Sex Trafficking: Ex-Embassy staffer remanded

A Scots council tenant fears for the health and safety of his family due to mouldy walls in his home.

The latest statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) show that by the end of October, there were more than three million people across the UK claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The regional breakdown includes nearly 330,000 claimants living in Scotland, 2.6 million in England and 226,000 in Wales.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera on Tuesday (27) announced that the country's Attorney General granted approval to award a coal tender to an Indonesian company with a joint local partnership to supply coal to the island nation from February 2023.The Minister said that nine suppliers had placed bids for the tender, and the Indonesian company was selected as it was the lowest bid."They grant a credit period of 180-days.

Expert said that owing to the fact that samples are few, the chances of finding new variant is slim. With COVID continuing to surge worldwide, one of the biggest worries currently is the rise of new variants. All viruses mutate, and the higher the rate of the infection, the easier it is to mutate.

Crude prices also gained amid supply concerns in the US as winter storm has hit energy production across the country New Delhi: International crude oil prices rose on Tuesday as China’s plans to relax quarantine norms for inbound travellers revived hopes of demand recovery. The February contract of Brent on the Intercontinental Exchange was trading at $84.76 per barrel, higher by 1.00% from its previous close. The February contract of the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose 0.80% to $80.20 a barrel.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has decided to award a subsidy of Rs. 15,000/- ($42) each to low-income earning agriculture-based families across seven districts, said the Department of Government Information on Tuesday (27).This allowance will be awarded to agriculture-based families living in the districts of Jaffna, Mullaithivu, Mannar, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Moneragala and Batticaloa districts.Minister Mahinda Amaraweera noted that the allowance will be for families that earn a monthly income less than Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's President has appointed two new secretaries for key ministries.President Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed MMPK Mayadunne as the Secretary to the Ministry of Transport & Highways.

7) There is NO cause for alarm in India. [7/18] Explaining why, we continue to have > 98% population with natural immunity.

Name Change In another sign of downgrading the impact of the virus, the government changed the Chinese name of Covid-19 from “new coronavirus pneumonia" to “new coronavirus infections." Omicron’s much reduced virulence compared to the ancestral strain that emerged from Wuhan means most people are sickened with only mild upper respiratory tract infections, authorities said. “The new coronavirus will linger in nature for a long time to come," according to the statement.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will distribute 36,000 metric tonnes of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertilizer to all paddy farmers in Sri Lanka through the Ministry of Agriculture. The amount of TSP provided per farmer will be determined based on the area they cultivated in the 2022/2023 Maha cultivation season.The distribution list, along with the land extent cultivated during this Maha season, has been published and displayed at all Agrarian Service Centres of the Department of Agrarian Development. FAO invites all eligible paddy farmers to visit their respective Agrarian Service Centre and ensure their details have been incorporated. The distribution lists will be displayed until 5 January 2023, and the date of fertilizer distribution will be shared through the Agrarian Service Centres.

I have a basic health insurance policy with a coverage limit of ₹5 lakh. However, I want to upgrade to a better plan to get higher coverage. What is the most effective way to increase the amount insured? - Name withheld on request With today’s medical inflation rate, which is growing approximately 10% every year, ₹5 lakh sum insured is an incredibly low amount for health insurance.

