Ke Huy Quan Recalls Struggling To Afford Health Insurance Before ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ Came Out

COLOMBO (News 1st); The body of a seven-year-old girl who was reported missing after attempting to cross a water-way in the Bogoda Village in Hali-Ela was recovered.A search operation is underway to locate a ten-year-old boy who also remains missing. The unfortunate incident of two young children being washed away by strong currents while attempting to cross a water-way was reported on Thursday (23).According to reports, the two children were looking for their mother, who had gone to work.The mother was serving as a domestic aide for a daily wage, and she was employed at a neighboring house at the time.However, as she was late to come back home, the two children had gone out in search of her during a heavy downpour.Unfortunately, they were washed away by the currents when attempting to cross a water-way named the Pihilla Kandura not far from their home.Locals said that the currents reached dangerous levels due to the heavy downpour.The mother of the two children had returned home at around 5 in the evening, and as her children were missing, she had gone out in search of them.Locals banded together and started to search for the missing kids with their mother,The umbrella used by the children was located close to the water-way, and it was suspected that they may have been washed away by the gushing waters.Sri Lanka Police and the Sri Lanka Army launched an extensive search and recovered the body of the seven-year-old girl at around 10 PM on Thursday (23), around one kilometer away from the house in another waterway, locally referred to as the Dodangolla Oya.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A fine of Rs.5.5 million has been imposed on eight private hospitals and medical laboratories that over charged for dengue antigen tests and full blood count tests.This was according to the verdict of the cases filed by the Consumer Affairs Authority with the Hulftsdorp and Nugegoda Magistrate's Courts against those institutions.The maximum price for dengue antigen tests is set at Rs.1,200.The Consumer Affairs Authority said however the relevant institutions charged up to Rs.3,000 for the dengue antigen test.The Consumer Affairs Authority added that the relevant institutions charged up to Rs.1,000 for the full blood count test, while the maximum price is set at Rs.400.Meanwhile the Consumer Affairs Authority said facts have been presented in court against 10 other institutions which over charged for dengue antigen tests and full blood count tests.Raids in this regard are ongoing.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe had noted that if Sri Lanka's debt is not restructured, Sri Lanka would have had a foreign debt burden of 06 billion dollars per year for many years to come. "Because it is difficult to pay, the debt payment is temporarily suspended and this process is used to restructure the debt," he told a meeting at the President's Office on Thursday (22)."We are unable to pay under the current terms, so we are asking the commercial institutions and private sectors and the respective governments that have granted us loans, to give us a relief period," he had noted, said the President's Media Division.The PMD also quoted the Central Bank Governor as saying that the first step in that process is the assurance given by the bilateral countries, and the International Monetary Fund has set targets for debt sustainability.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The third school term of government and government approved schools for 2022 will end on Friday (24).The Ministry of Education said the first school term for 2023 will commence on Monday (27).The Ministry added that school students will receive the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays from the 5th to the 16th of April.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the necessary steps will be taken to pass the best anti-Corruption Act in South Asia in Parliament soon.The President revealed that the cabinet approval for the Bill has already been granted and said that he will discuss it with the Opposition representatives in the future and present it to the Parliament.President Ranil Wickremesinghe said this during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday (23) with the heads of media organizations.The President's Media Division released the comments made by the President:"Firstly, let me thank everyone of the media for your presence here today. As you know I have requested all of you to be present here to tell you about the IMF agreement.We became a bankrupt country a year ago. This is the first time we have had to restructure our debt with the support of the IMF and our creditors.And this is the first occasion we’ve had to restructure our debt with the support of IMF and our creditors.

with a "scary health issue". Lea, the Glee actress, has been forced to cancel performances of Funny Girl. The 36 year old has issued a health update on son Ever Leo.

