Undue fear on national security not required, Defence Secretary assures
Undue fear regarding national security based on false propaganda is not required due to the travel restrictions imposed by the U.S. State Department says Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne (Retd). Issuing a special statement, the Defence Secretary stated there is no base on the false propaganda disseminated with regard to likely terrorist activities on the island and the general public should not be panic about security. He further emphasized that the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces, and other law enforcing agencies have well-established national security. The Defence Secretary, therefore, informed that there is no need to create undue fear on national security. There has been no change to the terrorist threat level, the Embassy said.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 07:52 UTC
50,000 more Sputnik V doses to arrive tonight
May 27, 2021 12:58 pmAnother consignment of the Russian COVID-19 vaccine Sputnik V is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka today (May 27). The stock of 50,000 doses of the vaccine is set to be delivered tonight, State Minister of Production, Supply, and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana. Please avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment and avoid typing all capitalized comments. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by flagging them(mouse over a comment and click the flag icon on the right side). Do use these forums to voice your opinions and create healthy discourse.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 07:41 UTC
2,377 Covid patients reported yesterday
May 27, 2021 by Mihi Perera No CommentsSri Lanka recorded a total of 2,377 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday (26), said the Department of Government Information. 2,325 of these cases were from the post-New Year Cluster while 52 of those who tested positive were returnees from overseas. The highest number of Covid patients were reported from the Colombo district with 573, followed by Gampaha district with 530, and Kandy with 257.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 07:04 UTC
Second stock of 500,000 Sinopharm vaccine doses arrived in Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL 869 carried the second stock of 500,000 Sinopharm vaccine doses donated by the Chinese Government to Sri Lanka yesterday midnight. Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and State Minister of Pharmaceuticals Production Supply and Regulation Prof. Channa Jayasumana were present at the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to receive the vaccine stock. In addition, Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong exchanged the agreement on the China-Sri Lanka Vaccine Program at the Bandaranaike International Airport. Prior to this, the Chinese Government had previously provided 600,000 doses of Sinopharm vaccine to Sri Lanka. Minister Namal Rajapaksa, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, State Minister Channa Jayasumana, State Minister D.V.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 06:56 UTC
10 Bizarre Things People Tried To Sell Online
9 A Human SoulWhile the father of lies might give you a good deal on a used soul, you can’t sell it on eBay. Back in 2008, a member of the band Paradigm tried to auction his soul for 25,000.50 pounds (about $37,500 in 2008—why the extra half pound only he knows). eBay has plenty of these items, things like toilet paper rolls and empty egg cartons and makeup containers for the arts-and-crafts-minded. Another wanted to sell a “rare” peanut with four nuts inside for the excellent price of $500. She tried to auction both on E-Bay, but they have a strict policy against selling used intimates.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 06:56 UTC
375,000 Sinopharm jabs reserved for second dose administration
A total of 375,000 doses from the stock of Sinopharm vaccines received recently from China will be reserved to administer the second dose, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said. Sri Lanka recently received another donation of 500,000 doses of the China-manufactured COVID-19 vaccine Sinopharm. After reserving 375,000 doses for the second dose administration, the remaining 125,000 doses will be used to vaccinate the risk groups in Galle, Matara, Kurunegala areas. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is due to receive another consignment of the Sinopharm vaccine from China in mid-June, the Army Chief said,
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 06:00 UTC
COVID-19 patient who escaped from private hospital recaptured
May 27, 2021 10:09 amSri Lanka Police has managed to arrest a COVID-19 infected individual who had escaped from a private hospital in Kollupitiya. The person in question had run away from the hospital on May 25 after being diagnosed with COVID-19. However, the Police have arrested the said individual and admitted him to a treatment center, Police Media Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana said. He further said that the suspect will be acted against under the Quarantine and Prevention of Disease Control Act after receiving treatment.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 05:00 UTC
PayPal will allow customers to withdraw Bitcoin to third-party wallets
By Snejana Farberov For Dailymail.comPublished: 16:09 EDT, 26 May 2021 | Updated: 23:17 EDT, 26 May 2021PayPal on Wednesday unveiled a plan to let its customers withdraw cryptocurrency to third party wallets. The news was first reported by Coindesk, citing comments from Jose Fernandez da Ponte, who leads PayPal's blockchain, crypto and digital currencies business unit. The soon-to-be added feature allowing customers to move Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to third party services will also apply to PayPal's popular mobile payments service Venmo. The soon-to-be added feature allowing customers to move cryptocurrencies to third party services will also apply to PayPal's mobile payments service VenmoDa Ponte did not offer a timetable for the introduction of the new feature. 'Demand on the crypto side has been multiple-fold to what we initially expected.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 04:05 UTC
