Progressive: Latest News

COLOMBO (News 1st); At least five people were injured after heavy rains caused a landslide in the Kabargala Estate in Punagala, Bandarawela.According to reports from News 1st correspondents, the landslide occurred at approximately 9 pm on Sunday (19) near the Kabaragala Estate hospital.Over 30 homes have been damaged, leaving around 200 residents of 60 families without shelter. The Assistant Director of the Disaster Management Center for Badulla District, E.L.E.M.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The United States of America has welcomed the approval of Sri Lanka’s IMF package."Great news & an important step on the road toward economic recovery," tweeted US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung on Monday (20).She said that the Sri Lankan government will need to continue reforms and conclude debt restructuring agreements to ensure the program – and the economy – stay on track.She noted that structural & lasting reforms that address good governance & transparency are critical to ensure all citizens of Sri Lanka can prosper.IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva also noted that she was very pleased the Executive Board of the IMF had approved about $3 bn of IMF support for Sri Lanka’s economic policies & reforms. She said that it was an important milestone with International Creditors coming together to help to restore debt sustainability. "Crucial to unlock Sri Lanka's growth potential," she added.The International Monetary Fund said that it will enable an immediate disbursement equivalent to about US $ 333 million for Sri Lanka under EFF program, following Executive Board approval on Monday (20).The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved today a 48‑month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 percent of quota or about US$3 billion).Sri Lanka has been hit hard by a catastrophic economic and humanitarian crisis.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JUNE 01: Protesters away from tear gas after a march through Center City on June 1, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Demonstrations have erupted all across the country in response to George Floyds death in Minneapolis, Minnesota PHILADELPHIA - The City of Philadelphia has reached a record-breaking settlement with protesters who were hit with tear gas and pepper spray during protests against police brutality in the summer of 2020.Philadelphia law firm Mincey Fitzpatrick Ross, LLC announced the settlement in the federal lawsuit filed on behalf of 237 people injured in protests against the murder of George Floyd held in Philadelphia on May 31 and June 1, 2020.

COLOMBO (News 1st);Sri Lanka's Agriculture Ministry said that 1.2 million local farmers will be given Triple Super Phosphate or TSP Fertilizer free of charge from Monday (20), after three harvesting seasons.The shipment of 36,000 metric tons  Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and procured by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for distribution free-of-charge to farmers.Accordingly, 11,537 MT of TSP fertilizer will be issued to farmers in the Northern, and Eastern Provinces.TSP Fertilizer will be issued via all Agrarian Services Centers in the country.The Ministry of Agriculture said that TSP Fertilizer will be issued to other areas to commence harvesting.According to the ministry, 55 kg of fertilizer is recommended for one hectare of paddy cultivation.More than a million Sri Lankan paddy farmers in all 25 districts will get vital assistance through a shipment of over 36,000 metric tons of fertilizer handed over by the United States to the Ministry of Agriculture. This second shipment of USAID-supported fertilizer is delivered on a promise USAID Administrator Samantha Power made last September in response to Sri Lanka’s food security challenges. It brings the total of USAID-supported TSP and urea fertilizer to more than 45,000MT over the last year.U.S.

Robert Smith of The Cure performs at OVO Arena Wembley on December 12, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Shlomi Pinto/Getty Images) The Cure's lead vocalist Robert Smith is fighting back against Ticketmaster and its excessively high concert fees.After Ticketmaster received much criticism for the hefty price tag on their concert fees, Smith took to Twitter to share an update with his fans and expressed his resentment towards the company."I am as sickened as you all are by today's Ticketmaster 'fees' debacle.

pic.twitter.com/HvaLtE7nTh The guidelines also urges patients to 'consider Remdesivir for up to 5 days) in moderate or severe cases that have a high risk of progression. "Consider Tocilizumab preferably within 24-48 hours of onset of severe disease or ICU admission," the guidelines urge for those with rapidly progressing moderate or severe disease.

