Sri Lanka to go Carbon-Net Zero country by 2050

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila on Friday (18) announced that a request was made to the Finance Ministry to remove all taxes imposed on fuel or to increase the fuel process.The Minister was speaking to reporters in Colombo while highlighting the losses incurred by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.

BLOOMFIELD TWP, Mich. (FOX 2) - The Bloomfield Township Fire Departments and Southfield Fire Departments have been called to a massive fire at the Oakland Hills Country Club Thursday morning and, according to video from the scene, the fire is raging.The call for the massive fire came in around 10 a.m.

#COVID19 variants of concern with @DrMikeRyan and Dr @mvankerkhove. #AskWHO https://t.co/fwQZYZkgGA

COLOMBO (News 1st); The 8-year-old boy who was kidnapped from Horana was found on Thursday (17) evening and was handed over to the Horana Police HQI, said Sri Lanka Police.A police operation was launched on Thursday (17) afternoon after the boy was abducted by his own father.The man who abducted his own son from Horana was shot dead in a shootout with police on Thursday (17) afternoon.Sri Lanka Police announced that the man who was gunned down during a shootout with the Police Special Task Force was identified as Neelanka Sandaruwan alias Neela.Sri Lanka Police said the suspect had abducted his 8-year-old son from his mothers’ residence in Horana., after firing several rounds into the air.Police Spokesperson Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa speaking to News 1st said police officers received a tip-off that the man was in hiding in Walpita, Anguruwatota.Sri Lanka Police had launched a search operation to locate the kidnapper and based on the investigation police officers had surrounded a house in Wellapitiya, Horana.According to Sri Lanka Police, the suspect had opened fire at the officers.Police Officers then immediately called in the support of the Police Special Task Force.The STF’s Motor Cycle Attack squad Quick Reaction Team reached the location and they too were fired upon by the suspect, said Sri Lanka Police adding the STF personnel then returned fire, eventually killing the suspect.A T-56 Assault Rifle and several bullets that were in the possession of the suspect were seized from the crime scene.However, the suspect’s son was not at the house where the shooting took place, said the Police Spokesperson, adding a special operation is underway to locate him.The suspect had recently attacked his wife using a sharp

COLOMBO (News 1st); A man who abducted his own son from Horana, was shot dead in a shootout with police on Thursday (17) afternoon.Sri Lanka Police said the suspect had abducted his 8-year-old son from his mothers’ residence in Horana., after firing several rounds into the air.Police Spokesperson Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa speaking to News 1st said police officers received a tip-off that the man was in hiding in Walpita, Anguruwatota.When police officers reached the house, the suspect had opened fire at the police using a T-56 assault rifle and police officers had returned fire, eventually killing the suspect.A T-56 Assault Rifle and several bullets that were in the possession of the suspect were seized from the crime scene.However, the suspect’s son was not at the house where the shooting took place, said the Police Spokesperson, adding a special operation is underway to locate him.The suspect had recently attacked his wife using a sharp weapon and separated both her hands in the attack.She is currently being treated at the Intensive Care Unit of the Colombo National Hospital.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has informed the Ceylon Electricity Board to permit companies and people that use electricity on a large scale to source electricity using their generators and suspend the supply to them from the National Grid.PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake told News 1st that the PUCSL is prepared to pay Rs. 36/- per unit for those sourcing electricity via generators.On 13 February, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) sought the PUCSL permission for scheduled load shedding due to lack of fuel to operate oil-fired power plants, depleting water reservoirs for hydropower generation.On Tuesday (15) the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka rejected the CEB request to go for power-cut for a period of three and introduced alternatives for the CEB to consider.To manage the limited resources available ahead of the dry season, the PUCSL said hydropower generations will be slashed by 50% from today, while large-scale consumers were instructed to purchase standby generators.“If residents in condos need to have air conditioners operated during peak hours between 6:00 p.m.

