No food price reduction despite fuel price decrease

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A petition has been filed at the Supreme Court on Friday (28) seeking a ruling that the Inland Revenue Amendment Bill is in violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.The petition has been filed by Chartered Accountant Prasad Dassanayake.Dassanayake has pointed out in the petition that some of the clauses contained in the draft will damage the business sector, especially the import and export sector, and by imposing a heavy tax burden, the relevant sector may collapse entirely.The petitioner further requests that its articles be passed by a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament or via a referendum.Earlier, three parties filed petitions at the Supreme Court against the Inland Revenue Amendment Bill submitted by the government to Parliament on 21st October.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A Sub-Inspector has been interdicted by the Police and has been arrested by a special Police team which is conducting an investigation into the shooting of a 15-year old boy in Thihagoda, Matara.The Police Spokesperson said that during a scuffle with a police officer, the officer's firearm was accidentally discharged and the 15-year old was injured.   The Police said that steps were taken to inspect a suspicious three-wheeler in Naimbula,​​Thihagoda.Three people had fled while two others were taken into police custody.

A special award was gifted to all NHS Tayside staff at this year’s STAR Awards for their incredible work saving numerous lives during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Health officials have warned about two mutant strains of coronavirus that have emerged in the UK.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A youth who was injured in a shooting which occurred on Friday (28) evening in Tihagoda, ​​Matara has been hospitalized.Police said that during a scuffle with a police officer, the officer's firearm was accidentally discharged and the youth was injured.The injured individual was identified as a 16 year old.The Police said that steps were taken to inspect a suspicious three-wheeler in Naimbula,​​Thihagoda.Three people had fled while two others were taken into police custody.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has approved a power cut of 1 hour during the weekend and 2 hours on 31st October as follows;29th & 30th – Groups ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW  1 hour from 5.30 pm to 8.30 pm31st – Groups ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW  1 hour during daytime and 1 hour during the night.

Almost a quarter of Canadian investors said in a recent survey that they’re thinking of cashing out their stock investments after a rough year for the markets and rumblings of a possible recession. But experts are cautioning against rash decision-making in the heart of a downturn.

INDIALANTIC, Fla. - The mayor of a Florida town was arrested after police said he hit another man in the face with a rake while they were cleaning up a park in Brevard County after Hurricane Ian. David Berkman, 59, is facing a misdemeanor battery charge.According to an affidavit from the Indialantic Police Department, the victim – Melvyn Chang – and Berkman were both in Orlando Park in Indialantic on Friday assisting with cleanup efforts after Hurricane Ian spread debris across the area. Police said Chang was sitting on a picnic table recording Berkman after Berkman allegedly made several comments about "kicking his a**," the affidavit stated. MORE NEWS: Florida deputy, 21, shot and killed while serving warrant in Polk City, sheriff saysThe report went on to say that "after several minutes the defendant walked up and shoved a leaf rake with a plastic end into the face of the victim causing the rake to hit the victims phone and his face."The victim reportedly captured the incident on his cellphone. No other information has been released about the incident.

Darrell Brooks WAUKESHA, Wis. - The process to select a jury for the Darrell Brooks trial is back underway in Waukesha County court on Tuesday morning, Oct. 4.

STOCKHOLM - Three scientists jointly won this year's Nobel Prize in physics on Tuesday for their work on quantum information science that has significant applications, for example in the field of encryption.Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger were cited by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for "pioneering quantum information science.""Quantum information science is a vibrant and rapidly developing field," said Eva Olsson, a member of the Nobel committee.

