Strong winds for the Western Coast

COLOMBO (News 1st) – As many Sri Lankans have cut down on their meals, the demand for staples has also seen a drop.Usually, more than 200 to 300 Sri Lankan fishing boats set out to sea, however after the economic crisis hit, coupled with an acute shortage of fuel most of the Sri Lankan fishermen have been forced to tie up their boats to the piers, hoping for better days."The demand for fish had slumped. The main reason for this is the high cost of fuel and the rising cost of living. A liter of fuel that cost only Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – On the sidelines of the poppy flower campaign launched to commemorate war veterans, the President of Sri Lanka Naval Association, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne (Rtd) pinned a poppy flower on Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne at the Navy Headquarters today (12). The poppy flower campaign was originally adopted to commemorate those war veterans who perished for their country during World War I and II. Presently, the exchange of poppies symbolizes honoring the supreme sacrifice made by the veterans of the armed forces for the Motherland. As such, in commemoration of all naval war veterans, the President of the Sri Lanka Naval Association pinned this poppy flower on the Commander of the Navy today.The Vice President of the Sri Lanka Naval Association, Rear Admiral Manil Mendis (Rtd) and several members of the association were also present on this occasion.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Court of Appeal on Wednesday (12) set a date to issue the order with regard to the writ petition filed by former President Maithripala Sirisena requesting to annul the notice issued on him to appear at the Fort Magistrate's Court on 14th October where he is named as a suspect in the Easter Sunday Terror Attacks case. Accordingly, the Court of Appeal will issue the relevant order at 9:30 in the morning on 14th October.A bench comprising of Justices Sobitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola issued the order after the petition was taken up in Court today.Additional Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysuriya appeared on behalf of the Attorney General while President's Counsel Rienzi Arsecularatne represented the plaintiffs including Rev. Fr.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe pointed out that using children as shields in demonstrations is a serious offence according to the law of the country and advised the Sri Lanka Police to take immediate measures to prevent the perpetuation of such conduct.President Wickremesinghe issued these instructions during the special discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (12) on the protection of children’s rights.Highlighting sub-section 13 of Article 27 of the Constitution, “The State shall promote with special care the interests of children and youth, to ensure their full development, physical, mental, moral, religious and social, and to protect them from exploitation and discrimination,” the President emphasized that protecting children is the prime responsibility of a government.Steps were also taken to assign the responsibilities of child protection to the Sri Lanka Police and related government institutions.The President upheld the need for an Act to protect children’s rights to prevent them from being used for sexual activities and protect their fundamental rights. He also advised the officials to discuss this issue with the Attorney General to take necessary steps in this regard.The President drew attention to the detention of the children, who were among the people who were arrested for illegally migrating to India, and therefore separated from their parents. He said that this situation needs to be rectified immediately and arrangements made to return the children to their parents.The President also requested special attention to be paid to the education of children in orphanages and the protection of their rights and advised the officials to submit a report on those with special

no one matched all six numbers on Tuesday. The current jackpot, which also comes with a $248.7 million cash option, would be the 11th-largest prize in the 20-year history of the game, according to lottery officials. The current Mega Millions prize began Aug. 2 after a $1.337 billion ticket was won in Illinois on July 29.The winning numbers are drawn for the second-largest Mega Millions jackpot in history, $1,28B, took place on Friday, July 29, 2022.In addition to the massive jackpot in July, four other top prizes have been awarded so far this year — beginning with $426 million in California on Jan. 28, officials said.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne today (12) formally handed over the letter of appointment to Rear Admiral Jayantha Kularatne, who was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy, and expressed his best wishes.Rear Admiral Jayantha Kularatne is a proud product of Mahanama College, Colombo. He joined the Sri Lanka Navy in 1987 as an Officer Cadet of the 16th intake, in the Executive branch. On successful completion of his basic training at the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee, he was commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in 1989.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Welfare Benefit Fast Track Program ‘Leave No One Behind’ targeting low-income families, which was initiated as per the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, has so far received 2.3 million applications, according to the Welfare Benefit Board.The applications are being promptly entered into the system through Welfare Benefit Information Units established in 341 Divisional Secretariats throughout the country and as of today (12), 624,714 applications have been entered into the system.It is expected that the 600,000 families that have been downgraded to the low-income category, in the face of the second COVID-19 wave and the economic crisis faced by the country, as reported by the United Nations Development Program, are also eligible to apply for this Welfare Benefit Fast Track Program. This is in addition to the 3.3 million families that are currently receiving welfare benefits or those who are already on the waiting list.Accordingly, it is estimated that 3.9 million families would apply for this social welfare program.

