Parliment Minister Abdul Haleem tested positive for COVID 19
Kandy District MP Abdul Haleem positive for COVID 19. He is the first one who tested positive for COVID 19. previously COVID positive parliment Ministers include Arundika Fernando, W Yapa Bandara, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, Rauff Hakeem, Dayasiri Jayasekara and Piyal Nishantha. There were 8 of them tested positive before.
Chinese embassy took actions about the advertising of Sri Lanka’s national flag in carpets and footwear.
The Chinese embassy in Sri Lanka has responded to Sri Lanka’s request about selling and advertising Sri lankan flag printed carpets and slippers. Chinees Embassy in Colombo has tweeted saying“National Flags must be fully respected. Concern has been conveyed for investigation. Similar products are sold by sellers from various countries on Amazon. China has been supporting Sri Lanka for its peace, prosperity and dignity for decades.”Door mats and footwear advertising the Sri lankan national flag were available for sale on several websites including Amazon. The “Sri Lanka Flag Nonslip Doormat” had cost USD 12 and its around Rs. 2400. They also advertising about slippers with a Sril lankan flag image in it. Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage Foreign Secretary informed the Embassy of Sri Lanka in China Beijing to contact the manufacturer about the concerned matter. Also he had instructed Embassy of Sri Lankan in Washington D.C to follow up on the matter with the advertising platform Amazon.
Direct flight services between Jaffna and Chennai is going to restart
The Minister of Transport Prasanna Ranatunga said that the government expecting to restart the direct flight services between Jaffna and Chennai. Progress of flight launching between Sri Lanka and India going to arrange under the “air travel bubble” concept. He also states the internal flight service’s between internal Ratmalana, Jaffna and Batticaloa will also restart soon. Also Shehan Sumanasekara the Chief Director-Operations of Airport and Aviation Services said that more than 4000 tourists visited Sri lanka during last January. He also added that operations at Bandaranaike International Airport and Mattala Rajapaksa International Airports are continuing as usual according to the COID 19 guidelines.
COVID-19 South African variant detected in Sri Lanka
Dr. Chandima Jeewandara Director of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine of Sri Jayewardenepura University has states that SARS-CoV-2 variant belongs to B.1.3.5.1 lineage identified in Sri Lanka. It was firstly identified in South Africa. It was identified from a person who returned from Tanzania and now he is currently staying at a quarantine centre.
Pillayan meets President Gotabaya Rajapaksha
MP SivanesathuraiChandrakanthan (Pillayan) met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the President’s Office today ( March 12). MP Sivanesathurai said that the discussions was focused on various matters.Some of them are like;Development of the Batticaloa District and Future political decisions. Also he states that they discussed about the the Provincial Council elections. He further explained that President Gotabhaya Rajapaksha had vowed to visit Batticaloa soon and had also stated that more funds will be allocated for the development of the District.
Court Orders Government to ban TikTok
A spokesman for the country’s telecoms regulator in Pakistan made satatement that government received a court order to ban the popular social media app TikTok. Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) spokesman Khurram Mehran further states that” The court has asked PTA to block access to TikTok,”. Jehanzeb Mehsud a lawyer representing the PTA from A high court in the northwestern city of Peshawar explained that the case was filed after a privert complaint. The complainant state that the app is was spreading indecent content. The South Asian Muslim majority nation had previously banned the app in October, but restored it after10 days. Then company vowed to block all accounts involved in spreading “obscenity and immorality.”
Instagram Lite App is available in 170 countries including Sri Lanka
Face book firstly introduced the Instagram Lite app in 2018 in Mexico but later decided to discontinued it. Then in the Instagram Lite App was launched in India December and now Facebook has introduced the Instagram Lite App to around 170 countries around the world including Sri Lanka. The Instagram Lite App is currently available for download in 170 countries, including Sri Lanka, through the Google Play Store.. It is currently only available for Android devices. The Face book have stated that they do not expect to provide this Lite App for iOS devices either in the future.
Ali Sabry responded to Hirunikas request
Justice Minister Ali Sabry responded to former MP Hirunika Premachandra about the request she had made directing his attention to the needs of women with infants attending court sessions. Hirunika Premachandra received a warrant to arrest by the Colombo High Court yesterday. It was for not appearing in court over a case filed on the abduction of a youth in Dematagoda in the year 2015. Later she clarified that she was within the court premises but she was breastfeeding her 1 ½- months old child inside her vehicle at the time of being summoned. Also she explained that courts did not have an allocated space for women with infants who are required to attend court sessions and pointed out for Justice Minister to address the situation. Later Justice Minister Ali Sabry responded to her request with a Facebook message. “I cannot put a value on the importance of motherhood, and accordingly no mother should have to face difficulties in accessing courthouses due to the need to feed their child,” He further explained his aknowledgemen about the court system not having provisions made for such an important part in humans life. He also vowed to work towards ensuring that it provides the facilities for infant care in its administration of justice system. The Justice Minister vowed that he was determined to ensure that there is no discrimination or bar to the access to justice and the Justice Ministry must work towards ensuring that it provides the facilities for infant care in its administration of justice system.
Sri Lanka invitates Myanmar to attend BIMSTEC
Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry clarifies invitation to Myanmar junta to attend BIMSTEC meeting. Media Statement by the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry; There have been reports on social media platforms in regard to an invitation extended to the Foreign Minister of Myanmar to attend the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting hosted virtually on 1st April 2021, in Colombo. Sri Lanka as the Chair of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the host of the Ministerial Meeting has invited all Member States (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand) to participate in the discussions in order to finalise documents of the 5th BIMSTEC Summit expected to be held later this year in Sri Lanka. Newly appointed foreign minister of the military government in Myanmar’s Wunna Maung Lwin received a formal invitation for a virtual meeting . But it has raised accusations in social media that Sri Lanka is endorsing the military coup that removed Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government.
Brunt body of businessman found inside car at Kohuwala
A partly burnt body of a 33 year old businessman found inside a car around 11.30 pm yesterday night. It was a Wagon R vehicle and located on Asiri Mawatha in Kohuwala. The Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana states that deceased has been identified as a resident of Bathiya Mawatha in Kalubowila. The vehicle had been completely burnt and it was found that deceased gone to a certain place for dinner and then travelled in the car. The police spokesman further explained that Kohuwal Police is conducting further investigations on the case.