Alain Aspect, John F. Clauser and Anton Zeilinger have won this year's Nobel Prize in physics for their work in quantum mechanics, Sweden's Karolinska Institute announced on Tuesday.The institute said the scientists had been recognized for "experiments with entangled photons, establishing the violation of Bell inequalities and pioneering quantum information science."Most prestigious award:The Nobel Prize is considered the most prestigious award in the fields it's awarded.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The World Food Program in its report for September 2022 reported that the highest level of acute food insecurity is in the Estate sector.The World Food Program has highlighted the tea production sector as having the  highest level of acute food insecurity in the Estate sector.It is also recorded and among female-headed households, households with no education, and Samurdhi programme beneficiaries.A severe macroeconomic crisis caused acute shortages and spikes in the prices of essential products, including medicines, food, agricultural inputs and fuel, bringing the overall economic activities to a standstill, with major disruptions to agricultural production, said the WFP.It added that acute food insecurity has risen dramatically, as a result of import shortages, soaring prices, livelihood disruptions, reduced household purchasing power and exhaustion of less severe household coping strategies. The WFP said that Food and livelihood-related coping strategies are being widely adopted, including cutting the number of meals consumed in a day, reducing meal sizes, spending savings, and purchasing food on credit. As households exhaust these strategies, more of them are likely to engage in severe means of coping with negative knock-on consequences for food security over the medium term.The World Food Program warned that the situation is likely to deteriorate during the lean season from October 2022 to February 2023.It added that over 6.2 million people (28 percent of the population) are estimated to be moderately acute food insecure and 66 000 people to be severely acute food insecure. Immediate food assistance and livelihood programmes are essential for moderately and severely acute food insecure

Now finding her feet again after being treated for severe depression in 2020, the popular home cook has learnt there is one thing she can always rely on to help get her through the tough times.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara says that there will be NO disruption to the fuel distribution process. He requests the public NOT to panic by misleading news alerts & statements.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Fuel Distributors' Association says that it will step away from placing orders for fuel from 8 AM on Tuesday (4)This is in protest against the decision taken by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation to recover the 45% discounts awarded to Fuel Distributors.Kapila Naotunna, the Secretary of the association said that they will refrain from placing orders against this move. The Private Tanker Owners Association said that it will only deliver fuel stocks that have already been ordered.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Litro Gas Lanka Ltd said that it decided to reduce the prices of Domestic Gas Cylinders with effect from midnight on Wednesday (5).Litro Gas amends its prices on the 5th of every month, as per the price formula that was introduced.The previous price revision took place on the 5th of September 2022. 

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Minister of Power & Energy Kanchana Wijesekera on Monday (3) revealed to Parliament that the price of diesel was not reduced during the recent fuel price revision as only a profit of one rupee was being made per liter."When we compare our import prices with the Singapore Average Price we were making a loss of Rs. 30/- per liter of Diesel.

COVID-19 going forward will sit on the shoulders of primary care doctors and nurses if no new variant emerges, but the way that medical care is delivered must be reconsidered, Ontario’s now-defunct science table said Monday in its final bit of advice to the province.The Ontario COVID-19 Science Advisory Table released three briefs that focused on the response to the pandemic by family doctors and nurses.It found patients who weren’t connected with a family doctor or medical team had worse health outcomes during the pandemic. It also found primary care teams better responded to the needs of patients than solo practitioners.Other findings included unequal distribution of primary care access throughout the province, a dearth of data on that same care and major overall communication problems.

