China a ‘close friend’ but India is ‘brother’ and ‘sister’: Sri Lanka envoy

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Twenty Three Police OICs have been transferred with immediate effect, said Sri Lanka Police.Police Spokesperson Attorney SSP Nihal Thalduwa says the OICs in question were assigned for other duties at different Police stations. The transfers were made as per a directive issued by the Inspector General of Police. 

(Nikkei) Sri Lanka's government appears increasingly upbeat about its chances of receiving International Monetary Fund board approval for a $2.9 billion bailout by December, but the multilateral lender has cautioned that the time frame remains uncertain, and much depends on discussions with the heavily indebted country's creditors.Peter Breuer, senior mission chief for Sri Lanka, and Masahiro Nozaki, mission chief for Sri Lanka, in written comments to Nikkei Asia, said, "It is difficult to predict the timeline, as the process of debt relief discussions takes time. All parties who are involved in the process should move expeditiously, so that Sri Lanka can emerge from the crisis as quickly as possible."On Sept.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  Sri Lanka secured a resounding win against the Maldives in Game 5 of the 2022 South Asian Basketball Association Women's Championship 2022.Match 5 of the South Asian Basketball Association Women's Championship 2022 between Sri Lanka and the Maldives took place on Wednesday (28) evening in Male, Maldives in front of a packed crowd including the Maldives President, and Vice President.Sri Lanka took the lead at end of the first half with a score 46 – 22 .Sri Lanka continued to dominate the game and won 72 – 59.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Former Indian Minister of Commerce, Law & Justice Subramanian Swamy met with Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in Colombo on Wednesday (28).He was accompanied by several Indian lawyers and businessmen.Subramanian Swamy is in Sri Lanka for the 15th International Research Conference on “Economic Revival National Security & Sustainability through Advancement of Technology & Innovation" organized by the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University in Colombo.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – EU released €1.5 million in humanitarian aid to respond to the ongoing socio-economic crisis affecting millions of people in Sri Lanka.The new EU funding will mainly focus on multipurpose cash interventions to respond to the basic needs of the population, among which are food, health, education, and protection.Humanitarian assistance will target the most vulnerable households that require immediate support.Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said, “The people of Sri Lanka are suffering the hardship of a protracted socio-economic crisis that is increasingly exhausting resources and threatening the food security of millions of people.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – SLPP State Minister Sanath Nishantha who is alleged to have made a statement that was in contempt of court, was issued a summons by the Court of Appeal to be present in Court on 13th October 2022.Justices of the Court of Appeal Nissanka Karunaratne, and R.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A Sri Lanka Police officer was injured after he was struck with a bottle by a suspect at the Bastian Mawatha Bus Station in Pettah, Colombo.The Police said that a Police officer of Keselwatta Police Station's traffic Division was injured in the attack, and admitted to the Colombo National Hospital.The police have also arrested a 40-year-old woman who was seen with the suspect.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka customs arrested a 43-year-old Ugandan man on Wednesday (28) morning at the Katunayake Airport's arrival terminal for the possession of cocaine.Investigations revealed that the suspect, a farmer in Uganda, had flown to Guinea in West Africa, and then to Casablanca in Morocco.Thereafter he had flown to Qatar and reached Sri Lanka aboard Qatar Airways flight QR-664.Customs officials had become suspicious following the suspect's arrival and has taken him away for an inspection, and an airport scanner revealed the presence of small packets in his abdomen and interrogation revealed that he was smuggling cocaine.The suspect was arrested and during questioning, he revealed that he had swallowed 80 packets of cocaine valued at over Rs. 50 Million.17 cocaine packets valued at over Rs.

Project Cobra confiscated an estimated $55 million worth of methamphetamine and cocaine as part of a cross-border investigation.“We’ve heard the saying ‘cutting the head off the snake’ in order to cripple a criminal network, well, Project Cobra didn’t just cut off the head of the snake; these dedicated men and women took (out) the whole damn snake,” ALERT Supt. Marc Cochlin said at a news conference on Wednesday.The investigation included numerous police and specialized agencies including the Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, U.S.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara says to secure the short-term requirement of Coal Supply, a Spot Tender has been advertised following the International Competitive Bidding method.He said the process has been opened for registered suppliers & any other supplier capable of supplying the requirement with a minimum 180-day credit facility. Further, he added that a long Term Tender for Coal Procurement will be advertised by next week.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has met with Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.

