Dozen fire engines battle massive Grandpass fire

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Bar Association of Sri Lanka says that the enactment of the 21st Amendment must not be used as an excuse or mechanism to discontinue Chairpersons and members of Commissions whose services helped establish public faith in such Institutions. The Bar Association went on to note that the 21st Amendment to the Constitution regrettably does not completely restore the status quo ante which prevailed prior to the 20th Amendment to the Constitution and does not place adequate checks and balances on the powers of the Executive President. It noted that the 20th Amendment to the Constitution rolled back the checks and balances which were introduced by the 19th Amendment on the exercise of executive power.The Bar Association of Sri Lanka calls upon the President, Prime Minister, Speaker, Leader of the Opposition, and all political parties represented in Parliament, to firstly ensure the integrity of nominations to the Constitutional Council and to ensure that such nominations are devoid of partisanship and in a manner that will inspire public confidence.The BASL noted that for this purpose, it is important to ensure that the non-ex-officio members of the Constitutional Council appointed from among Members of Parliament and from among non-Members of Parliament be done in a transparent and open manner and to also ensure that those appointed will be acceptable to the members of the public and be persons of the highest integrity and reputation.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ceylon Electricity Board on Thursday (27) said that the 2.5% Social Security Contribution Tax will be added to the monthly electricity bill with effect from 1st October 2022.As per the Social Security Tax Act, electricity supply by Ceylon Electricity Board is subject to the Social 2.5% Security Contribution Tax.Accordingly, the Ceylon Electricity Board will charge the said tax from the 1st of October, 2022.The Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission Janaka Ratnayake said that the PUCSL suggested the Ministry of Finance exempt electricity consumption from this tax. The Ministry of Finance has informed the PUCSL that according to the relevant Act, the electricity supply of the Ceylon Electricity Board is subject to this tax.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Two chartered flights of essential medicines gifted by China will arrive in  Colombo on Thursday (27).The Chinese Embassy in Colombo said that the value of the essential medicines is 35 million RMB (1.8 billion LKR). The two chartered flights carrying essential medicines donated by China to Sri Lanka both departed Chengdu in North West China for Colombo earlier on Thursday (27th).The Chinese Embassy said that in June, and September 2022 China donated 23 Million RMB (1.2 bln LKR) worth of medicines to Sri Lanka.With a total volume of 151.25 cubic meters and a weight of 28.64 metric tons, the consignment consists of:1) 15,000 vials of Human Albumin Solution; 2) 330,300 doses of Rabies Vaccine for Human Use (Vero Cell) Freeze-dried; 3) 7,500 vials of 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPSV23); 4) 22,020 vials of Human Immunoglobulin (ph4) for IV use; 5) 170,240 syringes of Recombinant human granulocyte Colony-Stimulating factor injection.The consignments will be officially handed over to Sri Lankan authorities later on Thursday (27).

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The need for peaceful co-existence and unity among the races is felt more strongly than at any time in history, in our country where different races live together and children in all parts of the island are working together without discrimination, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne said on Wednesday (26).The National Cadet Corps (NCC), including in the North and Eastern Provinces, is doing silent service to build harmony among nationalities supporting the government's program after lasting peace was restored in the country.The Defence Secretary made these remarks while gracing as the Chief Guest of the passing out parade of NCC Hermann Loos & De Soyza Championship – 2022 held at the NCC Training Centre at Rantembe.The Defence Secretary also said there is an opinion in society that children who are engaged in cadet activities during school period acquire leadership qualities, discipline, the persistent performance of their duties, the ability to face challenges and live with self-confidence when socializing as adults and it reflects well through them.He congratulated the cadets who won the national championship as well as all the other cadet platoons who competed very well in the competition. He also paid his gratitude to their parents for directing their children to the training activities of the NCC and for being a great strength to them.General Gunaratne in his address said that our children should be prepared to face the emerging world as future employment sector is undergoing a massive transformation and accordingly, digital technology methods such as artificial intelligence, intelligent automation, robotics etc.

