Dominic Cummings hurls insults at Boris Johnson
Dominic Cummings today lobbed a series of astounding accusations at the Prime Minister while giving an account of the Government's response to Covid. Mr Cummings said it was 'crackers' that Boris Johnson - his former boss - ever got the top job in the first place. He said he told the Mr Johnson that he was 'not prepared to work with people like Hancock any more', accusing Mr Johnson of being 'frightened' to give him enough power to set up a functional system. It was 'crackers' Boris Johnson ever became the Prime MinisterAmid his astonishing allegations today, Mr Cummings claimed it was 'completely crackers' Mr Johnson was in charge and that thousands of people in the country could provide better leadership than the Prime Minister. Boris Johnson offered to be injected with Covid-19 on live TVMr Johnson also offered to be injected with it on live television to reassure the public, Mr Cummings claimed.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 13:00 UTC
Sri Lanka s COVID figures up by 1,581 new infections
May 26, 2021 06:35 pmAs many as 1,581 persons have tested positive for the novel coronavirus today (May 26), the Ministry of Health reported. All new cases are associated with the New Year COVID-19 cluster. This brings the total number of COVID-19 cases confirmed in the country thus far to 171,481. As per official data, 27,834 virus infected persons are currently being treated at designated hospitals and treatment centres across the island. Meanwhile, the number of total recoveries has reached 142,378 and the death toll stands at 1,269.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 12:56 UTC
Sanjay Rajaratnam sworn in as new Attorney General
Acting Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam has been sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, as the 48th Attorney General of Sri Lanka. The new Attorney General took oaths at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo this evening (May 26), the President’s Media Division (PMD) said. Rajaratnam, who served the Attorney General’s Department for the past 34 years, has held the posts of Senior State Counsel, Deputy Solicitor General, Additional Solicitor General and Senior Additional Solicitor General before being appointed as the Acting Solicitor General in 2019. Rajaratnam was sworn in as a President’s Counsel in 2014, before then-President, PM Mahinda Rajapaksa. With an extensive experience in civil law and criminal law, Rajaratnam has appeared in several notable cases as well.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 12:45 UTC
A&E Lanka partners with Biodiversity Sri Lanka for Forest restoration in Kanneliya
Tuesday, 25th May 2021, Colombo: As part of its ongoing efforts to give back to the community & society, American & Efird Lanka (A&E Lanka), a Portfolio Company of Elevate Textiles, recently partnered with Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL) to support their efforts in Forest Restoration of the Kanneliya Conservation Forest in Halgahawela, Opatha. Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL) in partnership with the Forest Department, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Sri Lanka and 10 of its Member Companies, initiated the restoration project of a 10-hectare block of degraded fern land in the Kanneliya Conservation Forest in 2018. With A&E Lanka’s support BSL will now begin the restoration of a further two hectares facilitating connectivity of this fragmented forest patch with the Kanneliya Conservation Forest. Commenting on this latest partnership, Dilhan C Fernando – Chairman of the Board of Directors, Biodiversity Sri Lanka stated, “The Importance of this collaboration, for me personally as a person representing the private sector and Biodiversity Sri Lanka, is that we have united science, government and business in doing something that will deliver the kind of change we need at a national level. A&E Lanka has been in operation in Sri Lanka since 1991 supporting Sri Lankan Apparel Manufacturers to position Sri Lanka’s Apparel Industry as the ‘Preferred Ethical Apparel Sourcing Destination’ on the global sourcing map.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 12:33 UTC
Coronavirus- 1,203 patients discharged upon recovery
The Ministry of Health reported that 1,203 more patients who were being treated for COVID-19 have recovered and were discharged from medical care within the last 24 hours. This brings the total number of coronavirus recoveries in the country to 142,378. Majority of the latest recoveries were reported from Dambadeniya Treatment Centre (76), Gallela Treatment Centre (70) and Neville Fernando Teaching Hospital (66). Sri Lanka has so far reported 169,900 positive cases of COVID-19 and a total of 26,253 infected patients are still being treated at designated hospitals and treatment centres.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 12:22 UTC
Rains and Gale Winds for South-Western parts of Sri Lanka
COLOMBO (News 1st); The Cyclonic Storm “YASS” located over East-central Bay of Bengal is landed near north Odisha coasts, India by 26th May noon. The impact of this system, on the weather over the island and the sea areas around the island, is expected to reduce gradually. However, due to the south-west monsoonal condition, the showery condition over the Southwestern part of the island and the gusty wind over the island will be expected during the next few days. Showers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 12:00 UTC
Another coronavirus-positive inmate escapes from hospital
Another prison inmate infected with COVID-19 has escaped custody today, says the Prisons Spokesman Commissioner Chandana Ekanayake. He was transferred from Iyakachchi quarantine centre in Jaffna to Kilinochchi Hospital after suffering a heart attack. According to reports, the inmate in question has fled through a window of the hospital’s lavatory. In another development, a coronavirus-infected inmate of Boossa Prison escaped custody yesterday (May 25) while being transferred to an intermediate treatment centre. Meanwhile, another COVID-19 patient has run off last evening while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Kollupitiya.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 11:03 UTC
Travel advisory for Indians in Sri Lanka
