Prince Philips Funeral ceremony is today
Prince Philip husbund of queen Elizabeth II had died at Windsor Castle on Friday 9 April at the age 99.The ceremonial royal funeral will be start after a national minute’s silence at 15:00 today( April 17). More than 730 members of the armed forces are taking part in the event, but there is a limit of 30 mourners at St George’s Chapel, under Covid rules. BBC His body is now resting in the private chapel at Windsor Castle before moved to the State Entrance and his coffin will be placed on a modified Land Rover and carried in a procession the short distance to St George’s Chapel.The funeral service will be conducted by the Dean of Windsor. “The Order of Service, released by Buckingham Palace, says the Dean of Windsor will pay tribute to Prince Philip’s “kindness, humour and humanity” and the “many ways in which his long life has been a blessing to us”. “We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith,” BBC
NASA had chosen Elon Musk’s company SpaceX to build Moon lander
Elon Musk’s company SpaceX has chosen by the Nasa to build a lander that will return humans to the Moon this decade. This will take the next man and the first woman to the moon under the space agency’s Artemis programme. The lander is developed based on SpaceX’s Starship craft and it has tested at a site in southern Texas.Also, another goal of the programme is to send the first person of colour on the Moon. It is reported that the total value of the contract with the Musk’s company worths $2.89bn.
The rate of coronavirus infections in Canada reached an all-time high
Canadas biggest province reported highest rate of the coronavirus infections since the pandemic begun in the last year.Hospitals warn they are close to being overwhelmed with packed up infections. If public health measures are not computable and vaccination rates do not pick up the ratesinfections in Ontario could increase by 600% by June; experts says. About 22% of Canadians have now received a first vaccine dose. With that situation Ontario is now introducing strict new public measures, including: a six-week stay-at-home order restrictions on non-essential travel, including checkpoints at the borders with the neighbouring provinces of Quebec and Manitoba new powers for police to stop and question people who leave home a halt to non-essential construction Also the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the federal government would help Toronto which has been hard-hit by the latest infection level. “We’re going to do whatever it takes to help. Discussions are ongoing about extra healthcare providers, and we are ready to step up,” he said on yesterday in a media briefing.BBC
Cuban Communist Party leader Raúl Castro steps down from the position
Cuban Communist Party leader Raúl Castro stated that he is resigning from his position. This will end his family’s six decades in power. He is 89 year old and he had told a party congress that he is handing over the leadership to a younger generation “full of passion and anti-imperialist spirit”. This move, will ends the era of formal leadership by him and his brother Fidel Castro which began with the revolution in year 1959. After six decades this made Cuba to not have a Castro formally guiding its politics for the first time.Fidel Castro led the communist revolution that toppled the Cuban government in 1959, when Raúl served as one of his commanders. Fidel Castro was the country’s leader until falling ill in 2006 and in 2008 handed over the presidency to his brother Raúl Castro. Fidel Castro died in 2016. feature image by – NBCNEWS
Actress Helen McCrory died; Peaky Blinders actress
Actress Helen McCrory has died of cancer at the age of 52 and her husband actor Damian Lewis announced. She was well known for her roles in Peaky Blinders and three Harry Potter films. McCrory married Homeland star Lewis in 2007 and they had two children. The couple raised more than £1m to provide NHS workers with meals from high street restaurants during the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic last year. BBC Many high personalities in the industry had conveyed their sadness posting Twitter states.
Anoint the head for the new year was held this morning
The auspicious time to anoint the head for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year was today morning.(April 17) Accordingly, astrology states that at 07.16 am today to look towards the south keep nuga leaves to head and karada leaves to foot and anoint Nuga leaf juice mixed with nanu and oil while wearing a blue coloured clothing and bathe. The national anointing ceremony was held at the Vidyalankara Pirivena premises in Peliyagoda, Peliyagoda, Kelaniya under the auspices of the State Ministry of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Health.
“If you do not know how to do the presidency properly, go home and leave the name of Ruhuna ” – Former Minister Mervin Silva
Former Minister Mervin Silva has requested the President to leave the presidency and go home if he does not know how to carry out the duties of the presidency properly. He said these while he was addressing a media briefing about the media briefed by MP Wijedasa Rajapaksa on the situation. He had come to address the media after arranging for Jayaratne to make a reservation in the cemetery; He further added.
Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Sports to visit former Member of Parliament Ranjan Ramanayake in prison
It is reported that Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa has visited former parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake, who is in Angunakolapelessa prison. Also, It is said that the Minister who visited the Angunakolapelessa Prison has had discussion about the present situations of Ranjan Ramanayake. It is reported that a discussion had been held between the two for about half an hour. Ranjan Ramanayake has been sentenced by the Supreme Court to four years in prison.
Sri Lankan authorities discussing with officials in Saudi Arabia about Sri Lankan women’s at deportation centre in Saudi Arabia.
Sri Lankan authorities said that discussions are already begun between the Sri Lankan authorities and the relevant officials in Saudi Arabia to release a group of Sri Lankan women, who are detained at a deportation centre in Saudi Arabia. “Saudi Arabia: Dozens of Sri Lankan women wrongfully detained for months due to abusive kafala system” and initiated a campaign to release the Sri Lankan “Women Migrant Workers Detained for Months”. “At least 41 Sri Lankan women, majority of whom are migrant domestic aides, have spent months and arbitrarily detained at a deportation centre in Saudi Arabia awaiting repatriation to their home country” The Amnesty International (AI) stated in a atrticle. However, the Saudi government is progressively addressing this issue and taking incremental steps to change the existing Kafala system and to release the sri lankans as soon a possible.
A National Program to distribute 1 million Moringa plants
Government had organised a special National Program to distribute 1 million Moringa plants.Program titled as “Jeeva Thuru Udanaya” and it is organized by the State Ministry of Agriculture. The reason behind this project is to make the general public aware of the nutritional and economic value of the Moringa (drumstick) tree, is expected to start from today (April 17). Manusath Derana, the CSR initiative of TV Derana, will join hands with this program to distribute a total of 1 million Moringa plants.(Ada Derana)