Irvine will be the site of a national mental health facility for 12-18-year-olds with complex difficulties requiring a high level of care.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The budget for the year 2023 will be presented to Parliament on the 14th of November 2022.The decision was reached when the Parliamentary Committee on Business met on Thursday (27) morning.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – An extraordinary gazette was issued increasing the Companies' Regulations and Societies regulations fees.The extraordinary gazette was issued by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies.The extraordinary gazette on increasing the Companies' Regulations and Societies' regulations fees was issued on Wednesday (26).The fee for the registration of a Private Limited Company has been increased to Rs. 4,600.00/- from Rs. 4,000/-.The new fee for the registration of a Public Limited Company is Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Health Ministry said that the number of Dengue cases reported in Sri Lanka has increased threefold compared to 2021.So far in 2022, more than 62,000 Dengue cases have been reported.Director of the National Dengue Control Unit, Dr Sudath Samaraweera says 60 people have died from Dengue this year, adding that a majority of the victims were children and those below the age of 50 years.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued an extraordinary gazette moving the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka and related institutions from the purview of the Defence Ministry to the Ministry of Technology. 

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ministry of Agriculture announced that a vessel carrying 12,500 MT of fertilizer reached the country last night (26).The additional secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Mahesh Gammanpili said that the vessel reached Sri Lanka from China.The unloading of urea fertilizer is scheduled to commence on Thursday (27) morning.The stock of urea fertilizer was moved to Sri Lanka under the World Bank loan assistance.The Ministry further said that the stock of urea fertilizer will be distributed to the farmers in Ampara and Batticaloa districts.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament its recommendations to ensure gender equity and equality with special emphasis on looking into gender based discriminations and violations of women’s rights in Sri Lanka held discussions regarding the progress of drafting the proposed Bill entitled “Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment” followed by a presentation to review findings on the implementation of the multi sectoral National Action Plan to address Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) 2016-2020.These discussions were held at the said Select Committee chaired by (Dr.) Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Member of Parliament recently (20).The Select Committee members agreed to send the draft inclusive of all recommendations discussed at the Select Committee to the expert committee assigned for the purpose within two weeks under the purview of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.The Select Committee also acknowledged the progress of the implementation of the multi sectoral National Action Plan to address Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) 2016-2020 and directed and requested the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs to incorporate contextualized initiatives to the new plan.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Committee on Parliamentary Business will convene today (27) under the leadership of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.The meeting is scheduled to commence at 11.30 AM at the Parliament.Discussions will focus on the future proceedings of Parliament. Reportedly, the Budget presentation and the Budget debate will also be taken up for discussion during the meeting.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Department of Meteorology says that several spells of Showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces and Galle and Matara districts.Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and Ampara and Hambantota districts during the afternoon or night.The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.Condition of Rain:A few showers will occur in the sea areas off the coast extending from Colombo to Matara via Galle.Winds:Winds will be north-westerly or variable in direction.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – As recommended by the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the power cut has been reduced to 2 hours on the 27th & 28th of October as follows;Groups ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW: 1-hour during daytime 1-hour during the night

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Attorney-at-Law Sagara Kariyawasam emphasized that dual citizens should be allowed to enter the Parliament. Speaking at a press conference held at the party headquarters, Kariyawasam stressed this point taking into example the newly appointed British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.Pointing out that the concept of a global village is now prevalent in the world, the SLPP General Secretary said that instead, some parties are attempting to drag the country back into tribalism.He said that England, as a country where Protestant Christianity is used as the official religion, a Hindu of Indian origin was appointed as the Prime Minister, which speaks for the UK's acceptance towards those of a different origin, in contrast to that of Sri Lanka. "The question of whether we, as a country are moving towards tribalism, I think was best answered for those who brought amendments such as the 22nd Amendemnt, by England last week," he said.However, the question remains, wheter the example taken by Kariyawasam is comparable to the situation in Sri Lanka? The current British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was born on the 12th of May 1980 at the Southampton Hospital in Britain . Which means he was a British citizen by Birth.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has recommended not to extend the detention order issued against Wasantha Mudalige and Ven. Galwewa Siridhamma.The HRCSL said that any futher investigations that the police may need to conduct can be carried out successfully and expeditiously without the continued detention of these persons.It asserts that the arrest, detention, and continued incarceration of the convener of the Inter University Student Federation (IUSF), Wasantha Mudalige, and the convener of the Inter University Bhikku Federation (IUBF), Ven.