COLOMBO (News 1st); In view of the developments connected with the fire on MV X Press Pearl, Indian nationals currently in Sri Lanka are advised to refrain from going close to the seas off Colombo and Negombo, the Indian High Commission in Colombo announced on Wednesday (26). All Indians in Sri Lanka and planning to travel to Sri Lanka may kindly keep abreast of Covid related restrictions recently imposed by the Government of Sri Lanka, it added noting that the High Commission of India will provide regular updates depending on the situation.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 10:41 UTC
Sri Lanka’s Western coast contaminated with debris from burning ship
COLOMBO (News 1st): The debris and freight containers that fell into sea from the distressed MV X-PRESS PEARL vessel have washed ashore at the Negombo beach, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said on Wednesday (May 26). The contamination is very high and the entire area is affected,” Dharshani Lahandapura, the Chairperson of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) told News 1st. “So we CANNOT stop an oil spill within closer proximity to the vessel because of the current weather pattern and the prevailing sea conditions. Thereby, the only option available to address an oil spill is to conduct a beach clean-up afterward. We are closely monitoring the situation to minimize the potential oil spill,” Dharshani Lahandapura, the Chairperson of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) pointed out.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 10:07 UTC
BASL welcomes appointment of Sanjay Rajaratnam as new AG
In a statement issued by the Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday (25), the BASL welcomed the appointment of Mr. Sanjay Rajaratnam PC to the office of the Attorney-General“Whilst congratulating the new Attorney General, we have the confidence that he will exercise his duties impartially and maintain the independence of the Office. We look to him to uphold the Rule of Law, the Independence of the judiciary and the fundamental human rights of the people,” the Committee said. The BASL also noted that at the time of his appointment as the Attorney-General Mr. Sanjay Rajaratnam PC was the Acting Solicitor-General and the most senior officer in the Department of the Attorney General presently eligible for appointment, having served the Department of the Attorney-General since 1988. Additionally, the BASL commended President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Parliamentary Council for giving due consideration to the vital criteria when appointing the Attorney-General on the first occasion such an appointment was made after the enactment of the 20th amendment of the constitution. The outgoing Attorney-General, Mr. Dappula de Livera PC was also thanked by the Association for his service to the Department and for the cooperation he extended to the BASL.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 09:56 UTC
Redmi Airdots 3 Pro, Redmibook Pro Ryzen Edition launched
Meanwhile, the 14-inch model offers either a Ryzen 5 5500U or Ryzen 7 5700U CPU, a 14-inch 2,560 x 1,600 screen (60Hz, 16:10), and a 56Wh battery. Starting with the AMD-powered Redmibook Pro line, we’ve got 14-inch and 15-inch flavors packing 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSDs. The company also launched two more notable products, namely the Redmi Airdots 3 Pro and Redmibook Pro Ryzen Edition laptops. Moving to the Redmi Airdots 3 Pro, this is Redmi’s first pair of true wireless earbuds with noise cancellation (up to 35 decibels). Redmi product pricingThe RedmiBook Pro Ryzen models start at 4,299 yuan (~$672) for the base 14-inch model, while splashing out 4,699 yuan (~$735) gets you a better processor.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 09:11 UTC
Ten at Opposition Leader s Parliament office contract COVID-19
Ten staff members of the Opposition Leader’s office in Parliament have tested positive for COVID-19. All contacts of the virus-infected individuals have been directed to self-isolate, the Serjeant-at-Arms of the Parliament, Narendra Fernando stated. On May 20, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Mujibur Rahman was confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19 infection. Subsequent reports on May 23 revealed that Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa and his wife have also contracted the virus. Two days later, SJB MP Nalin Bandara confirmed that he is positive for novel coronavirus.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 08:48 UTC
Govt lifts inbound passenger restrictions, Indian origin passengers excluded
The government has decided to lift the temporary restriction imposed on inbound travelers to Sri Lanka effective 1st June 2021, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Upul Dharmadasa stated yesterday (25). However, he noted that restrictions for the passengers who have been to India within the last 14 days will continue until further notice. Dharmadasa added that the total number of passengers on inbound flights should not exceed 75 plus tourists per flight. Further, he said that foreign nationals, seafarers, business travelers etc. require the approvals from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to enter Sri Lanka along with their entry visa, while tourists should refer to the directions given by the Tourist Board.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 08:26 UTC
US Govt donates 4,700 PCR test kits
The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka donated 4,700 PCR test kits worth Rs.13 million to the Ministry of Health yesterday (25). The Director of Indo-Pacific Development Group, Bradley Elder, handed over the donation to Prof. Channa Jayasumana, State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals at the Health Ministry . The State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and COVID Disease Control Sudarshini Fernandopulle was also present at this occasion. The donation was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Defense for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief while the U.S. Embassy has coordinated the purchase and delivery of supplies. Secretary to the Ministry of Health Major General Dr. Sanjeewa Munasinghe, Secretaries to State Ministry Saman Ratnayake and Amal Harsha de Silva were also present at this occasion.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 07:52 UTC