COLOMBO (News 1st) -HOPE worldwide, a leading international humanitarian organization in the United States, has facilitated a generous in-kind donation of urgent medicinal supplies worth $2,740,498.32, an estimate of Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, the Governor of the Central Bank research collaborations between academia and policymakers to address various issues faced by the economies amidst the prevailing high volatility in the global economic landscape is of paramount importance.The Governor highlighted that although the applicability and validity of findings of certain models and theories presented in theoretical academic research could be somewhat limited amidst crises like the one Sri Lanka is facing at present, ongoing effort to study the dynamics of emerging market economies is an essential element in the recovery process. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka co-hosted the CBSL-ADBI-APAEA Online Macroeconomics Conference for the third consecutive year, in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and the Asia-Pacific Applied Economics Association (APAEA), on 23 September 2022. This year’s theme remained the same as the previous year; 'Emerging Issues for Macroeconomic Stability'.Inaugurating the Conference, Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Navy handed over a distressed Indian fishing trawler, found in Sri Lanka’s waters due to a mechanical failure, to the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Annie Besant at the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) on Thursday (28th September 2022). The distressed fishing trawler with a ceased engine was spotted by the Sri Lanka Navy about 26 nautical miles (48 Km) off Point Pedro in northern waters.Reportedly, the fishing trawler ‘Bairavakali’ was on a fishing voyage from Nagapattinam, India on 25th September. As the Indian trawler was reported to have swept towards Sri Lanka’s waters due to a mechanical failure on 27th September, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Chennai has disseminated a distress signal to MRCC Colombo in the Navy Headquarters, requesting assistance to locate the trawler.In response to the request for assistance, the Navy made arrangements to rush P 484 Fast Attack Craft of the 4th Fast Attack Flotilla (4 FAF) in the Northern Naval Command to the sea area where the trawler was.

Also Read: Heart dysfunction, COVID-19 booster vaccines in India have no links, say experts The public service honour went to Lauren Gardner, an engineer who studies the spread of diseases. Her lab team developed the COVID-19 tracker when the coronavirus began to spread internationally in January 2020. The dashboard evolved into a useful tool that today tracks cases, deaths, immunizations, and other things on a global scale.

NEW YORK - Have you ever experienced meeting someone who is unaware of either a popular song or food dish? Their ignorance is palpable. It’s a feeling that leaves those in the know both infuriated and jealous at the same time. The internet is experiencing that right now, after excerpts from a local New York City news article went viral in which the reporter, who writes about the opening of a new Panda Express location, makes it seem through their writing, that they’ve never actually heard of Panda Express before. The article was so baffling to one Twitter user, Alex Lasker who tweeted snippets of the piece on Twitter writing the caption "absolutely losing my mind at this article about the new east village Panda Express written by someone who has never heard of Panda Express in their life."The screenshots show an article from local Manhattan newspaper The Village Sun, in which the reporter describes their interest in a new restaurant they describe as "a self-described ‘fast-casual’ Chinese restaurant.""As for Panda Express, it describes its fare as ‘Chinese Flavors With American Tastes,’ if that makes sense.

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) said global COVID-19 cases were down 11% in the week ending on Sep 25, and deaths were down 18% compared to the previous week.

