Japanese Woman Dies From Tick Disease After Cat Bite

A Japanese woman died last year of a tick-borne disease after being bitten by a stray cat, Japan's

health ministry says, in what could be the first such mammal-to-human transmission.

The unnamed woman in her 50s had been helping the apparently sick cat.

Ten days later she died of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS), which is carried by ticks.

With no tick bite detected, doctors assume the illness could have been contracted via the cat.
"No reports on animal-to-human transmission cases have been made so far," a Japanese health ministry official told the AFP news agency.
"It's still not confirmed the virus came from the cat, but it's possible that it is the first case," the official added.SFTS is a relatively new infectious disease emerging in China, Korea and Japan..

 The virus is said to have fatality rates of up to 30% and is especially severe in people over 50.

 According to Japanese media, SFTS first occurred in the country in 2013.
Japan's health ministry said last year's death was still a rare case but warned people to be careful when in contact with animals in poor physical condition.
Globally, tick bites are widely associated with transmitting Lyme disease which can lead to severe illness and death if left untreated..(BBC)

Foreign-France Wildfires Force Mass Evacuation

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-40725294

GOLDEN MELODIES

President Has Extended The Term Of Bond Commission By Three Months

President Maithripala Sirisena has extended the term of the Presidential Commission Of Inquiry or the Bond Commission which inquiring the Bond scam of the Central Bank by three months it has been announced.

Accordingly the term of the Commission has been extended from 27th of July to 27th of October this year.The report of the Central Bank Bond scam should be handed over within this period it has been stated.

The Gazette notification regarding the extending  term of the Bond Commission has been issued yesterday(25).

Foreign Minister Informed The Bond Commission That He Will Not Be Present For Questioning Today(26)

Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake has informed the Bond Commission or the Presidential Commission of Inquiry  which inquiring the bond scam of the Central Bank through a lawyer that he will not be able to attend before the commission today (26) as requested due to a Security Council Meeting and will appear before the Commission  next Wednesday.

The Bond Commission has issued summons to the Foreign Minister Karunanayake to appear before the commission today(26) to answer the questions regarding the allegations leveled against him over getting a luxury house from the main suspect of Bond scam in Central Bank Arjun Aloysias who is the director of Perpetual Treasuries limited which involved in the scam . Aloysias paid the rent of the luxury house behalf of the Minister who was than the Minister of Finance it has been revealed during the investigations .

In a letter sent to the Bond Commission through his  lawyer  Minister Karunanayake has stated that he will be not available to appear before the Bond Commission until next Wednesday for questioning as he is due to attend the Parliamentary sessions  on tomorrow and the day after and due to tour Maldives on next Monday.

Army Entered The Fuel Storing Complexes In Kolonnawa And Muthurajawela To Ensure Fuel Distribution- Striking Workers Removed From The Complexes

Army personal have entered the Kolonnawa and Muthurajawela Fuel storing complexes early this morning(26)and ensured the fuel distributing process which stopped due to the Island wide continuous strike launched by Petroleum workers , with the help of non striking staff of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation it has been reported.

Army have removed the striking staff of the Kolonnawa and Muthurajawla fuel storing complexes and ensured the security of non striking workers who now engaged in fuel distribution process.

However the removed strikers are still stay in front of the fuel storing complexes it has been revealed.

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A Large vehicle queues have seen in front of the fuel filling stations belonging to Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Indian Oil Company Island wide since yesterday(25) to get fuel .The Petroleum Trade Unions Collective had launched the continuous strike since midnight on Monday(24) demanding to take over the Oil tank complexes at China harbor  in Trincomalee and Hambanthota and urgently refurbish the Sapugaskande oil refinery .

Petroleum Trade Unions collective has yesterday announced it will continue their strike until the demands are met after failure of talks held between the representatives of the unions and authorities last evening.

Meanwhile Government has issued a Gazette last night(25) making fuel distribution of the country as an essential service ,According to the Gazette issued  by the Presidential Secretary Austin Fernando as per the order of President Maithripala Sirisena supply and distribution of all Petroleum products and liquid gases are essential.

It the striking petroleum workers not return to work after announcing the fuel distribution as an essential service they will be considered as vacate from their posts the Government has announced.

WOMAN WITH VASE :VIRAHINI (1982)AN ARTWORKS OF YESTERYEAR SRI LANKAN ARTIST GEORGE KEYT (1901-1993)