Sri Lanka to present debt restructuring, IMF bailout plans to creditors

COLOMBO (News 1st) – According to our correspondents 15 people have been taken into Police custody during a protest in Nawalapitiya.A protest was held at the Nawalapitiya town on Sunday (16).Our correspondents said that Nawalapitiya Samagi Jana Balawegaya Organizer is among the group taken into Police custody.When inquired, the Nawalapitiya Police said that they cannot comment on the group taken into custody.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  The restaurant owners association says that the price of a kottu will be reduced by Rs. 50 /-  with effect from today.Its Chairman, Asela Sampath said that the decision was taken after the price of imported wheat flour decreased in the market.Meanwhile, the All Ceylon Bakery Owners Association says that although the wholesale price of a kilo of imported wheat flour has been reduced to Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed all the District Secretaries to coordinate the relief work with the help of the Disaster Management centre for those affected by the prevailing bad weather conditions.The President has also mentioned that all necessary provisions have been allocated through the Ministry of Finance and has directed the officials to provide all necessary facilities including food and medicine to the affected people. He has advised the officials to pay special attention to the sanitary facilities of the affected people.The President further instructed the District Secretaries to work in coordination with all the Divisional Secretaries and officials of the line ministries to get the support of government officials and the armed forces in this relief program.According to the Disaster Management Centre report as of October 16 2022, 15,404 families in 52 Divisional Secretariats have been affected by the strong winds, landslides and floods that affected 11 districts namely Trincomalee, Galle, Kilinochchi, Kalutara, Gampaha, Colombo, Puttalam, Ratnapura, Kandy Hambantota and Kegalle.Due to the prevailing bad weather conditions, 03 people are reported dead and two people are reported injured across the island.

PHILADELPHIA - Sunday will see plenty of sun for most of the day and the wind dies down, so it's a great day to see the Eagles take on the Cowboys.Temperatures will be comfortable, with highs topping out in the upper 60s across the region.Clouds will begin to overtake the skies in the late afternoon and into the evening, though rain holds off for nearly everyone until Monday morning.Some hit-or-miss showers will pop up during rush hour Monday morning. More of a nuisance, rather than anything steady.

Vancouver has a new mayor, after voters sent a clear message, overwhelmingly choosing ABC’s Ken Sim over incumbent Mayor Kennedy Stewart, Global News projects.Sim looks set to have a free hand implementing policy as well, appearing set to bring his entire slate to council, the Vancouver Park Board and the Vancouver School Board.

PHILADELPHIA - Cheers were exploding out of Citizens Bank Park after the Philadelphia Phillies big win. Phillies fans are stoked after the team won the division series against the Atlanta Braves three to one, but the good vibes kicked off hours before the game.Before the first pitch, fans pre-games at the Red October block party."It’s going pretty good.

PHILADELPHIA - Cheers were exploding out of Citizens Bank Park after the Philadelphia Phillies big win. Phillies fans are stoked after the team won the division series against the Atlanta Braves three to one, but the good vibes kicked off hours before the game.Before the first pitch, fans pre-games at the Red October block party."It’s going pretty good.

CENTER CITY - With so much violence gripping the city of Philadelphia, young people are taking a stand against the violence in their neighborhoods.On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia, members of its city took to the streets to send a message to the chaos makers in the city, no one is backing down."I’m tired of our kids dying! They’re not growing old. They need to grow old.

READ MORE: Will Liz Truss last longer than Daily Star's 60p lettuce takes new turn as bookies reactPreviously experienced ailments are not necessarily a good guide, as the various strange often present different symptoms.Here are the top 20 symptoms that Brits with Covid are currently experiencing and should watch out for, according to the ZOE Symptom Tracker:Sore throat - 63.55%Runny nose - 53.04%Headache - 53.02%Blocked nose - 52.47%Cough no phlegm - 52.06%Sneezing - 47.02%Cough with phlegm - 45.79%Hoarse voice - 43.86%Muscle pain aches - 29.46%Fatigue - 22.97%Dizzy light headed - 21.11%Altered smell - 19.82%Swollen neck glands - 17.72%Eye soreness - 16.41%Chest pain tightness - 16.26%Shortness of breath - 15.9%Loss of smell - 14.45%Earache - 13.96%Chills or shivers - 12.98%Joint pain shoulders - 11.08%On Friday, official data from the Office of National Statistics revealed that 1.7million Brits currently have the bug.That marked an increase from 1.3million last week.There are an additional 235,829 daily symptomatic cases according to figures from the team at ZOE.To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.With testing no longer free, fewer people are seeking clarification as to whether their illness is Covid or not.With a sore throat being the most common symptom, there is a high chance that could represent a Covid infection – although without testing it is impossible to know and it could be a cold, flu, or even a rarer infection like laryngitis, tonsillitis, strep throat or glandular fever.Health chiefs have advised anyone feeling unwell with potential Covid symptoms to steer clear of elderly friends and relatives.Director of Public Health Programmes at the UK