Justin Bieber has shared a positive health update with fans, after revealing he has Ramsay Hunt Syndrome last year. The singer, 29, announced his diagnosis in June as he said he was suffering with “full paralysis” on one side of his face, and was forced to cancel a series of shows at the time. Ramsay Hunt Syndrome occurs when a shingles outbreak affects facial nerves near the ear, and can cause deafness as well as immobility in the face.

BENSALEM, Pa. - A young girl awoke to a terrifying nightmare when police say she found a grown man beside her in her own bed.Police were responding to a burglary in progress on the 300 block of Thunder Circle in Bensalem when they were alerted to the incident.The 9-year-old victim ran out of her room when she woke up next to a burglary suspect wearing just underwear, according to authorities. She told police that the man touched her inappropriately.MORE HEADLINES:She ran to tell her father, who says he found the man sitting on his daughter's bed wrapped in a blanket.The suspect, identified as 32-year-old Paddy Patrick Purcell, fled before police arrived.

Kate Garraway has shared the last holiday she had with her husband Derek Draper and the now-poignant passing conversation they had before their lives were changed by Covid. Fans of the Good Morning Britain presenter are well aware of the fact that former Labour lobbyist suffered severe complications after contracting the virus early into the pandemic in March 2020.

Kate Garraway has given an update on her family life as well as her husband Derek Draper's progress as he continues to battle the devastating effects contracting coronavirus had on his body. Many fans are aware that Derek Draper suffered severe complications after contracting coronavirus in March 2020.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia police officer shot and injured on the job last month is finally heading home after weeks of recovering in the hospital.Officer Giovanni Maysonet was attempting to stop two suspects fleeing a traffic stop on 60th Street on February 8 when a physical struggle ensued.Police say one suspect allegedly fired at least two shots at the officer, hitting him in the chest of his bulletproof vest and an unprotected part of his abdomen. In an audio recording of the incident obtained by FOX 29, Officer Maysonet is heard saying, "I think I'm shot twice.

Kate Garraway has opened up about the reason she decided to draft in cameras to capture every aspect of her husband Derek Draper's health battle after he was hospitalised due to contracting coronavirus.

A patient with severe physical and mental health problems died in hospital two months after she had been sectioned under the mental health act, an inquest has heard.

Ruth Langsford has publically shown her support for her husband Eamonn Holmes as he offered a small update in his progress following surgery on his back. The former This Morning star underwent an operation in September last year after years of battling chronic pain as a result of slipped discs.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe congratulated Chinese President Xi Jinping on his confirmation for a third term and praised China's progress under his leadership. The President's Media Division said that Wickremesinghe expressed appreciation for China's support in Sri Lanka's economic challenges, especially in the IMF process & expressed confidence that the two countries' robust cooperation will continue to flourish during Prez. Xi Jinping's new term.Chinese leader Xi Jinping was awarded a third five-year term as president on 10th March, putting him on track to stay in power for life at a time of severe economic challenges and rising tensions with the U.S.

Shannen Doherty has some questions for SAG-AFTRA president and "The Nanny" star Fran Drescher about their union’s health care plan. The "Charmed" star put her concerns on Instagram in a post accompanying a photo of her with an IV in her arm. In the caption she wrote, "@officialfrandrescher im curious for people like me who have worked since they were 10 and paid dues to @sagaftra how when we aren’t able to work for health reasons why our union abandons us.

HARRISBURG, PA - JANUARY 17: Adam Shapiro arrives before his brother, Josh Shapiro, was sworn in as Governor of Pennsylvania at the State Capitol Building on January 17, 2023 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Shapiro defeated Republican nominee Doug Mastr HARRISBURG, Pa. - Lawyers for the districts that won a landmark school funding court case in Pennsylvania say that Gov.

A full moon sets behind Rocca Calascio castle and village (LAquila), Italy, on March 7, 2023. (Photo by Lorenzo Di Cola/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The time has come for March’s full moon to light up the night’s sky, and if conditions are clear, it could be visible for several nights.The full worm moon is slated to peak in illumination on Tuesday morning, at 7:40 A.M.