₹800+ GST+ hospital charges according to sources. Bharat Biotech’s iNNOVACC is now available on CoWin, priced at ₹800 for private hospitals and ₹325 for a government hospitals. The country’s first intranasal covid vaccine will be rolled out in the fourth week of January as a booster dose for those above 18 years of age, said the company spokesperson.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow, Russia has announced that Red Wings, one of the leading private airlines of the Russian Federation, will start charter flight operations to Mattala International Airport in Sri Lanka, with effect from the 28th December 2022.This is the third Russian Airline serving direct flights to Sri Lanka, said the Sri Lankan Embassy.On December 26th 2022,  Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation Prof. Janitha A.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The man who was found stabbed and shot in the mouth in Kaduwela was identified by Sri Lanka Police, and he is a resident from Upper Biyanwala in Kadawatha.Information has come to light that the man had left his house with a friend on Sunday (25) night.Sri Lanka Police said that the man is currently being treated at the ICU of the Colombo National Hospital.Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that the severely injured man was lying on the road by a group of locals on Monday (26) morning.He said that the man is a heavy drug addict.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  Multiple factions allege that motives to commit fraud are linked to the state's delay in procuring coal on time for the continuous operation of the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant, which is the main power plant in the entire country.A coal shipment is expected to reach Sri Lanka on the 5th of January 2023, and according to marine traffic data the bulk carrier with coal had left a port in Mozambique on Sunday (25) bound to Sri Lanka.What is the Coal Crisis & why is coal so important to us?The coal shipment bound to Sri Lanka from Mozambique will determine if the Norocohcholai Coal Power will continue to operate, as it generates a lions share of the electricity demand in the country.A shortage of coal will eventually lead to a complete shutdown of the power plant.The bulk carrier Darya Rama carrying a shipment of coal had left the Port of Maputo in Mozambique at 7:40 AM on Sunday (25), and it expected to lay anchor off the coast of Puttlam at around 4:00 PM on the 5th of January 2023.The vessel was originally scheduled to dock in Sri Lankan on Wednesday, however certain delays had pushed back its arrival date to somewhere between the 3rd and 5th of January 2023.The Chairman of Lanka Coal Company (Private) Limited on the 22nd of December 2022 said that when this shipment reaches Sri Lanka, the existing stocks of coal would have already been exhausted.How much of coal does the Norochcholai Coal Power Plant need to operate on any given day?The Norochcholai Power Plant has three generators, and each of these generators will require 2,500 MT of coal.

₹104 crores to enable government hospitals to stock up on life-saving medicines. Sisodia said, "This amount has been approved by the government to ensure that there is no shortage of any medicines in government hospitals and they are well prepared to deal with an emergency." Delhi has recorded 2,007,159 Covid cases and 26,521 deaths since the pandemic started in early 2020.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.

The covid-19 surge in China has triggered concern among Indian exporters as it may add to the softening of demand from Western countries The covid-19 surge in China has triggered concern among Indian exporters as it may add to the softening of demand from Western countries. China, India’s largest trading partner, reported an 11% decline in imports in November, and the latest outbreak could further hit exports of Indian goods. While experts noted that the impact on Indian exports from the outbreak in China would not be immediately visible, as orders for the next quarter have been received, China’s decision to stop publishing daily covid-19 data has created significant uncertainty about the severity of the spread.

A Lanarkshire mum campaigning for better mental health services once again had her petition heard in Scottish Parliament.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left for the United States of America on Monday (26) morning.He had left for Dubai via the VIP Terminal at the Bandaranaike International Airport, and thereafter will fly to the US.He was accompanied by former First Lady Ayoma Rajapaksa, son Daminda Rajapaksa, daughter-in-law S. D.

Masks will be mandatory to celebrate the New Year in pubs, restaurants & bars. Masks have been made mandatory inside movie theatres, schools & colleges.

The Nainital High Court on Monday made masks mandatory inside the courtroom amid fear of a surge in Covid-19 cases. In an official notification, the high court said, "In view of the danger of spreading of Covid-19, it will be possible to enter the courtroom only by wearing a mask in the Nainital High Court". On the instructions of Nainital High Court Chief Justice Vipin Shanghvi, the Registrar of the High Court issued a notification that all officers, staff, lawyers, and parties will be able to enter the court only by wearing masks.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A two-minute silence will be observed across Sri Lanka on Monday (26) to remember the victims of the massive tsunami that struck the island nation in 2004.The two-minute silence will be observed from 9.25 a.m. to 9.27 a.m., said the Government Information Department.On Boxing Day 2004 a magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck in the deep seas off the coast of the Indonesian Island of Sumatra.Moments later strong waves made their way towards the coast of the country and claimed the lives of more than 30,000 people within a matter of minutes.What was termed as the world's worst train disaster, the wreckage was evident from among the debris caused by the massive waves.1,270 people who aboard the train when the waves struck Peraliya died while another 141 remain unaccounted for.Fourteen coastal districts of Sri Lanka were affected by the tsunami disaster and approximately 35,000 people died while about 5000 others disappeared. Every year since 2005, the 26th of December has been declared as "National Safety Day" and on the day, with the participation of the political leadership and public National Safety Day events are held as nationally in remembrance of all those who died in the country due to the Tsunami disaster and various other natural disasters.