PHILADELPHIA - A vehicle was left riddled with bullet holes after police say a shooting erupted in Germantown Wednesday morning.Police say a 38-year-old man was shot multiple times on the 100 block of East Duval Street around 3 a.m.He reportedly drove himself to a local hospital, where he is said to be in critical condition.MORE HEADLINES:The vehicle he was driving was shot at about 20 times, according to police.

PHILADELPHIA - Emergency crews are on the scene after police say three SWAT officers were shot as a barricade situation unfolded in North Philadlphia Wednesday morning.Police say shots rang out while officers were serving a homicide arrest warrant on the 800 block of 10th Street.Three SWAT officers were reportedly shot and injured, and transported to a local hospital.MORE HEADLINES:SkyFOX was live over the emergency situation where police say a barricade situation unfolded following the shooting.Three people were handcuffed by police as FOX 29 arrived at scene.The circumstances surrounding the shooting are unclear at this time, and the condition of the officers is unknown.This is a developing story.

Only Fools and Horses star Sir David Jason has revealed he recently collapsed after contracting "seriously bad" Covid-19.The TV legend, 82, was speaking to BBC Breakfast presenter Jon Kay about his new book, when he revealed that he recently collapsed while getting out of bed one night when he had covid-19 during the Summer.The Open All Hours star said: "I got it seriously bad."Because all the muscles weren't working, I collapsed and I fell against the radiator... I was so weak, I couldn't get up."READ NEXT: Only Fools, Skins and Gavin and Stacey - British TV remakes that flopped in the USSaying that he tried to get out of bed to go to the toilet, Sir David explained that he had to use the bed to try and stand up as his muscles "weren't working.""I crawled to the bed.

Chloe Ferry recently found herself in a state of confusion after she mistook the reading on her negative coronavirus test as a positive one. On Tuesday evening (Oct 11), the 27-year-old Geordie Shore star took to Instagram to inform her followers that she and her mother Liz were feeling under the weather.After being advised to take a Covid test, Chloe was left distraught when she thought she had contracted the virus due to one line being present on her results.READ MORE: Chloe Ferry branded 'most beautiful' as she wows in nude bodysuit following splitHowever the TV personality quickly returned to her platform to share that she read the test incorrectly.Speaking directly to the camera she said: "If I do not laugh, I'm going to scream."She continued: "So obviously me and mum got the same bug, so we just done a Covid test, but we started panicking thinking 'oh my God like what if we've got Covid, I've been around my friends' like we just started thinking the worst."So we've done the Covid test, we're both as thick as each other honestly.

PHILADELPHIA - A pedestrian was injured after police say a driver caused a crash while under the influence early Wednesday morning.Police say the driver slammed into a parked car, then hit a woman walking on the 3300 block of Kensington Avenue around midnight.MORE HEADLINES:The driver was reportedly under the influence at the time, and arrested on the scene.The woman broke her leg, and is said to be in stable condition at a local hospital.

PHILADELPHIA - Today is the day to take part in all those outdoor fall activities!A cool morning will make way for some beautiful weather as temperatures are set to reach a high of 72 degrees. Sun will take over the skies for most of the day, until clouds start to increase later this evening.However, in Atlanta, a chance of thunderstorms could mean a rain delay for the Phillies game today!Back in Philadelphia, Wednesday's clouds will turn to storms with heavy rain expected throughout the day.

Also Read: Be prepared for a more dangerous Covid that beats vaccines BF.7 can escape the antibodies from earlier illnesses or vaccinations better than the many other omicron sub-variants, according to two studies. The new variation known as the "Omicron spawn" is growing quickly and might take over within a few weeks, researchers warn. The prevalence of BF.7 has doubled in the United States over the past two weeks, rising from 0.8% to 1.7%.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Railways said that steps have been taken to increase the security of trains that are in operation.Railways General Manager W. A.

Shanghai reported 38 new infections, all of which were found in its quarantine system. The country that first reported Covid-19 cases in December 2019, now remains the only major government that is still grappling to control the spread of the fatal virus.  Several schools across the city have suspended in-person classes as the fear of Covid-19 infection spread grows.  At least five districts have closed entertainment venues, including cinemas, bars and gyms, in an effort to stamp out transmission, according to statements issued by Covid prevention offices.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Sri Lanka Police Illegal Assets Investigations Division arrested one person over a money scam of over Rs.11.6 million.According to the Police, the suspect has used social media to scam people across the country, to obtain gifts and cash deposits.The 30-year-old suspect is a resident of Angoda.He will be produced to the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court today (12).