FILE - Federal Reserve Board Chairman Jerome Powell speaks during an interview by David Rubenstein, Chairman of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C., at the Renaissance Hotel on Feb. 7, 2023 in Washington, D.C.

A researcher performs a CRISPR/Cas9 process at the Max-Delbrueck-Centre for Molecular Medicine. Photo: Gregor Fischer/dpa (Photo by Gregor Fischer/picture alliance via Getty Images) COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y. - A new technology is making it possible to modify specific cells to help fight cancer.Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, located on Long Island, have been applying CRISPR, short for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats, to the discovery of new cancer targets to develop medicine to fight the deadly disease.This molecular tool has been recognized in the medical community for its work in editing the DNA cells of people, plants and animals. "CRISPR is, simply put, the ultimate tool for manipulating life," Dr.

HOUSTON, TEXAS - NOVEMBER 05: Bryce Harper #3 of the Philadelphia Phillies reacts after striking out against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in Game Six of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park on November 05, 2022 in Houston, Texas. ( PHILADELPHIA - Wearing a tan suit and flanked by two Las Vegas showgirls, Bryce Harper raised a microphone to his mouth with his left hand and issued the command, "Drivers, start your engines!"He raised his right index finger and mimicked turning a car key.

Colombo (News 1st) – State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya was amongst the dignitaries present for the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries taking place in Doha, Qatar The event is being held from the 5th to the 9th of this month.State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya met with counterpart Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in Qatar, for a discussion that touched upon many areas including the recognition of the Sri Lankan Engineering degrees by Qatari authorities and Sri Lanka's technical support for Qatari government's attempt to promote cricket in Qatar. Tharaka Balasuriya also expressed Sri Lanka's unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and its people to the President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas.With ongoing progressions and developments on the new establishment of the Office of Overseas Sri Lankans, the State Minister held a side meeting with HE Antonio Vitorino, Director of IOM in Doha, in which HE Vitorino assured IOM support on the digitalization of the Office of Overseas Sri Lankans as well as continuous support of the IOM with matters pertaining to migration. State Minister Balasuriya also met with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Italy Maria Tripodi. Discussions were held, particularly on bilateral relations between the respective countries.

SELMA, Ala. (AP) - President Joe Biden used the searing memories of Selma's "Bloody Sunday" to recommit to a cornerstone of democracy, lionizing a seminal moment from the civil rights movement at a time when he has been unable to push enhanced voting protections through Congress and a conservative Supreme Court has undermined a landmark voting law."Selma is a reckoning.

Patricia Kopta (Ross Township Police Department) A Pennsylvania woman who went missing more than 30 years ago in a case that stumped authorities who later declared her legally dead has been found living in a nursing home in Puerto Rico.Patricia Kopta left behind a husband and siblings and meandered through northern Puerto Rico for a while before she was taken as a person "in need" to the adult care home in 1999, according to details announced at a news conference this week in Ross Township, where she once lived.Kopta, once known as a street preacher in her hometown, initially kept her past secret while in Puerto Rico. But she began to divulge details as she suffered progressively from dementia, Ross Township Deputy Police Chief Brian Kohlhepp said.By last year, a social worker at the home had enough information to alert authorities back home about the now-83-year-old woman.

vlogger and social media influencer lost a majority of her vision when she was 14 years old to retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Now, through social media, she is on a mission to educate people about the common misconceptions about blindness, advocate for universal and accessible design and normalize and humanize disability.She has the personality and pizzazz to be a TikTok trendsetter. But at 14 years old, Burke turned to social media at her darkest point. "When I was 14 years old.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (top C) walks past Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (lower) during the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on March 2, 2023. (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) NEW DELHI - U.S.

During a discussion held at the President’s Office today, President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized the timely amendment of the Agricultural Development Act and the Paddy Land Act to enable the replanting of cultivable paddy lands and the cultivation of other crops on non-paddy lands.

