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.

From high windows at Kensington Palace, Prince William can just about look out on the patch of grass where he and Harry played as boys. For all the happy occasions — and there were many — Prince William and Harry shared with Princess Diana, there were moments of great sadness, troubling even for a young teenager. The interview, William said, was ‘a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse’. Might this explain why nowhere in his statement does Prince William dignify Bashir by referring to him by name, instead using the label of ‘a rogue reporter’? Prince and Princess were often apart and when they were together they tried not to row in their sons’ hearing.

Fresh clashes between Israeli security forces and Palestinians have broken out around Temple Mount and in the West Bank just hours after a fragile ceasefire with Hamas was declared. Meanwhile Hamas said 'our finger is on the trigger' if Israel crosses a 'red line', pointing to violence around Al-Aqsa mosque as an example. Israel said its airstrikes destroyed more than 60 miles of Hamas tunnels, along with rocket batteries and a 'suicide submarine'. Turkey has welcomed the cease-fire in Gaza but is also calling for a two-state solution to ensure a permanent end to the conflict. Earlier, Israel had unleashed a new wave of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip as Hamas fired more rockets into Israel.

But what’s the difference between being polyamorous, being a swinger, and having an open relationship? What are open relationships? As the writer Valerie Fischel explained for Self in 2018, open relationships are another form of consensually non-monogamous relationships, and they vary from couple to couple. The philosophy behind open relationships, at least in part, stems from a belief that committing is monogamy is futile as a life-long endeavor. Swinging typically involves a monogamous couple searching together for a sexual partner who isn’t involved in their relationship.

Media Spokesman of the Department of Prisons Chandana Ekanayake stated that, given the prevailing pandemic situation in the country, prison visits have been suspended. Due to this, a system has been implemented within the Department of Prisons to enable the inmates to obtain the required food and hygiene items from the restaurant within a limit of Rs. 2,000 per week by paying money through relatives, said the Media Spokesman. For the Vesak Poya Day, the inmates have been given the opportunity to receive a rice packet, snacks and necessary hygiene items from the restaurant whilst maintaining the health practices on the 26th and 27th of May and to that end, relatives can pay another Rs. 2000 to the restaurant from the 19th to the 25th of this month.

By Pa Sport StaffPublished: 15:12 EDT, 21 May 2021 | Updated: 15:26 EDT, 21 May 2021Southend say they are 'appalled and saddened' by online racist abuse received by forward Simeon Akinola. Southend striker Simeon Akinola revealed online racist abuse targeted at him on social mediaThe 28-year-old revealed on his Instagram vile racist messages sent to him by messageA club statement read: 'We are appalled and saddened at racist abuse received by Simeon Akinola on social media today and call on social media companies to do more and take action.' A growing number of footballers have been the victims of racist abuse on social media in the past few months. Earlier in May, the Football Association called on the Government to introduce legislation to compel social media companies to do more to stop online abuse. But since the blackout, police have launched an investigation into 'vile racist abuse' of Swansea striker Morgan Whittaker, while the likes of Raheem Sterling and Rabbi Matondo have also been targeted.

Boris Johnson today hinted that the June 21 'freedom day' will go ahead as he said he still does not see 'anything' in coronavirus data that would prevent the roadmap going ahead. But the figures came after two separate datasets yesterday suggested the opposite trend, allaying fears the Indian variant was spiralling out of control. She added authorities are 'fairly certain' the increase is being driven by the Indian variant of the virus. Britain today also recorded just seven Covid deaths as the fatality toll continues to drop. PHE also revealed that it had detected another mutant Covid variant in Yorkshire and the Humber which it has assigned as a 'Variant Under Investigation'.

A High Court judge has begun considering the legal action by guitarist Steve Jones and drummer Paul Cook against Mr Lydon, whose stage name was Johnny Rotten. They took legal action after Mr Lydon objected to Sex Pistols' recordings being used in a television series called Pistol. He said Mr Jones and Mr Cook now wanted orders 'requiring' Mr Lydon to consent to the grant of licences. He said Mr Jones and Mr Cook sought 'declaratory relief as to the effectiveness' of that agreement. He said Mr Jones and Mr Cook had brought proceedings in order to negate Mr Lydon's 'right to veto Pistol'.

Former South Africa Skipper Faf du Plessis has revealed that he and his wife received death threats after a mix-up with AB de Villiers led to the latter’s run out during their 2011 World Cup semi-final defeat to New Zealand. Played at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka, South Africa lost the match by 49 runs to be knocked out of the tournament, which was won by co-hosts India. Meanwhile, Cricket South Africa yesterday (18) said de Villiers will not be coming out of his retirement to join the squad ahead of T20 World Cup this year. The dashing batsman has concluded the “retirement will remain final.”

James Bracey (bottom) and Ollie Robinson (top) are in the squad for the England vs. New Zealand two-match Test series which begin on 2 June at Lord’sUncapped Gloucestershire batsman James Bracey and Sussex seamer Ollie Robinson have been included in England’s 15-man squad for two Tests against New Zealand, which begin on 2 June. There is also a recall for Somerset’s Craig Overton, who last played in 2019. Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, and Jonny Bairstow have been left out after only recently returning from the Indian Premier League. Jack Leach is the sole spinner in the squad, with Dom Bess left out, while Ben Foakes is set to keep in England for the first time in Buttler’s absence. Squad:Joe Root (Yorkshire), James Anderson (Lancashire), James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Jack Leach (Somerset), Craig Overton (Somerset), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), and Mark Wood (Durham)

Rescheduling the remainder of the IPL 2021 will be the top priority when the BCCI SGM takes place on 29 May. On that front, we aren’t even discounting the idea of hosting the IPL in Sri Lanka,” sources add. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is “determined to host” the T20 World Cup, scheduled in October-November, in India. Rescheduling of IPL 2021“Right now, India is the host venue for the World Cup. On that front, we aren’t even discounting the idea of hosting the IPL in Sri Lanka,” sources add.

By Ishani UpatharithaRanindu LiyanageThe Asian Continental Chess Championship 2021 is scheduled to be held this time on the Hybrid Format using the “Tornelo platform”. He won the silver medal in the National Chess Championship this year as well as the Sri Lanka Chess Grand Prix 2021. De Silva has also won the Sri Lanka Chess Grand Prix 2020 and the recently-held Chess Federation of Sri Lanka (CFSL) National Youth Under-18 Open Chess Championship 2021. Meanwhile the next mberof the Lankan contingent, Theekshan Denuwan of Ananda College, has earned fourth place in the Sri Lanka National Chess Championship this year. He won bronze medal at the Sri Lanka Chess Grand Prix 2021 too.