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, North-Western, Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts, said the Department of Meteorology adding that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in Uva, Eastern, Northern, North-central, and Central provinces. Fairly heavy showers above 75 mm may occur at some places in these areas.There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity. 

COLOMBO (News 1st) – 9.6 million Sri Lankans have been affected by poverty, revealed a new study by the University of Peradeniya.Professor Wasantha Athukorala of Peradeniya University's Department of Economics and Statistics says that 9.6 million Sri Lankans are currently suffering from poverty.In 2019, nearly 3 million people lived below the poverty line, but that number has increased to 9.6 million in October 2022.Professor Wasantha Athukorala further stated that the study revealed that 42% of the people living in Sri Lanka are currently suffering from poverty.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A country’s security is not only ensured militarily but is also secured through food and economic security, President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized.The President said this during the progress review meeting of the National Food Security and Nutrition Assurance Program held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (11).Emphasizing that urgent measures should be taken to provide the country with fuel and food, the President said that if necessary, he could intervene through state security regulations.The President also noted that if the implementation of the food security and nutrition assurance program is hampered due to the collapse of the state machinery, he is ready to intervene at any moment to resolve these issues.President Ranil Wickremesinghe also pointed out the need to modernize agriculture and enact legislation on food security through this program.The multi-sectoral joint mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centres to ensure food security and nutrition was recently implemented across the island under the theme “No citizen should be allowed to starve due to the lack of food”, on the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.Also, the progress of the program at the district level was examined during this discussion and it was stated that rural economic revitalization committees have been established at the village level in all districts and programs have been initiated to ensure food security and nutrition.Discussions also centred on the issues that could arise during the cultivation process in the relevant districts, while special attention was placed on the supply of fertilizer, land issues, unavailability of seeds and the crop damage caused by wild animals.President

COVID-19 has finally caught up with Ryan Seacrest.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The movement to protect the rights of pensioners filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.The movement to protect the rights of the pensioners claims in its complaint that the government had suspended the gratuity payment for pensioners for more than a year.They say delayed payments have posed economic and social risks to pensioners at large.

States have been asked to continue monitoring incoming international travelers, undertake constant genome sequencing and step-up vaccination. NEW DELHI: India reported 2,139 fresh covid infections in the last 24 hours, the Union health ministry said in an update on Wednesday.

The startup was founded in January 2021 by Samarth Sindhi. It provides solutions for patients with conditions like hair fall, sexual health, and weight loss, among others. Hyderabad-based direct-to-consumer (D2C) startup Good Health Company (Clinic) has secured $10 million in a Series A funding round, led by New York-based venture capital firm Left Lane Capital.

COLOMBO (News 1t) – Sri Lanka will go for power cuts of 2 hours and 20 minutes from 12th – 14th October, said the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka.Groups ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW:1-hour during daytime 1-hour and 20-minutes during the night

A brazen Ayrshire business chief has been banned from being a company director for ten years after spending the majority of a Covid loan on herself.

COLOMBO (News 1st)-  Former Norwegian government minister Erik Solheim has been appointed as a International Climate Adviser together to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, along with Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed.He called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday (12) and tweeted that the President has a great vision for green economic revocery and for Sri Lankan climate leadership.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Today’s exchange rates from the Central Bank of Sri Lanka:USD Buy 359.2355 Sell 369.9682GBP Buy 394.4249 Sell 410.2474EUR Buy 345.6770 Sell 360.3244JPY Buy 2.4481 Sell 2.5509AUD Buy 223.1069 Sell 233.9068

