Author: Buzzer Editorial

An explosion was reported Monday at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, Texas, according to local media.A large fire broke out following the blast.A shelter-in-place order was issued for the west side of Port Arthur, according to reports.The cause of the explosion is not yet known.There were no immediate reports of injuries, according to officials who spoke to local news outlets.Police asked residents on the west side of the city to shelter in place.The shelter order would remain in effect until emergency personnel gave the all clear, the city’s emergency management agency and mayor said.The Texas state department of transportation…

The Commissioner General of Essential Services has issued a comprehensive set of guidelines on the prudent use of fuel and energy to all Ministry Secretaries, Provincial and District Secretaries, as well as heads of government and statutory institutions.The set of guidelines which was issued yesterday (22) has been issued in light of possible disruptions to fuel imports due to the escalating conflict situation in the Middle East region.Accordingly, the guidelines outline the following:Officials have been advised to avoid using individual vehicles for commuting to work and instead utilize public transport or group transport options whenever possible. Institutions have also been…

An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle upon landing at New York’s LaGuardia airport on Monday evening, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24, in an incident that closed the airport.The CRJ-900 plane, which was coming from Montreal, struck the vehicle at a speed of about 24 miles per hour (39 kph), Flightradar24 said. The jet was ⁠operated by Jazz Aviation, Air Canada’s regional partner. An Air Canada Express regional jet collided with a ground vehicle upon landing at New York’s LaGuardia airport on Monday evening, according to flight tracking website Flightradar24, in an incident that closed the airport.The…

At a press conference held at the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Colombo, Iranian Ambassador Dr. Alireza Delkhosh reiterated Iran’s commitment to its bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka and emphasized continued cooperation between the two countries.Addressing the media, Ambassador Delkhosh described Sri Lanka as a friendly nation and stated that Iran maintains an open and supportive stance toward its partners. He noted that the Strait of Hormuz remains accessible to vessels of friendly countries, including Sri Lanka, and affirmed that Iran is prepared to facilitate the needs of such nations.The Ambassador further stated that Iran stands ready to…

Former Minister Arjuna Ranatunga and former Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Dhammika Ranatunga have been served indictments before the Colombo High Court today (23) on a corruption charge.The court then ordered the defendants to be released on two surety bonds of Rs. 5 million each.The case was then ordered to be called for a pre-trial conference on May 15, Ada Derana reporter said. The defendants are accused of causing a loss of nearly Rs. 800 million to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) by canceling 03 long-term tenders that were scheduled to be used to purchase fuel for the country…

The US State Department has issued an updated caution to Americans across the world due to the ongoing tensions in the Middle East.Writing on X, the department calls on Americans “worldwide, and especially in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution”.“Periodic airspace closures may cause travel disruptions. US diplomatic facilities, including outside the Middle East, have been targeted,” it says.“Groups supportive of Iran may target other US interests overseas or locations associated with the United States and/or Americans throughout the world.”Source: BBC

In a statement broadcast by Iranian media, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says it will “completely close” the Strait of Hormuz if the US targets Iranian energy infrastructure.Trump earlier threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the Strait was not opened within 48 hours.Source: BBC

The Sri Lanka Police has issued a clarification regarding a message circulating on social media that has been falsely attributed to the Sri Lanka Police.The message states:‘‘Be vigilant. We kindly urge you to pay close attention to several important matters that we all need to understand and bear in mind during this period of economic hardship in our country.’’ However, authorities have confirmed that the statement was not issued by the Police through any official channel.In an official statement, the Police emphasized that all verified announcements are released exclusively through the Police Media Division and distributed to the media as formal…

Farmers’ associations have stated that the recent increase in fuel prices has had a severe impact on the agricultural sector. According to vegetable traders in Keppetipola, the cost of transporting vegetable stocks has risen significantly. They have warned that these escalating costs could potentially lead to a complete breakdown of the up-country vegetable trade in the near future.At the same time, rice producers have indicated that an upward revision of rice prices is inevitable. They emphasize that the increase in fuel prices has imposed a substantial burden on both production and distribution processes. Consequently, producers suggest that the price of a kilogram of rice…

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) has resumed the collection of vehicle parking fees across its jurisdiction from today (23).According to the Municipal Commissioner, parking management and fee collection operations returned to their regular schedule from 6:00 a.m.The collection of parking fees had been temporarily suspended since March 18 due to severe traffic congestion and long vehicle queues observed near fuel stations across the city.However, the CMC noted that, with the implementation of the National Fuel Pass (QR code-based system) and the distribution of fuel based on vehicle registration numbers, the length of fuel queues has significantly decreased.Accordingly, as the traffic…