Grammy-nominated actress Selma Blair and her service dog Scout were surrounded by ladies as they headed inside Skylight Books in LA's Los Feliz neighborhood on Tuesday.The Michigan-born 50-year-old was scheduled to host a 3:30pm reading/signing for her memoir Mean Baby: A Memoir of Growing Up, which was released back on May 24.Selma was wearing a b&w-patterned blouse, black slacks, and pink peep-toe heels for the ticketed event. All smiles: Grammy-nominated actress Selma Blair and her service dog Scout were surrounded by ladies as they headed inside Skylight Books in LA's Los Feliz neighborhood on TuesdayBlair (born Beitner) appeared to be in great spirits following her October 17 exit from Dancing with the Stars.'Oh the places I've been! But I never considered I would be in a dance rehearsal space for a live @disneyplus ballroom dance show,' the Far More actress - who boasts 3.5M social media followers - wrote on Instagram that same day.

Selena Gomez has COVID.The Calm Down singer shared the news on her Instagram stories on Wednesday morning as she was seen laying on a sofa with a fur blanket over her as her dogs rested nearby.In her caption, the 30-year-old Wizards Of Waverly Place vet told her followers that they need to take COVID seriously because it is still out there. Ill at home: Selena Gomez has COVID. The singer shared the news on her Instagram stories on Wednesday morning as she was seen laying on a sofa with a fur blanket over her as her dogs rested nearby'I'm not going to be on Fallon tonight,' her noted began.'I ended up getting covid but am resting and feeling ok.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – While the SLPP General Secretary says that dual citizens should be allowed to make decisions on behalf of the people of Sri Lanka, the United National Party took a different stance.The Vice President of the UNP, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam said that he opposed dual citizens taking seats in the Parliament, and Sri Lanka should only be ruled by Sri Lankans who care and think about the country.Otherwise, he pointed out, any dual citizen has the right to go to a different country in the future and act in the way that they desire without facing repercussions of their actions. Meanwhile, SJB MP S.M.

Humza Yousaf has been branded the "worst health secretary since devolution" by Labour in a row over how prepared the NHS is for winter.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – MP Dilan Perera says that the Government will not be able to stop any allegations against it with regard to human rights violations. Speaking to media, the Freedom Peoples Congress MP said that Venerable Galwewa Siridhamma Thero, who was visited by HRCSL personnel, was observed to have been unwell on 24th October. However, the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) only took the Thero to the hospital on 25th, which by that time, his platelet count and blood pressure were already low. "Therefore, the arrests made under the Prevention of Terrorism Act is wrong. If we can't pay attention to their health condition at least after the arrest, we will not be able to stop the accusations of human rights violations," he added.Earlier today, a senior official attached to the National Hospital of Sri Lanka confirmed that Ven.

COLOMBO (News 1st)- Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed the security forces to conduct an investigation in an impartial manner in to the recent incident inside the Yala National Park where a fleet of Off-Road vehicles were seen performing doughnut inside the park premises.Cabinent Spokesperson & Minister Bandula Gunawardena said that the President also instructed to penalize those accountable.Nine people and seven jeeps that were involved in the Yala Fiasco over the weekend, that received widespread condemnation, were produced to the Tissamaharama District Court on Wednesday (26) after they surrendered to the Yala National Park Rangers Office earlier in the day.The Magistrate ordered for the suspects to be released on a personal bail of Rs. 500,000/- each.In the meantime, a three-member Committee was appointed to conduct further investigations on the Wildlife officials who have been temporarily suspended for failing to prevent incident from taking place.This committee will be chaired by an Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resource Conservation.A total of seven Park Rangers have been interdicted until the investigations are over, and they are charged with dereliction of duty and for their direct or indirect involvement in the incident.The matter was also raised during Wednesday's (26) cabinet briefing, and Minister Bandula Gunawardena.

