NO LOCKDOWN, PRESIDENT DECIDES

• Weddings, funerals with limited attendees • All state functions postponed until September 1• Public urged to refrain from large gatherings at public places and to strictly follow health guidelines to prevent spread of the virus• All state functions are postponed until September 1, 2021. The heads of government institutions are authorised to decide on the number of employees to be called for duty

Amazon delays office return until 2022 as Covid spreads

Amazon has told its US corporate staff not to return to the office until next year as COVID continues to spread.

Batum Blocks Game-Winner, Sets Up France Re-Match Against USA

Nicolas Batum blocked a potential game-winning lay-up by Slovenia’s Klemen Prepelic to take France to the gold medal match of the Tokyo 2020 Men’s Basketball at the Saitama Super Arena yesterday. It was the last play in a wild end to a game which was tied with a little over three minutes left, before France took a five-point lead with the clock down to 56 seconds.

From Sri Lanka To Tunisia: Democracy Under Threat

A scorpion wants to cross the stream and asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates because it is afraid the scorpion will sting it. The scorpion argues that if it does so both would drown. The frog then agrees and starts swimming while carrying the scorpion on its back. Mid-stream, the scorpion stings the frog. The dying frog asks the ungrateful stranger why he did so knowing well both would die. The scorpion replies: “I couldn’t help it. It’s in my nature.”

Pandemic Fuels SL's Digital Literacy; Computer Literacy Lags

While computer literacy hasn’t reached a third of the population in Sri Lanka, the COVID-19 pandemic has given the country’s digital literacy a push with people picking up digital devices to connect with each other, work, study, and entertain themselves while staying at home.

Raisi Takes Office As Iran's President As Regional Tensions Run High

Ebrahim Raisi officially took office as Iran’s new president on Thursday, according to Iranian media, in a move that places all three branches of the government - the executive, legislative and judiciary - in the hands of conservative hardliners.

Spain's Sanchez Jaime Lands Karate's Historic First Olympic Gold

Spain’s Sandra Sanchez Jaime won the first-ever Olympic Games karate gold medal in Tokyo yesterday.

Adani-JKH Container Terminal Gets 25-Year Tax Holiday

• The project will be 30 percent financed by equity and 70 percent by debt, which will be a foreign loan• Will have a 35-year build-operate-transfer concession from SLPA• Imported material will be free from VAT, import duty, Port and Airport Development Levy• Up to 20 expatriate employees will get tax exemption on salaries

Dismantling A Child Labour Structure Brick By Brick

Children give us so much hope, but have parents and guardians done their part for these children? We can raise so many questions regarding their welfare and safety.

McLaughlin And Muhammad Deliver Olympic Hurdles Epic

Sydney McLaughlin describes her ferocious-but-friendly rivalry with Dalilah Muhammad as iron sharpening iron.

Two Rockets From Lebanon Hit Israel, Drawing Israeli Retaliation

Two rockets launched from Lebanon on Wednesday struck Israel, which responded with artillery fire, amid heightened regional tensions over an alleged Iranian attack on an oil tanker in the Gulf last week.

IMMUNITY TO PEOPLE AND A BOOSTER TO THE ECONOMY

COVID-19 has changed our lives introducing “new norms” at least for the next decade. During good old days, when we went to school and mingled with friends has now become a dream for our children. They are confined to their studies and to a computer or phone screen.

THOMPSON-HERAH DOUBLES UP ON TOKYO 2020 SPRINT TITLES, WINS WOMEN'S 200M

Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah completed a sprint double-double yesterday, repeating her achievement from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games by adding the Women’s 200m to the 100m title she won at Tokyo 2020.

Tehran to drop prisoner swap plans with US

DUBAI, AUG 3 (REUTERS) – Iran is dropping plans for prisoner swaps with the United States due to “breaches” by Washington in efforts to free the detainees, an unnamed Iranian official told the semi-official Nour Newsagency on Tuesday.

Swiss experts conduct knowledge-sharing session on organic agro ecosystem

A team of experts from Switzerland presently on a 10-day visit in the country conducted an experiential and insightful training session on organic agriculture and ecosystem, a need of the hour for Sri Lanka, as it bans chemical fertilizers and pesticides to make a transition from conventional to an organic approach.

India revive memories of past glories by reaching semis

Hockey’s profile in India could reach new heights after both the men’s and women’s teams ended decades in the doldrums by advancing into the semi-finals of the Tokyo Olympics.

AFGHAN ARMY URGES CIVILIANS TO EVACUATE CITY BESIEGED BY TALIBAN

Residents were urged Tuesday to evacuate a besieged Afghan city as the army prepared a major offensive against Taliban insurgents after three days of heavy fighting.

India And China To Continue Dialogue Over Disputed Border

The twelfth round of talks between the two armies - and the first meeting in three months - was the latest attempt to ward off fears of a wider conflict between the two countries

Iran Warns Of Response If Security Threatened After Ship Attack

Iran will respond promptly to any threat against its security, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Monday, after the United States, Israel and Britain blamed Tehran for an attack on an Israeli-managed tanker off the coast of Oman.

Is Sri Lanka In Vaccine Olympics?

If a proper system was followed from the beginning the citizens would not have to live in fear and panic

No One Should Employ Minors As Domestic Servants: Ruwan

• Action should be taken against those who employ minors • UNP never nurtured Mr. Bathiudeen as he began politics with the politicians of the present government

Sindhu Awaits Ice Cream With Modi After Second Olympic Medal

Indian badminton ace P.V. Sindhu awaits a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after she became the country’s first woman to win two individual Olympic medals.

Exorcist arrested for molesting two women during ritual

THE SUSPECT HAS INFORMED ALL MALES SHOULD LEAVE THE HOUSE FOR HIM TO PERFORM A SPECIAL RITUAL LEAVING ONLY THE WOMEN

Sajith To Sue UDA Over Alleged Attempt To Transfer People From Mattala Uda Gammana

Villagers informed Mr.Premadasa that UDA officials had informed them that the 25 acre provided to build houses for the homeless in Mattala was under the Department of Forest Reserves and construction of houses cannot be allowed

Australian Swimmer McKeon Sets Olympic Medal Record

Australia’s Emma McKeon became the first female swimmer to win seven medals at a single Olympics with two more golds yesterday.

Sri Lankan Airlines Returns To Moscow With Direct Flights

Sri Lankan Airlines, the national carrier of Sri Lanka and a member of the oneworld alliance is delighted to announce the commencement of direct flights between Sri Lanka and Russia. The inaugural flight was ceremonially greeted with a water salute at Domodedovo Airport (DME) in Moscow.

Stories On Gem Clusters Fabricated To Divert People's Attention

The “Dhammika peniya ( Syrup) was another fabricated gimmick. The COVID-19 pandemic has gone from bad to worse. Some 1600 persons have died of COVID 19 since June

SriLankan Airlines carries out certification on Qatar Airways at MRIA

SriLankan Engineering, the maintenance repair overhaul (MRO) arm of SriLankan Airlines, recently carried out a maintenance check on an aircraft belonging to Qatar Airways.

UN headquarters attacked in western Afghanistan

The main U.N. compound in the capital of the western Afghan province of Herat was attacked by “anti-government elements” on Friday and at least one security guard was killed, the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said.

JAPAN WIDENS EMERGENCY OVER ‘FRIGHTENING' SPIKE

Japan said on Friday it will expand states of emergency to three prefectures near Olympic host Tokyo and the western prefecture of Osaka, as COVID-19 cases spike in the capital and around the country, overshadowing the Summer Games.