PHILADELPHIA - Santa Claus may have already made his rounds, but plenty of helpful elves in the form of volunteers are making sure everyone gets a Christmas in Philadelphia."The important thing now is to take care of the children, and really give them the joy of Christmas," said Brian Jenkins, executive director of Chosen 300 Ministries. The local non-profit handed out warm meals and over 500 wrapped gifts to families and children in need on Christmas Day."This is about Jesus Christ being born, bringing joy to the world, and giving his ultimate gift to us," Jenkins said. "We are simply reciprocating it and extending that love."MORE HEADLINES:Volunteers come together every year to lend a helping hand and provide a Christmas to as many families as possible.

Prime minister Narendra Modi on Sunday asked people to take precautionary measures, such as wearing masks and washing hands, amid rising cases of covid-19 across the world. Addressing the nation through his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat, Modi wished people on the occasion of Christmas, but suggested celebration of festivals with caution. “At this time many people are also in the mood for holidays.

HONG KONG : China’s central health authority has stopped publishing daily Covid-19 data, ending a three-year effort that has drawn mounting criticism for massively underreporting the surge in infections now sweeping the country. In a one-line announcement Sunday, China’s National Health Commission said it would no longer issue its daily report on Covid infections and deaths.

AP “China has a population that is very large and there’s limited immunity. And that seems to be the setting in which we may see an explosion of a new variant." “When we’ve seen big waves of infection, it’s often followed by new variants being generated," Ray said. Experts said a partially immune population like China’s puts particular pressure on the virus to change.

Colombo (News 1st) – The depression over Southwest Bay of Bengal has entered through the east coast of Sri Lanka and it is moving across the country. It is likely to move to the western sea area of Sri Lanka by Monday (26).Accordingly, showers or thunder showers will occur at times over Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Southern, North-Western and Northern provinces.

Colombo (News 1st) – Heavy rain and strong winds wreaked havoc across Sri Lanka on Christmas Day, killing at least two people as the depression over the Southwest Bay of Bengal began moving across Sri Lanka.Police said two people died and three were injured as a boulder fell on a house in an earth slip at Alawathugoda in the Kandy District.The Parakrama Samudraya in Polonnaruwa and Giant’s Tank in Mannar begin spilling over due to heavy rain, Irrigation Dept officials said.

India's Covid case tally was recorded at 4.46 crore (4,46,77,106). Covid-19 cases in India are increasing with a slight margin. The country has recorded 227 new coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 3,424, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

Colombo (News 1st) – The depression over the Southwest Bay of Bengal is located 350km to the northeast of Trincomalee and is very likely to cross Sri Lanka by tomorrow (25 December), according to the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology.Heavy showers above 100 mm can be expected at some places, it added.Strong gusty winds of about (40-50) kmph can be expected at times over the Northern, Eastern Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts.

Colombo (News 1st) – Former Presidential Advisor Ashu Marasinghe has complained to the Criminal Investigation Department with regard to a controversial video leaked on social media purportedly of the Prof. Marasinghe sexually abusing a pet dog."This false incident is now in the hands of the courts.

Colombo (News 1st) –  The recent actions of Professor Ashu Marasinghe, Former Advisor to the President, ''requires immediate punitive action by the President and his government,'' said Rescue Animals Sri Lanka's Anusha David."Abuse of any sort is reprehensible. Abuse of a hapless animal who has no voice is even more deplorable.

