Power Cuts scheduled for Thursday (17)

COVID-19 antiviral pill Paxlovid by a prescription.The antiviral treatment comes in the form of pills that are ingested orally for those who are at a higher risk of progressing to severe disease or hospitalization due to the virus.Taking the pills must begin with in five days of symptoms in most cases, the government said.Those eligible for assessment for antiviral pills include:The government notes a health-care provider may recommend the treatment even if one does not belong to the eligible groups based on individual circumstances. Here’s who is eligible for free COVID PCR testing, anti-viral assessment in Ontario A person must also test positive for COVID-19, either on a PCR tests or a rapid test.Aside from the more than 1,700 participating pharmacies, the antiviral pills are also available at hospitals and assessment centres.There is also a risk assessment screening tool online that Ontarians can use to determine if the treatment would be beneficial.

The country’s benchmark interest rate is rising half a percentage point, the Bank of Canada announced Wednesday, the first time it has raised rates by more than 25 basis points in more than two decades.

COVID cases per day. However, with the recent rise in cases, the positivity rate rose to 0.007%. 

COVID-19 as patient numbers continued to climb Wednesday.Hospitalizations related to the health crisis stood at 2,060, a rise of 122 compared with the previous day. This comes after 224 people were admitted while 102 left.Officials say 83 patients were being treated for the disease in intensive care units, an increase of 16.The Health Department says it recently updated its guidelines for transmitting data on hospitalizations.

Economist Stephen Brown discusses what happens to the housing market when interest rates rise.

Fred Eisenberger is “experiencing symptoms” and is now following public health guidelines and self-isolating.The mayor used the moment to pitch the importance of vaccinations for residents in a statement as Hamilton endures a resurgence of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations expected to continue through much of the spring. Ontario COVID numbers: 1,366 people in hospital, 190 in intensive care “Please everyone, get vaccinated, get boosted, follow Public Health advice and stay home if you have symptoms,” Eisenberger said.In June 2020, Eisenberger had a suspected bout of COVID-19 after feeling symptoms.

Surgeries delayed as N.B. health-care system grapples with COVID-19 staffing shortages Back in January, the province changed the requirements to access rapid point-of-care tests.

COVID on Wednesday, with 182 in intensive care.This is down by 34 for hospitalizations and a decrease of eight for ICUs since the previous day.Last Wednesday, there were 1,074 hospitalizations with 168 in ICU. This is a 24 per cent and 8 per cent increase, respectively, to the figures this week.According to latest breakdown for hospitalizations, 53 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19. For those in ICUs, 40 per cent were admitted for other reasons.

FILE IMAGE - Travelers wearing protective masks walk with luggage inside the international terminal at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in San Francisco, California, on May 11, 2021. Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images WASHINGTON - The Biden administration will extend for two weeks the nationwide mask requirement for public transit as it monitors an uptick in COVID-19 cases, according to a person familiar with the matter.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was set to extend the order, which was to expire on April 18, by two weeks to monitor for any observable increase in severe virus outcomes as cases rise in parts of the country.

CALEDONIA, Wis. - Phantom Fireworks officials confirmed for FOX6 News that on June 21, 2021, an individual named Frank James of Milwaukee purchased fireworks products from the Phantom Fireworks Showroom in Caledonia.A news release says four of the items purchased are believed to be the same items that were shown in a photograph published by a TV network on April 12.This "bag with fireworks" has been identified as having been left behind by the Brooklyn subway shooter. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 NewsThere is no video surveillance footage of the purchase available. As a result, Phantom Fireworks cannot confirm that the purchaser and the suspect in the Brooklyn subway shooting are the same individual. Phantom Fireworks officials say they are cooperating with the investigating authorities.New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Frank R.

NEW JERSEY - Janiece Jenkins, a teacher at East Orange Community Charter School, is being hailed a hero after springing into action and saving her student who was choking on a water bottle cap."This could have been very tragic, but I'm glad it wasn't," Jenkins told FOX 5 NY morning program, ‘Good Day New York.’On Wednesday at about 11:15 a.m., Robert Stonaker, 9, was sitting a desk and trying to pour water into his mouth when he started choking."I was opening the bottle with my mouth, and then I started with my hand and I couldn't open it, so I did it with my mouth and then the water pushed it into my throat," said Stonaker. Get breaking news alerts in the free FOX5NY News app!  |  Sign up for FOX 5 email newslettersThe third-grade student is seen on video turning the bottle into his mouth as it gets lodged."He ran over to the sink to see if he could get it out himself, and then he ran over to me when he saw that he couldn't, and he started pointing to his throat. He's just letting me know he couldn't speak.