PHILADELPHIA - Hundreds of students and teachers from Philadelphia magnet schools gathered Thursday at the district headquarters to protest possible budget and staffing cuts. The protesters specifically refuted the enrollment policy for special admission schools that relies strictly on PSSA test scores to increase equity. They say the new testing cut-off has unintended consequences that has lead to lower enrollment, empty seats in classrooms and staffing cuts for highly coveted schools. "Taking away this opportunity for teachers  to do their jobs over an algorithm, over a number is unjust and frankly sickening," Connor McFarland, a senior at Franklin Learning Center said.Students at Saul High School in Philadelphia's Upper Roxborough neighborhood organized a walk-out on Thursday to participate in the protests. MORE LOCAL HEADLINES"I love my school, I feel like the programs at my school are going to help people get jobs when they're finished," Kenya Woods, a Saul High School sophomore said. Heeyoung Yim, a teacher at Franklin Learning Center said in the past, the school was able to cut candidates some slack by speaking with qualified students who may have just missed the cut.

Ajay Banga's New Delhi visit on 23-24 March is the final stop on his three-week global tour that began in Africa before progressing to Europe, Latin America and Asia. World Bank presidential nominee Ajay Banga has tested positive for COVID-19 during a routine testing in New Delhi. Banga was travelling on the last leg of his world tour, and is currently quarantining in isolation, the Department of Treasury said on Thursday.

ROUND ROCK, TX - DECEMBER 02: Rapper Afroman performs onstage during the Texas Ballpark Tour at Dell Diamond on December 2, 2018 in Round Rock, Texas. (Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage) WINCHESTER, Ohio (AP) - Seven law enforcement officers have sued rap artist Afroman, accusing him of improperly using footage from a police raid on his Ohio home last year in his music videos.Four deputies, two sergeants and a detective with the Adams County Sheriff’s Office brought the suit earlier this month, claiming invasion of privacy.

Baton Rouge Police are searching for Tabbetha Barner and Tiffany Ann Guidry in the death of Nathan Millard. (Baton Rouge Police Department)BATON ROUGE, Ga. - Investigators are searching for two known prostitutes in connection to the death of 42-year-old Georgia father of five, Nathan Millard.Tabbetha Barner and Tiffany Ann Guidry are being sought by the Baton Rouge Police Department. Barner is wanted for prostitution and failure to seek assistance.

SAN FRANCISCO - A body found at Pier 39 in San Francisco late Wednesday has been identified by the medical examiner as popular radio host Jeffrey Vandergrift, 55. He was known to his fans at Wild 94.9 as "JV" and was the host of his own radio show, called The JV Show. He built a powerhouse morning show and shared with his audience his personal health struggles dating back to 2021. He was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease.He had spoken publicly about the effects the disease has had on his body, suffering continued ailments like "brain fog," dizziness, migraines and blurred vision.MORE: Jeffery Vandergrift missing: timeline of search for Wild 94.9's 'JV'He was last seen on Feb.

Lea Michele had a terrifying experience on Wednesday as she was forced to rush her two year old son Ever to the hospital. The former Glee star, 36, took to Instagram to ask for "love and strength" revealing that Ever had been taken to hospital over a "scary health issue". Posting on her Instagram Story, Lea explained that she wouldn't be appearing in Wednesday night's performance of Funny Girl, as she wrote: "I’m so sorry but unfortunately I will be out of @FunnyGirlBwy today.

PHILADELPHIA - The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is sounding the alarm on a growing number of antisemitic acts across the country, including states in the northeast with large Jewish communities.During a Thursday Zoom call, ADL leaders said antisemitic acts of intimidation, harassment, vandalism and assault are at an all-time high since the organization began keeping track in 1979. "Attitudes are up to a 30-year-high and incidents are up to the highest we've ever seen them – it's a toxic combination," an ADL spokesperson said. ADL data showed New Jersey was the state with the third most antisemitic incidents last year, tallying more than 400. The breakdown includes 250 incidents of harassment and 150 acts of vandalism.MORE LOCAL HEADLINESApproximately 120 incidents took place in non-Jewish K-12 school in New Jersey, according to the data. In Philadelphia, there have been attacks on Jewish cemeteries and synagogues, as well as mosques and churches.

