May 22, 2021 05:19 pmThe Finance Ministry has approved a concessionary period for those who could not pay off traffic fines due to the recent outbreak of Covid-19 in the country, Sri Lanka Post announced. Postmaster General Ranjith Ariyaratne said traffic fines issued from April 05 will be given a grace period until further notice. Thereby, overdue charges will not be levies for payments of fines that have exceeded 14 days, the postmaster general added.
Chenuli, tell us about yourself. I am Chenuli Shenaya Fernando, living in Moratuwa. I went to Little Oaks British Nursery, UAE and Gems Winchester School, UAE, before coming to Sri Lanka. My favourite TV show is Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Square Pants, and my favourite movie is Dr. Dolittle. Dr. Dolittle is your favourite movie.
However, it has been claimed the proposed revamp was abandoned in April after a furious row emerged over the makeover of Boris Johnson's Downing Street flat. The lavish refurbishment of 11 Downing Street, which featured gold wallpaper by interior designer Lytle, reportedly cost a six-figure sum. It comes as it was claimed parts of the 'hand-crafted' wallpaper installed in Mr Johnson's 11 Downing Street flat have repeatedly fallen down. Meanwhile, some of the fabrics Lytle's Soane Britain company used in the refit of Mr Johnson and fiancee Carrie Symonds's 11 Downing Street apartment were revealed. Miss Lytle says it is 'based on a 19th century Syrian original pattern woven from cotton and silk'.
A driver and nurse working for 1990 Suwa Seriya ambulance service have been assaulted in the area of Hatton. At around 2.00 am this morning (May 22), the Suwa Seriya ambulance service had received a report claiming that a worker of a resort under construction in Kudagama area had fallen off a balcony. The relevant driver and the nurse, who arrived at the scene responding to the emergency call, have learned that the worker who allegedly fell down has not sustained any injuries. Further, they have found no evidence pointing to such incident taking place at the construction site. After it was determined that the worker in question does not require hospitalization, a group of drunk individuals at the scene had then started to assault the Suwa Seriya driver and the nurse.
'I’m a big advocate of self love but that doesn’t mean I’m against romantic love. Sophie, who doesn't wear a wedding ring, said she wore a costume ring for her wedding ceremony as a symbolic gesture. Pictured: Sophie at her vow renewalShe said: 'It’s actually impacted my relationships in a really positive way. Pictured: Sophie nowSophie said she hasn't received the criticism and challenges from loved ones that are explored in her fictional book about self marriage. Pictured: Sophie nowThe self-declared 'sologamist' said self-love has never been more important than in the last year.
In response to the uproar caused after the unveiling of a plaque to declare open the Smart Library of the Attorney General’s Department which did not display the Tamil language, the AG’s co-ordinating Officer Nishara Jayaratne stated today (22) that it has been removed. Jayaratne stated that the plaque “inadvertently” did not contain the script in Tamil and therefore, it is being replaced with one that does. The plaque which was used to commemorate the opening of the AG’s Department Smart Library contained scripts in Sinhala, English and Mandarin. Tamil, one of the two official languages of Sri Lanka, was ignored.
COLOMBO (News 1st): The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Friday (May 21) arrested a 42-year-old individual in Geli-Oya, for an offence related to fake news, Sri Lanka Police said. “The person was arrested in connection with an offence related to section 120 of the Penal Code. Accordingly, if a person is publishing fake news that creates disharmony or annoyance among the general public, it is an offence,” Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana told News 1st on Saturday (May 22). The Computer Unit at the Criminal Investigation Department had analysed the Facebook page maintained by the individual and accordingly, it was revealed that he had posted fake news in respect of deforestation, DIG Ajith Rohana noted. The person has been brought to Colombo by the CID and he will be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court today (May 22).
Discussions will take place with President Gotabaya Rajapkasa on May 25, 26 or 27 to decide on extending travel restrictions, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva stated. He made these statements during the Derana Aruna programme this morning (22). Accordingly, discussions are expected to be held with the President to decide on enforcing travel restrictions next weekend. The Army Chief said certain issues raised by the health sector will be taken into account when the COVID-19 Task Force convenes. This comes after four medical associations including Sri Lanka Medical Association (SLMA) and Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), called a media briefing on Friday (21), urging the government to enforce stringent travel restrictions for 14 consecutive days.