(L) The 1969 left-handed Fender Mustang guitar is pictured in a provided image. (R) Kurt Cobain performs with Nirvana at the Paradiso on Nov.

AFP, quoting the group's head.

The national capital on Wednesday recorded 299 new coronavirus cases in a span of 24 hours – a rise of almost 50% since yesterday (202). Delhi showed a significant increase in new infections over the last week.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Pennsylvania House voted Tuesday after a tense debate to approve a bill that would prohibit transgender girls from competing in girls' school sports.All but one Republican and four Democrats voted for the proposal to restrict players on K-12 school teams, college sports, intramurals and club teams sponsored by school entities to male or female teams based on their reproductive organs, biology or genetics at birth."Identities do not play sports, bodies do," argued the measure's prime sponsor, Rep. Barb Gleim, R-Cumberland.

Rafiq Thompson of Philadelphia was charged with the murder of a pregnant woman in Upper Merion after turning himself in to authorities.  PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia man who was wanted for the murder of a pregnant woman in Upper Merion on Friday has been charged after turning himself in, the Montgomery County District Attorney announced. According to officials, 38-year-old Rafiq Thompson is facing first-degree murder and related charges connected to the shooting death of 31-year-old Tamara Cornelius last week. Police say the shooting took place at an Exxon gas station before 11 p.m. on North Gulph Road and West Dekalb Pike. Officers arrived on scene and found Cornelius lying in the gas station parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds, authorities say. PREVIOUS: $5K reward offered in search for suspect accused of killing pregnant woman in Upper MerionShe was transported to Paoli Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 11:09 p.m., according to investigators. Officials say the investigation revealed that Cornelius and the suspect were in a prior relationship and had met up briefly before she went to have dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. According to investigators, Thompson followed Cornelius as she left the restaurant at 10:15 p.m., walked to the parking garage and then drove to the Exxon gas station. Police say as she was pumping gas when Thompson got out of the car, spoke to her and shot her. He continued to shoot her as she tried to get away, authorities say. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information on the whereabouts of Rafiq Thompson.

The Department of Health has been notified of 4,728 new cases of Covid-19, including 2,098 PCR-confirmed cases of the virus and 2,630 positive antigen tests registered through the HSE portal.

Russia in developing hypersonic weapons, the U.S. Navy is rushing to field its first, with installation on a warship starting as soon as late next year.The United States is in a race with Russia and China to develop these weapons, which travel at speeds akin to ballistic missiles but are difficult to shoot down because of their maneuverability.The Russian military says it already deployed hypersonic missiles, claiming on both Saturday and Sunday to have deployed them against targets in Ukraine marking the weapon’s first use in combat.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan authorities have decided to impose power cuts on Monday (21).Groups PQRSTUVW:2 hours and 40 minutes from 9 AM to 5 PM1 hour 50 minutes from 5 PM to 10:30 PMGroups ABCDEFGHIJKL:3 hours and 20 minutes from 8 AM to 6 PM 1 hour 40 minutes from 6 PM to 11 PM 

PERU, Vt. - Molly Healy donned her ski suit and skis on her way to Bromley Mountain in Peru, Vermont, earlier this month.But she wasn’t there just to hit the slopes. She was there to marry Matthew Gnoza in a way that may put other winter weddings to shame. "My something old were my skis, my something new was my ski outfit, my something borrowed was my veil from a friend, and my something blue were my ski boots!" she told FOX Television Stations. RELATED: Let’s Get Married! Virginia Bride Magazine’s luxury dream wedding giveawayThe couple tied the knot on March 12.

Russia‘s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine could ease the way for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Defence Minister Anita Anand to boost defence spending in the upcoming federal budget, say experts.And while it’s unclear right now what that might look like, defence analysts said targeting recruits with more advanced skills and modernizing equipment like submarines should be among the areas up for more funding.“I absolutely think it makes it easier to say yes,” said Steve Saideman, who holds the Paterson Chair in International Affairs at Carleton University and is director of the Canadian Defence and Security Network.“This full-out war certainly moves the needle quite a bit.