ATHENS, Ga. - A decades-long investigation into the stabbing death of a baby boy found inside a trash can at a University of Georgia residence hall has finally come to a close.On Jan. 8, 1996, police say a custodian discovered the body of a newborn boy and placenta in the first-floor bathroom of Oglethorpe House dormitory.

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy (centre) speaking to the media outside the Old Bailey, in central London, after wealthy Nigerian politician Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and medical "middleman" Dr Obinna Obeta were found guilty of c LONDON - A senior Nigerian politician and his wife were found guilty Thursday of conspiring to transport a street trader to the U.K. as part of an organ-harvesting plot.Ike Ekweremadu, who was deputy president of the Nigerian Senate and a lawyer, and his wife, Beatrice, were accused of arranging the travel of a 21-year-old man to the U.K.

LOS ANGELES - The strongest tornado to hit the Los Angeles Metro area in 40 years ripped through parts of Montebello late Wednesday morning, causing damage to multiple buildings in the area, the National Weather Service Los Angeles confirmed. The twister touched down in the area of South Maple Avenue and Date Street, near Vail Ave., just after 11:20 a.m.  FOX 11 provides full coverage after a tornado struck Montebello, causing damage to multiple cars and buildings late Wednesday morning.A tornado ripped through parts of Montebello Wednesday morning, damaging multiple buildings.A tornado heavily damaged several buildings in Montebello Wednesday, with video from the scene showing portions of rooftops being ripped off industrial structures and debris swirling in the air.Video shared with FOX 11 shows windows blown out of multiple cars in a parking lot of an industrial area in Montebello.FOX 11's Christina Gonzalez is in Montebello as a soccer shop was destroyed by the tornado.Images from SkyFOX showed multiple cars damaged, with their windows blown out, fences destroyed, and roofs of buildings torn off. RELATED:During a press conference Wednesday night, Montebello Fire Department said 17 buildings were damaged and 11 were red-tagged due to damage they suffered.

TikTok’s parent company ByteDance collects data on people who don’t even use the app, and those same trackers are showing up on government websites that banned TikTok from their networks, a new report found.In a review of more than 3,500 company, organization and government websites, Canada-based Feroot Security found ByteDance tracking pixels on 30 state government websites in the U.S. Some of those trackers were found in states that don’t allow TikTok on government networks or devices.The report was "eye-opening," Feroot Security CEO Ivan Tsarynny said, and shed new light on the "wild, wild West" of pixel tracking – or computer code that collects information on how a user interacts with a website.READ MORE: Skeptical US lawmakers grill TikTok CEO over safety concernsPixel trackers are used by lots of companies and "have legitimate business reasons," Tsarynny explained, but questions over how ByteDance collects and shares information – and who the company shares it with – have been plaguing the social media giant for months.In this photo illustration, the TikTok app is displayed on an Apple iPhone on August 7, 2020 in Washington, DC.

PHILADELPHIA - Authorities were called to a house in Mayfair for reports of screaming and found two partially clothed children outside and a naked boy in a dog cage inside, police said. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department made the chilling discovery at a home on the 4200 block of Glenview Street around 1 p.m. Thursday. Police found two partially clothed girls, ages four and five, standing in the rain.

Thailand was convinced by his friends to try bungee jumping. That decision led to a near-death experience as the bungee cord snapped during the descent.Thankfully, the man took the plunge over a body of water.The tourist, a 39-year-old from Hong Kong who was identified only as “Mike,” was visiting the Changthai Thappraya Safari and Adventure Park in January when the terrifying accident occurred.

The suspect is also dead. Police said they believe he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound while his mother was hospitalized after being injured in what police believe was a struggle with her son that began after the shots were first fired.