Plane crash in Lehigh County. LEHIGH COUNTY, Pa. - Emergency crews are on the scene of a plane crash in Lehigh County.SkyFOX was live over the scene where a plane could be seen crashed onto the front lawn of a home in Salisbury township.Crews sprayed down the plane, which appeared to be completely destroyed under a tree on the property.It is unclear if anyone was injured, or what lead to the crash.This is a developing story.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Human-elephant conflict is one of the biggest environmental and socio-economic crises in rural Sri Lanka, and this is not something new.Development projects carried out in an ad-hoc manner over the years threatened the habitats of the Wild Elephants.However, this time around Wild Elephants charge at villages in search of the fresh paddy harvest stored inside the houses.During such encroachments, five people lost their lives in just two days in rural Sri Lanka.An 80-year-old woman from Kebithigollewa was killed early this morning following a wild elephant attack when she was heading to town to obtain her Senior Citizen's Benefit.She was killed at her doorstep, and it was reported that her late husband also died last year in a similar wild elephant attack.A 56-year-old man was killed by a wild elephant in Kekirawa when he was returning from a swim in a local lake.Reports said that his eldest son was seriously injured in a wild elephant attack some time back.It is reported that the Wild Elephants caused serious damage to 10 houses and a school in the Kalu-Ebe village in KekirawaThe victims' brother alleged that local authorities are not giving any attention to the threats posed by the wild elephants.A 45-year-old mother of two was killed in a wild elephant attack in the Udagawa area in Kebithigollewa.She was returning home with her two children after attending her brother's funeral.Her children were spared in the wild elephant attack."I was riding the bicycle with my sister. My mother stopped because there was an elephant on the road.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka is importing 95 Octane Petrol at a price cheaper than 92 Octane Petrol, and concerns have been raised over the government's fuel price formula as well.The Fuel Price Formula that is adopted in Sri Lanka has become a cause of concern.Recently, Sri Lanka's Power and Energy Minister made public the Fuel Price Formula on his social media account.According to the document made public by the Minister, 95 Octane Petrol is purchased at a price that is less than what is offered for 92 Octane Petrol.As per data obtained on the world fuel refining industry, there is no great price difference between 95 Octane Petrol and 92 Octane Petrol as Market Rates determine the fuel prices globally.According to the documents Sri Lanka is purchasing Diesel and Petrol as per the PLATTS rates.Sri Lanka purchases a Barrel of 95 Octane Petrol for USD 100 and 75 cents as per the PLATTS  rates.At the same time, Sri Lanka purchases a barrel of 92 Octane Petrol for USD 100 and 19 cents.The difference between the two is 76 Cents US.Now, what happens next?A litre of 95 Octane Petrol is unloaded at the Port for Rs. 243 and 88 cents.A litre of 92 Octane Petrol is unloaded at the Port for Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Asian Development Bank said it is prepared to offer more financial help to Sri Lanka.Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa said that as a key long-term partner, the ADB stands ready to provide further support to Sri Lanka.He said that after the IMF programme is completed, ADB will consider to join another, by providing additional financial resources to join other rescue packages for Sri Lanka.The remarks came after an ADB pact this month for an emergency loan of $200 million to ensure access to food and protect livelihoods in Sri Lanka which is suffering its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades.Asakawa said that Sri Lanka’s economy has contracted and is dealing with high inflation which has severely affected living standards.Asakawa said he was confident Colombo was working to finalise a staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for a loan of about $2.9 billion, by seeking financing assurances from creditors, among other steps.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Samagi Jana Balavegaya filed Fundamental Rights applications with the Supreme Court challenging the gazette issued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe declaring High-Security Zones in Colombo.The applications were filed by SJB MPs Harshana Rajakaruna, and Mujibur Rahuman on Wednesday (28).The FR applications name the Attorney General as the respondent and note that the President has no right to declare High-Security Zones, and no law allows the President to do so.The petitioners request the Supreme Court to rule that the conduct of the President had violated the Fundamental Rights of the people of Sri Lanka, and thereby issue an order to invalidate the said gazette.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Navy apprehended 06 persons who were suspected to be attempting to illegally migrate to a foreign country by sea, during a search operation carried out in seas off Sand Banks, Talaimannar on 27th September 2022.Sri Lanka Navy has been conducting regular search operations and patrols covering the sea and coastal areas around the island with the aim of suppressing illegal activities. During a special operation mounted by SLNS Thammanna in the North Central Naval Command on 27th September, a group of individuals remaining suspiciously at Sand Banks were approached and interrogated. Subsequently, the group of individuals who were suspected to be remaining there until the arrival of a boat to illegally migrate from the country were nabbed by the Navy.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The latest report from the World Food Program reveals that four in ten housholds in Sri Lanka are consuming inadequate diets.The World Food Program said that the intensifying economic crisis continues to threaten food security, and the persistence of high food and fuel prices has pushed food further out of each. The WFP warned that in the face of inaction, the situation could deteriorate even further.Highlighting the fact that diets are in a precarious state among Sri Lankans, the World Food Program said that four in ten  households are facing insufficient food  consumption, with many consuming far less diverse diets as food prices remain high across the country.To date, WFP has received a total of US$29.35 million from the  governments of Australia, Italy,  Japan, New Zealand, Norway, United States and  Switzerland, as well as from the UN Central  Emergency Response Fund, private sector partners, and multilateral donors. This represents nearly half of its emergency appeal for US$63 million. 