Nine people and seven jeeps that were involved in the Yala Fiasco over the weekend, that received widespread condemnation, were produced to the Tissamaharama District Court on Wednesday (26) after they surrendered to the Yala National Park Rangers Office earlier in the day.The Magistrate ordered for the suspects to be released on a personal bail of Rs. 500,000/- each.In the meantime, a three-member Committee was appointed to conduct further investigations on the Wildlife officials who have been temporarily suspended for failing to prevent incident from taking place.This committee will be chaired by an Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Wildlife and Forest Resource Conservation.A total of seven Park Rangers have been interdicted until the investigations are over, and they are charged with dereliction of duty and for their direct or indirect involvement in the incident.The matter was also raised during Wednesday's (26) cabinet briefing, and Minister Bandula Gunawardena.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka issued a clarification regarding the implementation of the Social Security Contribution Tax on electricity bills. As per the Social Security Tax Act, electricity supply by Ceylon Electricity Board is subject to Social Security Contribution Tax.Accordingly, the Ceylon Electricity Board will charge the said tax from the 1st of October, 2022 on the purchase of electricity by the parties including consumers who receive electricity from the Ceylon Electricity Board. "As the electricity tariffs were revised recently, we suggested the Ministry of Finance exempt electricity consumption from this tax. The Ministry of Finance has informed us that according to the relevant Act, the electricity supply of the Ceylon Electricity Board is subject to this tax.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health is preparing to establish a database by spending almost a billion rupees, however no progress has been made with regard to the infamour #DataScam.The approval of the National Medicnes Regulatory Authority is essential for every medicine and medical device imported to Sri Lanka.With the COVID-19 pandemic, most of these activities take place online, and an advertisement published by the NMRA on October 15th, 2020 confirmed this.The functions of the NMRA were carried out online using the Lanka Government Cloud for uploading important data related to medicinesand medical devices.However, the data belonging to the NMRA which was available on the Lanka Government Cloud suddenly went missing, and later it was revealed that it was deliberate deletion.A complaint on data going missing from the NMRA Cloud was filed with the CID on July 23rd, 2021.A software engineer attached to the private company that managed the NMRA system was accused of deleting the data.However, the database did not even have the minimum security measure or a backup facility.The issue went to the Courts on 6th October 2021 where the gravity of the missing data was disclosed.Senior Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Dileepa Peiris revealed at the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court that medicine racketeer made undue advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic that was spreading across Sri Lanka at the time.In court it was revealed that the systems operator from the private company that managed the NMRA cloud had deleted data for a period of seven long hours.Senior Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Dileepa Peiris emphasized that all those involved in this crime should be thoroughly investigated and brought to justice as they are

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Board of Directors of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), in consultation with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) have decided to extend the trading hours with effect from 01st November 2022.Accordingly trading hours will be as follows from November onward; Pre-open session – 09:30 a.m.

Earlier, it was said that the incident was an accident involving the explosion of a gas-powered car. Sources now indicate that Mubeen was not driving a gas vehicle, but a petrol vehicle and the early triggering of the cylinder could have been an accident.

Rita Wilson still has a "persistent cough", more than two years after contracting COVID-19. The 65-year-old singer-and-actress and her husband Tom Hanks were the first famous faces to come forward and reveal they had contracted the virus in the early days of the pandemic in March 2020 and though the 'Asteroid City' star is still feeling the effects of the illness, she feels "very lucky" that things aren't worse. Asked if her breathing and therefore her singing had been affected by the virus, she said: "It was.

Eamonn Holmes has taken to Instagram to share a photo of his face covered in shingles as he continues to struggle with his health.The 62-year-old, who is currently recovering from a back operation, posted a photo from 2018 where his face looked red, swollen and covered in blisters.Giving further information to his fans on the common infection, Eamonn wrote: "Ageing puts you at higher risk of shingles (esp. 50+) so it’s good to know what to look for.READ MORE: Eamonn Holmes breaks silence on Holly and Phillip 'queue-jumping' with brutal dig"I’m pleased to partner with @gsk on their Understanding Shingles report, as I’ve suffered from this previously."For info on shingles visit understandingshingles.co.uk.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Children and elders will be allowed to enter zoos free of charge in commemoration of the World Children's and Elder's day, says the Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation, Mahinda Amaraweera.The Minister said that accordingly, the Zoological Department has been instructed to provide an opportunity for school children and adults above 60 years of age to enter all zoological gardens free of charge.Many educational programs have also been organized at zoological gardens for children to gain an opportunity to learn about animals.Minister Amaraweera said that adults have also been given ample opportunities for enjoyment, as they will be able to feed animals at the zoo and take photographs with them.