FILE - The Twitter Inc. logo is seen on a phone screen.

Crystal and Brian Clark hope they can save a life by sharing their own heartbreaking story of losing their children from a falling tree accident. (Crystal Clark) An Indiana mother and father are alerting people about an overlooked danger after the tragic loss of their two young children last year.On April 23, 2022, Crystal and Brian Clark, along with their son Xander, 9 and daughter, Ziva, 8, went out to Indian Oaks, a nearby campground that the family frequently visited.It had been fairly windy that day but the sun was shining, Crystal Clark told Fox News Digital."I decided after [lunch] we should go for a golf cart ride because it was a beautiful day," Crystal Clark added.After seeing some friends go for a ride, the Clarks decided to do the same and meet up at their favorite fishing spot."Ziva was taking their fish off [the line] 'cause that was one of her favorites things to do, and then she'd kiss it and then she'd toss it back in the water," said Crystal Clark."She loved everything," she added. "She loved every animal, fish or not."Xander was very excited to go fishing that day, but the family decided to instead go for one more ride on the golf cart, with the parents in the front and the kids in the back, before settling down to fish."The trails are always open.

Read more: At least 2 earthquakes felt in northern Alberta on Tuesday In November, parts of Alberta near the northwestern town of Peace River were rocked by a series of quakes culminating in one that reached a 5.6 magnitude.Residents reported being knocked to their knees. The earth was pushed upward by more than three centimetres — enough to register on satellites.Oilpatch techniques, such as deep disposal wells that inject wastewater kilometres underground, can induce earthquakes.

Lea Michele and her husband Zandy Reich, are facing a parent’s worse nightmare. On Wednesday, the Broadway star revealed that they were at the hospital with their son Ever, who is 2. Michele had to step away from two performances as Fanny in Funny Girl while they dealt with the “scary health issue.”The 36-year-old shared a photo on her Instagram story with her hand over Ever’s, who was wearing a hospital bracelet.

NEW YORK - Manhattan District Attorney (DA) Alvin Bragg responded to several leading House Republicans’ requests for information on the probe into former President Trump, saying the former president "created a false expectation" of his potential arrest.Bragg’s general counsel sent a five-page letter to GOP House committee chairmen Jim Jordan of Ohio, Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, and James Comer of Kentucky regarding their request for documents and testimony in the Trump investigation.Bragg's office is investigating whether Trump was involved in paying hush money to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign. The DA’s office informed the court that the grand jury, who potentially could deliver an indictment, would convene again at 12 p.m.

EUGENE, Ore. - Dramatic video captured a woman’s rescue from a hotel in Oregon last month by a grandfather who was out for his routine morning run and came across the flames. Greg Spike, 74, was running on Feb. 28 in Eugene, Oregon, when he saw smoke and flames coming from the Valley River Inn and started recording on his phone. He told local news outlets that as he got closer, he heard a woman screaming for help from her second-floor balcony. "I said, ‘Get out of there, get out of there, get out of there!’ And she said, ‘I can’t, I can’t, there’s smoke in the hallway’," Spike told KMTR-TV.Spike put down his phone and began encouraging the woman to jump, but the phone was still recording and capturing audio of the dramatic moments that followed. Spike, a grandfather of 16 kids, ran up to the bottom of the woman’s balcony, holding up his hands to her feet, and told her to jump on him so he could break her landing, KMTR-TV reported."Get out! Get out! Get out!" Spike can be heard yelling out in the video.

NEW YORK - The Manhattan grand jury investigating Donald Trump over hush money payments planned to hear testimony on other matters Thursday, seemingly further delaying a vote on whether or not to indict the former president, according to a person familiar with the matter.There was no immediate explanation for why the grand jury, which did not meet at all on Wednesday, would not take up the Trump matter during its scheduled Thursday session. It was also not clear when or if prosecutors might resume presenting evidence before the panel or when they might ask the group for a decision on bringing historic criminal charges.The panel is an investigative grand jury, meaning it hears other cases beyond the one centered on hush money payments during the 2016 campaign that were meant to silence the claims of a porn actor who said she had a sexual encounter with Trump years earlier.