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Meteorological Department says that the current heavy rains are expected to continue, due to the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ – The region where the Northern Hemispheric wind and the Southern Hemispheric wind converge) located in the vicinity of the island.Accordingly, showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. Heavy showers above 100 mm can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts.Showers or thundershowers will occur elsewhere over the Island during the afternoon or night.

Covid-19: The death toll due to the viral disease has risen to 5,28,895 with 21 more fatalities, including 16 reconciled by Kerala, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. With 2,401 fresh cases, India's Covid-19 tally has climbed to 4,46,28,828, while the number of active cases of the infection has gone up to 26,625, the Union health ministry said on Sunday. The death toll due to the viral disease has risen to 5,28,895 with 21 more fatalities, including 16 reconciled by Kerala, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am.

Mattel releases a new Tina Turner doll to celebrate the music icon. (Photo courtesy of Mattel) A music icon is being honored by Mattel with her own doll.

PHILADELPHIA - Cheers were exploding out of Citizens Bank Park after the Philadelphia Phillies big win. Phillies fans are stoked after the team won the division series against the Atlanta Braves three to one, but the good vibes kicked off hours before the game.Before the first pitch, fans pre-games at the Red October block party."It’s going pretty good.

Photo from Eclipse's Facebook page SEATTLE - A Seattle-area dog who shot to national viral fame for riding King County Metro buses by herself has died at the age of 10. Eclipse, the half Mastiff, half black lab, gained notoriety for taking herself to the dog park on the bus. Her owner, Jeff Young, said that he used to take her to the Belltown dog park daily via bus.

Russian military firing range near Ukraine, killing 11 and wounding 15 others, before getting killed, the Russian Defense Ministry said.The ministry said in a statement that the shooting took place in the Belgorod region in southwestern Russia that borders Ukraine. It said that the two men from an unnamed ex-Soviet nation fired on soldiers during target practice and were killed by return fire.The ministry called the incident a terrorist attack.

NORTH PHILADELPHIA - A triple shooting in North Philadelphia claims the life of an 18-year-old boy and leaves two others injured.According to officials, the shooting happened Saturday night, around 9 p.m., on the 2300 block of North 11th Street.Responding officers found a 26-year-old female at the location with a gunshot wound to her leg. She was transported to Temple University Hospital and is listed as stable.MORE HEADLINES:A 22-year-old man was found with a gunshot wound to the chest.

BURLINGTON CITY, N.J. - Firefighters in Burlington County are investigating the cause of a fatal fire in Burlington.According to officials, crews were called to the J. Frank Budd Building, a senior citizen living development, on the 200 block of East Pearl Street Saturday morning, just after 11:30, for a fire alarm.When firefighters arrived, they were met with heavy smoke emanating from the third floor.MORE HEADLINES:Firefighters narrowed the fire search to one third floor apartment and subsequently extinguished the fire in minutes.The resident of the apartment where the fire originated was found inside the apartment and was pronounced dead at the scene.Residents in other apartments were safely evacuated while fire crews were extinguishing the fire.

A before and after example of a photo restored by Fort Myers photographer Krista Kowalczyk after Hurricane Ian. (Image credit: Impressions Photography) A Fort Myers photographer is putting her talents to use helping families salvage photos damaged by Hurricane Ian storm surge and debris.Photographer Krista Kowalczyk and owner of Impressions Photography has helped dozens of families recover photos damaged by Hurricane Ian in Southwest Florida and has tips for others who hope to save their photographs. It started when Kowalczyk went to help her friend's 98-year-old father, who experienced flooding at his home.

LARGO, MARYLAND - "That was my soul mate, my life partner, my best friend, my lover," Craig Winn said. Winn was talking about his wife, Verna, who passed away inside of Jasper's earlier this week. Mr. Winn said they've been together for more than 40 years. The Odenton couple was out having lunch at Jasper's in Largo with family and friends on Wednesday."Once we finished, we all got our check and everyone decided to go to the restroom," Winn recalled. He noticed everyone had returned from the restroom except for Verna.