One person was injured Friday after officials say Russian missiles targeted Lviv airport, in western Ukraine, and hit an aircraft repair facility. The person was reportedly taken to hospital in moderate condition. Mercedes Stephenson reports.

The fossil remains of a Basilosaurus' skull found in Ocucaje, Peru, are displayed by paleontologists at a museum in Lima, on March 17, 2022.  Paleontologists recently discovered the origins of fossils from a fearsome aquatic predator that would make the terrifying shark from "Jaws" look adorable. The skull was dug up last year but scientists announced on Thursday the 36-million-year-old creature once lived in a prehistoric ocean that once covered what is now Peru, Reuters reported. The recovered skull may look like it came from a fire-breathing dragon, but scientists believe the mammal to be a basilosaurus, part of the aquatic cetacean family. Modern descendants of this animal include whales and dolphins. Scientists confirmed the ancient whale measured in at roughly 39 feet offering relief to readers of the creature’s extinction. "It was a marine monster," said Rodolfo Salas, chief of paleontology at Peru's National University of San Marcos, told reporters at a news conference.

Russian state television suddenly cut away from President Vladimir Putin speaking at a packed Moscow stadium to mark the eighth anniversary of Crimea’s annexation on Friday, showing patriotic songs being performed at the event instead.

COVID-19 have died as the number of hospitalizations linked to the virus continued to drop Friday.The latest deaths, reported on the province’s online COVID-19 dashboard, bring Manitoba’s COVID-19 death toll to 1,726. Manitoba goes mask-free, many businesses, people remain cautious The number of people hospitalized as a result of COVID-19 fell to 382 as of Friday morning, 13 fewer than had been reported 24 hours earlier.As of Friday, 13 people are in ICU with the virus, down four from Thursday.Numbers released by the province Thursday show COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped 15.6 per cent from the previous week and ICU admissions linked to the virus were down 68.2 per cent over the previous week.Manitoba lifted all remaining COVID-19 public health orders Tuesday, including a mask mandate that had required face coverings to be worn in public spaces.

REDLANDS, Calif. - A Redlands youth soccer coach is behind bars after police found him with a 14-year-old girl in the back of his vehicle, officials said.Redlands police officers made contact with Jonathan Jeremy Ledesma during a vehicle check near Fairway Drive and Country Club Drive a little after 4 a.m. Thursday where he claimed that the victim was his girlfriend.While searching Ledesma's car and phone, officers located sexual text messages in between and "evidence of sex acts inside of the vehicle," according to a Redlands PD news release."Detectives interviewed the victim who disclosed that since she turned 14, she has had sex with Ledesma multiple times," the release says.Are you or someone you know a recent survivor of sexual assault? Help is available. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) provides a 24/7 national sexual assault hotline, which can be reached at 1-800-656-4673.The San Bernardino County judge has authorized a search warrant on the suspect’s vehicle, suspect’s phone, victim’s phone, suspect’s person and the victim’s person.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia organization dedicated to guiding the city's youth away from crime through unique educational opportunities recently brought dozens of children to the National Space Museum in Virginia. Vanessa Young and Teisha Brown run Power of Paint Art Academy and, with the help of sponsors, helped 36 children get an all expense paid trip to the NASA Space Museum to explore the field of aviation. "A lot of the kids we service otherwise may not get exposed to those career paths or even getting exposed to being outside the city of Philadelphia," Young said. Young and Brown hope their programs and mentorship save young lives that are far too often cut short in Philadelphia. "School age kids are getting hurt on their porch and on their way to school so just providing that outlet," Young said. It took less than three months for Philadelphia to exceed 100 homicides on the year, outpacing a historically bloody 2021. Pennsylvania State Representative Stephen Kinsey led a group canvassing East Germantown on Thursday to call attention to the continued rise in deadly crime. "People are concerned, people are afraid, and they want to take back their community," Kinsey said. Hassan and Angela Bolger joined the walk to offer resources to residents dealing with gun violence."Our youngest son is 17. I want to protect him.