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) will issue a directive on Thursday (Feb. 17), requiring consumers who have defaulted on their electricity bills, to settle the outstanding bills within 03-months.As per the directive, the power supply will be suspended to the consumers, who fail to settle the bills, Janaka Ratnayake, the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission told News 1st.The PUCSL informed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on Wednesday (Feb.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said residents should stay on the line when calling 911, even if the wait time gets lengthy. Outlaw addressed the issue of 911 wait times on Wednesday during a bi-monthly gun violence response briefing. FOX 29 obtained data that shows about 2.3 million 911 calls were made in 2020. More than 11,000 of those calls had a wait time anywhere from one-and-a-half to more than two minutes for a dispatcher to answer the phone.

NEW YORK - A Long Island La-Z Boy furniture store on Sunrise Highway went up in flames Wednesday after a gasoline tank truck slammed into the buildingThe roughly 13,000-gallon truck struck the empty store in Rockville Center at about 1:15 a.m. and spread to another building and the street.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka says it supports the abolition of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.Calls have been mounting from human rights bodies to amend the law ahead of this month’s UN human rights council sessions.The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has told diplomats this week that it supports the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.It said terrorism should be investigated under the general law by making necessary amendments.In a statement, the HRCSL said it is also advocating amendments to the Human Rights Commission Act, to achieve greater transparency.It added that it will implement a national preventive mechanism under which there will be regular visits of suspects to prevent torture.The commission also said it is also advocating for re-trials of rejected appeals instead of presidential pardons.It noted that a project is being designed to address issues of plantation workers.

COLOMBO (News 1st): All possible steps will be taken to prevent Indian fishermen from illegal fishing in the territorial waters of Sri Lanka, by breaching the maritime boundaries, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Fisheries emphasized on Wednesday (Feb. 16).Discussions in this regard will be held with the Government of India in the coming weeks, Indu Ratnayake, the Secretary to the Fisheries Ministry told News 1st.The Indian Government has also agreed to hold discussions, according to Ratnayake.The authorities are focusing on future steps that could be taken with regard to the vessels and fishing gear seized by security forces, she further noted.

EastEnders actress June Brown has turned another year older and marked her 94th birthday on February 16.The soap icon is beat known for playing Dot Cotton and joined the BBC One soap back in 1985.In 2005, she won Best Actress at the Inside Soap Awards and previously received the Lifetime Achievement award at the British Soap Awards.June was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours for services to drama and to charity.In 2009, she was nominated for the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress, making her the second performer to receive a BAFTA nomination for their work in a soap opera, after Jean Alexander.It was announced in February 2020 that June had decided to leave EastEnders behind and quit her role as chain-smoking Dot permanently.To celebrate the birthday girl, Daily Star has taken a look back at her wild life from opening up about being "sick and tired" of having sex to her unexpected friendship with pop sensation turned Hollywood actress Lady Gaga.June was born on 16 February 1927 in Needham Market, Suffolk and was one of five children.Her younger brother John Peter died of pneumonia in 1932 at 15 days old, and her elder sister Marise died in 1934 aged eight from a meningitis-like illness. She was educated at St John's Church of England School in Ipswich and then won a scholarship to Ipswich High School, where she passed the school certificate examinations.During the Second World War, she was evacuated to the Welsh village of Pontyates in Carmarthenshire.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Director General of Health Services has issued a circular with respect to the deaths reported in Sri Lanka.According to the circular, all deaths that take place in hospitals and residences or other locations are NOT subject to mandatory PCR tests.However, a PCR can be carried out on the remains of a deceased person at the discretion of the Judicial Medical Officer.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), Janaka Rathnayake states that its new methodology will lead to NO scheduled power cuts in the near future. However, he stated that electricity generation from hydro will reduced by 50% from Wednesday (16).

‘We’re not prepared’ — What it takes to recover from long COVID Carrie Anna McGinn got the virus around the same time, and is also still dealing with symptoms including extreme fatigue, chest pain and shortness of breath.“I can’t think properly. I can’t be the active mom that I want to be.

