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Time table for controlled power cuts contradicts Subject Minister’s comments

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Time table for controlled power cuts contradicts Subject Minister’s comments

A time table has been issued for controlled power cuts throughout the island. Accordingly, these controlled power cuts will occur by dividing the country into four parts.

The power cut has been set to last from 5.30 pm to 9.30 pm for one hour in their respective areas. Early plans to cut power during the daytime has been scrapped.

It is noteworthy that a time table for controlled power cuts has been issued in contradiction to the Subject Minister’s statement that no power outages will occur.

These power cuts will occur on every day of the week except Sunday. However, no date to commence these controlled power cuts has been specified yet.

Click Here to access the Power Cut Time Table.

Three new political parties, including Welgama’s, registered

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Three new political parties, including Welgama’s, registered

Applications submitted for registration of three political parties in 2021 have been approved, making them officially listed in the Election Commission’s list of registered political parties.

Accordingly, Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya (New Lanka Freedom Party), Damila Pragathisheeli Sandhanaya (Tamil Progressive Alliance) and Thamil Makkal Kuttani have been recognised as officially registered political parties. These political parties will be declared registered via gazette, the Commission said.

New Lanka Freedom Party was founded by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Kumara Welgama and the Tamil Progressive Alliance was founded by a collective of political parties in the estate community.

Along with these three parties are 79 registered political parties in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile, applications have been called for registration in 2022.

MIAP

Heads in all institutes under Highway Ministry ordered to resign

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Heads in all institutes under Highway Ministry ordered to resign

Chairmen and Board members of all government institutes under the Ministry of Highways have been informed to resign from their posts, based on an order by the Subject Minister, Johnston Fernando.

The Road Development Authority, the Maga Neguma & Machinery Company, the Maga Neguma Consulting Company, and the Expressway Transport Company are functioning under the Ministry of Highways.

A number of top government officials, including chairmen and board members of government bodies, resigned from their posts in the recent past while others were sacked. Only days ago were senior positions in several state media bodies belonging to the Ministry of Mass Media changed.

MIAP

SJB visits UN in search of Ranjan’s freedom! (VIDEO)

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SJB visits UN in search of Ranjan’s freedom! (VIDEO)

A group of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs today (10) handed over a communique to the country representative of the United Nations (UN) in search of freedom for former MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who is spending a prison sentence.

Speaking to the media, SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman stated that the UN’s assistance is sought for Ramanayake’s freedom in the event that the President is not concerned of granting him pardon.

The former MP is spending a prison sentence not for any crime or corruption but for contempt of court he is convicted of upon a comment he had made, Rahuman reminded.

Although Ramanayake could have been granted the common pardon as a person who had never involved in any crime, the President is not concerned of such a move, he added.

MIAP

Myanmar’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to serve four more years in prison

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Myanmar’s deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi to serve four more years in prison

Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been found guilty of charges relating to the possession and import of walkie-talkies and breaking COVID-19 restrictions and has been jailed for another four years.

The 76-year-old has been in detention since 1 February when the military seized power in a coup.

Today’s verdicts are the latest from a string of trials over a range of alleged offences, including corruption and violating the official secrets acts.

In December, a judge in Myanmar sentenced Ms Suu Kyi to four years in prison for incitement and breaching COVID-19 rules.

Claims of abuse and death in custody under country’s military rule

Military chief Min Aung Hlaing later cut the sentence to two years and said the term could be served under house arrest.

So far all of the trials have been held behind closed doors and Ms Suu Kyi hasn’t been seen in public since her detention.

Journalists are barred from entering the court and Ms Suu Kyi’s lawyers have been banned from speaking to the press.

If found guilty of all the offences she is accused of, she could spend the rest of her life behind bars. She denies all the charges.

Supporters of Ms Suu Kyi claim the charges are bogus and a way of stopping her ever returning to power.

“This is yet another example of how the junta is just making things up as they go along to justify their own existence,” said Manny Maung, Myanmar researcher for Human Rights Watch.

Two Save the Children staff members among 35 people killed in attack

“It’s clear they have failed in their power grab, they certainly don’t have control and have well and truly thrown Myanmar into a man-made crisis of their own doing.”

Ms Suu Kyi’s popular National League for Democracy (NLD) party won a resounding victory in a general election in November 2020.

The military later alleged the victory was a result of election fraud and claimed it needed to take over the running of the country, overthrowing the democratically-elected government.

More than 11,400 people have been arrested since the coup and more than 1,400 have been killed according to figures from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners Burma (AAPPB).

Many of the dead were shot by security forces as they took part in pro-democracy protests.

The monitoring group claims a total of 78 people have been sentenced to death, in person and absentia.

