Breaking News 148

COLOMBO (News 1st); The losses incurred by the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has increased five-fold, says its General Manager R.M. Ranatunga.

Speaking to News 1st, the General Manager said that the CEB had faced losses of up to Rs. 350 million rupees due to the recent blackout.

The generators at the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant failed as the country experienced a blackout this week.

A decision was then made to cut-off electricity supply to some areas for an hour between 6 pm and 9:30 pm for several days.

Although the CEB previously said that there will be no power cuts on Sunday (05), the CEB General Manager R.M. Ranatunga said that power cuts will take place as previously announced from Monday (06).

Furthermore, he said that the power supply can be provided without interruptions from Wednesday (08).

The General Manager also said that he believes that one unit at the Norochcholai Power Plant can be connected to the National Power Grid.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Supreme Court granted leave to proceed with the Fundamental Rights application filed by His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith seeking an order to take legal action against the officials responsible for allowing the X-Press Pearl ship to enter into Sri Lankan waters, without properly investigating the chemical leak on board the ill-fated vessel.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justice Vijith Malalgoda, Justice Janak De Silva and Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena fixed the petition for January 20.

The Supreme Court also granted leave to proceed with the Fundamental Rights petition filed by Dr Ajantha Perera and Jeran Jegatheesan.

The petitioners had named Minister of Ports and Shipping Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda, Minister of Environment Mahinda Amaraweera, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Port Authority Chairman Nihal Keppetipola, Marine Environmental Protection Authority, Harbour Master Capt. K.M. Nirmal P. Silva, Sea Consortium Pte. Limited (X-Press Feeders), Sea Consortium Lanka (Pvt.) Limited and several others as respondents.

The application also seeks and order directing the authorities to provide financial assistance to the fishermen in the Gampaha, Colombo, and Kalutara Districts who have lost their income following the X-Press Pearl disaster.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Minister Sirisena Cooray passed away on Tuesday (30) morning, while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

He was the Mayor of Colombo from 1979 to 1989 and was elected from Colombo to Parliament in the 9th parliamentary election in 1989 and was appointed Minister of Housing and Construction in the Premadasa cabinet.

He had served as General Secretary of the United National Party during the tenure of party leader Ranasinghe Premadasa.

Japan announced on Monday (29) it will suspend entry of all foreign visitors from around the world as a new coronavirus variant spreads, prompting an increasing number of countries to tighten their borders.

“We are taking the step as an emergency precaution to prevent a worst-case scenario in Japan,” Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said. He said the measure will take effect Tuesday (30).

The decision means Japan will restore border controls that it eased earlier this month for short-term business visitors, foreign students and workers.

Kishida urged people to continue with mask wearing and other basic anti-virus measures until further details of the new omicron variant are known.

Japan’s National Institute of Infectious Diseases has raised its coronavirus variant alert on omicron to the highest level as the strain continues to spread worldwide.

The institute designated omicron — previously “a variant of interest,” the second-highest of its three-tiered alert level — as a “variant of concern.”

The government has not announced the detection of any cases of the omicron variant, but the strain has been found in Europe and Australia as more countries have imposed travel restrictions to try to seal themselves off.

Japan on Sunday added Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia to its list of nations subject to tighter entry rules following the discovery of the new variant after it started requiring travelers who have recently been to the African countries of Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa or Zimbabwe to spend 10 days in a government-designated facility upon arrival from Saturday.

During the 10 days, travelers from the designated countries must take coronavirus tests on the third, sixth and 10th day after their arrival.

COLOMBO (News 1st): Lunuwilage Lasantha alias ‘Tinker Lasantha’, the main suspect in the murder of Sunshine Sudda, was killed by Police fire on Friday morning (Nov. 26).

The suspect was arrested by Officers of the Kalutara District Anti-Corruption Unit, while he was hiding at a house in the Kalutara area, Sri Lanka Police said.

‘Tinker Lasantha’ had opened fire at the police officers when he was escorted away to recover a hand grenade and two hidden pistols, Police noted.

Two police officers were injured in the incident.

According to Police, the suspect Lunuwilage Lasantha alias ‘Tinker Lasantha’ is an underworld shooter as well as a suspect involved in a number of crimes.

COLOMBO (News 1st); State Minister of Organic Fertilizer Production and Agriculture Shasheendra Rajapaksa says that his Ministry has no involvement in importing nano nitrogen fertilizer and that the Ministry of Agriculture is the only party involved in the importation of nano nitrogen fertilizer.

Responding to allegations that a consignment of nano nitrogen fertilizer was brought into the country at a higher price than usual, State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa said that at his Ministry, organic fertilizer is manufactured, and not imported.

” I have nothing to do with such cultivation. Because I took over this ministry in June. Imports, especially nano nitrogen imports, were introduced by this Indian company about 6 years ago. All decisions in this regard were taken by the Ministry of

Agriculture. Especially since I have nothing to do with this. There is a special committee that decides the price and the quantity. When we were told that this price was too expensive, we discussed it. We succeeded in decreasing the cost, however, that is our only connection,” He stated.

However, on 18th November, the Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage stated that his ministry did not take any action regarding the nano nitrogen imports.

” I am the Minister of Agriculture. This is done by the Ministry of Fertilizer. This time we have negotiated with this Indian company and we were able to reduce it to just $10. We will try to reduce this further in the future. We are working to change the

prices via the Indian Ambassador,” the Minister of Agriculture mentioned.

Meanwhile, the Chinese ship ‘Hippo Spirit’ with the consignment of Chinese fertilizer, which has twice been confirmed to contain hazardous microorganisms, is still anchored off Kalutara seas.

They have re-listed their destination as Colombo for international shipping data, however, have not specified a date for arrival at the Port of Colombo.

A few days ago, the ship arrived at the port outside Colombo for a supply requirement, where they informed the Port of Colombo that they will be sailing into the deep sea.