Opposition protests in Parliament demanding Local Government Election; Sessions adjourned to Wednesday (22)

EGG HARBOR TWP. N.J. - There’s a battle over pigs and chickens going on in Egg Harbor Township. A family with four rescued pigs and several chickens has been given a notice to get rid of them because they are a violation of township ordinances.

HATBORO, Pa. - A Hatboro woman has been charged with Ethnic Intimidation and Harassment after a racist rant at a Hatboro pizza shop was caught on camera by an employee and police were called to investigate, Montgomery County officials announced.Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele and Hatboro Police Chief James Gardner made the announcement Friday that Hatboro resident Rita Bellew was charged after an investigation due to an incident at Amy’s Family Pizzeria February 23rd.Hatboro police responded to the restaurant just before 6 p.m. on the 23rd, because of a disturbance.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Friday (3) issued an interim order on the country's Finance Secretary, and the Attorney General who represents the Finance Minister preventing them from withholding any funds allocated by the 2023 Budget for the Local Government Poll 2023.The interim order was issued after permission was granted to examine an application that was filed by General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya Ranjith Madduma Bandara.The application was taken up in the presence of Supreme Court Justices P.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that a change of government can only be brought about through a parliamentary election and the streets is not an option for parliament.He made this comment on Friday (3) while participating in the Air Force cadets and other officers Passing Out Parade at the Trincomalee Air Force Base today."When you passed out today, you had to take an oath under the constitution. You also undertook an oath of the Sri Lanka Air Force in public. These two oaths underline your primary responsibility.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Election Commission will meet on Friday (3) to decide on the Local Government Election.The 2023 Local Government Election was scheduled to take place on the 9th of March, however, it was postponed indefinitely due to various issues, including the lack of funding.However, the Election Commission is expected to announce the next date of the Local Government Election following Friday's (3) meeting.

SEASIDE PARK, N.J. - As dead whales continue to wash ashore on the U.S. East Coast — and particularly the Jersey Shore — officials and academics are planning a wide array of monitoring and research aimed at preventing or minimizing harm to whales and other marine life during construction and operation of offshore wind farms.A dead whale washed ashore Thursday in New Jersey, a day after another was found in New York amid a continuing wave of whale deaths along the East Coast.

LONDON - Britain's domestic intelligence agency didn't act swiftly enough on key information and missed a significant opportunity to prevent the suicide bombing that killed 22 people at a 2017 Ariana Grande concert in northwest England, an inquiry found Thursday.Retired judge John Saunders, who led the inquiry into the Manchester Arena attack, said that one MI5 officer admitted they considered intelligence about suicide bomber Salman Abedi to be a possible national security concern but didn't discuss it with colleagues quickly enough."I have found a significant missed opportunity to take action that might have prevented the attack," Saunders said.In a rare televised statement, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum, who normally keeps a low public profile, said he was "profoundly sorry that MI5 did not prevent the attack.""Gathering covert intelligence is difficult, but had we managed to seize the slim chance we had, those impacted might not have experienced such appalling loss and trauma," McCallum said.Abedi, 22, set off a knapsack bomb in the arena’s foyer at the end of the May 22, 2017 concert, as thousands of young fans, including many children, were leaving the pop star’s show. More than 100 people were injured.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The International Monetary Fund Mission in Sri Lanka says that efforts to increase tax revenues should be pursued in a growth-friendly manner while protecting the poor and most vulnerable. Peter Breuer, Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, and Masahiro Nozaki, Mission Chief for Sri Lanka noted that it is however also important that those who can most afford it, make commensurate contributions to the financing of the necessary government expenditures. The tax package the authorities have introduced, including the new tax rate schedule for the personal income tax, helps to meet these objectives, the statement added.Peter Breuer, Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, and Masahiro Nozaki, Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, also noted that the tax rates proposed under the authorities’ program are also in line with international comparison.In response to recent media questions around income tax hikes in Sri Lanka, the statement noted that Tax reforms are needed to correct this imbalance. "Only with appropriate tax receipts will the Government will be able to fund essential expenditures, and avoid further slashing of critically important outlays. These reforms will also help regain confidence of creditors," it added."The current economic crisis has a number of origins, including the government’s inability to meet government spending needs through its revenue collections.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board said that Russia has put forward a proposal to build a nuclear power plant in Sri Lanka, and has also put forward an agreement for this purpose.Professor S.R.D. Rosa, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board, said this is a government to government program.Cabinet approval was given to consider nuclear energy as an alternative to meet Sri Lanka's future energy needs.

COLOMBO; The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is working together with the Ministry of Agriculture to increase the productivity and resilience of the rice-based ecosystems in the Dry and Intermediate Zones of Sri Lanka.Seventy-five percent of the 890,000 hectares of agricultural land used for Paddy farming in Sri Lanka is under smallholder farmers. Despite the country’s potential, the productivity in major growing ecosystems in Sri Lanka (the Dry and Intermediate Zones) has been stagnant or declining over the last 10 years. This is in contrast to the increase in productivity seen in other paddy-growing countries in Asia.If paddy productivity is increased by just 10 percent in the Dry and Intermediate zones, Sri Lanka will produce an extra 0.5 million tonnes.