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Many Brits will be looking to get away on a holiday abroad as coronavirus travel restrictions continue to ease.

COLOMBO (News 1st) ; The Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Sri Lanka, Hanaa Singer states that the protection of Journalists and Activists play a fundamental role in ensuring a democratic society. In a tweet, she further stated that while their protection is vital to ensure freedom of expression, transparency and accountability. The silencing of critical voices, undermines public debate, freedom and the human rights of everyone. #Journalists & #activists play a fundamental role in ensuring a democratic society and their protection is vital to ensure freedom of expression, transparency and accountability.

EastEnders actress, 45, had an honest chat with OK! Magazine about how she copes with her fibromyalgia diagnosis. In the interview, she spoke about how she preferred not to discuss her weight but did reveal that the 80/20 rule diet is the diet which “works for me”.The Love Actually star also shared that a cold shower helps ease her fibromyalgia symptoms.The busy mum-of-one has recently turned her hand to modelling, after being signed to Elite model agency.The agency has also represented modelling icons such as Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford.She posed for photographs during a photoshoot with the magazine and looked incredible.Madonna, 63, spreads her legs in latest risqué snapsWhen it comes to finding the right diet, this isn’t something that has always been easy for The Masked Singer star.However, the star highlighted the importance of just being “the best version” of herself.She said: “I think it takes a long time to work out what your own recipe is."It's taken me such a long time to look through all the stuff that's out there, and do just what works for me."So it's not as simple as just going on a crazy diet."I just feel it's really important to encourage women to just be the best version of themselves.”Giving more details about her diet, she added: “The 80/20 rule is what works for me.

COLOMBO (News 1st); 40,000 metric tons of fuel purchased by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation from the Indian Oil Corporation reached the Colombo Port on Tuesday (15).The IOC had submitted a quotation for fuel supplies based on a request by the Energy Ministry while the IOC has also granted them a 60-day period to make the payment.The Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila, speaking at the event stated that while Sri Lanka is undergoing a large foreign exchange crisis, therefore has been experiencing difficulties in financing oil imports. However, the Minister added that Sri Lanka could not wait until the US$ 500Mn credit line is finalized, and the country was in need of fuel urgently due to the newly created demand which came from the power sector. Reiterating that friends in need are friends indeed, the Minister emphasized that India has proven itself a good friend of Sri Lanka, not by words, but by actions. The Indian High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, Gopal Bagley also speaking at the event said that this as two countries have shared history and also underwent difficulties due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, India is committed to stand by Sri Lanka at this time of crisis.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board said that a decision will be made on Tuesday (15) on the number of hours that it would impose power outages in the country.Sri Lanka’s Public Utilities Commission also noted that power cuts would be inevitable given the present fuel crisis as well as decreasing water levels at major reservoirs.The Public Utilities Commission to Sri Lanka (PUCSL) will reach a final decision today, on the proposed schedule and methodology for Power Cuts amidst the prevailing power crisis in the country.The PUCSL pointed out that disruptions to the supply of electricity are highly likely in the coming weeks, given the prevailing fuel crisis and the declining water levels at the reservoirs of Hydropower Plants.Speaking to News 1st this morning, Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission to Sri Lanka (PUCSL), Janaka Ratnayake said the remaining hydropower reserves should be used sparingly to manage the hydropower generation in the coming two months.He said in order to manage the remaining resources, power cuts are required.However, the PUCSL Chairman also emphasized that the schedule for power cuts will be prepared in a manner to minimize the inconveniences faced by the consumers.