Courtesy: Nolan Ross DALLAS - A plane landed on a Dallas roadway after experiencing engine problems Saturday afternoon.Few details have been released at this time, but the aircraft landed on Kiest Boulevard, between Loop 12 and Spur 408 in Dallas.According to the FAA, this happened at about 3 p.m., when a multi-engine DA-62 landed about two miles northwest of Dallas Executive Airport, which is where it was set to land. The plane left from Winston Field in Snyder, Texas.Investigators said the pilot experienced engine problems, struck a power line and a speed limit sign, before landing on the roadway.A Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson said there were two people on board, a husband and wife, and neither were injured.No vehicles were damaged.

Chick-fil-A dressings available at retail stores (Chick-fil-A Inc.) ATLANTA - Chick-fil-A is once again making the venture from the drive-thru to the grocery isle.The Atlanta-based restaurant chain says customers will be able to purchase 12-ounce bottles of Chick-fil-A's most popular salad dressings starting this month.So which dressings will be available?: They include Avocado Lime Ranch, Garden Herb Ranch, Creamy Salsa, and Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette.There is a slight catch. For now, the dressings will only be sold at select retail stores in Cincinatti and Tennessee.

Four men have gone missing from Okmulgee, Oklahoma. (Credit: Okmulgee Police Department) Police in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, found "multiple objects in the water that appear to be human remains" in the Deep Fork River Friday amid a days-long search for four missing cyclists, authorities said.Mark Chastain, 32, Billy Chastain, 30, Mike Sparks, 32, and Alex Stevens, 29, of Okmulgee, were reported missing Monday evening.

Plant-based Beyond Meat products seen in a Target superstore. (Photo by Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) The Beyond Meat executive charged with biting a man's nose during a fight last month left the plant-based meat company Friday amid a larger round of job cuts as the company seeks tries to offset a decline in sales.Doug Ramsey, a former Tyson Foods executive who joined Beyond Meat as its chief operating officer late last year, was charged with felony battery and making a terroristic threat after a Sept.

Kayla Shanee McNeal (Credit: Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office) SPENCER, Okla. - Authorities in Oklahoma have charged a woman in the fatal stabbing of her neighbor after their young daughters were involved in a fight. The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a home in the Spencer neighborhood Thursday for a report of a stabbing. They found 29-year-old Vaneesa Wade in critical condition, and she later died after being taken to a local hospital. RELATED: Bristol Police Shooting: Wounded officer shot, killed suspect who killed 2 colleaguesAuthorities identified and arrested the suspect, Kayla Shanee McNeal, 31. They said she lived across the street from Wade. Investigators said McNeal's 10-year-old daughter was involved in a fight with her 17-year-old daughter.McNeal told authorities that she intervened and both of the daughters returned to their homes.

CAMDEN, N.J. - Two construction workers were struck and killed by a train on a bridge between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, authorities said.The Delaware River Port Authority said the two were struck by a PATCO Speedline train at about 9:20 p.m. Friday on the Ben Franklin Bridge between Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.MORE HEADLINES:Authority spokesperson Mike Williams said the accident occurred near the center of the bridge but on the New Jersey side.

Will Mellor had Strictly Come Dancing fans worried on Saturday night as he took to the dancefloor again on the BBC dance contest. The Coronation Street star, who has had fans of the BBC dance contest hot under the collar with his 'snake hips' still dazzled with his moves on Saturday night, but viewers were concerned that he wasn't well.

Monmouth University shows the majority of Americans, about 61%, would get rid of the twice yearly time change, while about a third want to keep the practice in place.Most people who want a single time year-round would rather have a later sunrise and a later sunset, which would make daylight saving time permanent. Only 13% of people polled favor keeping standard time, the period from November to March.Lawmakers are catching up to the notion of eliminating the time change.

Will Mellor choked back tears after an emotional rumba on Strictly Come Dancing with his professional dance partner Nancy Xu.It comes as Strictly fans have been left worried for the actor's health as he's been left bed-bound all week after contracting a virus, which threw his training into chaos.Will and Nancy performed a touching rumba routine to The Joker and the Queen by Ed Sheeran and taylor Swift on Saturday night (October 15).READ MORE: Strictly Will Mellor's life - Sheridan Smith snub, tragic death and Jeremy Clarkson threatThe dance aimed to shed a light on the importance of men's mental health and Will dedicated it to those who "put on a brave face" amid their mental health struggles.Will broke down in tears on the dancefloor after the music stopped, which prompted Nancy to hug him tightly in a bid to console him.The former Corrie star, 46, seemed to fight back tears when talking to host Claudia Winkleman about the routine.He said: "It's the story of men who don't speak out when they're not facing their problems, and you know, it's okay not to be okay.