COVID-19 dropped again on Thursday, according to Alberta Health’s website.On Thursday, there were 967 in hospital with the virus. Of those people, 67 were receiving care in the ICU.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating a pair of broad daylight shootings that happened within minute of each other Thursday afternoon in Philadelphia.Officers were called to the 6000 block of Lansdowne Avenue around 3:50 p.m. for reports of gunfire. A 31-year-old man was found shot four times, including once in the side.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan authorities have decided to impose power cuts on Friday (18).Groups PQRSTUVW:2 hours from 9 AM to 5 PM1 and 1/2 hours from 5 PM to 10 PMGroups ABCDEFGHIJKL:3 hours from 8 AM to 6 PM 1 hour 40 minutes from 6 PM to 11 PMPower Cut Schedule: Click Here

Vladimir Strzhalkovsky, chief executive officer of OAO GMK Norilsk Nickel, reacts while speaking to the media after an annual general meeting with shareholders at the President hotel in Moscow, Russia, on Friday, June 29, 2012.

Russian airstrikes in the besieged city of Mariupol, while ferocious Russian bombardment killed dozens in a northern city over the past day, the local governor said.The strikes the previous evening had left a large section of the grand, three-storey theatre building in the centre of Mariupol collapsed in a smoking ruin, according to photos released by the city council.Inside, hundreds of men, women and children — up to 1,000 according to some officials — had taken shelter in the basement, seeking safety amid Russia’s strangulating three-week siege of the strategic southern port city in Ukraine.Rescuers worked to clearing rubble that had blocked the entrance to the basement, despite new strikes reported elsewhere in the city Thursday. Miraculously, the shelter stood firm, officials said.“The building withstood the impact of a high-powered air bomb and protected the lives of people hiding in the bomb shelter,” Ukraine’s ombudswoman Ludmyla Denisova said on the Telegram messaging app Thursday.She and Ukrainian parliament member Sergiy Taruta said some survivors had emerged.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Public Utilities Commission has granted approval for power cuts on Wednesday (16).The power cut schedule is as follows:Groups ABCDEFGHIJKL:2 1/2 hours from 8 AM to 6 PM2 hours from 6 PM to 11 PMGroups PQRSTUVW3 hours from 8.30 AM to 5.30 PM2 1/2 hours from 5.30 PM to 11 PM Power Cut Schedule: Click Here

OCTOBER 23: In this photo illustration, user profile logos of the Netflix media service provider's is displayed on the screen of a television on October 23, 2018 in Paris, France. The US video-on-demand company Netflix announced Monday it wants to ra LOS ANGELES - Netflix will soon launch a test that would prompt subscribers to pay an additional fee to allow users outside their households to use the account. According to the subscription streaming service's current "Terms of Use" agreement, any content accessed through its service for personal use "may not be shared with individuals beyond your household" — a condition that Netflix has looked over or dismissed for years.Now the company says it will launch and test a new feature for its members in Chile, Costa Rica and Peru, which will require members to add "sub accounts" for up to two people they don’t live with at a cost of 2,380 CLP in Chile, 2.99 USD in Costa Rica and 7.9 PEN in Peru. No announcement has been made whether the features will eventually be tested in the United States.RELATED: 'Squid Game' tops 'Bridgerton' as Netflix's biggest series launch ever"We’ve always made it easy for people who live together to share their Netflix account, with features like separate profiles and multiple streams in our Standard and Premium plans," the company wrote in a blog post on Wednesday.

PHILADELPHIA - Lawmakers in the Senate overwhelmingly agreed that the time has come to end the practice of setting clocks back an hour each fall.Senators unanimously passed the bipartisan "Sunshine Protection Act" Tuesday. The bill still needs approval from the House, and the signature of President Joe Biden, to become law.The ritual of falling back in the U.S.

COVID-19 update.Dr. Brent Roussin will speak at 12:30 p.m.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed Canadian lawmakers in parliament Tuesday, and again called for NATO to establish a no-fly zone over his country as Russian attacks continue to target civilians. Aaron McArthur reports.