08 arrested for collecting debris from X-PRESS PEARL: Police
COLOMBO (News 1st): Sri Lanka Police on Wednesday (May 26) arrested EIGHT (08) people for collecting debris from the burning MV X-PRESS PEARL that had washed ashore, in violation of the quarantine laws. “The video footage had shown that people collecting items discarded from the ship. Accordingly, a number of people had violated the quarantine rules and regulations,” Police Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana told News 1st on Thursday (May 27). During the operation, two people were arrested by Dungalpitiya Police and a lorry was also seized; the duo had transported the collected items from the debris by the lorry, DIG Ajith Rohana said. Moreover, three people were arrested by the Pamunugama Police and another three were arrested by Kochchikade Police in connection with the same offense.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 03:56 UTC
X-PRESS PEARL likely to sink in hours: MEPA
COLOMBO (News 1st): The distressed MV X-PRESS PEARL is likely to sink in the coming few hours, the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) said on Thursday morning (May 27). “There is a possibility of an explosion recurring on the ship, as the fire continues to spread. The necessary arrangements have been made to face any such situation, with the required manpower and equipment on standby,” Dr. Turney Pradeep Kumara, the General Manager of Marine Environment Protection Authority told News 1st. According to Dr. Turney Pradeep Kumara, the residents in the coastal areas were already informed on the matter. “Relevant legal action will be instituted against the Captain of the vessel and the involved entities through the Attorney General, as per the provisions of the Marine Pollution Prevention Act of Sri Lanka,” Dr. Turney Pradeep Kumara, the General Manager of MEPA stressed.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 03:56 UTC
Studies to assess environmental damage by X-PRESS PEARL: NARA
COLOMBO (News 1st): Water samples are being collected from the coastal belt stretching from Wattala to Marawila to determine the environmental damage as a result of the burning MV X-PRESS PEARL, the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) said on Thursday morning (May 27). “A team of officers from NARA was dispatched to collect samples to conduct a study in order to determine the level of marine pollution given that chemicals and other objects from the ship had already fallen into the Sri Lankan waters,” Dr. Palitha Kithsiri, the Director-General at the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) told News 1st. According to Dr. Kithsiri, based on the reports available so far there is NO confirmation of any negative impact to the environment as a result of the chemicals aboard the X-PRESS PEARL. “However, the ‘Plastic Pebbles’ washed ashore could cause a negative impact on the environment as it had collected along the Negombo beach stretching towards the Negombo Lagoon,” Dr. Palitha Kithsiri emphasized. The National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency will conduct a study on whether or not the plastic pebbles could be physically removed to minimize the impact and to assess the damage.
Source:The Nation
May 27, 2021 03:56 UTC
'The Very Hungry Caterpillar' author Eric Carle dies at 91
Through books like Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? Although I was shocked, I always carried that day in my heart,' Carle told NPR in 2011. He worked as a graphic designer in the promotion department of The New York Times before switching to advertising. Carle was working as an art director for an advertising agency at the time; Martin had just written Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? In 2002, Carle and his late wife, Barbara Carle, founded The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 23:48 UTC
Melbourne to enter lockdown as Covid cluster grows to 26
Melbourne will enter a lockdown on Thursday after a Covid cluster grew to 25 cases overnight following an infected reveller's late-night bender. The cluster grew to 15 cases on Wednesday, before reportedly ballooning to a total of 25 overnight, the ABC reported. The infected case stayed at Somewhere Bar for a slue of drinks before heading back to Three Monkeys at about 1am. University of Melbourne epidemiologist Tony Blakely warned that it was almost inevitable that a lockdown would be called. Victorian health authorities said the positive Covid-19 case attended the Cohuna Recreation Reserve and watching multiple netball games alongside other spectators.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 23:03 UTC
Xiaomi publishes Q1 report, net profits more than double as market share grows
It is the #1 smartphone brand in 12 countries and it is Top 5 in 62 countries. More specifically, it is #1 in Russia (with a 32.1% market share), #1 in Spain (35.1% share), #2 in Italy, #3 in Germany and France. It leads the important Indian market with a 28.3% market share. There are 351.1 million smart devices connected to Xiaomi’s AIoT platform (not counting smartphones or laptops). It spent CNY 3.0 billion in Q1, up from CNY 1.9 billion from last year’s report.
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 22:12 UTC
SpaceX completes its 100th successful flight in a row following a Starlink launch
By Stacy Liberatore For Dailymail.comPublished: 12:34 EDT, 26 May 2021 | Updated: 15:45 EDT, 26 May 2021SpaceX hit a new milestone Wednesday with its 100th successful launch in a row. 'What a beautiful day for a rocket launch,' a SpaceX member said over the livestream, who was referring to the stunning blue sky over the launch pad. Scroll down for videosSpaceX hit a new milestone Wednesday with its 100th successful launch in a row. Today also marks the 28th Starlink mission, which aims to create a megaconstellation of internet beaming satellites. 'As we launch more satellites, install more ground stations and improve our networking software, data speed, latency and uptime will improve dramatically.'
Source:The Nation
May 26, 2021 19:52 UTC