PHILADELPHIA - A domestic dispute turned deadly Saturday afternoon at home in Philadelphia's Fox Chase section.Police say a 43-year-old man was stabbed in the neck inside a home on the 900 block of Hartel Avenue around 11:43 a.m. He was pronounced dead on the scene just minutes later.MORE HEADLINES:The man's death stemmed from a domestic dispute, according to police.An arrest has been made, and a weapon recovered.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - As school safety takes center stages across the Delaware Valley, police say a male juvenile brought a loaded firearm to a football game for a Pennsylvania high school.Police spotted the reported runaway juvenile at the Bethlehem Area School District Stadium around 8:20 p.m. for a Friday night game.When officers attempted to check on his wellbeing, he became uncooperative and tried to flee on foot.

Police patrol car with sirens off during a traffic control. via Getty Images Two men are facing attempted murder charges after an apparent road rage incident ended with a shootout.The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office in Florida said William Hale, 35, and Frank Allison, 43, have both been charged after the road rage incident on Saturday, Oct.

An art project to commemorate the thousands of people who died from Covid-19 has opened in Dublin.

Danielle Brooks celebrated the opening night of her Broadway show The Piano Lesson just days ago and she sadly has to take a break from performing as she just tested positive for COVID-19.

PHILADELPHIA - Several investigations are underway after Philadelphia police say three separate shootings leave four people injured, two critically, as the weekend begins.The first shooting unfolded just minutes after midnight Saturday on the 2000 block of South 9th Street in South Philadelphia. Police say a 34-year-old man was shot twice and transported to a local hospital in critical condition.Less than two hours later, a 61-year-old man was shot in the leg on the 2700 block of Bonsall Street around 1:40 a.m.

Covid-19 which is slowly rising. In its health bulletin, the health department informed that now total cases of the Covid-19 virus in the city stand at 20,04,787, while the death toll is 26,506. The city saw 112 cases on Friday with a test positivity rate of 1.75% while on Thursday, the number of cases was 130, with a positivity rate of 1.84%.

A deserted beach at the edge on an old Mauna Loa lava flow is viewed on December 16, 2016, in this aerial photo taken along the Kona Kohala Coast, Hawaii. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) A magnitude 5.0 earthquake was the strongest of a series of temblors that struck Friday on Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on the planet that scientists say is in a "state of heightened unrest."Smaller aftershocks followed, according to the U.S.

Fourth arrest made in H2O car rally in Wildwood. WILDWOOD, N.J. - A 19-year-old has been arrested and charged after the chaos of an unsanctioned car rally erupted on the streets of Wildwood and claimed the lives of two innocent people last month.Joshua Bocchino, 19, was wanted for assaulting a police officer during the H2Oi car rally that gathered in Wildwood on September 24.The unsanctioned car rally created chaotic scenes throughout the popular shore town, causing car crash, injuries, property damage and bridge closures.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the International Monetary Fund, Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf has said that Sri Lanka will remain a middle-income country despite the decline in GDP.Speaking at an IMF press conference on the Asia and Pacific Region’s Economic Outlook, the Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the IMF responded to questions raised about Sri Lanka's progress toward debt restructuring negotiation, the IMF's program timeline, and whether Sri Lanka could be downgraded to low-income status.She pointed out that it is difficult to predict a timeline because the process of debt negotiations takes time, and mentioned that timelines differ depending on who the creditors are and what is involved. "We certainly are supporting the process as much as we can. And we hope that everybody can work expeditiously to get a process underway, and discussions have started, including with support of all bilateral creditors that are involved," she said. Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf further speaking noted that with regard to the other multilateral lenders, the IMF is working very closely with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Investment Bank, on programs for Sri Lanka, which would assist in closing the financing gap. "But I want to say also very importantly that the policies under the other multilateral lenders in their areas of expertise will be important to resolve Sri Lanka's longer term growth problems," Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf emphasized.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that all should join together to solve the people’s food issues, casting traditional party politics aside.The President made this observation addressing the public officers at an awareness program on the multi-sector mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centers to ensure food security and nutrition at Hardy Advanced Technological Institute Auditorium in Ampara this morning (15).The President further noted that no one would be allowed to starve despite the fact that the country is going through a very difficult time and pointed out the importance of successfully implementing the national food production program to prepare for a possible global food crisis in 2023.The president also said that the agriculture modernization program would be implemented from next year concurrent to the food security program.The implementation of the multi-sector mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centers to ensure food security and nutrition in transforming the Ampara District also into a prosperous one with a blooming community was also discussed at length.The Ampara district contributes 22 percent to the national paddy harvest and discussions were also focused on making the paddy cultivation in the Yala and Maha seasons a success.It was also special feature that the President paid special attention to the issues faced by the government officials during the field work. The president was made aware of issues related to the agriculture and fisheries industry in the Ampara district and he directed the officials to address those issues.