HOUSTON - Houston police are looking for thieves responsible for stealing more than 1,000 gallons of fuel from a local gas station.For three straight days, investigators believe burglars stole roughly 350 gallons of diesel from the Fuqua Express in Southeast Houston. In total, roughly 1,100 gallons of fuel were taken.RELATED: Fuel thieves targeting gas stations, stealing dozens of gallons"People are trying to make a buck," said Jerry Thayil, manager of Fuqua Express. "This is not the way to make a buck."Police believe the burglars are using an elaborate method to take the fuel. On surveillance video, a lookout car can be seen at nearby gas pump. Then, a van parks over the station’s gas caps designed to store fuel underground. Using a trap door, some sort of suction device, and a storage unit, investigators believe the thieves were able to quietly pump hundreds of gallons of diesel into their vehicle.MORE CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETYAll three incidents took place in broad daylight. Thayil’s says paying customers nearby didn’t notice. The person responsible, or people, never get out of the van."You wouldn’t see anything," said Thayil. "There’s only an 8-inch clearance from the van, to the [ground]. They have a trap door inside their van. They pull up the trap door, break the lock of our tank cap, and insert a tube there and start the pump. It took them about 15 minutes to get roughly [350 gallons] of diesel."The gas station is locally owned and operated by Thayil’s father. He estimates the stolen diesel to be worth more than $5,000.On a fourth straight day last week, Thayil says the same group comes back to try another fuel burglary. However, Thayil had been watching surveillance video."Don’t try that over here again," said

SEATTLE - Starbucks lovers may soon see less of an iconic symbol: the white Starbucks paper cup.The Seattle-based coffee chained announced it will phase out its single-use cups bearing the company's logo and other plastics in an effort to reduce landfill waste. While the products may not go away completely, the company plans to make them less attractive and promote reusable mugs. "We set a bold aspiration to become a resource positive company – to store more carbon than we emit, to eliminate waste and to conserve and replenish more freshwater than we use," Michael Kobori, Starbucks chief sustainability officer, said on the company’s website.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Public Utilities Commission said that scheduled power cuts for 15th March will be the same as that of Monday (14).Power Cuts for Tuesday (15):Groups PQRSTUVW: 2 hrs from 9 AM to 5 PM 1 hr from 5 PM to 9 PM.Groups ABCDEFGH: 2 1/2 hrs from 8 AM to 6 PM 1 hr & 15 min from 6 PM to 11 PM

home.General Motors and Ford this week announced pilot programs with California's Pacific Gas & Electric Company that will study the use of electric vehicles as backup power sources during blackouts and for energy storage that can help stabilize the grid.Upcoming electric models from both automakers are being developed with bi-directional power capability that allows them to send power from the vehicle's battery back into a home's electrical system.2022 Ford F-150 Lightning In particular, the large battery packs used in electric pickups like the Ford F-150 Lightning and upcoming Chevrolet Silverado EV will have energy storage capacities as high as 130 kWH to 200 kWh, which could power an average home for several days when fully charged.Ford already sells a bi-directional charger called the Ford Charge Station Pro for $1,310, about double the price of a standard home charger, before fees for installation or any electrical system upgrades that are needed to support it.Ford CEO Jim Farley told the CERAWeek conference in Houston on Thursday that he doesn't expect Tesla to offer similar capability as it sells solar panels and a Powerwall home backup battery system alongside its electric cars."We don't think Tesla will do this because they have an energy business to protect."2024 Silverado EV RST (Chevrolet)During Tesla's Battery Day event in 2020, CEO Elon Musk discounted the appeal of bi-directionally, also known as vehicle-to-grid, saying the automaker's original Roadster model was equipped with it and no one used it."Vehicle-to-grid sounds good, but I think actually has a much lower utility than people think," Musk said."And it’s obviously very problematic if you get to morning and your car, instead of being charged, it

NEW YORK - The NYPD was searching for a gunman who was targeting homeless people sleeping on the streets of Manhattan.  They were looking into whether the case could also be linked to violence against homeless men in Washington, D.C.In the first incident around 5 a.m. on Saturday, police found a 38-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the right arm on King St.

