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National Council gives instructions on electricity bill

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Respective officials were informed today (13) that the Ceylon Electricity Board and the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka hold discussions before the Public Utilities Commission takes the final decision on the 15th regarding the electricity bill.

Accordingly, the officials of both parties agreed to meet this afternoon (13) for the purpose of discussing this matter.

This was informed when the National Council met today (13) under the chairmanship of Speaker Hon. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana and Prime Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena.

The Chairman of the Electricity Board said that if the required percentage is not allowed to be increased in a background where the Electricity Board is demanding a 60% increase in electricity tariffs, it will have to face a serious crisis. Accordingly, he pointed out that due to the lack of money even to import coal in the future, there is a risk for longer power cut.

The officials of the Public Utilities Commission said that arrangements are being made to announce the final decision on the electricity increase on the 15th. They also pointed out that the data from the CEB and the views of the relevant stakeholders including the public have been obtained.

Attention was also paid to the fact that the Chairman and the Director General of the Public Utilities Commission are currently abroad. The Secretary of the Public Utilities Commission said that they had gone abroad after proper permission as planned many months ago and the Chairman and Director General had intervened in all these activities in full capacity.

The National Council pointed out that at such time, it is more important to discuss the views of both the Electricity Board and the Public Utilities Commission and come to a consensus and take a decision where as in failure to do so would otherwise cause suffering to the people which cannot be avoided.

Furthermore, the chairman to the National Council sub-committee Identifying the Priorities in Formulation of Short-, Medium- & Long-Term National Policies, Member of Parliament Hon. Namal Rajapaksa informed the National Council of the National Policy Commission to be established. The Prime Minister gave instructions to take steps to get the views and suggestions of the members of Parliament after completing the preparation of the concept paper. Accordingly, the Prime Minister said that necessary steps will be taken through the National Council on this regard.

Ministers Hon. Prasanna Ranatunga, Hon. Kanchana Wijesekera, Hon. Tiran Alas, State Ministers Hon. Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan, Hon. D. V. Chanaka, Hon. Sisira Jayakody, Members of Parliament Hon. Johnston Fernando, Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardana, Hon. A. L. M. Athaullah, Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Hon. Sagara Kariyawasam were present at the meeting held. Mr. Tikiri K. Jayathilake, Assistant Secretary General of Parliament was also present at the Council meeting held.

Moreover, the members of the Public Utilities Commission, the officials of the Ministry of Power and Energy and the Ceylon Electricity Board were also summoned before the National Council.

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Young couple was arrested for sharing live sex videos online

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A young married couple who allegedly distributed live sex videos online has been arrested at Kumbuka in Horana, police said.

They said the arrest was made by the Computer Crimes Investigation Unit of the Computer Crime Investigation Division.

The couple had allegedly distributed these live sex videos on the internet, targeting a young audience aged between 16 and 22.

The 23-year-old female suspect and the 25-year-old male suspect were subsequently produced before the Colombo Magistrate’s Court, where they were granted bail.

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Malaysian Police tracking down two Sri Lankan triple murder suspects

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A police manhunt is underway for two male Sri Lankan suspects over their alleged involvement in the murders of three of their fellow countrymen at a shophouse on Perhentian Street in Lower Kovil Village, Sentul here last night.

Kuala Lumpur police chief Datuk Allaudeen Abdul Majid said both suspects were staying at a married couple’s place on the second floor of the shophouse before the murder occurred.

The police found the bodies of three men piled on top of each other at the couple’s home, with their hands tied and their heads covered with plastic bags at 11 pm yesterday, he said.

“Two victims were tenants renting a room within the premises, while the third victim was the couple’s son. Their ages range from their 20s to 40s.

“The neighbours reported the murders to the police after hearing shouts resembling a fight coming from the tenant’s unit,” he said at a press conference at the Sentul District police headquarters in Kuala Lumpur today.

“The 40-year-old couple and their son had known the suspects, who are supposedly from Klang, for six months, and they stayed at their house for two days.

“The police believe that the two suspects planned the murders, and the motive behind this altercation is still under investigation,“ he said, adding investigations were being conducted under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.

Allaudeen said the married couple have been remanded for seven days to assist in the investigation, and all the bodies have been sent to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, Kuala Lumpur Hospital, for post-mortem.

-Bernama

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19th Asian Games to kick off at Hangzhou in China Today

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The 19th edition of the Asian Games is all set to kick off today in the Chinese city of Hangzhou.

Delayed by a year due to coronavirus pandemic restrictions, the 19th edition of the event is set to officially begin with a two-hour opening ceremony from 5.30pm.

The opening ceremony for the Asian Games will take place at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium, which is capable of accommodating up to 80,000 people.

The stadium was completed in 2018 and is mostly used for soccer matches, features a retractable roof, a circular LED screen, and a natural grass field.

Dating back to 1951, the Games are bigger than the Olympics when it comes to the number of athletes and sports – and this year’s competition is billed as the biggest in history.

Nearly 12,500 athletes – more than ever – from 45 countries and territories will be competing across 40 sports. The Games will be held in 56 venues, 12 of which have been newly built.

The programme includes the more traditional events, such as athletics and swimming but also those which reflect Asia’s diverse sporting culture, such as sepak takraw, or kick volleyball, kabaddi, and wushu, a martial art.

China, as the host country, has the privilege of choosing which sports to include in the programme, with bridge, chess and Xiangqi (Chinese chess) being among the non-Olympic events featured in the schedule.

Meanwhile, e-sports, breakdancing and sport climbing will be making their Games debut, in an effort to attract the interest of younger people.

FIFA Online 4, Street Fighter V and League of Legends are among the seven e-sport medal events.

The Games will see participants competing for 481 gold medals across 15 days.

Sri Lanka is fielding a 96-member contingent with 62 male and 34 female athletes.

The closing ceremony on October 8 will include the handover to Japan before the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Games.

Qatar will host the Asian Games in 2030.

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