scientist Svante Paabo won this year’s Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for his discoveries on human evolution that provided key insights into our immune system and what makes us unique compared with our extinct cousins, the award's panel said.Paabo has spearheaded the development of new techniques that allowed researchers to compare the genome of modern humans and that of other hominins — the Neanderthals and Denisovans.FILE - Neanderthal researcher Svante Pääbo is pictured on July 9, 2018, in Hamburg. (Photo by Christian Charisius/picture alliance via Getty Images) While Neanderthal bones were first discovered in the mid-19th century, only by unlocking their DNA — often referred to as the code of life — have scientists been able to fully understand the links between species.This included the time when modern humans and Neanderthals diverged as a species, determined to be around 800,000 years ago, said Anna Wedell, chair of the Nobel Committee."Paabo and his team also surprisingly found that gene flow had occurred from Neanderthals to Homo sapiens, demonstrating that they had children together during periods of co-existence," she said.This transfer of genes between hominin species affects how the immune system of modern humans reacts to infections, such as the coronavirus.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Asia’s highest inflation rates and ongoing fuel scarcity continue to threaten food security in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka continues to experience an unprecedented economic crisis with high inflation, rising commodity prices, power shortages and scarcity of fuel.The World Food Program said that Asia’s highest inflation rates and ongoing fuel scarcity continue to threaten food security in Sri Lanka. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), an estimated 6.2 million people in Sri Lanka are facing moderate to severe acute food insecurity, with one in every four households applying negative coping strategies such as reducing the number of meals per day, reducing expenses on other essential things such as healthcare or withdrawing children from school. Female-headed households are seen to be particularly hard it, as are the urban poor and people working in the estate-sector.The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that given the deteriorating food security and nutrition situation in Sri Lanka and the strong likelihood that the upcoming Maha season will not produce sufficient yields, several countries have pledged further assistance, especially towards improving food security and the critical inputs for the agriculture sector. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced an additional US$20 million in humanitarian assistance, bringing USAID’s total assistance to nearly US$92 million since June of this year. The United Kingdom pledged £3 million in lifesaving support going mostly toward food security and supporting farmers, while the EU released €1.5 million in humanitarian aid which will mainly be utilized for multipurpose cash assistance.The final

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Former Chairman of COPE Professor Charitha Herath was not included in the list of COPE members announced by the Speaker on Monday (3).Professor Charitha Herath is among the several ruling faction MPs who decided to remain independent and sit with the opposition in Parliament.Professor Charitha Herath tweeted that after a delay of two months COPE member list is out, and as predicted, his name isn't on the list. He said that thieves, deal makers who are in favor of a corrupted system WON for the day, and the people behind the economic crimes wanted him out of their way.Professor Charitha Herath said that the President and the Prime Minister should be ashamed of what had happened.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk smiles as he addresses guests at the Offshore Northern Seas 2022 (ONS) meeting in Stavanger, Norway on August 29, 2022. (Photo by CARINA JOHANSEN/NTB/AFP via Getty Images) An early prototype of Tesla Inc.'s proposed Optimus humanoid robot slowly and awkwardly walked onto a stage, turned, and waved to a cheering crowd at the company's artificial intelligence event Friday.But the basic tasks by the robot with exposed wires and electronics — as well as a later, next generation version that had to be carried onstage by three men — was a long way from CEO Elon Musk's vision of a human-like robot that can change the world.Musk told the crowd, many of whom might be hired by Tesla, that the robot can do much more than the audience saw Friday.

PHILADELPHIA - A man was killed in front of his own home Friday night after police say two suspects opened fire.Police say the 42-year-old man was sitting on the porch of his home on the 900 block of Marcella Street when two men with guns started approaching just before midnight.Both men reportedly started shooting from the sidewalk, and continued as they climbed the stairs to the porch. Police say they shot at the victim as he laid on the ground, then fled the scene."This was clearly an ambush situation," Philadelphia Police Inspector DF Pace told reporters.MORE HEADLINES;The victim was pronounced dead on the scene, after being found shot multiple times through his body.At least 11 shell casings were found near the gunshot-riddled porch.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Public Utilities Commission says that there will be no reduction in the duration of power cuts despite the resumption of Norochcholai power generation activities.The PUCSL Chairman Janaka Rathnayake stated that the power cut of two hours and twenty minutes will remain unchanged.The Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekara stated on Saturday (1) that one power unit of the Norochcholai power plant has been reconnected to the National grid after being fixed. In the meantime, the Public Utilities Commission stated that the inspections of pumps at filling stations, which was initiated with the increase in complaints received regarding the quality of fuel, will continue.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Hundreds of hot air balloons lifted off Saturday morning, marking the start of an annual fiesta that has drawn pilots and spectators from across the globe to New Mexico’s high desert for 50 years now.As one of the most photographed events in the world, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has become an economic driver for the state’s largest city and a rare — and colorful — opportunity for enthusiasts to be within arm’s reach as the giant balloons are unpacked and inflated.Three of the original pilots who participated in the first fiesta in 1972 and the family members of others are among this year’s attendees.