COLOMBO (News 1st): A decision has been reached to conduct two special inquiries into the allegations that votes were not counted properly during the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill report on the instructions of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) requested that an inquiry be conducted with regard to the Port City Bill vote in Parliament, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena told News 1st on Saturday (May 22). Instructions have been issued to submit the inquiry reports expeditiously, the Speaker added. *Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna in an announcement issued on Friday (May 21) noted that during the second reading of the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill, the special majority vote in favour was mentioned incorrectly. *Thereby, the Speaker was requested to conduct a full inquiry into the matter.
Heavy rainfall of about 100 mm can be expected at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts, the Department of Meteorology said today (22). Accordingly, showers or thunderstorms will ensue at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western and Southern provinces. Several spells of showers will occur in Northern and North-central provinces. Showers or thunderstorms can be expected in Eastern and Uva provinces during the evening or night. The Western slope of the Central hills, Northern, North-central, North-western and Uva provinces and the Hambantota district can expect wind speeds of 50-55 kmph at times.
Sri Lanka Navy introduced the 50th bee colony to the ‘Project Navy Bees’ run by Naval Dockyard Trincomalee on 20 May, with the objective of popularizing beekeeping. Accordingly, the 50th brood box was mounted in Chapel Hill, as an extension of the “Project Navy Bees” launched in January 2021 at the Trincomalee Naval Dockyard, in parallel with the World Bee Day. As part of this project, brood boxes have been established at various locations in the Naval Dockyard and Sober Island, Trincomalee. In addition, an awareness programme on beekeeping was also held in Chapel Hill on 20th May. By the end of 2021, the project is expected to expand in a bid to establish 100 brood boxes within the Naval Dockyard in Trincomalee.
COLOMBO (News 1st): The required amount of vaccines to administer the second dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca jab to those who received the first jab will be received soon, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services said on Saturday (May 22). “Based on information received, we strongly believe that we could obtain the required doses of the COVISHIELD jab very soon, to administer the second dose. However, I cannot confirm a definite date on when the doses will be received. Even vaccine suppliers are unable to provide definite information on the matter,” Dr. Hemanth Herath, the Deputy Director-General of Health Services pointed out. As a result of the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the operation of flights to facilitate the delivery of vaccine consignments remains uncertain, elaborated Dr. Herath adding that, “Therefore, the companies that import vaccines cannot confirm a definite schedule.”
COLOMBO (News 1st): The public transport services in the country will NOT operate from Saturday (May 22) until Tuesday (May 25) in line with the island-wide travel restriction that came into effect at 11:00 pm on Friday (May 21), transport authorities said. “All passenger train operations were halted with effect last night (May 21) based on instructions issued by the Subject Minister, taking into account the island-wide travel restriction. The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has also suspended bus operations until the 25th of May. “The buses deployed to provide transport services for those engaged in essential services such as healthcare workers will continue to operate so as to ensure that hospitals function without any hindrance,” Panduka Swarnahansa, the General Manager of SLTB said on Saturday (May 22). According to the National Transport Commission (NTC), private bus services will also NOT operate whilst the travel restriction is in effect.
This year’s National Vesak Festival will not be held due to the prevailing pandemic situation in the country, Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs Sunanda Kariyapperuma stated. He made this statement yesterday (21) at a special media briefing on the Vesak festival held at the Department of Government Information. Due to the current Covid-19 situation in the country, the government’s plans to organize the National Vesak festival in Nagadeepa Purana Viharaya have been cancelled. The Commissioner General further said that the Vesak program to be held at the Hunupitiya Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo on the instructions of the Prime Minister has also been cancelled. He further added that 03 Vesak commemorative stamps have been issued and the final stamp was due to be issued on the 24 May, however given the current situation it could not be issued.
There is perhaps a certain irony in Prince Harry’s newest televisual heart-to-heart with Oprah being called The Me You Can’t See. There is perhaps a certain irony in Prince Harry’s newest televisual heart-to-heart with Oprah being called The Me You Can’t SeeHarry is playing a foolish game. But Harry is playing a foolish game. His brother, Prince William, meanwhile, is pursuing a very different strategy. But in the measured restraint of his delivery, in the quiet deliberation of his words, he was everything that Harry is not.