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna has decided to strip the SLPP Local Government Member who was arrested over the Thambuttegama Bank Heist of his party membership.SLPP General Secretary Attorney Sagara Kariyawasam told reported on Wednesday (28) that the matter was internally probed on Tuesday (27), adding that necessary action will be taken against the local government member if it is proven via an investigation that he is responsible for the crime.A Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Member was arrested over the Rs. 20 Million Bank Heist in ThambuttegSri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Member ama.Sri Lanka Police said that a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Member from the Rajanganaya Pradeshiya Sabha was arrested for aiding and abetting in the crime.The suspect is a 44-year-old resident from Rajanganaya.A Sri Lankan Police Officer has been hailed a hero after he valiantly stopped two men from making a getaway with over Rs.

(New York) – The Sri Lankan government should reverse a new regulation that unlawfully restricts protests in large areas of the capital, Colombo, Human Rights Watch said on Tuesday (27). On September 24, 2022, a day after the measure was issued, police arrested 84 people and used tear gas and water cannon to disperse protesters calling for the release of student activists being held under the notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act.On September 23, the Sri Lankan government invoked the Official Secrets Act to designate public streets and government buildings in central Colombo “high security zones,” where written permission from the police is required to hold any public gathering. Under the regulation, police have wide-ranging authority to arrest anyone inside these zones and only the High Court can grant bail to those detained.

Police have launched an investigaion into alleged mistreatment of patients at a mental health unit. The Manchester Evening News understands that more than 12 staff have been suspended at the facility by the NHS Trust that runs it.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Police launched an investigation into an Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Ministry of Public Administration has noted that expressing opinions on social media by a public officer without following the proper provisions of the Establishments Code shall be consituted as an offense.A statement noted that such offense shall lead to disciplinary action.Refer full statement below:  

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka has decided to send a delegation for the annual summit of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.The 2022 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) will take place in person from Monday, October 10, through Sunday, October 16 in the IMF and World Bank Group headquarters, in Washington DC.Sri Lanka's delegation will be led by Acting Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe.He said the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the Finance Secretary and several others will accompany him.The Acting Finance Minister said that the 2022 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group (WBG) will be of paramount importance for Sri Lanka to restrucutre its debt, and also obtain financial assistance from the IMF.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Eighty houses were completely destroyed following a fire that broke out in a series of houses in Kajimawatte, Grandpass on Tuesday (27) night.Sri Lanka Police said the fire was contained by over fifty firefighters who battled the blaze for several hours.Sri Lanka Police added that 220 people were displaced by the fire, and they were moved to a community hall and a temple temporarily until the area is cleared.The Government Analyst will be summoned on Wednesday (28) to determine the cause of the fire.Colombo District Secretary Pradeep Yasaratne told News 1st that steps will be taken to provide relief to the people who were displaced by the fire.He said a proposal was put forward to award the displaced families houses from housing complexes owned by the Urban Development Authority.President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is on an official visit to Japan, has instructed the President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake to take steps to provide immediate relief to all the residents affected by the fire that broke out at the Kajimawatta complex in Thotalanga, Colombo.The President had instructed Secretary Saman Ekanayake to intervene immediately and direct the Colombo GA, Tri Forces Commanders, the Fire Brigade, the Health Department, the Urban Development Authority and all other relevant government agencies to look into the needs of the people who were residing in the apartment complex and provide them the required facilities immediately.Accordingly, all relevant departments have already taken steps to provide the maximum intervention required to douse the fire and provide all other necessary facilities promptly.The President has further stated that special attention should be provided to attend to the needs of