COLOMBO (News 1st)- Sri Lanka Police is seeking public assistance to locate and arrest the main suspect responsible for the brutal triple murder in Minuwangoda on 6th October 2022.Police said the suspects is currently in hiding, and his details are as follows:Name: Jayagodage Sanjeewa Don Sanjeewa Lakmal Age: 39 years NIC: 833214292 V Address: 10, Mahindarama Road, Sri Jayawardenapura KotteSri Lanka Police is requesting the public with any available information to contact the following the numbers:SSP Gampaha: 0718 591 608 ASP Gampaha: 0718 591 610 OIC Minuwangoda: 0718 591 612Minuwangoda Triple Murder:A triple homicide was reported from the Minuwangoda on the 6th of October 2022, and reports suggested that these murders are linked to an incident involving a kite and a argument between two boys dating back to 2017.A 51-year-old man and his two sons 23-years-old, and 24-year-old were brutally murdered adding more bodies to a string of murders.Multiple shooters had visited their residence on a motorcycle, and a car and carried out the murder.Unconfirmed reports said that the shooters were impersonating law enforcement personnel, and T-56 assault rifles were used for the murder.The shooters have chased away the mother and sister of the two young men out of the house before carrying out the shooting. 51-year-old Pushpakumara Silva alias Ralahamy died upon admission to the hospital, and his two sons 23-year-old Roshan Maduwanta and 24-year-old Suresh Jeewantha died on the spot.Sri Lanka Police and neighbours revealed to News 1st that a dispute incident involving a kite and a argument between two boys dating back to 2017.The 1st & 2nd Murders:On the 25th of August 2017, a young man was flying a kite in a field in Minuwangdoa

Covid-19: The death toll climbed to 5,28,835 with 13 fatalities which includes four deaths reconciled by Kerala, the data updated at 8 am stated. India reported 2,139 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 4,46,18,533, while the active cases declined to 26,292, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

Canada will fare better in the year ahead than some other global economies amid dire warnings Tuesday from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about a looming downturn, according to economists who spoke to Global News.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Department of Meteorology says that a few showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts.Showers or thundershowers will occur at a few places in the Uva province and Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the evening or night.Mainly fair weather will prevail elsewhere over the island.The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.Condition of Rain:A few showers will occur in the sea area off the coast extending from Colombo to Matara via Galle.Winds:Winds will be south-westerly and wind speed will be (25-35) kmph.Wind speed may increase up to (45-55) kmph at times the sea area off the coast extends from Puttalam to   Kankasanturai via Mannar and from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota.State of Sea:The sea areas off the coast extending from Kankasanturai to Pottuvil via Puttalam, Colombo, Galle, Matara, and Hambantota may be rough at times.

FILE - Kalani David of Hawaii advances to the quarterfinals of the Pipe Invitational, the trials of the 2019 Billabong Pipe Masters after winning Heat 3 of Round 1 at Pipeline on December 9, 2019, in Oahu, United States. (Photo by Ed Sloane/WSL via G Kalani David, the former world junior surfing champion, died over the weekend on a beach in Costa Rica after suffering a seizure while practicing in the waters off Costa Rica, authorities and friends confirmed.

Canadian Hurricane Centre said it is monitoring Hurricane Fiona, although it’s too early to predict any detailed impacts.Fiona’s track shows it could affect Nova Scotia and Newfoundland by this weekend. Hurricane Fiona rips through Puerto Rico, unleashes landslides, knocks out power Yesterday, the hurricane struck Puerto Rico’s southwest coast — unleashing landslides, knocking out power, and ripping up asphalt from roads.Forecasters said the storm would cause massive flooding and threatened to dump “historic” levels of rain, with up to 76 centimeters possible in some areas.A state of emergency was declared in the U.S.

The new bivalent (two-strain) Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster triggered stronger neutralizing antibody responses against the highly transmissible Omicron variant at 28 days than the previously authorized booster, with no safety concerns, according to the interim results of a phase 2/3 open-label, nonrandomized study published late last week in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Man attempted to sell kangaroo on Facebook. ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. - A 6-month-old kangaroo is finally safe after the exotic animal was almost sold online in Pennsylvania for thousands of dollars.Officials rescued the animal after receiving a tip about a kangaroo listing on Facebook.

DELAWARE COUNY - Police are investigating after several robberies unfolded near the same location in just two days.Three robberies were reported on County Line Road in Delaware County between Hannum Drive and Haverford Road.Police say all three robberies occurred over the course of two nights, Thursday and Friday. A weapon was reportedly displayed in two of the robberies.MORE HEADLINES:Two male suspects are being sought in connection to the robberies.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Department of Meteorology says that a few showers will occur in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts.Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and Ampara and Batticaloa districts during the evening or night.Condition of Rain:A few showers will occur in the sea area off the coast extending from Colombo to Matara via Galle.Winds:Winds will be south-westerly and wind speed will be (20-30) kmph. Wind speed may increase up to (40-50) kmph at times the sea area off the coast extending from Puttalam to   Kankasanturai via Mannar and from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota.State of Sea:The sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Kankasanturai via Mannar and from Matara to Pottuvil via Hambantota will be fairly rough at times.

