VAT Bill: SC says bill as a whole not inconsistent

Foxconn Technology Group‘s November revenue dropped 11% from a year earlier after shipments from Zhengzhou, China, the world’s biggest iPhone assembly site, were affected by a Covid-19 outbreak, the company said Monday.

A study published in The Lancet has said that the symptoms of long Covid may change in children and the younger population over time. For the study, the researchers asked children in the age group of 11 to 17 how their health was six months and 12 months after taking the PCR tests. They were also asked to recall their symptoms when they took the tests.

Matt Hancock has accused former Scots bra tycoon Michelle Mone of sending him a "threatening" message after a firm she was helping did not secure a deal during the covid pandemic.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation on Monday (5) announced that the price of a liter of Auto Diesel will be reduced by Rs. 10/-.Accordingly, the new price of a Liter of Auto Diesel will be Rs.

₹1,584 crore." He added that under the Namami Gange programme, the project of natural farming is going on along the banks of the Ganges, while the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and all Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), Central and State Agricultural Universities and Colleges are making all-round efforts to promote natural farming.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A scholarship program utilizing funds from the President’s Fund has been initiated under the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe for students who have passed the G.C. E.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  Minister of Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando said that a new mobile application will be introduced for the safety of tourists coming to Sri Lanka while promoting the tourism industry.The Minister stated the above at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Tourism and Lands held recently (30) at the Parliament.The Minister said he hopes to use this mobile application in January.The Minister further explained that through this application, tourists can be allowed to check their location, and if they get lost or need to take some safety measures, they can access the app for instructions.The Minister also said that for the safety of tourists, a tourist police team will be stationed at every beach with tourist attractions.Harin Fernando also mentioned that it is planned to bring 1.5 million tourists to Sri Lanka, especially in the year 2023.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Central Bank of Sri Lanka noted that the speculation that expatriate Sri Lankans' remittances to the country are taxed and forcibly converted into Sri Lankan Rupees is completely unfounded.In a statement, it added that there are no taxes on remittances, and expatriate Sri Lankans are free to hold such remittances in foreign currency form in their bank accounts.They can also convert such remittances into Sri Lankan rupees at their discretion, said the Central Bank.It added that expatriate Sri Lankans can continue to enjoy the current incentives without any charge whatsoever.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Police discovered seven packets of narcotic pills in a canteen at a school in Gampaha.38 narcotic pills were discovered on the school premises which is located in the Malwathuhiripitiya area in Gampaha.Police arrested a woman over the discovery of the narcotic pills, and said investigations were underway.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The 3rd term for all government and government-approved schools began on Monday (5).The 2nd term for all government and government-approved schools ended last Friday (2).Schools will be closed on the 22nd for Christmas and New Year holidays, and schools will start again on the 2nd of January 2023.Further, schools will be closed on the 20th of January 2023 due to the GCE Advanced Level Examination and will start again on the 20th of February 2023.The admission of students for the intermediate classes for 2022 has been suspended with effect from today (5).The Ministry of Education said that students will be accepted to the intermediate classes in 2023 after the end of the third school term of 2022 on March 24, 2023.The Ministry of Education says that it will operate only according to the circulars issued by the Ministry of Education.

(With inputs from PTI)

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Food Security say that steps have been taken to discuss reducing the prices of school equipment & stationery with importers and local manufacturers.Minister Nalin Fernando said that he has informed the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) to discuss the matter and submit a report.Meanwhile, the Chairman of the All Ceylon Communication Owners' Association Indrajith Perera said that the price of office stationery is also skyrocketing given the present economic situation in the country.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has approved power cuts of 2 hours and 20 minutes on 05th December as follows;Groups ABCDEFGHIJKLPQRSTUVW: 1-hour during daytime 1-hour 20-minutes during the night

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Department of Meteorology says that several spells of showers will occur in Northern, Eastern and North-Central provinces.Showers or thundershowers will occur elsewhere during the afternoon or night.Fairly heavy showers above 75mm are likely at some places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts.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:Showers or thundershowers will occur in several places in the sea areas off the coast extending from Batticaloa to Pottuvil. Showers or thundershowers will occur in the other sea areas around the island during the afternoon or night.Winds:Winds will be north-easterly and speed will be (25-35) kmph.State of Sea:The sea areas around the island will be slight to moderate.Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas can be expected during thundershowers.