Strictly Come Dancing recruit Kym Marsh has opened up about her hidden health issue as she prepares to perform the Viennese Waltz with Graziano Di Prima on the show.On Friday night, ballroom fans tuned in for the latest instalment of the popular BBC Two spin-off show Strictly: It Takes Two.Beloved TV presenter Rylan Clark welcomed viewers back onto the blue sofa where he caught up with two couples on the show to discuss how their training has been going so far.READ MORE:Strictly's Nikita Kuzmin opens up on 'tough week' for partner Ellie SimmondsJoining the 33-year-old on the show was the Waterloo Road star who shared her secret health battle which she has kept quiet throughout her dancing journey.During the candid interview, the mum-of-four confessed that she suffered an ear infection more than six years ago which has permanently affected her balance and has since been diagnosed with visual vertigo.According to the NHS, visual vertigo is a disorder characterised by symptoms of dizziness, vertigo, unsteadiness, disorientation and general discomfort induced by visual triggers.The starlet is set to perform a beautiful routine to the song Runaway by The Corrs tomorrow night and it’s fair to say she is beyond nervous.One of the biggest reasons she has been struggling with this routine is because of the amount of spins which trigger the blonde bombshell to feel extremely dizzy due to her condition.She explained: “Well, you see, I’ve got visual vertigo.

EWING, N.J. - Firefighters were on scene at the Ewing Senior and Community Center battling a three-alarm fire that broke out early Friday morning. Authorities say the fire broke out around 5 a.m., while the facility was closed. According to fire officials, the roof of the building collapsed as crews worked to put out the flames. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESSKYFOX flew over the scene of the fire as several crews continued to respond. Officials have not reported any injuries at this time. Parkway Avenue is closed from Scotch Road to Farrell Avenue as crews remain on scene fighting the flames. Drivers are advised to avoid the area. The cause of the fire is under investigation. SKYFOX flew over the scene of the Ewing Senior and Community Center as crews work to put out a 3-alarm fire.

EWING, N.J. - Firefighters are on scene at the Ewing Senior and Community Center battling a three-alarm fire that broke out early Friday morning. Authorities say the fire broke out overnight on Friday when the facility was closed. According to fire officials, the roof of the building has collapsed. The roof of the Ewing Senior and Community Center has collapsed as crews battled a three-alarm fire that broke out Friday morning.MORE LOCAL HEADLINESSKYFOX flew over the scene of the fire as several crews continued to battle the flames. Officials have not reported any injuries at this time. Parkway Avenue is closed from Scotch Road to Farrell Avenue as crews remain on scene fighting the flames. Drivers are advised to avoid the area. SKYFOX flew over the scene of the Ewing Senior and Community Center as crews work to put out a 3-alarm fire.

Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro will sit out the band’s forthcoming tour with Smashing Pumpkins, as the musician is continuing to suffer from the effects of long COVID.In a message to fans posted on the band’s social media, Navarro confirmed he will not be performing on the tour, as he is still experiencing a “continued battle” with long COVID he has been fighting since December of last year.The guitarist said that while he had hoped for a full recovery by the time the tour started in Dallas this weekend, he is still “very fatigued” and, as such, “will not be able to join this leg”.Navarro added that he was particularly “gutted” about not being able to take part in the tour as original bassist Eric Avery has returned to the fold and the tour would have seen the band’s original lineup reunite. “That will have to wait until I am recovered,” Navarro said.Filling in for Navarro will be Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Troy Van Leeuwen, whose other projects have included Failure and A Perfect Circle.

Oasis band member Bonehead, real name Paul Arthurs, is cancer free and former bandmate Liam Gallagher took to Twitter to share the positive news.Liam tweeted out about his diagnosis and fans and friends alike were overjoyed.In all caps, Liam wrote: "Yes Bonehead, we knew you'd kick its a***. So f***ing happy Guinness LG x"READ MORE:Liam Gallagher says he doesn’t get sad ‘for too long’ because he's good lookingMany fans were equally as happy to hear that he'd beaten cancer and noted that it may be a sign to get the band back together.One tweeted that it was "brilliant news," a happy follower said that they were "buzzing" while another told Liam that they are "so happy".One dedicated fan was so moved by the announcement that they admitted they were "sobbing," while another fan simply branded Bonehead "a legend of the game".Bonehead himself also tweeted: "Update on my cancer; I had a full scan 10 days ago and it’s all clear, it’s gone.