PHILADELPHIA - Mayor Jim Kenney and other city leaders announced the progress of their gun violence intervention program on Tuesday. City workers, law enforcement officials, and volunteers came up with a program that targets gang and group violence. The program, which launched in August 2020, is an evidence-based approach to gun violence.The program's creation is based on the premise that only about 0.5 of one percent of the city’s population may be linked to 60 to 70 percent of shootings and homicides.Program Director, Deion Sumpter, says they track social media activity and meet weekly with law enforcement and other partners to discuss those very individuals and how to approach them.

Phil Murphy, governor of New Jersey, speaks during the 2023 State of the State Address at the New Jersey State House in Trenton, New Jersey, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 15: Sen.-elect John Fetterman (D-PA) heads to a lunch meeting with Senate Democrats at the U.S. Capitol on November 15, 2022 in Washington, DC.

PHILADELPHIA - A South Philadelphia attempted robbery ended with at least one shot fired and a suspect on the loose early Monday morning.Police responded to a robbery in progress at a 7-Eleven on the 1000 block of Washington Avenue just before 3 a.m.A woman armed with a handgun fired a shot at a 30-year-old employee after telling them not to move, according to authorities. MORE HEADLINES:The female suspect then fled in a white van without any stolen items or money.No injuries were reported., and no arrests made.

COLOMBO (News 1st); US Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said that the Group of 20 countries need to work together to ease the debt overhang that is holding back too many countries, including Sri Lanka."The IMF estimates that around 55 percent of low-income countries are close to or in debt distress.

FILE - The low tide today in Venice has reached -62 centimeters above mean sea level, causing problems to the navigation on Feb. 06, 2023, in Venice, Italy.

MOSCOW, Idaho - Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger has a small but active following among sympathetic social media users.There are a handful of social media groups sympathetic to Kohberger, who is accused of stabbing four University of Idaho students to death for no publicly known reason. He could face the death penalty if convicted.Bryan Kohberger enters a courtroom in Moscow, Idaho, Jan.

OAKLAND, Calif. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) officially announced on Tuesday that she’s running to replace U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein in 2024. "The Senate needs a perspective that I bring with my life experiences, as a progressive Black woman who not only fights for what is right, but also gets the job done," Lee told KTVU in her first TV interview of the campaign.

COLOMBO (News 1st); JICA is set to resume its ongoing projects in Sri Lanka no sooner the IMF package on debt restructuring finalized, said the Prime Minister's Media Division.Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena urged the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to recommence all the ongoing projects that are temporarily halted due to fiscal issues.He made this request when Director General of the South Asia Department of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Teruyuki Ito met him on Monday (20).Teruyuki Ito assured the Prime Minister that JICA projects would be resumed no sooner the debt restructuring programme is finalized by the International Monetary Fund.12 JAICA projects worth US$ 2.5 billion have been temporarily halted due to the fiscal crisis. The JICA delegation had expressed satisfaction over the progress in debt restructuring plans, in which Japan also played a major role.The Prime Minister thanked JICA Director General for the continuous assistance provided to Sri Lanka for several decades for water treatment, sewerage, sanitation and solid waste treatment projects in several cities and towns. He also requested JICA to provide assistance in new areas such as renewable energy and electrification of public transport and railways.Prime Minister Gunawardena also briefed the JICA delegation about the steps taken to improve transparency and accountability in project implementation by enacting required legislations as recommended by the Committee appointed by the President. He added that a Budget Act would be passed to ensure continuation of nationally important projects and policies despite change of governments in power.

TOKYO/MUMBAI — Japanese companies like Mitsubishi Corp. and Taisei Corp.

Bruce Willis attends the Comedy Central Roast of Bruce Willis at Hollywood Palladium on July 14, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images) Actor Bruce Willis has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, an untreatable disease and the most common form of dementia in people under 60.Willis’ family announced the diagnosis on the Instagram page of Demi Moore, Willis’ ex-wife, and in a statement on the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration's website.