Sky News

We need no coalition with SJB. We can form a government singlehandedly: Sirisena

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We need no coalition with SJB. We can form a government singlehandedly: Sirisena

Former President and Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) joining the opening of a media centre for the SLFP stated that his party does not agree to the postponement of any election.

Despite a five-sixths majority, the United National Party (UNP), as well as the entire country, had suffered a detrimental effect upon the J.R. Jayawardena led government’s postponement of elections, Sirisena pointed out, adding that such a situation should not be allowed to recur.

He added that a reorganisation process has already been initiated re-establish the SLFP as the foremost and strongest political party in the country.

Responding to a query whether a coalition will be formed with Sajith Premadasa, Sirisena emphasised that such an alliance would not be necessary in the objective of establishing a political alliance led by the SLFP. Anyone accepting the policies of the SLFP is welcome to join, the former President noted.

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Two dead bodies found off Wellawatte beach

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Two dead bodies found off Wellawatte beach

Two dead bodies have been discovered off the beach line between Wellawatta and Bambalapitiya. Following initial investigations, the bodies have been sent to the Colombo South Teaching Hospital, Kalubowila.

The identities of the bodies are yet to be confirmed and investigations have been launched in this regard, Police said.

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Are children safe from Covid despite school reopening? (VIDEO)

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Are children safe from Covid despite school reopening? (VIDEO)

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the school system in Sri Lanka was unable to function properly for nearly two years and the government has taken measures to reopen schools from today (10).

The reopening and functioning of the schools is being taken place in adherence to the health guidelines in and out of the premises.

However, certain trade unions are of the view that the children are not entirely safe from the threat of the pandemic despite the reopening.

Speaking to media, Secretary of the Ceylon Teachers Union Joseph Stalin pointed out that although the government should provide the necessary facilities to every child, not even a face mask of the standard has been provided.

Adding that he cannot comment on the decision to reopen schools in adherence to the health guidelines recommended by the Health Sector, Stalin noted that the authorities should be taking formal actions ensuring the safety of children.

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Tennis Champion Djokovic wins appeal against deportation from Australia

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Tennis Champion Djokovic wins appeal against deportation from Australia

Novak Djokovic has won an appeal against deportation from Australia, with a judge ordering that he be released from hotel quarantine within 30 minutes.

Border officials previously ruled that the tennis star did not meet the criteria for a COVID exemption to entry requirements.

Djokovic had spent four nights in an immigration detention hotel in Melbourne before the virtual hearing got under way at around 10am local time.

The court rejected a decision by airport staff that he didn’t meet the criteria for an exemption to a requirement that all non-Australians be fully vaccinated.

Judge Anthony Kelly noted that Djokovic had provided officials with a medical exemption given him by Tennis Australia and two medical panels.

“The point I’m somewhat agitated about is what more could this man have done?” Mr Kelly asked Djokovic’s lawyer, Nick Wood.

However, it may not be the end of the row.

Sky reporter Nicole Johnston, outside the hotel where Djokovic was being held, said the case will go back to the immigration minister and the department for home affairs to decide whether to reinstate the visa.

Djokovic’s case has caused a political row after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “rules are rules” and any incoming passenger was responsible for meeting border regulations.

Mr Morrison was then accused of taking advantage of the case to improve his popularity ahead of upcoming elections.

Djokovic’s lawyers claimed he should have been allowed to enter because he had “been recently infected with COVID in December 2021 and on this basis… was entitled to a medical exemption in accordance with Australian government rules and guidance”.

They filed papers that showed Djokovic had tested positive for COVID-19 last month and recovered.

They showed the 34-year-old received a letter from Tennis Australia’s chief medical officer on 30 December “recording that he had been provided with a ‘medical exemption from COVID vaccination’ on the grounds that he had recently recovered from COVID”.

It said Djokovic’s first positive test was on 16 December and, on the date of issue, the exemption said the player “had not had a fever or respiratory symptoms in the past 72 hours”.

Sky News

Sajith promises system enabling equal ground for all citizens (VIDEO)

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Sajith promises system enabling equal ground for all citizens (VIDEO)

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will establish a system that enables an equal ground for all citizens of Sri Lanka by completely changing the existing class-based treatment, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa said, during a public gathering held in Tirunagar yesterday (09).

The North’s Pride has turned into a slump due to the current regime’s conduct, the Opposition Leader pointed out. The only thing this government has done was winning the throne by dividing the people, letting the country be driven back to the era of queues, he added.

Promising that the SJB has the capacity to uplift the country from its fall, Premadasa added that he has a team of skillful, talented and competent. The Opposition Leader also called on the people unite with the SJB for an era in which people will be able to live freely with dignity and democracy reigns, through the great mission of rebuilding the country.

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