colombo Plan and Commonwealth. A number of important matters of mutual interest for both countries were also discussed during this conversation which lasted for almost half an hour.
Source:The Nation
June 24, 2021 23:48 UTC
WHO estimates annual COVID vaccine boosters required for most vulnerable
The estimate is included in a report, which is to be discussed on Thursday at a board meeting of Gavi, a vaccine alliance that co-leads the WHO’s COVID-19 vaccine programme COVAX. The document shows that the WHO considers annual boosters for high-risk individuals as its “indicative” baseline scenario, and boosters every two years for the general population. This gap could widen next year under the WHO’s most pessimistic forecast, as the need for annual boosters could once again push poorer nations to the back of the queue. That could be compounded by the need for annual boosters for the entire world, and not just the most vulnerable, to combat variants and limited duration of protection. There would be no need for boosters as vaccines would show strong efficacy against variants and long protection.
Source:The Nation
June 24, 2021 18:22 UTC
Vaccinating pregnant women sluggish: OBGYNs
By Pamodi WaravitaThe Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (SLCOG) stressed that the Covid-19 vaccination programme for pregnant women needs to be expedited in order to ensure that the necessary inoculation is received by all eligible expectant mothers by at least mid-August. Speaking to The Morning, SLCOG President Dr. Pradeep de Silva raised concerns about the slow pace of the vaccination of pregnant women, noting a serious lack of a centralised system to ensure that pregnant women are prioritised, despite the Health Ministry’s decision to vaccinate them being taken at the beginning of this month. “Expectant mothers need to be made aware of when the vaccination programme for them will occur in their area,” added Dr. de Silva. Family Health Bureau (FHB) Director Dr. Chithramalee de Silva told The Morning that statistics on how many high-risk pregnant women have so far been administered the first dose of such vaccines is not with the Bureau yet. On 9 June, the vaccination of pregnant women over 30 years of age and with non-communicable diseases began in the Western Province.
Source:The Nation
June 24, 2021 18:22 UTC
President pardons 93 prisoners on Poson
48 of 1979 (PTA), in view of the Poson Poya Day observed yesterday. “Among these remand prisoners are those who don’t even have cases filed against them. There are 35 convicted prisoners who have been in remand for a longer period than the actual sentence they received. However, following the presidential pardons, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) claimed that the 16 former LTTE cadres released were not political prisoners but persons who had committed offences unrelated to the outfit’s political cause. Chandana Ekanayake said yesterday (24) that the inmates have been on a hunger strike since yesterday afternoon.
Source:The Nation
June 24, 2021 18:00 UTC
Probe into camo-clad Chinese at project site
Work outfits different from SL military uniform: EmbassyBy Dinitha RathnayakeThe Police have commenced an investigation into the presence of Chinese nationals clad in camouflage clothing at the Chinese Joint Venture site in the Southern Province, The Morning learnt. “According to the information we have received, these Chinese nationals were clad in camouflage clothing akin to military wear,” DIG Rohana said. The most recent offence was reported on 8 May 2019, when the Police arrested two youths from Seeduwa for transporting clothing similar to the Air Force uniform. These uniforms are quite similar to those worn by soldiers in China’s People’s Liberation Army. The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka also Tweeted about the incident saying: “These working outfits are notably different from uniforms of the Sri Lankan military, to whom China shows the highest respect.”
Source:The Nation
June 24, 2021 18:00 UTC
Heartbreaking pictures show Caroline Crouch getting ready for her wedding
Heartbreaking pictures show murdered mother Caroline Crouch getting ready for her wedding to the man who killed her. Heartbreaking pictures show murdered mother Caroline Crouch getting ready for her wedding to the man who killed her. An Athens court is also to make an interim decision on Friday on who should have custody over the couple's one-year old daughter Lydia. It showed broken patio doors where Anagnostopoulos claimed a gang had entered their Greek villa. Anagnostopoulos claimed he had mounted the cover-up because he could not bear Lydia growing up without either parent.
Source:The Nation
June 24, 2021 18:00 UTC
SL still using ancient forensics for homicide detection: Study
Weapons can be classified according to the nature of the weapon and the force exerted by it and the nature of the injuries caused. have looked at how methods and techniques used in forensic science are used to diagnose homicides involving the use of sharp weapons. The injuries that sharp weapons can inflict on a person include strikes, cuts, and abrasions. also noted that the clothes worn by the victims also bore the corresponding presence of the wounds and injuries. Amarakoon et al.’s study also noted the methods adopted by the forensic medical officer to identify murders committed with the use of sharp weapons.
Source:The Nation
June 24, 2021 17:15 UTC