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The head of Sri Lanka’s Catholic Church His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on Tuesday (15) called on the masses to respond at the appropriate time to the attempts being made to suppress the truth through intimidation.“If Shehan Malaka did not go live on social media, the country would have never known that he was being forcefully taken away by a group in a white van. He had the courage to reveal this to the country,” said His Eminence.He slammed the police over its conduct in arresting people adding that Sri Lanka Police must be present in uniform when making an arrest and must use a police jeep for such purpose.“Police officers must read the charges against any accused when making an arrest,” he said adding that the Shehan Malaka was not arrested, but abducted in broad daylight.His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith termed such conduct as uncivilized and immoral, which is not suitable for a democratic community.The Archbishop of Colombo also took a blow at the present Attorney General, noting that he is a public servant and NOT a political stooge.He said the Attorney General who is expected to enforce the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that probed the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks, is making attempts to arrest those who are calling for justice over the Terror Attacks.“I request the people to understand the conspiratorial conduct of the government.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Minister granted approval on Monday (14) to provide 15 kg of wheat flour per month at a concessionary rate to 115,867 beneficiary families working in the estate sector.According to the Department of Government Information approval was granted to the Finance Minister’s proposal ‘Implementation of proposals to minimize economic constraints confronted by the public’, on the 18th of January 2022.A committee led by the Trade Minister had thereafter issued a recommendation considering the resolution for wheat flour relief for estate worker families, and thus the recommendations were approved.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers had extensively discussed the need to integrate non-motorized modes of transport, especially cycling, into the national transport system.“The use of non-motorized transport has a positive effect on reducing air pollution as well as on health, air quality, environment, climate change, and personal finances,” said the Department of Government Information on Tuesday (15).Therefore, it has been identified that non-motor systems should be integrated with existing transport systems to maximize economic and environmental benefits, it added.Accordingly, taking into consideration the submissions made by the Minister of Environment, the relevant Ministries and Institutions agreed to take the following steps under a joint approach.– Marking of bicycle lanes suitable for existing roads and upgrading of existing pedestrian lanes– Steps to include bicycle and pedestrian lanes for future roads– Taking necessary measures to encourage the use of bicycles for the staff of government offices– Providing necessary facilities for office cyclists including parking and access.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa on Monday (14) assured the Cabinet of Ministers that the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) as well as 9 other funds will be exempted from the 25% Surcharge Tax proposed in the 2022 Budget.It had been proposed in the 2022 Budget to impose a 25% Surcharge Tax on individuals or companies earning an annual taxable income of Rs. 2,000 million or more.Concerns were voiced by experts, opposition politicians as well as members of the government itself that the Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees’ Trust Fund (ETF) would also be subjected to the surcharge tax.They cited that any fund that exceeds Rs.

