http://www.sundaytimes.lk Official website of the Sunday Times Newspaper in Sri Lanka Sun, 16 May 2021 11:05:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/vaccine-vs-virus-444176.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:55 pm lt;div gt; lt;img class= quot;aligncenter size-full wp-image-444177 quot; title= quot;9Y1A4852 quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/210516/uploads/2021/05/9Y1A4852.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;600 quot; height= quot;335 quot; / gt; Thousands of people gathered at many centres in Colombo to get themselves vaccinated as part of the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. A nurse wea... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/rs-25-billion-from-world-bank-to-fight-covid-19-but-projects-on-slow-track-444174.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:54 pm A Rs 25 billion (USD 128 million) loan was made available to the government by the World Bank under its COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health System Preparedness Project last year, according to a World Bank report. But many COVID-19-related initiatives that were scheduled to be implemented before the end of last year were still in the implementation phase, according to the report submitted by ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/govt-seeks-funds-from-ingos-and-ngos-for-covid-battle-444172.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:53 pm The Government has requested International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) and local NGOs to donate their allocated funds for the remaining quarters of the year for the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic which has surged to critical proportions in recent weeks. Raja Goonaratne, Director-General (DG) of the National Secretariat for Non-Governmental Organisations, told lt;em gt;the Sund... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/easter-attack-probes-incomplete-ag-says-unable-to-file-indictments-before-his-retirement-444170.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:52 pm Outgoing Attorney General (AG) Dappula De Livera has informed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana Wickramaratne that he is unable to file indictments against any of the suspects arrested over the Easter Sunday terror attacks before his retirement on May 24 as police have not confirmed whether any of the investigations has been completed. In a 130-page letter to the IGP, AG De Livera has ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/human-elephant-conflict-gi-pipes-from-china-for-1500km-fence-procurement-procedures-waived-2-444168.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:51 pm The Cabinet has approved a proposal to seek the help of the Chinese embassy to buy galvanised iron (GI) pipes to put up a 1,500km-long fence to prevent the entry of elephants into villages. The Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation has submitted a cabinet paper to deviate from procurement procedure and buy the GI pipes from a Chinese Company which has quoted Rs 266.5 million for the supp... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/agrochemicals-stuck-in-port-govt-insists-on-shift-to-organic-fertiliser-444166.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:50 pm Several consignments of previously-ordered fertilisers and pesticides were stuck in the Colombo port this week despite a gazette being issued to permit any shipments of agrochemicals seaborne on or before May 5 to arrive, be cleared and distributed. The block occurred because the necessary instructions had not been conveyed by the relevant authorities, a spokesman for a pesticide company said, ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/no-vaccine-yet-for-new-nurses-at-covid-19-treatment-centres-444164.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:49 pm Serious concerns are being expressed over the ldquo;dragging of feet rdquo; by the Epidemiology Unit in vaccinating more than 2,000 newly-trained nurses who have recently been appointed to COVID-19 treatment centres. Some excuse or another is being made by epidemiology officials but the vaccination of these nurses is not happening even though the matter has been raised many times at meetings a... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/human-elephant-conflict-gi-pipes-from-china-for-1500km-fence-procurement-procedures-waived-444161.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:48 pm The Cabinet has approved a proposal to seek the help of the Chinese embassy to buy galvanised iron (GI) pipes to put up a 1,500km-long fence to prevent the entry of elephants into villages. The Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Conservation has submitted a cabinet paper to deviate from procurement procedure and buy the GI pipes from a Chinese Company which has quoted Rs 266.5 million for the supp... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/lanka-escapes-tauktae-lashing-but-threats-loom-from-monsoon-amid-pandemic-444150.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:45 pm [gallery link= quot;file quot; columns= quot;4 quot; orderby= quot;rand quot;] The Arabian Sea tropical cyclone Tauketae is heading towards the western coast of India but not before causing havoc here with about 50,000 being affected by floods, landslides and strong winds upto nbsp;Sunday. nbsp; ldquo;Altyhough the cyclone Tauktae is moving towards India's Gujarat region for a landfall on Tuesd... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/tourism-takes-nosedive-again-as-tourists-left-in-quandary-444148.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:39 pm The latest wave of COVID-19 and inter-provincial travel restrictions have led to a spate of cancellations and departures by tourists. Around 60 percent of the guests he brought in are leaving, said Yohan Perera, Managing Director of Claremont Travels, a ticketing agency. Future flight bookings were also cancelled. Multiple other travel industry sources confirmed the outflow of tourists, incl... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/coming-soon-a-website-to-book-your-vaccine-444145.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:38 pm A website where persons could register their names and obtain a prior booking to obtain the vaccination for COVID-19 will soon be introduced by the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA), officials said. The website will be launched as a pilot project next week from the Army hospital and thereafter will be made available for the public to register themselves. The website will... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/as-covid-virus-spreads-in-tamil-nadu-more-refugees-from-sri-lanka-want-to-come-home-444134.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:30 pm [caption id= quot;attachment_444135 quot; align= quot;alignright quot; width= quot;320 quot; caption= quot;Refugee settlements within the Mandapam camp in Rameswaram quot;] lt;img class= quot; wp-image-444135 quot; title= quot;pix-5 quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/210516/uploads/2021/05/pix-5.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;320 quot; height= quot;426 quot; / gt;[/caption] With Ind... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/danger-months-for-dengue-loom-as-covid-consumes-resources-444113.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:10 pm With the health system sending all hands on deck to fight the COVID pandemic raging throughout the country, the annual dengue fever eradication programme has suffered just as monsoon showers signal the worst months for dengue. The health system is using all health workers to contain COVID-19, leaving dengue eradication programmes starved of resources, National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU) Directo... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/govt-departments-keep-wheels-moving-amidst-travel-restrictions-444107.html 16 May 2021 @ 3:09 pm While islandwide travel restrictions are to be lifted at 4 a.m. on Monday (17), functions in many sectors of the country will still be limited owing to COVID-19 health guidelines and restrictions that will continue to be in place. Inter-provincial travel will remain banned till May 31, while a daily nighttime curfew will be in effect from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Meanwhile, only one member of a fam... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/prevention-best-remedy-says-state-minister-444087.html 16 May 2021 @ 2:50 pm Prevention, prevention and prevention. These are the surest short, middle and long-term measures to beat back and control COVID-19. This is the specific answer from the State Minister of Primary Health Services, Pandemics and COVID-19 Prevention, Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle who knows what she is talking about as she is a Community Physician. ldquo;The short-term strategy is prevention beca... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/health-ministry-radiates-morale-booster-supportive-supervision-444083.html 16 May 2021 @ 2:47 pm [caption id= quot;attachment_444084 quot; align= quot;alignright quot; width= quot;200 quot; caption= quot;Dr. Hemantha Herath quot;] lt;img class= quot;size-full wp-image-444084 quot; title= quot;Dr quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/210516/uploads/2021/05/Dr4.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;200 quot; height= quot;300 quot; / gt;[/caption] There are no standard procedures or internat... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/colombo-city-under-control-vaccination-going-on-444080.html 16 May 2021 @ 2:44 pm COVID-19 within the city is basically ldquo;well-controlled rdquo;, said Colombo Municipal Council rsquo;s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni on Saturday. Going by evidence at ground level, he said that 30 people were positive when they carried out targeted random testing of 838 people in all wards and places where cases are being reported. This means a positivity rate of nbsp; 3.5%, ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/sl-needs-strict-mobility-restrictions-allow-only-major-economic-activity-and-essential-services-444078.html 16 May 2021 @ 2:43 pm The urgent need to bring about strict mobility restrictions while maintaining major economic activities and essential services, has been strongly stressed by an expert group convened by the Sri Lanka Office of the World Health Organization (WHO). The Independent Expert Group Meeting which had discussed lsquo;Optimizing the health sector response to the current COVID-19 surge in Sri Lanka rsquo... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/our-nightingales-who-hold-up-the-lamp-of-hope-to-many-covid-patients-amidst-their-own-hardships-444069.html 16 May 2021 @ 2:38 pm [caption id= quot;attachment_444070 quot; align= quot;alignright quot; width= quot;200 quot; caption= quot;D.W.Chintha: Giving strength to her team quot;] lt;img class= quot;size-full wp-image-444070 quot; title= quot;U.W.Chinta-(-Chief-Nursing-Officer quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/210516/uploads/2021/05/U.W.Chinta-Chief-Nursing-Officer.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;200 quot; heig... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/get-tested-and-seek-medical-help-as-delays-can-lead-to-death-444065.html 16 May 2021 @ 2:33 pm [caption id= quot;attachment_444066 quot; align= quot;alignright quot; width= quot;200 quot; caption= quot;Dr. Eranga Narangoda quot;] lt;img class= quot;size-full wp-image-444066 quot; title= quot;Dr.-Eranga-Narangoda quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/210516/uploads/2021/05/Dr.-Eranga-Narangoda.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;200 quot; height= quot;287 quot; / gt;[/caption] Don rsqu... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/who-can-get-what-vaccine-444062.html 16 May 2021 @ 2:28 pm With many people confused about who can get what vaccine, lt;em gt;the Sunday Times lt;/em gt; asked the Head of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Prof. Neelika Malavige to shed some light on this issue. Sri Lanka has so far given emergency-use listing (EUL) to the AstraZeneca, Sputnik V, Sinopharm and Pfizer vaccines. Prof. Malavige say... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/pick-of-the-pix-2-444049.html 15 May 2021 @ 8:47 pm [gallery link= quot;file quot; columns= quot;4 quot; orderby= quot;rand quot;] lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt; lt;strong gt;From our readers lt;/strong gt; lt;/p gt; lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt;Shutterbugs out there, we would once again appreciate your contributions to this picture corner. lt;/p gt; Please send you... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/210516/news/a-fishermans-tale-444035.html 15 May 2021 @ 8:34 pm ldquo;Disability need not be an obstacle to success, rdquo; Stephen Hawking ,one of the most influential scientists of modern times said. Devapriya Vass took this to heart. Marians Devapriya Vass is a father of three residing in Mohoththuwarama in Kalpitiya He makes a living going to sea on a raft. He has a rare disorder which makes it impossible for him to move his legs. nbsp; Despite this, h...