PHILADELPHIA - Four men were struck by gunfire as shots rang out less than a block from a hospital in Northeast Philadelphia early Saturday morning.Police say the quadruple shooting erupted out he 5000 block of Frankford Avenue, which is just feet away from Jefferson Frankford Hospital.Four men were reportedly brought to the hospital by private vehicle after being shot.A 20-year-old man is in critical condition after suffering a gunshot in the face. He was transferred to Jefferson University Hospital.MORE HEADLINES:Three other victims are in stable condition: a 50-year-old man shot in the chest; a 38-year-old man shot in the ankle; and a 36-year-old man shot in the hand.No arrests have been made, and no weapon recovered.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The former Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Ambika Satkunathan has filed a petition at the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka challenging the Bill titled “Bureau of Rehabilitation Act”, emphasizing that the provisions of Bill are inconsistent with the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Sri Lanka.The petition states that the Bill purports to establish a Bureau for the rehabilitation of “drug dependant persons, ex-combatants, members of violent extremist groups and any other group of persons who require treatments and rehabilitation”.Moreover, the petitioner alleges that these categories have not been properly defined and do not clarify how persons may qualify for rehabilitation under these categories, in addition to assuming that “members of violent extremist groups” and “drug dependent persons” require that same approach to rehabilitation. The Bill, Sathkunathan states, uses vague and arbitrary classifications, leading to persons being detained for rehabilitation for even participating in protests, as recent arrests of protestors under the Prevention of Terrorism Act have demonstrated. The petitioner further states that under this bill, the rehabilitation process has been militarized, and allows the President to designate any member of the armed forces to exercise, perform and discharge the powers, duties and functions under the Act.The petitioner therefore requests the Supreme Court to declare several sections of the Bill as outlined in the petition inconsistent with the Constitution of Sri Lanka as they violate the fundamental rights and Sovereignty of the People.

LOS ANGELES - Could the pumpkin spice craze possibly have taken it too far with a $10,000 engagement ring? You be the judge. Angelic Diamonds has entered the pumpkin spice chat with the world’s first ever Pumpkin Spice Latte ring.Coming in at a whopping $11,300, you can’t even drink it. But your bank account is sure to be sucked dry. The fall-themed ring may not smell like cinnamon and cozy fall weather, but it does have a "whipped cream-shaped" center diamond that’s surrounded by white diamonds and orange sapphires encased in a claw that resembles a cup. White diamonds, orange sapphires and emerald shoulder stones decorate the rose gold band. The ring box is made up of a cardboard coffee cup wrap.

A general view from the site after Hurricane Ian left Florida on Thursday following making landfall as a devastating Category 4 hurricane, on September 29, 2022 in Florida. (Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. - When Ian's winds swept into this Gulf coast trailer park, they howled with such force that residents felt they would be lifted off the ground, even blown away.Now many homes in this community in North Fort Myers are crumpled and splintered.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Food Inflation had spiked to 94.9% in September 2022, said the Deaprtment of Census and Statistics on Friday (30).It also said that Year on Year Inflation was measured at 69.8% in September 2022.        

PHILADELPHIA - A Pennsylvania House Committee on Thursday held a hearing on deadly gun violence plaguing Philadelphia, days after the city passed 400 homicides on the year.The "Select Committee on Restoring Law and Order" heard first-hand accounts from family members crime victims, including Nakisha Billa whose son was slain in 2021 at the Philadelphia Mills Mall."I want out," Billa said. "I don't feel safe, it's the trauma of losing Dominic on a regular day."Police say 21-year-old Dominic Billa was fatally shot near the orange entrance in late March when a fistfight escalated to gunfire.