Colombo (News 1st) – The online service to settle electricity bills through the official website of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) continues to be disrupted.Several online services have been unavailable on the ceb.lk website for nearly a month, due to ongoing maintenance.The CEB Bill Payments, CEB PIV Payments, CEB Bill Payments via CEBCare App, and the EV Charging Top-up services are currently unavailable. When contacted by News1st, the CEB said it is working to restore the services as soon as possible.The CEB official said customers can settle the bills by using bank mobile applications and at supermarkets.

Health experts are investigating cases of Strep A infection after the deaths of six young children and a rise in cases.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A group of officials from the Criminal Investigation Department and the Foreign Employment Bureau have been deployed to the United Arab Emirates.The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment said steps are being taken to repatriate 77 people residing in the UAE and Oman on tourist visas.The Bureau said an internal investigation was also launched regarding former Secretary to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman E. Kushan, who is facing charges over sexual harassment of a woman in Oman.He was remanded till the 13th of December 2022 after he was arrested by the CID on Tuesday.An internal investigation was launched against E.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Former 3rd Secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman E.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Venerable Galwewa Siridhamma Thero was remanded to the 6th of December by the Kaduwela Magistrate's Court on Wednesday (23).Earlier in the day, the Thero was granted bail by the Fort Magistrate's Court and was later produced to the Kaduwela Magistrate's Court for a separate case, where he was returned to remand custody.Granted Bail in the Morning:Venerable Galwewa Siridhamma Thero, the converner of the Inter-University Bhikku Federation was released on bail on Wednesday (23).The Venerable Thero was detained for 89-days under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and was thereafter remanded along with the Convener of the Inter-University Student's Federation Wasantha Mudalige.Venerable Galwewa Siridhamma Thero was released on two personal bails of Rs. 500,000/- each.Bail was granted by Colombo Additional Magistrate T.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Two more men arrested for their alleged link to the sex trafficking ring in Oman were remanded to the 1st of December 2023.The suspects were produced to the Colombo Chief Magistrate Nandana Amarasinghe by the Criminal Investigations Department on Tuesday (22).One suspect was arrested by the CID in Kurunegala, while the other was arrested in Colombo.Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigations Department arrested a woman with links to the sex trafficking ring in Oman, after she surrendered to the CID on Monday (21) morning. She was later released on two personal bails of Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment  Manusha Nanayakkara in Parliament informed today (22) that the law will be strictly enforced against those involved in trafficking women to Oman, where they are auctioned and sold to the highest bidder.Minister Manusha Nanayakkara revealed to the parliament that as per the data available with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau there are 12 Sri Lankan women at the Safe-House in Oman operated by the Sri Lankan Embassy who had registered themselves with the SLFEB, and another 65 who had used visit visa to travel to Oman citing other reasons to Sri Lankan authorities.He added that 70 Sri Lankan women registered with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau, and 7 Sri Lankan women have used visit visa and are currently held in Dubai.The Minister went on to note that Sri Lankans who registered with the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau and face issues overseas can be brought back to the country without any issue, however, there is growing concern over the rise in numbers using visit visa for employment purposes.He added that legal action was instituted on over 100 incidents of abuse, and multiple suspects were arrested based on the investigations.He revealed to the house that only 40 Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau personnel are assigned to meet the needs of all countries, however, Cabinet has approved to recruit of another 50 personnel.Minister Manusha Nanayakkara individual at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman who is accused of committing sexual abuse towards Sri Lankan women over there has been interdicted and will be brought back to the country where he will be arrested on arrival, and will be investigated. 