The UK Government recently published the Health and Disability White Paper, which lays out proposed reforms to the benefits system. As part of its shake-up, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has announced plans to end the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to encourage people who need to claim benefits back into work.

Researchers also found that patients with preexisting conditions like asthma, diabetes and even anxiety or depression were more likely to develop long-lasting Covid-19 symptoms. Those who were previously hospitalized or admitted to intensive care for Covid also were at higher risk Women, overweight people and those above age 40 are among the groups that have a greater risk of developing long Covid, according to a report published Thursday that makes the case for better pandemic treatment and support. Researchers also found that patients with preexisting conditions like asthma, diabetes and even anxiety or depression were more likely to develop long-lasting Covid-19 symptoms.

Lea Michele has a message for fans hoping to see her on Broadway.

Police investigate at Denvers East High School after a shooting there on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post) DENVER - A 17-year-old student was found dead in a wooded mountain area outside Denver late Wednesday after authorities say he wounded two administrators in a shooting at his Denver high school where students and parents were already fed up about a rash of recent violence and lack of action by officials.The shooting occurred earlier Wednesday at East High School in Denver, not far from downtown, while two administrators searched Austin Lyle for weapons, a daily requirement because of the boy’s behavioral issues, authorities said.

WASHINGTON - The CEO of TikTok made a rare public appearance Thursday before a U.S. Congressional committee, where he faced a grilling on data security and user safety while he makes his own case for why the hugely popular video-sharing app shouldn't be banned.Shou Zi Chew's testimony comes at a crucial time for the company, which has acquired 150 million American users but is under increasing pressure from U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - Officials say the search for a shooting suspect is ongoing after the individual evaded police and SWAT outside of a West Philadelphia residence. According to police, officers responded to a residence on the 200 block of Farson Street just after 1 a.m.

PHILADELPHIA - A caiman discovered at FDR Park in Philadelphia in early March has been euthanized, according to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. The caiman was found abandoned in the park on March 5 and the Animal Care & Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT Philly) came to take the reptile to safety. Agency officials were able to recover the reptile with no injuries and warned against abandoning animals, especially ones not native to the United States. The commission says they were unable to find a home for the reptile, forcing them to put it down. Caimans are not native to North America and can grow up to five feet long. Lisa Cephas told FOX 29 she was on her normal Sunday morning when she saw a Issac Peyton, a fisherman from Delaware County, reel in the 3-foot reptile.

A Private Member’s Bill from Premnath Dolawatte, SLPP MP representing Colombo District, was gazetted and published in the order book of Parliament on Wednesday, which seeks to amend sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code.

PHILADELPHIA - The fire siren at Langhorne-Middletown Fire Station doesn't sound often, but when it does, the whole community knows. The volunteer fire station located in a rural Bucks County suburb averages less than two calls per day, and received less than 650 last year. "The only time that siren blows is when somebody calls 911, so we're not blowing it for the heck of it," Fire Chief Frank Ferry told FOX 29's Hank Flynn. Still, a growing number of community members have called for the "disruptive" siren to be removed in favor of a more advanced alert platform. "It's a quiet town, it's like Mayberry here, and the siren is disruptive," Councilmember Scott Haldeman said. "I took a couple of years to investigate all these other fire departments and spoke with them, and they shut it off because they say it's not needed, so why is it needed here?" MORE LOCAL HEADLINESA 2019 report found that 60% of firehouses in Bucks County still used sirens.