Health insurance aims to protect against uncertain... moreHealth insurance aims to protect against uncertain risks and meet health emergency requirements.

People who get Covid after being vaccinated three times tend to display similar symptoms, medical experts have discovered.

Social Work staff from justice services and representatives from Police Scotland, NHS, Education, Housing and third sector gathered at Motherwell Concert Hall recently for the first in-person Justice Conference since 2019.

STRICTLY Come Dancing fans think the right person was eliminated tonight as Kym Marsh became the tenth celebrity to leave the ballroom. The former Coronation Street actress, 43, was given a bye last week after falling ill with Covid, but despite being back to full health, Kym and pro partner Graziano di Prima were sent home after a dance-off with Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu. CBBC star Molly performed a Charleston to Hot Honey Rag from the musical Chicago, while Kym performed a Cha Cha to Fame from the musical Fame.

Covid-19 update: The death toll has climbed to 5,30,6278 with one fatality being reported from Odisha, data updated at 8 am stated. India has logged 226 new Covid infections in a day taking the tally of cases to 4.46 crore while active caseload has declined by 68 to reach 4,529, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Sunday.

We LOVE Marie Osmond! And Perez does NOT love this basic yellow American mustard!

Kym Marsh has become the tenth celebrity booted off Strictly Come Dancing after battling Molly Rainford in the dance-off. The Coronation Street star faced the axe alongside her professional partner Graziano Di Prima after an intense dance-off with the CBBC star and pro Carlos Gu.

Colombo (News 1st) – There is a rapid increase in the rate of Colorectal Cancer among both men and women across the country, the Sri Lanka College of Oncologists raised the alarm on Saturday (Dec. 03). "In Sri Lanka, the number of Cancer cases detected per year is increasing.

The World Health organization (WHO) estimated that 9% of the world population now had some resistance to Covid-19, but warned that a troubling new variant could still emerge. "WHO estimates that at least 90 percent of the world's population now has some level of immunity to SARS-CoV-2, due to prior infection or vaccination," said Tedros, referring to the virus that causes Covid-19 disease. WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said gaps in vigilance were leaving the door open for a new virus variant to appear and overtake the globally dominant Omicron.

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

STRICTLY star Kym Marsh is returning for the Quarter Finals TONIGHT after she was forced to miss last's live show week due to Covid. Actress Kym Marsh, 46, began training again this week and will return to Strictly Come Dancing as she and pro partner Graziano, 28, perform a Cha Cha Cha for Musicals Week tonight. Meanwhile, former frontrunner Hamza Yassin's odds of winning Strictly 2022 have fallen away as new data reveals he’s no longer the show's favourite star.

GOOD Morning Britain host Kate Garraway gave an emotional update on Derek Draper's health this morning. The 55-year-old star appeared on Lorraine Kelly's show with co-host Ben Shephard when she opened up about her husband. Derek was taken to intensive care with Covid in March 2020 and only allowed home in April the following year.

(Reuters) – International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday that she will travel to Beijing next week with heads of other international institutions to press for quicker action on debt relief for poor and developing countries.The meetings with the country's leadership will focus on China's economic, COVID-19 and debt relief policies and will include officials from China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China, the IMF said."This is the first time, hopefully, we will be able to sit together and discuss the very pressing issues that China, and the world are faced with," Georgieva told the Reuters NEXT conference.Georgieva said that during the Beijing meetings she intends to discuss ways to accelerate China's participation in debt relief for poor and developing countries as the world's largest official bilateral creditor."I am very hopeful that when we have a chance next week to discuss these issues, we will continue on a path of finding better solutions and strengthening the capacity of the common framework to deliver," she said, referring to G20 countries' slow-to-launch common debt restructuring framework.World Bank President David Malpass told the conference that he would join the discussions in Beijing, along with officials from the World Trade Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and others.Georgieva and Malpass have both called for reforms of the common framework to offer heavily indebted countries a freeze in debt service payments when they apply for debt relief and clearer timelines for reaching agreement on debt treatments.Asked if China's slowing growth would limit its appetite for agreeing to debt reductions, Georgieva said she hoped