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. - Southwestern Florida was slammed by a historic Hurricane Ian Wednesday afternoon, making landfall with 150 mph winds and a record-setting storm surge.Ian came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane near Cayo Costa in Lee County just after 3 p.m. EDT, according to the National Hurricane Center, knocking out power to over 2 million customers across Florida as of early Thursday morning and triggering dozens of water rescues in the southwestern part of the state.President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for Florida and ordered his team to mobilize additional federal resources to help with recovering, including assistance for temporary housing and home repairs, the White House said.FOX WEATHER WIRE FOR SEPT. 28: HURRICANE IAN MAKES LANDFALLSo far there are no reports of injuries or deaths for the storm that tied for the fourth-strongest hurricane on record to strike Florida.Video from Joel Franco shows storm chasers and weather reporters on the street in Punta Gorda as "the full fury" of Hurricane Ian arrives.Videos and images from south Naples and Marco Island in Collier County painted a dangerous picture of how serious the storm surge would become as Ian’s eye wall came ashore, forcing 2.5 million to flee.HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER ON TVHurricane Ian's winds whipping through Naples knocked down trees and storm surge reached an all-time record hours before landfall.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Colombo District Secretary Pradeep Yasaratne told News 1st on Thursday (29) that the people who were displaced following the blaze that ripped through over 80 houses in Kajimawatte are being provided with relief.At the same time, LOLC Holdings also provided these families with essential relief packages via its Divi Saviya social welfare program.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 300 plus people were displaced by the fire, and they were moved to a community hall and a temple temporarily until the area is cleared.The area that was burnt to the ground is a place where people were housed temporarily until they can be moved to a housing complex owned by the Urban Development Authority.President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was on an official visit to Japan, had 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, 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.

A West Lothian author who shared his experiences around mental health, drug addiction, trauma and social deprivation has been hailed as “brave” by those who listened to him.

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.

A new strain of Covid thought to be even more contagious has been spotted all over Europe, and experts fear it will continue to spread.

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); 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

Over 100 firefighters are on scene battling a fire at a car junkyard in North Philadelphia.  PHILADELPHIA - Officials say 120 firefighters are on scene of a three-alarm fire at West Sedgley Avenue and West Venago Street, along with medics, chiefs, and support personnel. There are no known victims at this time and no specific hazardous substances have been identified, officials say.The Health Department says they dispatched inspectors to the area to collect air samples to assess air quality in the area.

 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.

Megan Thee Stallion is helping others tend to their mental health with the launch of her new website.

Ukraine‘s efforts to take back more Russian-held territory before winter freezes the battlefields, a Washington-based think tank said Sunday.Russia, meanwhile, pressed on with its call-up of hundreds of thousands of men to throw into the seven-month war, seeking to reverse its recent losses. Without control of the skies over Ukraine, Russia is also making increasing use of suicide drones, with more strikes reported Sunday in the Black Sea port city of Odesa.The Russian mobilization — its first such call-up since World War II — is sparking protests in Russia, with fresh demonstrations Sunday.

PARIS (AP) - A billowing column of dark smoke towered over Paris on Sunday from a warehouse blaze at a massive produce market that supplies the French capital and surrounding region with much of its fresh food and bills itself as the largest of its kind in the world.Firefighters urged people to stay away from the area in Paris' southern suburbs, as 100 officers and 30 fire engines battled the blaze at the Rungis International Market.Capt. Marc Le Moine, a spokesman for the Paris fire service, said no one was injured.

ITALY - An Italian land artist whose past creations include images of Greta Thunberg and Pope Francis has unveiled his latest piece: a massive appeal to world superpowers to end current conflicts.Dario Gambarin’s latest creation in Castagnaro, Italy, was plowed on a 26,000-square-meter plot of land using only a tractor, plough and rotating harrow. He didn’t do any tracing on the ground, according to FOX News.In the past, Gambarin has used a plough to create images of Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Beethoven and Nelson Mandela.