Those who have suffered from food poisoning will be well aware of how unpleasant an experience it can be.

B.C. couple puts deposit on electric truck only to learn it would be $10,700 more when it arrives Consumer Matters reached out to TD Bank on Daem’s behalf.TD has since issued Daem an apology along with a cheque for $12,305.44.TD stating:“Like cheques, bank drafts can also be forged.

President Joe Biden speaks during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC, Sept. 28, 2022.

PHILADELPHIA - Less than a day after a teen was killed and four others were hurt in an ambush shooting that erupted after a high school football scrimmage, Philadelphia's top brass met with reporters to discuss the ongoing efforts to stem gun violence. According to the latest data provided by the Philadelphia Police Department, there have been more than 400 homicides in the city this year. That staggering figure follows a historically bloody 2021 in which 562 people were murdered, many by gun violence. The data paints a grim picture of the city's efforts to halt the flow of deadly violence.

Police say an 82-year-old man was attacked and robbed at Willow Grove Park Mall. MONTGOMERY COUNTY - An 82-year-old man's innocent trip to the mall ended with violence after an unprovoked attack earlier this month.Police say the man was walking to his truck in the parking lot of Willow Grove Park Mall when he was attacked from behind by two teen suspects.He was hit in the back of the head, and forced to the ground as the suspects told him, "This is a hold-up.

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 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. 

WILDWOOD, N.J. - A New Jersey man has been arrested and charged in connection with a nonfatal crash that occurred at the unsanctioned H2Oi car show in Wildwood over the weekend. Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland and the Wildwood Police Department announced aggravated assault and assault by auto charges against 22-year-old Eryk R.

Sable Island National Park Reserve in Nova Scotia are “doing well and engaging in all of their usual behaviours” after post-tropical storm Fiona hit Atlantic Canada this weekend, Parks Canada says.In a statement sent to Global News Monday, Jennifer Nicholson, Parks Canada spokesperson for Sable Island National Park Reserve, said the horses act instinctively and seek shelter in groups in the lee of the dunes during the storm.Sable Island National Park Reserve is a narrow strip of dunes and grasslands that is managed by Parks Canada. About 500 Sable Island Horses roam here alongside the world’s biggest breeding colony of grey seals.The island is located in the Atlantic Ocean near the edge of the Continental Shelf, which is 290 kilometres offshore from Halifax, according to Parks Canada.

hot dog-and-soda combo deal of $1.50 will remain in place despite record-high inflation. At an earnings call, Galanti said the profit margins the company is seeing in the gas and travel sectors allow Costco to make up for losses at the food court. "Those things help us be more aggressive in other areas, or as you mentioned, hold the price on the hot dog and the soda … forever," Galanti told an analyst from Truist Securities. Galanti said Costco was fortunate in that it did not struggle like other businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The enormity of the improvement in the bottom line … we’re better than we were two years ago," he said. FILE - Close-up of signs listing prices at Costco food court, including the price for Costco's hot dog and fountain soda combination, in Danville, California, on July 3, 2022. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) The retailer’s famous $1.50 hot dog-and-soda combo has remained unchanged since it was first introduced in the 1980s.

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) – 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. 

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.

COVID-19-related.A release from Grand River Hospital in Kitchener, Ont., says that the Regional COVID Care pilot clinic (RCCC) will be housed at 66 Pinebush Rd. temporarily, where a former Lowe’s store has also been home to the area’s largest vaccination clinic.

FILE - Former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden poses for a photo during an interview in an undisclosed location in December 2013 in Moscow, Russia. (Barton Gellman/Getty Images)Russian President Vladimir Putin granted full Russian citizenship to U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - Two teenagers were injured in a double shooting in Hunting Park, police say. According to authorities, the shooting happened at 3:16 a.m.