COLOMBO (News 1st) – An Italian man and a Sri Lankan who were arrested over a foreign employment racket were remanded to the 5th of December.Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) arrested four people including an Italian from a hotel in Badulla for conducting interviews for employment opportunities in Romania, violating Sri Lankan laws.The two other Sri Lankans were released on personal bail of Rs. 500,000/- each.The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment said that the men had published ads on Facebook for employment opportunities in Romania and conducted interviews, without any approval from the SLBFE.Around 30 people responded to the online ad and were presented for interviews in Baduall when the arrests were made.It was also reported that candidates were being charged around Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Third Secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman E. Kushan is alleged to have committed sexual abuse, and engaged in the trafficking of Sri Lankan women for sex. However, he denies these claims and told EXCLUSIVELY to News 1st that these allegations are fabricated and have no ground. On Sunday (21) several former expats visited News 1st and expose startling details, and the said Third Secretary of the Sri Lankan Embassy rejected all the allegations as baseless. "While talking he put his arms around me, and I tried to push him away. I told him that that was not what I came for and I came to speak.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A drug trafficker was injured in a shooting in Meetiyagoda on Monday (21) afternoon, and was admitted to the Balapitiya Hospital.Sri Lanka Police said that a weapon discharged when a team from the Meetiyagoda Police attempted to arrest a drug trafficker.The suspect will be transferred to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital, later in the day.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigations Department arrested a woman linked to trafficking women to Oman, where they are auctioned and sold to the highest bidder.The CID told News 1st on Monday (21) that the woman was operating the sex trafficking ring from Oman and was arrested after she surrendered to the Criminal Investigations Department.The CID said that it had been investigating her for several weeks, and she was not living at any of the four registered addresses.However, on Monday (21) morning, she surrendered to detectives and following her arrest three in total have been apprehended for their links to trafficking women to Oman.On Saturday 19th October 2022, Sri Lanka's Immigration and Emigration Department arrested a 40-year-old man at the Katunayake Airport for engaging in human smuggling.He was arrested when returning to Sri Lanka from Dubai and was identified as a resident of Wattala who was operating a Foreign Employment Agency in Maradana, Colombo 10.Thereafter, on Sunday (20) another suspect connected to the human trafficking ring was arrested from Avissawella.He was identified as a broker who sends Sri Lankan women to the Middle Easter, where they are smuggled from Abu Dhabi to Oman to be sold as sex slaves.The suspect was arrested based on the complaints made filed by Sri Lankan women stranded in the Middle East.Safe-House Abuse: Around 90 women who were subject to multiple forms of physical and mental abuse are currently given shelter at a safe house operated by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Oman.However, this safe house lacks the most basic facilities to accommodate a single woman, let alone 90 of them.These Sri Lankan women, some of who were auctioned for sex, are at this safe house

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Yet another suspect connected to the shocking revelations of a major sex slave trade in which Sri Lankan women are being sold into slavery in Oman has been arrested. News 1st has been closely following this story for over a week and exclusively revealing the sordid facts surrounding this shame on our nation.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A suspect involved in the Human trafficking ring involving Sri Lankan women in Oman has been arrested by officers of the Criminal Investigations Department in Avissawella.This arrest was made following a complaint made by musician Dushanth Weeraman. It was revealed that the suspect has operated as a middleman in the human trafficking ring.The suspect is to be produced before the Hulftsdorp Magistrate Court today.

Colombo (News 1st) – The Immigration and Emigration Unit at the Bandaranaike International Airport arrested the main suspect linked to trafficking Sri Lankan women to Oman, upon his return to the country from Dubai on Friday night (Nov. 18). The 40-year-old suspect is a resident of Wattala, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) told News 1st. According to the SLBFE, the suspect is believed to have trafficked women for sex through an office set up in Maradana.The 40-year-old man was handed over to the Katunayake Police for further investigations and he will be produced at the Negombo Magistrate's Court on Saturday (Nov.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka’s government promised parliament on Saturday that it would investigate revelations by News 1st of a major sex slave trade in which Sri Lankan women are being sold into slavery in Oman.Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told the house that a special team was dispatched to look into the complaints of the sex slave ring in Oman, in order to take swift action. "The President has paid special attention to this situation.