An eye is pictured in a file image dated Jan. 27, 2019.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is asking for the public's help to identify four suspects wanted in connection with a triple shooting in West Philadelphia that left teens injured. According to authorities, the shooting occurred on the 1500 block of N Frazier Street on Monday around 4 p.m. Police say a 13-year-old and two 16-year-olds were injured in the brazen broad daylight shooting. Officials say that the 13-year-old, who was shot in the abdomen, was transported to LankenauMedical Center and placed in critical condition. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESOne 16-year-old was shot five times throughout his body and transported to the hospital in extremely critical condition, according to police. Authorities say the other 16-year-old was shot in the abdomen and taken to a local hospital, where he was placed in stable condition. On Thursday, police released surveillance video of the shooting, showing four masked suspects they say were armed with rifles and semi-automatic pistols.According to investigators, the suspects fired more than 60 shots before fleeing the area on Lansdowne Avenue. Anyone with information on this is urged to contact Philadelphia police or submit an anonymous tip online. Police say a 13-year-old and two 16-year-olds were all injured during a triple shooting in broad daylight on the streets of West Philadelphia.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Postal Voting for the 2023 Local Government Election has been further delayed.The Election Commission in a statement on Thursday (23) announced that postal voting scheduled for the 28th, 29th, 30th  and 31st of March, and the 3rd of April 2023, will not go ahead as planned. 

Lea Michele had a terrifying experience on Wednesday as she was forced to rush her two year old son Ever to the hospital.The former Glee star, 36, took to Instagram to ask for "love and strength" revealing that Ever had been taken to hospital over a "scary health issue". Posting on her Instagram Story, Lea explained that she wouldn't be appearing in Wednesday night's performance of Funny Girl, as she wrote: "I’m so sorry but unfortunately I will be out of @FunnyGirlBwy today.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Several leaders of opposition political parties in Sri Lanka led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa met with Ambassadors and Delegates representing 12 countries in Colombo on Wednesday (22) evening.According to reports, the objective of the meeting was to discuss the current state of affairs in Sri Lanka.The discussion was mainly focused on Sri Lanka's Democracy, Constitution, and the Local Government Election.The Opposition Leader had requested the foreign missions to extend support to Sri Lanka Internationally.The foreign diplomats who attended the meeting, according to the office of the opposition leader, were:– Sarah Hulton, High Commissioner, High Commission of the United Kingdom in Sri Lanka– Denis Chaibi, Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union in Sri Lanka– Michael Appleton, High Commissioner, New Zealand High Commission in Sri Lanka– Julie J Chung, Ambassador, Embassy of the United States of America in Sri Lanka– Anouk Baron, Deputy Ambassador, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Sri Lanka– Dr Francesco Perale, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Italy in Sri Lanka  – Vinod Jacob, Deputy High Commissioner, High Commission of the Republic of India in Sri Lanka– Katsuki Kotaro, Minister/Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka– Lalita Kapur, Deputy High Commissioner, Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka– Aurélien MAILLET, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of France in Sri Lanka– Daniel Blood, Counsellor (Political), High Commission of Canada in Sri Lanka– Ozaki Takeshi, First Secretary, Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka.However, in Parliament on Thursday (23), Government Minister Prasanna Ranatunga alleged that the opposition had met with the foreign diplomats to

Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination and Covid Appropriate Behaviour are the five-fold strategies to fight Covid-19 as cases go up across the country The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on Thursday advised all the states to continue focusing on the 5-fold strategy of Test-Track-Treat-Vaccination and Covid Appropriate Behaviour to fight Covid-19. The notification stated, "We will do another mock drill to see the COVID-19 preparations.