Impacts from Typhoon Merbok are streaming northward (NOAA) Forecast models show the pressure with the upcoming event could drop to around 940 millibars, which will produce sustained winds of 50 to 65 mph with gusts to 75 mph along the southwestern coast.Alaska Predicted Wind Gusts(FOX Weather) ALASKA EXPERIENCES AN EARTHQUAKE EVERY 10 MINUTES, SCIENTISTS SAYThe National Weather Service expects a storm surge of between 3 and 6 feet, which could inundate low-lying coastal communities."It’s definitely going to be a significant event. It’s shaping up to be one of the worst events that we’ve seen for years," the National Weather Service office in Fairbanks, Alaska said.Communities such as Adak, Unalaska, St.

WASHINGTON - The 70 million Americans who receive Social Security benefits could receive a notable adjustment for inflation on their monthly checks starting next year — which could be the largest increase in over 40 years. Roughly 70 million people, including retirees, those who are disabled, widowers, and others, could see an 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in 2023, according to an estimate from the Senior Citizens League, a group that lobbies for older adults. Such a boost would be the highest increase since 1981 when the inflation adjustment was 11.2%. The estimate comes after the government on Tuesday released inflation figures for August, which declined for a second straight month amid sharply lower prices for gas and cheaper used cars. Consumer prices surged 8.3% in August compared with a year earlier, the government said.

WEST CHESTER, Pa. - A West Chester woman, who just celebrated her 96th birthday, gets up every morning with a pep in her step, thanks to her positive attitude and an aerobics dance class.Cecilia Yaworski began taking exercise classes with her family at ACAC Fitness and Wellness Center in West Chester a few years ago. After turning 96 on September 13th, she's still going strong. "I'm happy," Yaworski said.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Four rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Forum Asia and the International Commission of Jurists have called for permanent representatives of member and observer states of the United Nations Human Rights Council to adopt a strong resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the four organizations have called for support for a strong resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka, which renews the OHCHR Accountability Project and addresses ongoing violations and abuses, including the suppression of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.Pointing out that Sri Lanka is currently suffering an economic, political and human rights crisis, the rights organizations state that during the recent months, countless people have taken to the streets to call for reform, accountability for corruption, and for urgent Government action to protect their rights.Citing previous recommendations made by the former UNHRC High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, the four rights organizations further call to adopt a resolution renewing the mandate of the Accountability Project and requesting the UN to provide the resources required to provide greater investigative capacity and witness protection, greater technical capacity to analyze evidence and to undertake outreach and engagement with civil society and victims.The rights organizations further state that the resolution should also call upon Sri Lanka to;– Restore cooperation with the efforts at the Human Rights Council to advance accountability for serious crimes under international law; – Strengthen and ensure the independence of the Office of Missing Persons and the  Office of Reparations, which were established under Resolution

Ten people charged in Atlantic City boardwalk operation.

An MP who took a train from London to Glasgow knowing she had tested positive for Covid-19 is due to be sentenced today.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Department of Meteorology says that Several spells of showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa, and North-Western provinces and Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle, and Matara districts.Mainly fair weather will prevail elsewhere over the island.Strong winds of about 50 kmph can be expected at times over the western slopes of the Central hills, Northern and North-Central provinces, and in the Trincomalee district.Showers will occur at several places in the sea area off the coast extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo and Galle.Further, winds will be south-westerly and wind speed will be (30-40) kmph. Wind speed may increase up to (50-60) kmph at times the sea area off the coast extending from Puttalam to   Kankasanturai via Mannar and from Hambantota to Pottuvil.The sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Kankasanturai via Mannar and from Hambantota to Pottuvil will be rough at times. The sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Hambantota via Colombo and Galle will be fairly rough at times. The other sea areas around the island may be moderate.

File photo of a police lights atop a patrol vehicle PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say a young girl was hospitalized after being caught in the crossfire of a shooting Friday night in Philadelphia. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 1700 block of North Woodstock Street around 6 p.m. Police say a 12-year-old girl was struck in the hip by stray gunfire from an unknown shooter. The girl was driven by someone on the scene to Temple University Hospital where police say she was placed in stable condition. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESInvestigators counted more than 30 spent shell casings scattered across the street.The car that brought the injured girl to the hospital stayed on scene, according to police. No arrests were reported immediately following the shooting. 

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is attempting to identify two suspects caught on video robbing a business at gunpoint. According to police, the robbery occurred on Tuesday at 11:17 a.m.

Dumfriesshire mental health campaigner Frank Ritchie is warning of a potential rise in suicides this winter brought on by the cost of living crisis.