News
Vaccine might turn people into crocs or ladies with beards – Brazilian President
Far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has sought to ridicule the ongoing vaccination programme to beat coronavirus. He has said Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was fraught with danger of turning people into ladies with beards or even crocodiles.
Bolsonaro has categorically stated that he will never get inoculated against COVID-19, which he has called a mild flu not to be taken seriously. He has said that the Pfizer contract, which says it is not responsible for any side effects from the vaccine, and would not take responsibility for anything that happens to the people who get the jab even if they turn into crocodiles.
“If you become superhuman, if a woman starts to grow a beard or if a man starts to speak with an effeminate voice, they will not have anything to do with it,” the Brazilian President is reported to have said.
He said so while launching his country’s immunisation campaign recently. He stressed that inoculation was not compulsory.
Bolsanaro also maintained that the vaccination drive would be free for people but there is no compulsion in taking the shots.
Bolsonaro said: “It will be available for everyone that wants it. But me, I won’t get vaccinated … Some people say I’m giving a bad example. But to the imbeciles, to the idiots that say this, I tell them I’ve already caught the virus, I have the antibodies, so why get vaccinated?”
The Brazilian Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the vaccine was obligatory, but it should not be forced on the public.
Legal experts say the implication of this ruling could be that the people who refuse to be vaccinated can be fined or denied admission to public places but cannot be forced to take the jab.
The COVID-19 caseload in Brazil, which has a population of 212 million has crossed 7.1 million and the death toll from it has risen to 185,000.
The Brazilian President has come under severe criticism the world over for his callous disregard for the global efforts to beat the virus and making nasty remarks to discourage the public from following health guidelines in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has announced a reduction in the prices of Petrol 92 and Petrol 95, effective from midnight today (30).
The price of Petrol 92 has been reduced by Rs. 15 per litre, from Rs. 414 to Rs. 399 while the price of Petrol 95 Octane has been reduced by Rs. 20 per litre, from Rs. 495 to Rs. 475
There will be no change in the prices of diesel, Super Diesel and kerosene under the latest revision.
The book “Rathuwewi Mihimadala”, written based on the life story of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Leader of the Democratic Left Front, was launched on Friday [August 28] at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
Speaking to the media afterwards about Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, particularly within the left-wing political movement. There were several influential figures within the left movement, and that left-wing influence also contributed to bringing the country to where it is today. Politically, there were areas where we agreed and areas where we did not. However, I have great respect for the contribution made by Vasudeva Nanayakkara to left-wing politics. When I entered Parliament in 2020, Vasudeva Nanayakkara was also in Parliament. We sat in the same row, and we spoke about many important as well as interesting moments in his political career. I believe some of these experiences have also been included in this book.”
The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Chamal Rajapaksa, as well as party members, family members and friends.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (30) are Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and
Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon.
Petrol to cost less from midnight today (30)
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