Over 1,300 arrested for flouting quarantine regulations on Monday
The police have arrested 1,356 more individuals on Monday (June 14) for failing to adhere to health protocols and quarantine regulations while in public, DIG Ajith Rohana says. According to the police spokesman, this is the highest number of arrests made within a single day pertaining to quarantine law violations since March last year. Among the recent arrests, 146 were made by Matale Police, 134 by Kandy Police and 116 others by Kuliyapitiya Police. Thereby, the police have apprehended nearly 33,949 people so far for flouting quarantine regulations since last October. The quarantine law gazette notification was published on the 15th of October 2020, however, the police have been enforcing the law regarding the quarantine gazette since the 30th of October 2020.
Source:The Nation
June 15, 2021 05:02 UTC
Main suspect of heroin consignment seized from Weligama identified
Probes into the massive consignment of heroin busted earlier this week have managed to identify the main suspect who operated the narcotics racket, says DIG Ajith Rohana. On Sunday (June 13), Sri Lanka Navy seized nearly 220 kilograms of heroin smuggled into the island via sea routes on a multi-day fishing trawler. The narcotics consignment, packed in gunny bags and concealed in hollowed gas cylinders, was taken into custody in the southern seas near Polathumodara in Weligama. Eleven suspects, who were arrested in connection with the incident, were produced before Matara Magistrate’s Court on Monday (June 14). The investigators are planning to seek a detention order on the duo in order to further interrogate them, the police spokesman said.
Source:The Nation
June 15, 2021 05:02 UTC
Maskless anti-lockdown protesters march on Downing Street
A police officer was dragged away amid chaotic scenes outside Downing Street yesterday as Laurence Fox and Piers Corbyn joined maskless anti-lockdown protesters demanding an end to all Covid restrictions. Some hardline anti-lockdown Tories are furious about any delay at all, as they wanted the lifting of lockdown to be faster that it has been. And theatre impresario Sir Howard Panter warned the industry will suffer 'significant damage' if the final lifting of coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England is put on hold. The PM outlined a delay in the relaxation of restrictions in an attempt to push forward with the vaccination effort. Mr Johnson, Chancellor Rishi Sunak, Michael Gove and Health Secretary Matt Hancock signed off on the four-week delay, it was reported.
Source:The Nation
June 15, 2021 00:56 UTC
'Ultra-processed' foods make up more than 60% of the calories consumed by British children
Ultra-processed foods such as frozen pizza and fizzy drinks make up more than 60 per cent of the calories consumed by British children, a new study has found. Examples of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) include some ready meals, frozen pizza, fizzy drinks, and mass produced packaged bread. Ultra-processed foods such as frozen pizza and fizzy drinks make up more than 60 per cent of the calories consumed by British children, a new study has found. 'Our findings show that an exceptionally high proportion of their diet is made up of ultra-processed foods, with one in five children consuming 78 per cent of their calories from ultra-processed foods,' he said. Examples of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) include some ready meals, frozen pizza, fizzy drinks, and mass produced packaged bread.
Source:The Nation
June 15, 2021 00:56 UTC
Land Rover reveals hydrogen-fuelled electric Defender
Jaguar Land Rover is stepping on the gas with a new hydrogen-fuelled electric 4X4, the British car maker has announced this morning. H2Offroader: Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed it is testing an electric Defender 4X4 with a hydrogen fuel cell powertrain. Testing begins later this year with production models of fuel cell Land Rover Defender, Discovery and Range Rover potentially on the road within the decade. How will a hydrogen fuel cell Land Rover work? The company announced today: 'Jaguar Land Rover is developing a prototype hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle based on the new Land Rover Defender, with testing scheduled to begin this year.
Source:The Nation
June 15, 2021 00:06 UTC
G7 announces pledges of 870 million COVID-19 vaccine doses, of which at least half to be delivered by the end of 2021
COVAX looks forward to seeing doses flowing to countries as soon as possible. COVAX will work with the G7 and other countries that have stepped up to share doses as rapidly and equitably as possible. This will help address short-term supply constraints currently impacting the global response to COVID-19 and minimize the prospect of future deadly variants. With a disease like COVID-19 we have to ensure that we get it under control everywhere. Equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines represents the clearest pathway out of this pandemic for all of us — children included.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 23:05 UTC
JULIE BURCHILL reveals why she won't be silenced
Yet still the lure of Twitter was too strong to step away from the bluebird of yappiness. In 2015, I wrote: 'This is the age of the Cry-Bully, a hideous hybrid of victim and victor, weeper and walloper. People all around the world were calling me a racist — I'd even made Newsweek! I even thought about resigning a couple of times, so I'd be a hypocrite to wail about being sacked. Woke is the revenge of the dullard on the wit, the curtain-twitcher on the hedonist, the wallflower on the whirling dancer.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 22:02 UTC
On This Day – 15 June
When he came on to bowl, he took all ten wickets for 40 in 25.3 overs, including the last four wickets in five balls. It was the last occasion a bowler took all ten wickets in an innings at Lord’sSir George Oswald Browning “Gubby” Allen (1902-1989) captained England in 11 Test matches. His closest friend among the drivers was Niki Lauda, with whom he had a thrilling battle for the 1976 driving title. After a rain interruption during the chase, Zimbabwe were set a new target of 299 in 43 overs. Sean Williams and Malcolm Waller took charge, but Zimbabwe were bowled out in the 42nd over.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 19:52 UTC
PIERS MORGAN: Boris Johnson is right to delay Freedom Day
Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during a press conference on the final day of the G7 summit in Cornwall yesterdayI understand why people want their freedom back. But this obsession with June 21 being 'Freedom Day' was a doomed and deluded premise from the moment it was spun that way by over-eager lockdown-loathing government and media enthusiasts. That means there are still tens of millions of people who are walking around with 33% or less protection against the Delta variant. All the usual suspects in Parliament and the media are roaring their fury at even the suggestion that we delay 'Freedom Day.' Boris Johnson made it clear when he announced his 4-part roadmap to freedom that his decision-making would be predicated on data, not dates.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 19:03 UTC
‘Can we eat fish or not?’