North Carolina man developed an "uncontrollable Irish accent" until his death after being treated for prostate cancer, according to research published in the British Medical Journal.The patient, who was only identified as a man in his 50s, was presumably afflicted with foreign accent syndrome (FAS) after receiving androgen deprivation therapy and being prescribed abiraterone acetate/prednisone.The report said the man lived in England during his 20s and had friends and distant family members from Ireland, but had never visited the country or spoken with the foreign accent."His accent was uncontrollable, present in all settings and gradually became persistent," the four researchers wrote in their report, adding that it first began 20 months into his treatment.WALKING DEAD SYNDROME AND OTHER RARE CONDITIONS THAT BAFFLE DOCTORS AND RESEARCHERSSeveral similar cases have been studied across the globe in recent years, but this was reportedly the first case of FAS described in a patient with prostate cancer and the third described in a patient with malignancy.The researchers believe his voice change was caused by a condition called paraneoplastic neurological disorder (PND), which happens when cancer patients' immune systems attack parts of their brain, muscles, nerves and spinal cord."Despite chemotherapy, his neuroendocrine prostate cancer progressed resulting in multifocal brain metastases and a likely paraneoplastic ascending paralysis leading to his death," they wrote.Even as his condition worsened, the accent remained until his death months later. The report said the man did not have any neurological examination abnormalities or psychiatric history.

PHOENIX - Almost a year after it was announced that he was stepping away from acting, Bruce Willis' family announced that the actor has been diagnosed with a form of dementia called frontotemporal dementia (FTD)."Unfortunately, challenges with communication are just one symptom of the disease Bruce faces. While this is painful, it is a relief to finally have a clear diagnosis," the family wrote.Here's what you should know about the disease Willis has been diagnosed with.When it was announced that Willis was stepping away from acting in 2022, his family revealed that the actor was diagnosed with aphasia.According to the Mayo Clinic, aphasia is a disorder that affects how a person communicates."Aphasia usually happens suddenly after a stroke or a head injury.

Hollywood stars have publicly shared their support for Bruce Willis, 67, following his dementia diagnosis.On Thursday (February 16), Bruce's family announced that he had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and released a “painful” statement explaining the condition.Since news of his diagnosis made its way around social media, the Die Hard actor has been inundated with messages from celebrity friends as they showed their support.READ MORE: Hollywood star Raquel Welch dies aged 82 after 'brief illness' as tributes pour in“Sending love [yellow heart emoji],” Selma Blair wrote in response to Demi Moore’s post as she uploaded a personal statement.Elsewhere, Queen Latifah said: “God bless you, my brother, we love you!!! all the best,” she wrote. “Thank you and your family for all the entertainment!!!” “Sending you and your family all my love, always,” Ireland Baldwin wrote in a comment on Bruce’s daughter Rumer’s post.Meanwhile, Aaron Paul wrote that Bruce is “such a damn legend” in his comment before adding: “Love you so much my friend! [love heart emoji] Sending hugs to you and that beautiful family of yours,” before finishing with: “Your pops is such a damn legend.”To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here.That 70s Show star Wilmer Valderrama also penned: “Sending you all my love,” while Dancing With The Stars Sharna Burgess replied: “Sending you all so much love,” followed by a love heart emoji.

Kimberli Jones has been charged with kidnapping for allegedly trying to steal a child from a woman in a Colorado Walmart (Alamosa County Sheriff's Office) A woman in Colorado has been arrested and charged after allegedly trying to kidnap a young child from a mother inside a Walmart but was stopped by quick thinking shoppers.The city of Alamosa, Colorado posted on Facebook that the police department responded to a call of a kidnapping in progress on Thursday and discovered a woman had grabbed a child who didn’t belong to her from a shopping cart."Due to the quick actions of citizens within the store at the time of the incident, they were able to restrain the suspect until law enforcement arrived and reunited the young child back safely to parents," the post said.The suspect has been identified as 50-year-old Kimberli Jones from Blanca, Colorado.POLICE SAY 'GOOD SAMARITAN' PREVENTED FURTHER LOSS OF LIFE IN INDIANA MALL SHOOTING: 'TACTICALLY SOUND'Jones has been charged with kidnapping, menacing, child abuse, and disorderly conduct.The kidnapping, menacing, and child abuse charges are felonies while the disorderly conduct charge is a misdemeanor. ARMED FLORIDA GOOD SAMARITANS DETAIN MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED, SHOT AT 2 WOMENPolice say the crime was an isolated incident and that the public should not be worried."The Alamosa Police Department would like to thank the brave citizens, Wal-Mart staff, and community for the quick response and for being alert," the post said. LINK: Get updates and more on this story at foxnews.com.