Two studies to be presented at upcoming professional society meetings suggest that some long COVID-19 symptoms may be related to the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the vagus nerve and that the use of enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP)—which increases blood flow—can improve some of those symptoms, respectively.

Gogglebox star Stephen Webb has pulled out of this Friday's episode after testing positive with coronavirus. The 50-year-old hairdresser from Brighton who appears on the show alongside his partner Daniel Lustig said he is "gutted" that he won't be taking part in the new series just yet.Sharing the news with his fans on Instagram, Stephen posted a video and wrote a message which read: "Gogglebox Back this Friday C4 9pm , gutted we won’t be back for episode 1 looking forward to seeing everyone #gogglebox #goggleboxfriday #goggleboxfamily."Holding his dog in his short video clip while his partner could also be seen sitting behind him through a window, Stephen said: "This is a message for the Gogglebox crew."Good luck filming this week, can't wait to see you Friday, I need a laugh.He added: "I'm off, we can't film this week because I've got covid."Looking through the window, Daniel chimed: "We locked him up in this room for everyone's benefit."Stephen then panned the camera around the space to show fans where he was currently isolating.He continued: "Look at my little room.

JIM THORPE, Pa. - A woman has died after she fell while hiking with a group on a scenic trail that was closed by the state three years ago due to safety concerns.State police were called to a site near the Glen Onoko Falls in Carbon County around 10:30 a.m. Sunday. They were met there by several emergency responders who had carried the 72-year-old woman down the mountain from near the first of three waterfalls at the site, a trip officials said was made over "treacherous, steep, ice-covered terrain."The woman, whose name has not been released, suffered a head injury and was taken to a hospital but was pronounced dead there a short time later.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Netizens have expressed serious concerns over the sighting of two unregistered Cadillac Escalade Full-Sized SUVs being transported along the Southern Expressway.Each vehicle costs over 50 Million Sri Lankan Rupees, and duty of over 30 Million Sri Lankan Rupees is due per vehicle.When News 1st raised questions about these vehicles from Sri Lanka Customs, we did not get a clear response.Customs Spokesperson Sudaththa Silva told News 1st that information can be provided after looking into the matter further.Questions are being raised across many platforms as to who owns these vehicles, and how were they imported to the country at a time when a forex shortage has held up over 2,000 freight containers with essential goods at the port?Shouldn’t there be a proper explanation from the authorities over such events?

COLOMBO (News 1st); Rev. Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando, the Spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Colombo on Monday (14) expressed concern over the return of the white van culture in Sri Lanka.Commenting on the arrest of Activist Shehan Malaka Gamage, he noted that the activist was arrested by force by a group who arrived in a white van and claimed to be personnel from the Criminal Investigations Department.“We cannot approve this conduct, as such a culture is not something that is good for democracy,” he warned.“Everyone has the freedom to speak and express.

Read on to understand the critical symptoms of long COVID and how it can affect your body. 

Sweden. An increasing number of cases have been reported in recent weeks, including among people at increased risk of severe illness," the agency said.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A petition was filed with the Supreme Court on Monday (14) challenging the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Amendment Bill that was produced in Parliament to amend the Prevention of Terrorisms (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48 of 1979.The special petition seeks a Supreme Court ruling that the bill violates the constitution of Sri Lanka.It was filed by Dr.

After another weekend of protests across the country, Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair tells ‘The West Block’ host Mercedes Stephenson that the blockades are hurting Canadians and need to stop.

Josh Hazlewood conceded just five runs in the Super Over as T20 World Cup champion Australia edged Sri Lanka on Sunday after the second game of their series finished in a tie.Australia Innings:Australia was sent in to bat in Sydney and posted 164 for 6, with Josh Inglis scoring 48 from 32 balls to lead the scoring.Dushmantha Chameera took 2 for 30, including wickets with consecutive balls in the 19th over to remove Steve Smith (14) and Marcus Stoinis (19), and Wanindu Hasaranga returned 2 for 33.Sri Lanka Innings:Sri Lanka was always behind in the run chase after losing wickets in the first, third and fifth overs to slip to 25 for 3, but opener Pathum Nissanka’s 73 from 53 deliveries kept the visiting team in contention.Sri Lanka needed 46 from the last 18 balls for victory and, when Hasaranga was run out for 34 on the last ball of the 19th over, still needed 19 off the last over from Stoinis to win the match and level the series.They scored 18 , with Maheesh Teekshana hitting the second ball he faced for six and Chameera hitting a four down the ground on the last ball to level the scores.Super Over :With the Super Over in play Hazlewood, who returned 3 for 22 in his four overs in regulation, bowled two dot balls and a bye, which resulted in Dinesh Chandimal being run out by a direct hit from Glenn Maxwell as Sri Lanka slipped to 1- 1. The Sri Lankans managed to get to 5 for 1 after six balls.Maxwell took a single off Hasaranga from the first ball of Australia’s Super Over and Stoinis did the rest, driving down the ground for consecutive boundaries to secure the victory with three balls to spare.

Seoul (News 1st); Former Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has called on the world to pledge to not be warmongers and war criminals but peacemakers and sacrifice in whatever way required to benefit humanity forever with bestowed peace.Sirisena was speaking at the World Summit 2022 (Summit for Peace on the Korean Peninsula) in Seoul, South Korea.World Summit 2022 (Summit for Peace on the Korean Peninsula) gathered world leaders and a worldwide virtual audience around topics related to peaceful reconciliation on the Korean Peninsula.It featured keynote speakers from around the world on a range of topics related to the peaceful reconciliation of the Korean Peninsula. Many speakers are from the 157 countries that have diplomatic ties with both North and South Korea.“The experiences in the unification of Germany and Vietnam show how two contrasting political ideologies could positively merge.