Rathnayake said that studies which have been carried out have not revealed that the fish are unfit for human consumption. She further said that if the fish are unfit for consumption, the public will be made aware of it. “There are times when people are reluctant to consume fish. For example, during the tsunami disaster and in the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, people abstained from consuming fish. Meanwhile, the carcasses of deceased marine life have been washing up ashore on the western coastline in the wake of the disaster, even though no official link has been scientifically found yet to attribute the marine creatures’ deaths to the said marine disaster.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Rs. 600 m daily tax loss due to liquor ban
Illicit liquor on the rise: Excise CGPlans to allow liquor sales during lockdownBy Dinitha RathnayakeThe continued prohibition on liquor sales due to the existing travel restrictions in the country is resulting in a Rs. 600 million daily tax loss for the Excise Department, The Morning learnt. “We have observed that the production and the demand for illicit liquor and drugs have increased. The Excise Department has received many concerns from members of the public on purchasing liquor during the past month. We are considering this due to the high demand for illicit liquor and drugs.”However, according to Gunasiri, the Excise Department is still conducting discussions about this request.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Furious couples slam Boris Johnson's 'vague' weddings announcement
Furious couples have slammed Boris Johnson's 'vague' announcement that weddings can now go ahead with more than 30 guests provided that 'social distancing' is in place. 'I have to say the prime minister's announcement was extremely vague. There was very little clarity there, there were no guidelines, we were having to really second-guess what he said there. Pictured tasting their wedding cake'You pay for a wedding, the whole package, and for me it's all or nothing. They calculated the industry would lose £325million for every week that weddings without restrictions fail to go ahead.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Indian High Commission, Interpol unaware of armed Lankan group
Sources said that the High Commission is only aware of the media reports now and that therefore, they have no update on this issue. The Police were co-ordinating with coastal security and intelligence agencies to establish the veracity of the alert. However, when The Morning contacted the Sri Lanka Army and the Defence Ministry, both noted that they had read these media reports and that the Government of Sri Lanka would send a media release after investigations, since this is a sensitive matter. Accordingly, Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Ajith Rohana also said that the Interpol is not aware of this incident. An individual from Sri Lanka, Mayuran alias Kannan, had taken them in three fibre boats on 27 April and dropped them in a launch, mid sea.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
$ 40 m claim sent to ship owner
Sabry further explained that five experts’ committees have been tasked with calculating the main claim which would cover the losses suffered by the country due to the disaster. Therefore, three experts will be arriving in the country by 15 July to advise on further steps. Steps are also being taken to seek help from international legal experts if needed, he added. Meanwhile, foreign media reports last week said a large oil spill is visible around the wrecked MV X-Press Pearl ship. He said that once compensation from the ship’s owners is received, fishing families would also be able to claim their losses.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 18:56 UTC
Poet produced in court without lawyer
Ahnaf JazeemBy Pamodi WaravitaAttorney-at-Law (AAL) Sanjaya Wilson Jayasekera, the lawyer of detained poet Ahnaf Jazeem, has claimed that the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) produced the poet in court on 12 June without informing the lawyer, depriving the lawyer of an opportunity to make any submissions before the court in Jazeem’s defence. Jazeem was produced at the Colombo Magistrate’s Court on 12 June, but Jayasekera said he was not communicated the court hearing date beforehand and was only informed about Jazeem’s appearance in court when he had inquired about it. Jayasekera further added that the non-communication of the court date to the lawyers or the family prior to Jazeem being produced in court is unacceptable. Currently, Jazeem is being held at the Colombo Remand Prison and will be produced before Court again on 22 June. Jazeem was arrested in connection to his Tamil language poetry anthology, titled Navarasam (Nine Emotions), which the authorities have alleged promoted “extremist” ideology.
Source:The Nation
June 14, 2021 18:56 UTC