New Year activities should not be held without the approval of the police or the health authorities – Police Media Spokesman
Police Media Spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana stated that public is not allowed to hold any kind of New Year activity without the approval of the police or the health authorities. It would be considered as illegal to do so and if hotels or restaurants are provided for a New Year’s Eve parties the health practices should be protected to the maximum level possible and proper permission should be obtained before the event; He further added. The DIG said that if not, the hotel owners would have to take legal action against the behaviour.
2 million families had already received the Rs. 5000 allowance – Minister Shehan Semasinghe
State Minister of Samurdhi Shehan Semasinghe stated that an allowance of Rs. 5,000 has been distributed to 2266301 families accross the country. The Minister of State said that the allowance will be given to families who have not yet received Rs. 5,000 on next Monday (April 19). The Minister stated that the allowance will be given under 7 categories of families as the Gazette decided.
Deraniyagala Pradeshiya Sabha chairman arrested
Chairman of the Deraniyagala Pradeshiya Sabha has been arrested;Police Media Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said. He was arrested on charges of keeping 98 stolen water meters from a project of a Ceylon water board.
Commercial Bank ATM network crashes
Commercial Bank, one of the leading banks in the country, has experienced a breakdown in many ATMs across the country. This situation has also affected the bank’s credit and debit card payments accross the country. The Bank announces that the situation will be rectified soon and regrets the inconvenience face by the public. feature image – dna india
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.