COLOMBO (News 1st); In an operation conducted in seas north of Talaimannar in the dark hours of 12th February 2022, Sri Lanka Navy managed to seize 02 Indian trawlers with 12 Indian fishermen, whilst poaching in Sri Lankan waters.Sri Lanka Navy is conducting regular patrols and operations to curb illegal fishing activities in Sri Lankan waters, considering the impact of foreign fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters on the local fishing community and the sustainability of fishery resources of Sri Lanka.Meanwhile, Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne visiting the North Central Naval Command to review its operational readiness on 12th February 2022, gave necessary directives to beef up the operational efficiency of fleet units and naval establishments of the Command.Further, he emphasized the importance of curbing all forms of illegal activities including illegal fishing practices and ensuring the security of Sri Lankan waters.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police announced that the movement of traffic will be restrict along the Colombo – Horana Road as a result of the development of the Bokundara Bridge in Piliyandala.From the 13th of February 2022 until further notice, two lanes will be open for vehicles to travel to Colombo from 6 AM to 3 PM daily, and one lane to travel to Horana during that time.Further, from 3 PM to 6 PM, two lanes will be open to travel to Horana while one lane will be open to travel to Colombo.In addition, from 6 AM to 9 AM and 4 PM to 8 PM, all heavy vehicles, excluding passenger transport buses, will not be allowed to enter these roads.Sri Lanka Police requested the general public to use the following alternatives to avoid inconveniences.* Horana to Colombo : Proceed to Galle Road from Piliyandala and then move to Colombo.* Horana to Werahera : Proceed to Ratmalana via Galle Road and then use Borupana Road to access Werahera* Colombo to Horana : Proceed to Maharagama from Boralesgamuwa and use the Maharagama Piliyandala Road.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday (12) for Indian Rs. 10.75 crores after a closely fought bidding war.The Sri Lankan pair of Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera, joined RCB for the second part of IPL 2021.Hasaranga took a hat-trick at last year’s T20 World Cup.

DETROIT - The truck blockade by Canadians protesting the country’s COVID-19 restrictions is tightening the screws on the auto industry, forcing Ford, Toyota and General Motors to shut down plants or otherwise curtail production on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border.The bumper-to-bumper demonstration entered its fourth day Thursday at the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, disrupting the flow of auto parts and other products back and forth across the border.The bridge is the busiest U.S.-Canadian border crossing, carrying 25% of all trade between the two countries.RELATED: 'I understand why, but it makes it harder on us': Canadian trucker talks lost time, moneyFord said its Windsor, Ontario, engine plant reopened Thursday after being shut down on Wednesday because of a lack of parts. But the factory and the company’s assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario, near Toronto, are operating at reduced capacity, the automaker said."This interruption on the Detroit-Windsor bridge hurts customers, auto workers, suppliers, communities and companies on both sides of the border," Ford said in a statement.

Dustin Lynch’s album "Blue in the Sky" has finally dropped. The country star announced the surprise follow-up to "Tullahoma" in a tweet on Jan. 19 – about a year after releasing the project that included a duo of No.

Check here all that WHO said on long COVID. Live Q&A on #COVID19 and Omicron sub-variant BA.2 with Dr @mvankerkhove and @DrAbdiMahamud. #AskWHO https://t.co/NVQMa8HHk7

COLOMBO (News 1st): The foreign exchange shortage experienced in Sri Lanka will be short-lived, said the country’s Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.Speaking to officials at the Finance Ministry of Friday (11), Rajapaksa said the government expects to minimize the effects the forex shortage might have on the people.On Monday (7) President Gotabaya Rajapaksa instructed the officials to take steps to immediately release the containers containing essential items at the custody of Customs.The President also appointed a committee headed by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa to ensure that there is no shortage of essential commodities including food, and this committee met for the first time on Friday (11).A statement from the Finance Ministry noted that though there is a shortage of Milk Powder, Gas, Wheat Flour, and Cement in the local market, there are sufficient stocks of all other essential items and there will be no shortage.In addition, the tax reliefs granted by the government for essential food items not being enjoyed by the people were discussed and it was revealed at the meeting that errant traders abuse the concessions granted by the government and sell goods at exorbitant prices.The implementation of a new mechanism to expedite the release of essential commodities including food to the market, and to regulate and oversee this matter, was also discussed.