A new study has revealed that teenagers had a tremendous impact on their mental health due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings claimed that pandemic-related stressors have physically aged the brains of adolescents.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Parliamentarian & Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka told Parliament on Friday (2) that the project to dig trenches as a solution to the Human-Elephant Conflict is a failure.Sarath Fonseka said that a ruling party MP from Ampara had proposed for trenches to be dug as a solution to the human-elephant conflict.Fonseka said warned that digging up a trench that is 10 feet wide and 10 feet deep would pose a direct threat to the river systems in the country.He added that even though the Department of Wildlife Conservation had not approved the project on technicalities, a 55-kilometer-long trench has been dug up, and the allegation is that the project is being used to illegally remove soil and sand.His comments were met with strong opposition from the ruling party in the house.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva told Reuters Next on Friday (2) that changes to the G20 Common Framework on debt restructuring were needed to speed up debt treatments, freeze debt service payments once a country requested help, and open the process to middle-income countries like Sri Lanka."We are concerned that there is a risk for confidence in debt resolution to be eroded at a time when the level of debt is very high," Georgieva said."We don't see at this point … a risk of a systemic debt crisis," she said, adding that countries in debt distress were not large enough to trigger a crisis that would threaten financial stability.Source: Reuters

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The 3rd term for all Government & Government-approved schools will commence on Monday (5).The Education Ministry's Additional Secretary for School Affairs Lalitha Egodawala speaking to News 1st said that the 2nd term concluded on Thursday (1) and Friday (2) was declared a holiday for all schools.Christmas holidays for schools will commence on the 22nd of December, and schools will re-open on the 2nd of January 2023.Thereafter, schools will close for a month from 20th January to 20th February 2023 for the G.C.E.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's State Ministry of Higher Education says the cut-off marks for university entrance based on the results of the recent A/L examination will be released today (2). The Ministry further said that it has planned to enrol 44,000 students in the universities this year based on the cut-off marks.Over 85,000 students applied for admission to state universities this year.The selected students are scheduled to start their academic activities in each university in January 2023.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – It has been reported that the Sri Lankan government had taken a decision to restructure domestic debt.This was revealed in the first-ever report produced by the Sub-Committee in identifying short and medium-term programmes related Economic Stabilization of the National Council.Appointment of the Sub-Committee:The Resolution to constitute the National Council, moved by Dinesh Gunawardena, the Prime Minister was approved by Parliament on 20th of September 2022.According to the above Resolution, the National Council shall have general responsibilities and jurisdiction over three main areas. One of them is to agree on short and medium-term common minimum programmes in respect of the stabilization of the economy.At the first meeting of the National Council which was held on 29th of September 2022, the Secretary-General of Parliament, presenting the way forward of the Council, suggested to appoint a Sub-Committee to recognize short and mediumterm programmes for the stabilization of the economy. The members of the SubCommittee were announced as per the preferences indicated by them at the Second meeting of the National Council which was held on 6th of October 2022.The committee is chaired by Patali Champika Ranawaka and includes MPs Naseer Ahamed, Tiran Alles, Sisira Jayakody, Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan, Wajira Abeywardana,  A.

However, the Centre suggested that passengers should preferably use them Mask no more compulsory during air travel but passengers should preferably use them: Govt.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The principal of the Millaniya Primary School, the Millaniya Police Inspector, and a Police Sergeant who were arrested and remanded for torturing children, were released on bail by Colombo Additional Magistrate Keminda Perera.The suspects were released on two personal bails of Rs.

 COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said calling for applications to appoint civil society members to the Constitutional Council is not in accordance with the 21st Amendment to the Constitution.Recently the Sri Lanka Parliament said that applications are called for the appointment of Members, who are not members of Parliament to the Constitutional Council proposed by the 21st Amendment.Applications are called from persons of eminence and integrity who have distinguished themselves in public or professional life and who are not members of any political party, to be considered for the appointment as Members of the Constitutional Council which is to be established under the provisions of Article 41A of the Constitution of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, said the statement.However, Justice Minister said that the 21st Amendment to the Constitution does not allow for such appointments via application, and the appointment of the civil society members to the Constitutional Council should be done by the Speaker, Prime Minister, and the Opposition Leader.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Ex-Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra and 14 others who were arrested on Monday (14) were released on personal bail of Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ministry of Justice says that steps have been taken to forward the anti-corruption bill to all party leaders and civil organizations.Justice Minister Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The upcoming appropriation bill, which is due to be presented on Monday (14), will focus on more aid for the people, said the State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. Speaking at a press briefing on Sunday (13), the State Minister said that defense expenditure will be decreased at this time while more will be allocated for social security.Accordingly, the State Minister said that Defense expenditure has been decreased to Rs. 410 billion, while social security has been allocated Rs.

Which areas will be given more attention in this year's budget?The State Minister of Finance stated that special attention will be paid to cover the bills which have so far remained unpaid, and will also include an aid program for the country's poor.Moreover, the State Minister Semasinghe said that more avenues for the promotion of tourism sector, the promotion of other sectors which function to increase the country's foreign exchange revenue will also be other areas which the bill would focus upon. The State expenditure will be mitigated, while loss-making entities will also be focused upon in this budget, he added.What of IMF negotiations?Meanwhile, State Minister Semasinghe stated that bilateral creditors of the country will continue to hold negotiations, while the Government expects to set the grounds to obtain the IMF Director board's approval by December. He stressed that NO country or any bilateral creditor party is acting on the premise of not extending its support towards Sri Lanka. The third set of negotiations with the IMF authorities will be initiated on 17th November, the State Minister added.

LINO LAKES, Minn. (FOX 9) - Today, 21-month-old Gabi is a happy and healthy girl who loves playing with her big sister and her parents.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A special meeting was held in Parliament to discuss the draft bill for the establishment of the Budget Office of the Parliament.The special meeting was attended by the Party leaders and members of the Committee on Parliamentary Business.    The Members of Parliament who were present had a lengthy discussion on the draft bill related to the establishment of the budget office of the parliament. Also, it was decided to meet again in two weeks after further study of this bill.

I'M A Celebrity viewers turned on Babatúndé Aléshé after saying he believed a bonkers conspiracy theory about the Covid vaccine - before making a VERY quick U-turn. The Celebrity Gogglebox star was having a frank discussion with Matt Hancock MP about rumours that swirled during the coronavirus pandemic. Babatunde told Matt: “I’m a conspiracy theorist.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe President told the Parliament on Thursday (10) that the IMF had requested not to release the agreement reached between Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund until the current round of negotiations are complete.The President said that previously when the country approached the IMF, talks were only with the International Monetary Fund, however, this time around discussions need to take place with other countries as well."Japan is speaking India and China because they are not members of the Paris Club. Amendments may take place," the President told the house"IMF says don't release it till we finish this round of negotiations. I won't put anyone in to trouble.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Committee on Parliamentary Business has decided to appoint a special committee consisting of four members to further study and make recommendations regarding the establishment of three Standing Committees to be established. This was decided at the Committee on Parliamentary Business held recently.Accordingly, the Committee on Banking and Financial Services, the Committee on Ways and Means, and the Committee on Economic Stabilization are expected to be established as new standing committees.Accordingly, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry, Members of Parliament (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, M. A.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – MP Premnath C.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  Dr. Harsha De Silva is the Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance and he told the Parliament on Tuesday (8) that the state expenses would increase by Rs.

Sri Lankan cricket star Danushka Gunathilaka will remain behind bars after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Sydney's eastern suburbs during the T20 World Cup.   Gunathilaka unsuccessfully applied for bail in Downing Centre Local Court on Monday in a hearing that was closed to the public. Police had been granted a suppression order restricting access on what could be reported about the 31-year-old's alleged crimes.The top-order batsman spent Sunday night behind bars after being charged with raping a 29-year-old Australian woman.He faces four counts of sexual intercourse without consent allegedly committed over a two-hour period at Rose Bay on November 2. Gunathilaka appeared in the Downing Centre by audio-visual link from Surry Hills police station.