FILE - An elderly man sits on his electric scooter in the city park. (Ronny Hartmann/picture alliance via Getty Images)Loneliness may make our biological clock tick faster.Being lonely and feeling unhappy can accelerate the aging process more than smoking, according to a recent article published in Aging-US."We demonstrate [that] psychological factors, such as feeling unhappy or being lonely, add up to one year and eight months to one’s biological age," said lead author Dr.

Greater Manchester Police have opened an investigation following allegations that adult patients were mistreated at a mental health unit in Prestwich.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Report of the special committee related to the May 9 violent incidents will be submitted to Parliament soon by State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon.The gazette notification to remove legal obstacles to the extradition of criminals from the UAE was also approved.State Minister of Defense Premitha Bandara Tennakoon said in Parliament that the report of the special committee related to the violent incidents that took place on and around May 9th was handed over to the President on the 8th of September and accordingly steps will be taken to inform the Cabinet and the Parliament about it in the future.The state minister said this recently (23) while presiding over the first meeting of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Defence related to the new session.According to the report of this committee comprising former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karnagoda, former Air Force Commander Marshal of the Air Force Mr.Roshan Gunathilake, and former Army Commander General Daya Rathnayake (retired), if any lapses have occurred in the security forces, measures will be taken in the future the State Minister said.The minister said this when the members brought to the attention of the committee whether there were any lapses by the security forces in connection with the violent incidents that took place in Sri Lanka on and around May 9 and the legal measures to be taken against those involved.Also, Defense Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne (retired) said that the law will be strictly enforced against those involved and those who supported these violent incidents.Meanwhile, the approval of the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Defense was also received to present the order made under

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the need at the moment for the island nation is an agreement with its three main creditors – India, China, and Japan."We've had discussions with the IMF. We have come to a staff-level agreement.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) approved power cuts of 2 hours and 20 minutes for 28th September as follows;Groups ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW: 1-hour during daytime 1-hour and 20-minutes during the nightGroups MNOXYZ: 2-hours and 30-minutes from 5.30 AM to 8.00 AMGroup CC: 2-hours and 30-minutes from 6.00 AM to 8.30 AM

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka President's Counsel Saliya Pieris has responded to the claims made by the Acting Defence Minister on seeking six hour prior approval for protests or demonstrations.Responding to the acting Minister of Defence saying that the Police should be notified and approval must be obtained from local Police six hours before holding a protest, the President ofthe Bar Association of Sri Lanka noted that it was not what the Supreme Court held in the case of Vivienne Goonewardene v Hector Perera as per the judgment of Justice J.F.A. Soza in 1983.He added that accordingly.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Tests will be conducted to determine the quality of Petrol and Diesel in the country, announced the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka on Tuesday (27).PUSCL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake said that samples are being obtained at present, and noted that serious complaints have been received over the quality of fuel available in Sri Lanka.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry called on Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres and briefed him on the steps being taken by Sri Lanka to overcome current challenges.The discussion also focused on further UN assistance to Sri Lanka.Foreign Minister Ali Sabry on Saturday (24) sought for cooperation and support of the international community including the United Nations for Sri Lanka’s new resolve to “build back better” with political, economic, and social reforms following the unprecedented crisis faced by the country.Addressing the UN’s 77th General Assembly in New York, Sabry said measures include a review of the present procedures, the strengthening of the institutional framework of democratic governance, and the adoption of urgent measures to restore long-term economic stability.   

