COVID-19: Studies underway on 03rd dose of jab
COLOMBO (News 1st): State Ministry of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals is set to conduct studies on whether or not a 03rd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine should be administered. The National Medicines Regulatory Authority of Sri Lanka (NMRA) was already instructed to inform its expert opinion on the matter, Prof. Channa Jayasumana, the State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals said. According to the Minister, special attention will be drawn to the studies conducted across the globe, regarding the administration of a 03rd dose of the vaccine in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed officials to order a batch of vaccines for a third dose if necessary, taking the ongoing global situation into account and based on the recommendations by the medical experts.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 06:00 UTC
CAA requested to increase price of Wheat Flour
COLOMBO (News 1st): The Consumer Affairs Authority has received a request from manufacturing companies to increase the price of Wheat Flour. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs Authority noted that this request was forwarded to it, by the relevant companies. According to the request, the companies claim that the cost of their products has increased due to the increase in production prices and the decline of foreign exchange rates in the country. However, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs Authority emphasized that permission has NOT yet been granted to increase the price of flour.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 06:00 UTC
Tourism Industry at risk due to X-PRESS PEARL disaster
COLOMBO (News 1st): The tourism industry will face negative consequences following the fire aboard the MV X-PRESS PEARL off the Western coast of Sri Lanka, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said. Of the 15 tourist zones, eight are located within the area that is affected due to the MV X-PRESS PEARL disaster, Dhammika Wijesinghe, the Director-General of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) told News 1st on Saturday (Jun. Moreover, the tourism industry is heavily dependent on the country’s beaches and the marine eco-system, which entails a rich bio-diversity; therefore, there is a significant impact on the tourism industry, Dhammika Wijesinghe pointed out. “Seafood such as shrimp, lobster, and crab is quite popular among foreign tourists who visit Sri Lanka, and yet to be validated concerns with regard to fish resources could gravely affect the tourism industry and its image,” Dhammika Wijesinghe, the Director-General of SLTDA lamented.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 06:00 UTC
Time magazine mocked for fawning cover with Biden in aviators 'taking on Putin'
In Time's tweet introducing the cover, the magazine wrote: 'Biden takes on Putin,' which elicited an onslaught of snippy jokes about 78-year-old Biden's age and gifs of Putin laughing on Twitter. 'He's wearing sunglasses because he's sleeping,' another Twitter user said, playing off Donald Trump's snarky nickname for Biden 'Sleepy Joe'. Time published the cover as Biden prepares to meet with Putin at a summit in Geneva next week. Based on replies to Time magazine's cover, Twitter doesn't think that will happen. 'Despite the belated Fake News portrayal of the meeting, the United States won much, including the respect of President Putin and Russia.'
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 06:00 UTC
Police apprehend 1,027 more quarantine law flouters on Friday
Sri Lanka Police on Friday (June 11) arrested 1,027 people who flouted the quarantine regulations, says DIG Ajith Rohana. According to the police spokesman, a total of 30,042 arrests have been made in connection with the same offences since the 30th of October 2020. Meanwhile, 3,153 individuals and 1,024 vehicles were inspected by the police at 14 entry and exit points of the Western Province and 91 people have been admonished and sent back for attempting to cross the provincial border in violation of travel restrictions. In addition, seven quarantine law violators have been taken into custody in a special drone operation carried out at Sinhapura area in Thalangama on Friday, the police spokesman said further.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 05:26 UTC
Boat full of revelers nearly slips over DAM in Texas before being rescued
The incident unfolded on Thursday afternoon in east Austin's Lady Bird Lake. Austin-Travis County EMS said callers reported a boat with four people on board about to go over the Longhorn Dam around 2.36pm, KXAN reported. Lady Bird Lake, the site of Thursday's wild rescue, is no stranger to news headlines. Amazingly, swimming in Lady Bird Lake has been banned since 1964, according to an April 6 press release. Authorities did note that the risk to humans is low, and people can continue to boat and fish within the lakes which explains Thursday's miraculous boat rescue on Lady Bird Lake.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 03:00 UTC
Sri Lanka registers 62 more COVID deaths
Sri Lanka on Friday (June 11) registered 62 more victims of COVID-19, the Director-General of Health Services. The latest fatalities have moved death toll from the virus infection to 2,073, according to Government Information Department’s data. Reportedly, 07 of the victims had succumbed to the virus infection between the period of May 08 – May 31. As per official data, 40 victims in total were aged over 70 years. Thirteen victims were in the age group 60-69 years and four were aged between 50-59 years.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 02:15 UTC
Courtyard by Marriott to debut in Sri Lanka
Meanwhile, on June 9, The Island published its front page lead story ‘Covid time bonanza: Luxury SUVs for MPs coming after all- LCs opened before Cabinet rescinded its own decision’. The Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA) has expressed its concerns on the decision the government has taken to import 400 vehicles – including 227 luxury SUVs – to a value of Rs. Is it fair to keep these permit holders on hold indefinitely while new luxury SUVs are imported for MPs during the import ban? The vehicle import ban imposed last year has taken a toll on vehicle buyers by constricting the market at a time when the need for personal transportation is more acute. This proposal was based on a minimum volume of vehicle imports for the industry to survive until the import ban is lifted.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 01:07 UTC
Virtusa appoints Santosh Thomas as CEO
Meanwhile, on June 9, The Island published its front page lead story ‘Covid time bonanza: Luxury SUVs for MPs coming after all- LCs opened before Cabinet rescinded its own decision’. The Ceylon Motor Traders Association (CMTA) has expressed its concerns on the decision the government has taken to import 400 vehicles – including 227 luxury SUVs – to a value of Rs. Is it fair to keep these permit holders on hold indefinitely while new luxury SUVs are imported for MPs during the import ban? The vehicle import ban imposed last year has taken a toll on vehicle buyers by constricting the market at a time when the need for personal transportation is more acute. This proposal was based on a minimum volume of vehicle imports for the industry to survive until the import ban is lifted.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 01:07 UTC
Antarabhava and Rebirth
After that, let us say this “persisting mental structure” escapes the body and becomes the “antarabhava” object but the information encoded in the “antarabhava” structure will begin to rapidly become disordered due to the 2nd law of thermodynamics. Buddha mentions rebirth often enough but what does he say about the actual process of rebirth? The answer is `Not very much’.”“Some Buddhist schools teach that after death, consciousness hovers in an in-between state (antarabhava) for a certain period before being reborn. Upali Abeysiri too supports my contention that Theravada has lost out by disregarding the intermediate state, antarabhava, after death. Whilst thanking all who made me extend my thought processes further, my search for the truth about rebirth continues!
