Medicine can be delivered to home through post by calling the hospital and giving the clinic number and home address - Dr. Champika Wickramasinghe
Deputy Director General of Noncommunicable Diseases Unit, Dr. Champika Wickramasinghe stated that due to the prevailing pandemic situation and travel restrictions, people can get their medicine delivered home by post through calling the hospital they normally receive their medicine and giving the clinic number and home address. She stated this while participating in a media briefing held at the Health Promotion Bureau on the 11th regarding the current COVID situation in the country. The telephone numbers of the hospitals can be gained through the official website of the Ministry of Health, health.gov.lk, and by giving the name, address and clinic number of the relevant hospitals, medicines for at least two months can be delivered to home within a few days. She said that if anyone encounters an inconvenience in calling the hospital, two special hotline numbers have been introduced to gain further details in this regard; 0720720720 for Sinhala and 0720606060 for Tamil. Moreover, people who have received medicines from private pharmacies via online can also access the official website of the Ministry of Health and get WhatsApp, Viber and Emo numbers of all the pharmacies.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 23:48 UTC
Sri Lanka’s solar energy sector: Recycling broken promises or new hope?
In case you do not know what renewable energy is and what it encompasses, it is energy collected from renewable energy sources such as wind, tides, sunlight, geothermal heat, and rain. The then Government launched the “Battle for Solar Energy” or “Sooryabala Sangramaya” programme in 2016 and sent surplus energy to the national grid. Solar power plant in HambanthotaThe CEB is even of the view that solar power alone is sufficient to cater to the national energy demand during the day time. “Under the Paris Agreement, funding is available for developing countries to build renewable energy projects that will save carbon emissions. Current Government’s plansProviding a glimmer of hope in the solar energy sector, the current Government seems somewhat focused on improving the country’s renewable energy sector, thereby increasing its contribution to national energy demand.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 23:03 UTC
Trinco oil tank reclamation at snail’s pace
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila stated that the progress is very slow despite the discussions held with official Indian counterparts to develop the Upper Oil Tank Farm. Nevertheless, Lanka Indian Oil Company (LIOC) Managing Director Manoj Gupta told The Sunday Morning Business early this year that the discussions held with the Energy Ministry and its Indian counterparts had been very positive. Meanwhile, Gammanpila, when contacted during the same month (February), clarified that both parties were able to come to a consensual agreement to jointly develop the oil tank farm by the LIOC and CPC with majority shares. The development of the Upper Oil Tank Farm in Trincomalee was initially signed by the previous Government with a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Co-operation on Economic Projects in order to set up a joint venture between the LIOC and the CPC. The then Sri Lankan Government proposed the idea of developing and running the tanks as a joint venture in 2016 to store the fuel for power generation in an emergency situation.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 23:03 UTC
Pixaraptor.: Recreating reality through passion and design
What sets Pixaraptor. Founder and Art Director Rehan FiyazWhat sets Pixaraptor. This is what sets Pixaraptor. What sets Pixaraptor. Furthermore, the Oceanlust Magazine – the first ocean based e-magazine in Sri Lanka – is one of the clients exclusive to Pixaraptor.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 22:52 UTC
Global language, global ambition
The Ministry has indicated that pilot schools would be set up at provincial level too before English medium instruction is made available islandwide. In the politics of language, English has been elevated to a form of privilege in Sri Lanka and a tool of discrimination. Business in particular must welcome and support the implementation of English medium instruction. Nowhere is the importance of English language proficiency more evident than in the business world: It is the language of international commerce; the primary language of communication and technology; the language of negotiation and collaboration in a globalised world. Eventually, demand will determine the exact share of English medium in Sri Lanka’s education system.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 22:52 UTC
Petroleum Development Authority Act by September
New Act to attract FDIs into energy sectorBy The Sunday Morning Business DeskThe new Petroleum Development Authority (PDA) Act to replace the existing Petroleum Resources Act No. There has to be a lucrative legal framework and in order to fulfil the requirement, the Ministry thought of formulating an Act,” he added. Cabinet approval to replace the Act was given on 25 January 2021. The Ministry had advised state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to find a potential investor to undertake this project as a public-private partnership (PPP). The investment could be made either by a local or foreign investor, and the project would be a PPP.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 22:52 UTC
Deposits under SDA exceed $ 400 m
The special deposit account (SDA), which was announced during the peak of a potential foreign exchange crisis amidst the Covid-19 outbreak last year, has significantly raised more than $ 400 million in deposits as of last week. As of today, the SDA has exceeded $ 400 million of deposits,” the official noted. However, an exact current figure for deposits under the SDA facility could not be obtained, as attempts to reach the Treasury in this regard proved futile. The SDA facility was introduced by the Government on 8 April 2020. With reference to CBSL official statistics, as of 7 October 2020, total deposits in SDAs amounted to approximately $ 272 million.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 22:52 UTC
Mitigating Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 education crisis: Priority areas for action