The first batch of women de-miners of the Army who have completed the internationally-acclaimed Humanitarian De-mining Course of high standards had the privilege of getting their insignia pinned from the Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage after they were invited to the Army HQ on Wednesday (22).Extending his best wishes to those women soldiers, now fully-fledged to undertake overseas UN Peacekeeping Missions, the Army Chief highlighted the significance of their achievement to the Army and the motherland.A group of 3 Lady Officers and 51 female Other Ranks, having undergone the De-mining Course for women soldiers which began in December 2021 under two batches at both Engineers' Brigade Headquarters in Boo Oya and 10 Field Engineers HQ in Mailaddy, Jaffna thus received their insignia from the Commander of the Army during the brief occasion.The De-mining Course, inclusive of field operations drew to a close early this year after they sat for the final examination phase under the close supervision of Major General MK Jayawardena RSP USP ndu, Chief Field Engineer and Colonel Commandant, Sri Lanka Engineers.The Commander of the Army in his brief talk commended their sustained courage for completion of the Humanitarian De-mining Course in keeping with scheduled time frame, and congratulated them for undertaking such a challenge with determination and fearlessness. He also reminded the gathering that their contribution in the future for world peace as women de-miners of Sri Lanka would go into the Army history and keep the national flag flying bringing international admiration.Three Lady Officers and 51 Other Ranks who had graduated in the De-mining Course for women de-miners are currently performing de-

The Sri Lanka Navy conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters this morning (23rd March 2023).The operation led to the seizure of 2 Indian trawlers with 12 Indian nationals poaching in the Sea of Sri Lanka off Analaitivu and Kovilan, Jaffna.The Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers.As an extension of these operations, the Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft of the 04th Fast Attack Flotilla to chase away a cluster of Indian poaching trawlers, having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters off Analaitivu and Kovilan. In this operation, the Navy held 02 Indian poaching trawlers with 12 Indian fishers continuing to remain in Sri Lankan waters.The seized trawlers together with 12 Indian fishermen were brought to the Kankesanthurai harbour and they will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for onward legal proceedings.In this backdrop, the Sri Lanka Navy is conducting operations to stop illegal fishing by foreign fishermen in the island waters.

The High Commission of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Pakistani community based in Sri Lanka celebrated the 84th National Day of Pakistan to make Pakistan a strong, vibrant and progressive state.On the occasion, the High Commissioner, Maj. General (Retd) Umar Farooq Burki HI (M), added that Pakistan greatly values its relations with Sri Lanka which are based on mutual trust and understanding.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Milk Powder importers have decided to reduce the price of imported milk powder products.This decision was taken due to the drop in prices in the Global Market.Accordingly, the price of a 1 Kg packet of imported milk powder will be reduced by Rs. 200/-.The price of a 400 g packet of imported milk power will be reduced by Rs.

A delegation of 19 Indian Armed Forces officers led by Group Captain Yunus Syed Muzaffar from the 46th Indian Higher Air Command Course conducted at College of Air Warfare, Secunderabad arrived in Sri Lanka as part of Strategic Study Tour from 20-24 March 2023.The visit is focused on interactions with senior defence hierarchy as well as visits to military establishments and industrial organizations to broaden the vision of the trainees.The delegation started their visit by paying homage to the martyrs of Indian Peace Keeping Force at the memorial in Battaramulla followed by interactions with High Commissioner of India,Gopal Baglay, Chief of Defence Staff, General Shavendra Silva, and Air Marshal S.K Pathirana, Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force. The delegation is also scheduled to visit Galle, Hambantota, Diyatalawa, Kandy and Katunayake and interact with various agencies to get deeper insights about Sri Lanka. India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy seeks to promote institutional linkages between the Armed Forces of India and Sri Lanka.  Such Study Tours help strengthen the existing bonds of camaraderie and enhance people to people connect to achieve regional peace, security and stability. A few members of the delegation, including the head of the delegation, called on the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana and symbolic mementos were exchanged to mark the event.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that due to the public sector engaging in business activities, the money that was available for the construction of 100 projects similar to the Mahaweli during the past decades, was destroyed.He noted that in the future, the public sector will stop engaging in business and open it to the private sector to create a free and productive economy.President Wickremesinghe mentioned this at the 71st commemoration ceremony of the late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake at Independence Square on Wednesday (22).Recalling that D.S.