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 00:56 UTC
Dates announced for India’s tour of Sri Lanka
by Rex ClementineIndia will send a second string team to Sri Lanka later this month for a six-match bilateral series. India must be confident of winning in Sri Lanka even with a second string side. For example, their main team whitewashed Sri Lanka 5-0 in ODIs when they toured here in 2017 and the following year at the Nidahas Trophy, they sent a second string team and won the competition where Sri Lanka even failed to make it to the finals. Board of Control for Cricket in India has been extremely generous in helping out Sri Lanka coming in for hastily arranged series previously to bail out SLC that was feeling the pinch. At the moment Sri Lanka are languishing last at 13th position.
Source:The Nation
June 12, 2021 00:45 UTC
Gongs for Britain's jab heroes in Queen's Birthday Honours list
Experts behind Britain’s world-beating vaccination programme take centre stage in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Venture capitalist Kate Bingham receives a damehood for leading the UK Vaccines Taskforce and obtaining millions of doses of six different jabs. Experts behind Britain’s world-beating vaccination programme take centre stage in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Boris Johnson said the honours were a ‘reminder of all that we can achieve when we come together as a society’. David Hunt, head of vaccine operations at AstraZeneca is appointed CBE – one of eight employees from the pharmaceutical giant honoured.
Source:The Nation
June 11, 2021 23:03 UTC
EU countries agree Covid vaccine scheme - excluding Britons
By Mail Foreign ServicePublished: 18:25 EDT, 11 June 2021 | Updated: 18:48 EDT, 11 June 2021EU countries have agreed to ease summer travel restrictions that will allow fully vaccinated tourists to avoid tests or quarantines – but not British holidaymakers. People who have been fully vaccinated for 14 days should be able to travel freely from one EU country to another, according to a proposal approved by ambassadors from the 27 members. The guidelines come as the EU introduces Covid certificates which will show whether a person is vaccinated, has had the virus or had a recent negative test. The system is set to be ready by July 1, although some countries will launch certificates earlier. Non-EU members of the Schengen zone, such as Iceland and Norway, will also be able to take advantage of the scheme.
Source:The Nation
June 11, 2021 22:30 UTC
The Best Features in Android 12 Beta 2 (So Far)
While the Android 12 beta is still only available for Pixel devices, don’t let the FOMO get to you; Android 12 is still several months away from a stable release, and this most recent build sounds like it’s the buggiest one yet. Below, we’re ticking off the biggest new tweaks in Android 12 Beta 2 that every Android user should know about. Android 12 offers new privacy monitors and blocking toolsAndroid 12 beta 2 enhances the OS’s security with several privacy-minded features. New shortcuts in Android 12Rounding out the noteworthy additions in Android 12 Beta 12 are a grip of new shortcuts—including a new, smaller Power Menu. How to download and try out Android 12 Beta 2The Android 12 beta 2 is only available on Pixel 3, 3a, 4, 4a, and 5 smartphones, including XL and 5G models.
Source:The Nation
June 11, 2021 21:11 UTC
How and Why to Do Barbell Squats
But perhaps you’ve heard that squats are bad for your knees, or that you need to do squats in a certain specific way to avoid injury. So, it’s not the squats themselves that hurt your knees; it’s how you squat that’s probably hurting your knees. Additionally, Lefever suggests:Train that [squat] movement through goblet squats and work on both mobility and strength with single-leg work. Are deep squats safe? The only lifters who routinely buck this trend are, who train the competition lifts when they’re fresh, and then squats afterward.If you’re squatting alone, make sure you can.
Source:The Nation
June 11, 2021 21:04 UTC