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The United States Permanent Representative to the UN Food and Agriculture Agencies in Rome, Ambassador Cindy McCain says support will be provided for Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in Sri Lanka.The United States Permanent Representative to the UN Food and Agriculture Agencies in Rome, Ambassador Cindy McCain met with Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera at the Ministry of Agriculture, which also saw the participation of US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chang. Meanwhile, The United States Permanent Representative to the UN Food and Agriculture Agencies in Rome, Ambassador Cindy McCain, and US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung met with the Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijeywaradane yesterday. US Ambassador Julie Chung noted the USA will continue its support to strengthen the economy of Sri Lanka. 

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's energy regulator has approved for the Ceylon Electricity Board to purchase power from Private Plants until Norochcholai Power Plant is restored.Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation will provide the necessary Diesel, Naphtha, and Furnace Oil requirements to the CEB to maintain power generation without extending the power cuts.This announcement came after Generator 3 at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant failed.The Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka said that the Generator failed due to a fault.He warned that lengthy power cuts are expected in the future, and the power cut schedule will be announced soon.Generator 2 at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plan is already out for repairs.Accordingly, only 300 MW of a total of 900 MW is being generated.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The National Livestock Development Board says that it has decided to review the prices of eggs.State Minister D.B Herath said a discussion will be held on Wednesday (28) with the participation of all stakeholders.The Minister said that he expects to discuss the existing egg prices and make the necessary amendments.The Minister further said that the discussion will consider whether the current production cost presented by the egg producers is reasonable.Also Watch:  

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Minister of Power and Energy says that the remaining Cargos from last year's Coal Tender has been advanced to fulfill the immediate requirements of Norochcholai.Accordingly, the advance payment for the 1st Cargo was completed yesterday (26).A Long Term Tender & A Spot Tender will be advertised this week for the full requirements.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Member was arrested over the Rs. 20 Million Bank Heist in ThambuttegSri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Member ama.Sri Lanka Police said that a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Member from the Rajanganaya Pradeshiya Sabha was arrested for aiding and abetting in the crime.The suspect is a 44-year-old resident from Rajanganaya.A Sri Lankan Police Officer has been hailed a hero after he valiantly stopped two men from making a getaway with over Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Agrarian Services Department says that it expects to cultivate over 845,000 hectares of paddy in the Maha season.The Agrarian Services Department says that 512,000 hectares of paddy were cultivated in the Yala season.It further said that only 80% of the harvest was reaped during the Yala Season.

 tOKYO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe met with the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong in Tokyo on Tuesday (27), and said that his priority was to bring into effect the Free Trade Agreement with Singapore.During the discussions President Wickremesinghe informed the Singaporean Prime Minister that an international trade office was being established in the President’s office.Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong welcomed the news, and stated that Singapore was looking forward to investing in Sri Lanka once again.President Wickremesinghe invited the Singaporean Prime Minister to visit Sri Lanka next year when the country celebrates its 75th Independence Anniversary.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Generator 3 at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant has failed.The Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka said that the Generator failed due to a fault.He warned that lengthy power cuts are expected in the future, and the power cut schedule will be announced soon.Generator 2 at the Norochcholai Coal Power Plan is already out of for repairs.Accordingly, only 300 MW of a total of 900 MW is being generated.

Canadian Food Inspection Agency is asking Canadians to keep an eye out for an invasive bug that could spell disaster for the country’s wineries and fruit growers.The spotted lanternfly is a pest native to China that has been making inroads in the United States since 2014.Thus far, the small grey-and-red insect with spotted wings has not been found alive in Canada. Avian flu outbreaks confirmed on B.C., Alberta farms after brief pause in cases But in early September, hundreds of adults were found in a residential area in Buffalo, N.Y., just 45 km away from the Canadian border.The reports set off alarms at the CFIA, which in a tweet last week asked Canadians to report any sightings of the pest on this side of the border “immediately.”The insect feeds on sap, mainly from fruit trees, and can cause serious harm to orchards and vineyards.“We’re becoming more and more concerned about the proximity to Canada, and particularly our grape-growing industries, because this is a pest that has had significant impacts on the grape and fruit industry in the United States,” said Diana Mooij, a specialist in the invasive alien species program within the CFIA.The first North American sighting of the pest was in Pennsylvania in 2014, and since then, a tracking program monitored by Cornell University has documented the pest in 14 U.S.