NEW BRIGHTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - Rose Smith, a 5-year-old New Brighton girl, is one of 160 Minnesotans with Angelman Syndrome, a rare neurogenic disorder that impacts about one in 15,000 to 20,000 people worldwide. Rose is a bright, beautiful, loving little girl who is always smiling and giggling."She laughs at all your jokes, and it’s consistent, it’s not like she has an off day," Rose's mother Sierra said. Being almost always happy, with no real tantrums or anger, is one of the wonderful things about Angelman Syndrome. But there are so many challenges her parents face, day and night. Angelman Syndrome is an issue that affects the 15th chromosome. For Rose and others, it means she doesn’t talk at all, there are balance issues, fine motor skills can be a problem, she has seizures and hyperactivity.

(Reuters) – Sri Lanka and India will sign a pact to link their power grids and start negotiations on an upgraded trade agreement within two months, a Sri Lankan diplomat said on Wednesday (15), as the island nation seeks a way out of its worst economic crisis in decades.India has provided some $4 billion in assistance to its southern neighbour since the crisis hit early last year, but Sri Lanka is now seeking to enhance trade and investments as it moves to close a $2.9 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund, the country's envoy to New Delhi told Reuters."We have to have growth, otherwise basically the economy will shrink," Milinda Moragoda, the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India said."As far as growth is concerned, India offers that prospect. So we will have to move on that.

sex-specific differences in a type of immune cell called regulatory T cells, or "Treg cells," and in the production of proteins called antibodies. The "humeral response," the production of antibodies, is dysregulated in Covid-19. Treg cells were suspected to be responsible for this, as their role in the immune system is to regulate other immune cells and suppress their activities to control the strength of the immune response.

Bloomberg: The International Monetary Fund said its approval for a $2.9 billion loan to bail out crisis-riddled Sri Lanka will depend on the island nation securing assurances on debt relief from its bilateral creditors.“Sri Lanka continues to engage with official bilateral creditors to obtain financing assurances and also continues to advance domestic reforms,” an IMF spokesperson said in a statement on the progress of its Extended Fund Facility to the South Asian nation. “As soon as adequate assurances are obtained and remaining requirements are met, including by the Sri Lankan authorities, the EFF arrangement for Sri Lanka can be presented to the IMF’s Executive Board for approval.”The Paris Club – an informal group of rich western creditors — and India have provided formal support to the multilateral lender for the loan recast, leaving China — Sri Lanka’s biggest lender — as a holdout.

Paul Rudd is sharing the great news regarding Jeremy Renner‘s recovery!

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The National Election Commission said that it cannot be satisfied with the status of investigations taking place with regard to the death threats made to three members of the NEC.A senior official at the National Election Commission speaking to News 1st said that various factions are continuing to make undue influence on the NEC in order to delay the Local Government Elections.He added that certain state officials, attached to several State Institutions that should be involved in ensuring a Free & Fair election takes place, are neglecting their duties.The Senior Official said that those who appointed the state officials who are neglecting their duties must be held accountable for the dereliction of duty.The Chairman of the National Election Commission, Attorney Nimal Punshihewa has requested the President to intervene over the death threats made to the members of the National Election Commission.The NEC Chairman in a letter to the President requested that an environment favourable to conduct a free and fair election be created.News 1st also inquired from the Criminal Investigations Department on the progress made with regard to the investigations on the death threats made to members of the National Election Commission.A Senior Official at the CID said that investigations revealed that the threatening phone calls were made from Dubai.He said that a telecommunication analysis reports has been called for from the service providers.