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (AP) - Rattled by a derogatory shout from a spectator, Naomi Osaka went on to lose 6-0, 6-4 to Veronika Kudermetova of Russia in the second round of the BNP Paribas Open on Saturday night.Osaka trailed in the first set when a woman in the stands shouted, "Osaka, you suck." The Japanese star approached the chair umpire to ask that something be done.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka announced more power cuts for Monday (14), according to the country’s Public Utilities Commission.Power Cuts for Monday (14).Groups PQRSTUVW:2 hrs from 9 AM to 5 PM1 hr from 5 PM to 9 PM.Groups ABCDEFGH:2 1/2 hrs from 8 AM to 6 PM1 hr & 15 min from 6 PM to 11 PMFor More Details : Power Cut Schedule

Jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi freed, but hurdles remain to join family in Quebec “These individuals, totalling 81, were convicted of various crimes including murdering innocent men, women and children,” the statement read.“Crimes committed by these individuals also include pledging allegiance to foreign terrorist organizations, such as ISIS (Islamic State), al-Qaeda and the Houthis,” it added.The ministry did not say how the executions were carried out.The men included 37 Saudi nationals who were found guilty in a single case for attempting to assassinate security officers and targeting police stations and convoys, the statement added.The mass execution is likely to bring back attention to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record at a time when world powers have been focused on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Rights groups have accused Saudi Arabia of enforcing restrictive laws on political and religious expression, and criticized it for using the death penalty, including for defendants arrested when they were minors.Read full story“There are prisoners of conscience on Saudi death row, and others arrested as children or charged with non-violent crimes,” Soraya Bauwens, deputy director of anti-death penalty charity Reprieve, said in a statement.Saudi women can now get a passport without male consent“We fear for every one of them following this brutal display of impunity,” she added.Saudi Arabia denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.The state SPA news agency said the accused were provided with the right to an attorney and were guaranteed their full rights under Saudi law during the judicial process.The kingdom executed 63 people in one day in 1980, a year after

Boards cover broken windows at the Russia House restaurant and lounge in Washington, DC, on March 8, 2022.  "We’re getting some hate phone calls," owner Aaron McGovern told the Washington Post.McGovern said he thinks that "people just shouldn’t start vandalizing property" for hostile assumptions of what they believe to be the political views of the business owners.Beloved Los Angeles-based independent record store Stellar Remnant announced on Instagram that they were served an eviction notice from their landlords following a stream of threats and hateful messages. RELATED: List of Russian goods that are banned, boycotted in US"As the violence escalates in Ukraine so is hatred towards Russian-speaking immigrants around the globe, we believe we became targeted individuals and businesses. With our cry out for Love we still receive threats and hate and people are asking us to take down and do not sell any Russian artists regardless of their political views just by simply being or associated with Russia," The store wrote on its Instagram page. They believe they have been targeted for being a Russian-immigrant-owned business.Sveta, a New York City restaurant also told Business Insider that they’ve been forced to remove any mention of Russian food from their online presences including their website, social media, Yelp, and changing it to "European."The assault on small Russian-owned businesses comes as President Joe Biden announced Friday the U.S.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Despite Government officials claiming that there will be no power outages after the 5th of March, the Public Utilities Commission has given its approval to cut off power over the weekend at the request of the Ceylon Electricity Board in the face of the current crisis.Accordingly, the power outages for Sunday (13) will be as follows;Groups PQRSTUVW:1 hour from 5 PM to 9 PMGroups ABCDEFGHIJKL:2 hours from 9 AM to 5 PM1 hour & 15 min from 5 PM to 10 PM

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s CEB and India’s largest integrated energy company, NTPC signed the agreement for the joint development of the 100 MW Sampur Solar Power Plant yesterday (11).The Indian High Commission stated that the High Commissioner attend the signing of the agreement, along with 4 Ministers including the Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and the newly-appointed Minister of Energy, Pavithra Wanniarachchi.In a press release, the Indian High commission noted that during the visit of Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa to India last year, both sides had resolved to enhance investments from India in various sectors in Sri Lanka that would contribute to growth and expand employment, and the Sampur Solar Power Project is an important step in this direction.The Ministers attested to the strength of India-Sri Lanka economic partnership for mutual prosperity, including through cooperation in renewable energy, the High Commission added.Moreover, the High Commission noted that cooperation with Sri Lanka in this domain will only become stronger with the implementation of the US$ 100 million Line of Credit offered by India to Sri Lanka for development of solar power projects in Sri Lanka. Similarly, there is significant interest among private sector on both sides for cooperation in renewable energy which is likely to increase in the coming years.High Commissioner was delighted to attend the signing of the JVSHA between @ntpclimited & @CEB_lk today for the joint development of a solar power plant at Sampur.