The gasps in room 43 of the National Gallery in London capture the raw emotion of a shocking moment.

BELOVED Harry Potter star Robbie Coltrane had been struggling with osteoarthritis for some time before his death on Friday. Fans became increasingly concerned about the star after he was pictured using a wheelchair that year, but in September 2020 Robbie revealed to the Daily Express that he was struggling with osteoarthritis. "I was fighting pain 24 hours a day when I was in National Treasure and Great Expectations.

Ontario College of Teachers says it has launched a review of its professional standards amid controversy surrounding an Oakville, Ont., teacher’s attire.The college confirmed to Global News on Friday that it has been reviewing its professional standards in response to a request by the province’s education minister.Images went viral online and in the media last month, appearing to show a teacher at Oakville Trafalgar High School wearing large prosthetic breasts in class.In response, Education Minister Stephen Lecce said he asked the Ontario College of Teachers to review its standards. Ontario College of Teachers asked to review professional standards “In this province, in our schools, we celebrate our differences and we also believe that there must be the highest standards of professionalism in front of our kids,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said on Sept.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Navy as of now has kept 36 relief teams ready to extend relief measures to people, in the backdrop of inclement weather conditions reported in several areas of the island.Following the directives of Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, the Western Naval Command has sent 02 relief and rescue teams to Rathnapura and 04 teams to Kalutara, on standby.In addition, 21 more relief and rescue teams in the Western Naval Command and 09 similar teams in the Southern Naval Command have been kept on their toes for swift deployment, if need be.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) called for critical amendments and public consultation on the proposed Anti-Corruption Law, which enables the creation of an independent commission that is empowered to carry out arrests without a warrant or a magisterial order.The controversial bill was introduced by the Ministry of Justice, and oversees the creation of an independent commission that is empowered to carry out arrests without a warrant or a magesterial order, for officials who are suspected to have carried out an offence under the proposed anti-corruption act. This law seeks to replace the Bribery Act, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption Act and the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities law. According to the bill, any authorized officer of the Commission may without an order from a Magistrate and without a warrant arrest any person suspected of committing an offence under the provisions of this Act. Moreover, the section (58)1 of the proposed bill highlights that "an authorised officer of the Commission may apply in writing to the High Court for a warrant authorizing the covert monitoring of any conduct and recording of any communication if such officer has reasonable grounds to suspect or believe that a person has committed, is committing or is about to commit an offence under this Act."TISL notes that Sri Lanka does not lack laws to deal with bribery and corruption even at present, however the enforcement of the said laws remain inadequate. While the country is struggling to apply even the existing anti-corruption laws, the TISL seriously notes that the independence of any proposed anti-corruption body from the Executive could only be assured, if any

PHILADELPHIA - A massive police scene developed on the Ben Franklin Bridge after a train accident Friday night.The Delaware River Port Authority confirms that at least one person was struck by a train on the bridge around 9:30 p.m.SkyFOX was live over the scene as emergency crews lined the bridge to respond to the accident.MORE HEADLINES:The identity of the person has not been released, and their condition is still unknown at this time.Officials have also not said if anyone else was injured during the incident.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka is hopeful that the first tranche of the IMF disbursement will be available before the end of 2022, but it depends on cooperation from the creditors and assurances, revealed Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe on Friday (23). He was speaking in an update to creditors forum organized by Clifford Chance and Lazard, the eavyweight financial and legal advisers selected by Sri Lanka for its debt restructuring process.Expected timeline for the Debt Restructuring Process: Central Bank Governor Dr.