From symptoms to subvariants, UN health agency explains all that you need to know about Omicron

COLOMBO (News 1st); Thousands of Sri Lankan health workers continued their strike action for the fifth consecutive day on Friday (11), despite a court issuing an order against a nurses trade union that is also taking part in the strike.Health workers in Sri Lanka have been staging demonstrations and strikes since November 2021 to draw attention to the issue of salary anomalies.Their major demands include the rectification of salary anomalies, higher allowances, and an increase in overtime rates.Supplementary and paramedical services, nursing services, and professionals from 16 health services including medical laboratory technologists, pharmacists, radiologists, public health inspectors, and family health officers are participating in the indefinite strike.Thousands of poor patients who visited government hospitals were turned away, as a result.A Sri Lankan court on Thursday (10) issued two enjoining orders preventing the strike action by the Government Nursing Officer’s Association from continuing.The Attorney General filed an action against the Government Nursing Officer’s Association and its president Saman Rathnapriya, seeking an enjoining order from the court to immediately suspend the trade union action of the said union.The Attorney General appraised the court of the present deplorable conditions in hospitals due to patient care being severely affected.District Court Judge of Colombo Aruna Aluthge issued two enjoining orders preventing the union from continuing the said trade union strike endangering the lives of the patients.As a result of the strike, over this week the activities at the Colombo General Hospital, Kandy General Hospital, 24 Teaching Hospitals, 26 General Hospitals, 46 Base Hospitals, 410 District

COLOMBO (News 1st); The new University of Vavuniya was declared open by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday (11).The University of Vavuniya is the 17th State University in Sri Lanka and was established with effect from the 1st of August 2021 via an Extraordinary Gazette on the 8th of June 2021 that elevated the Vavuniya Campus of the University of Jaffna, to a separate state university in Sri Lanka.The new state university was established for the purpose of providing, promoting, and developing higher education in the branches of learning of Business Studies, Applied Science, and Technology Studies.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry has warned against the use of fake vaccination cards to avoid being vaccinated against COVID-19.Dr. Anwar Hamdani, attached to the Health Ministry said information on all those who have been vaccinated are with the Health Ministry, and it is a futile attempt to evade being vaccinated.“Getting vaccinated is a social responsibility and therefore everyone must get vaccinated against COVID-19,” he said.At the same time, the Deputy Director-General of Public Health Services Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A wanted drug traffickers knowns as ‘Abba’ was killed in a shootout with the Police Special Task Force on Thursday (10) night in Egoda Uyana, Moratuwa.The Police Special Task Force told News 1st that a raid was carried out at around 10 PM on Thursday (10) night after receiving a tip-off that a house in Egoda Uyana contained drugs.During the raid, a man had opened fire from inside the house and the Police Special Task Force had returned fire.The Police in a statement said, “One suspect opened fire at an STF Officer with a pistol, and the STF officer returned fire.”In the exchange of fire, a 27-year-old male identified as ‘Abba’ (Thelge Dilan Sameera Peiris) was killed and he is a known associate of a notorious drug trafficker operating from Dubai.One STF member was injured in the incident.Sri Lanka Police said two bullets fired by the suspect had hit the protective vest worn by the STF Officer, and he was rushed to the Panadura Hospital for treatment.Six other people who were inside the house were arrested by the Police Special Task Force.The Office of the Police Spokesperson said that ‘Abba’ had a murder case filed against him, as we as a case over stabbing a woman and causing serious injury.Further, another 31-year-old man was arrested from Moratuwa upon inspecting the residence of another suspect.Police said that this man has a case filed against him for transporting drugs along the expressway.