Despite commendable efforts by many countries to put in place alternative remote learning strategies and corrective measures, learning losses have been unavoidable and substantial. Sri Lankan schools have been largely dysfunctional for over 15 months since initial closures in March 2020, despite some brief periods of operation. This blog examines policy responses adopted in Sri Lanka’s education sector over the past year, with a view of informing its future education recovery strategy in 2021 and beyond. Areas for urgent actionThe above discussion suggests that both emergency and recovery measures adopted in Sri Lanka during Covid-19 school closures have worsened existing education inequities. (Ashani Abayasekara is a Research Economist at the IPS with research interests in labour economics, economics of education, development economics, and microeconometrics.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 22:52 UTC
Chetan Sakariya’s astonishing call up for SL series: ‘I wish my father had been here to see this’
The 20-member India squad for the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka in July has five new faces. Seven days with father in hospitalLast month Chetan Sakariya lost his father, who had been a tempo driver, due to Covid-19. It was only last January that he lost his younger brother who committed suicide“I wish my father had been here to see this. His performance in half an IPL prompted the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee to pick him for the Sri Lanka tour. I never expected that I will straightaway be picked in the main squad for Sri Lanka.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 22:18 UTC
Queen's war on Harry and Meghan's LA spin machine
The Queen will no longer remain silent when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex allow ‘mistruths’ about the Royal Family to circulate in the public domain, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. Harry and Meghan reacted furiously, instructing their lawyers to contest the BBC story, which they described as ‘false and defamatory’. Sources say the Queen’s more robust response to the tsunami of media briefings from allies of the Sussexes will go beyond the Lilibet story. The BBC story, effectively ‘killed’ the New York Post’s account and led, within hours, to the letter from Harry and Meghan’s lawyers. The Palace couldn’t deny the story that this was a mistruth.’ Ironically, Harry has spoken out against the ‘barrage of mistruths’ on social media.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 22:05 UTC
Twelve adventurous staycations to make you happy, fit and healthy
Treehouses from £1,040 for a two-night stay. From £442 for a self-catering two-night stay. From £450 for a two-night stay with breakfast. From £268 for a two-night stay with breakfast. From £224 for a two-night stay including breakfast and dinner, including visit to Bath’s Thermae Spa, and use of the spa facilities.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 21:56 UTC
Nasser Hussain lays into England's peculiar batting approach after New Zealand collapse
Nasser Hussain was heavily critical of England's batting approach against New ZealandIt led Hussain to slate a team who, in spite of coach Chris Silverwood’s mitigation plea of youth, fielded five of their first-choice top six. ‘It was just an abject batting performance,’ said Hussain on Sky Sports. Hussain accused Chris Silverwood (pictured) and co of 'trying to reinvent the wheel'‘In Sri Lanka, Joe Root carried them. Hussain added: ‘Compare them to those of New Zealand, who are committed to orthodox Test match batting. Technically gifted, sound batsmen playing the way the game is supposed to be played, New Zealand.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 21:45 UTC
Facebook fact-checkers could be politically biased, Nick Clegg admits
The former Deputy Prime Minister made the admission to EU officials in November during talks about how the tech giant was tackling misinformation flooding its site. Now, minutes of a meeting between Mr Clegg and a Brussels power-broker reveal how he questioned the ability of the fact-checkers to make impartial decisions. However, the minutes add: 'He [Mr Clegg] also stressed that independent fact-checkers are not necessarily objective because they have their own agenda.' Then in February the tech giant announced it would remove 'false claims on Facebook and Instagram' suggesting that Covid-19 was man-made or manufactured. (Above, Mr Clegg and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in 2019)Mr Clegg's comments come amid mounting concern that Facebook is shutting down public debate.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 21:45 UTC
All Things Fashion With Kosh
Kosh started his journey in fashion when he was between 13 and 15 years old, alongside his mother, who was a bridal designer, fashion stylist, and hair and makeup artist. He was awarded Best Designer Of The Year in 2015 and also showcased his designs at the Asian European Fashion Week in Paris, where he was the youngest fashion designer to earn the opportunity. I used to volunteer for the Colombo Fashion Week backstage, basically I was helping models to change and get ready for the show. My journey in fashion started from my family and there’s another woman who actually inspired me with her smile and her outfits – Princess Diana. What is your opinion on the fashion industry in Sri Lanka at the moment, both in terms of designers and models?
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 21:11 UTC
Blue Origin auctions a rocket trip to space with Bezos
While the funds raised from the event are earmarked for charity, Blue Origin is hoping to galvanize enthusiasm for its nascent suborbital tourism business. Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic, as well as Musk's SpaceX, have also discussed using their rockets to link far-flung global cities. In sending tourists to space, Bezos has beaten Richard Branson and Elon Musk and their firms, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX to the punch. Jeff started building Blue Origin in 2000, we started building Virgin Galactic in 2004 & now both are opening up access to Space - how extraordinary! The capsule is designed with the iconic Blue Origin feather across the exterior and inside are six reclining seats that mirror those inside a helicopter.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 18:56 UTC