The annual Kachchativu Feast is set to take place on the 03rd and 04th of March 2023 on the Kachchativu Island. Kachchativu is a small islet belongs to Sri Lanka, located near the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) of Sri Lanka and India. The main mass of the annual feast will be conducted by the Bishop of Jaffna Diocese, Rt.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was provided “multiple” intelligence briefs regarding Beijing’s role in Canada’s 2019 and 2021 federal elections, Trudeau’s national security and intelligence adviser confirmed Thursday at a multi-partisan committee on foreign interference.

3 min read The Australian Government’s announcement of $26 million of investment in LGBTIQA+ health research, announced at Sydney WorldPride 2023 Human Rights Conference has been welcomed by many rainbow groups.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Human Rights Commission said it would be conducting a special investigation over the delay in conducting the Local Government Election. A spokesperson said that several complaints have been filed with the HRCSL over the matter, and thus an investigation will be carried out.The spokesperson said that members of the National Election Commission would be summoned to inquire in to the matter.

FILE - This photograph taken with a fish-eye lens in Paris on March 1, 2023 shows the social media application logo TikTok. (Photo by JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images) TikTok said Wednesday that every account held by a user under the age of 18 will have a default 60-minute daily screen time limit in the coming weeks.

U.S. suggestions that the COVID-19 pandemic may have been triggered by a virus that leaked from a Chinese laboratory.Responding to comments by FBI Director Christopher Wray, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the involvement of the U.S.

For the second day in a row, China on Wednesday dismissed U.S. suggestions that the Covid-19 pandemic may have been triggered by a virus that leaked from a Chinese laboratory. Responding to comments by FBI Director Christopher Wray, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the involvement of the U.S.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The price of a liter of kerosene will be reduced by Rs. 50/- with effect from midnight on Wednesday (1).The new price of a liter of kerosene is Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee has urged the Government of Sri Lanka to hold free and fair local elections without delay.In a tweet, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee noted that any effort to take away the voice of the people of Sri Lanka is undeniably undemocratic & a direct violation of Sri Lankans’ rights.Sri Lanka's Election Commission recently said that the Local Government Election scheduled for March 9th was postponed due to reasons beyond its control.The Election Commission is expected to meet on Thursday (3) to reach a final decision on the Local Government Election that has faced numerous obstacles since it was announced.About the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee: The Senate Foreign Relations Committee was established in 1816 as one of the original ten standing committees of the Senate.

Also Read: GOP launches probe into COVID origins with letter to Fauci The FBI has experts who focus on biological threats, including the danger of novel viruses like COVID-19 falling into the wrong hands, whether that be "bad guys", a hostile nation state, terrorists or criminals, Wray explained. He noted that the Chinese government had been actively working to hinder investigations into the virus's origins.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Elite Police Force, the Police Special Task Force, celebrates its 40th anniversary on Wednesday (1).Here's a look at the history of this elite force, that was intrumental in countering terror attacks, and maintaining the peace.At the beginning of the early 1980s, with the emergence of terrorist activities in the North and East, the Police in the course of their duties had to face armed attacks carried out by the terrorists. The terrorist attacks resulted in the killing of police personnel, attacks on Police Stations and assassinations of VIPP. Hence the necessity arose for the formation of a special military arm within the Police Service to counter terrorist activities.In the light of the above situation, a Special Committee was appointed to investigate the police functions in the past to combat terrorism and its shortcomings.The Ranasinghe Committee report recommended the need to establish a Special Strike Force to assist the Police Department, as the existing special units were not effective to meet the terrorists’ attacks.Thereafter the Government of Sri Lanka requested the Police Department to release 60 personnel to form a Special Force and obtained the services of Major Ananda Weerasekara, Major Sumith Rohan Manawadu of the SLA (in 2015 both held the rank of Major General). After the initial training at Katukurunda combat training was given at Army Combat Training School at Ampara. After the training period, this group served under the leadership of ASP Bodhi Liyanage. Initially they were given training in the use of 303 Rifles and S.L.R.

NHS campaigners will today hand a coronavirus dossier to police on Nicola Sturgeon, calling for her to be investigated for corporate homicide.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Leader of Political Parties represented in the Sri Lankan Parliament are expected to meet Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Thursday (1).The meeting will be centered on the letter addressed to the Speaker by the Election Commission that sought intervention to secure funding for the Local Government Election 2023.In addition, the next parliament week and the agenda are also likely to be discussed.The opposition leader, and a group of opposition MPs met the Speaker on Tuesday (28) to discuss on the future steps that would be taken with regard to the letter sent by the Election Commission seeking intervention for funds.The opposition leader, and a group of opposition MPs had informed the Speaker that the Finance Secretary should be summoned to the Parliament for an inquiry over the letter sent by the Election Commission. They requested the speaker to summon parliament immediately to discuss this matter.SJB MPs and MPs representing the People's Freedom Alliance called on the speaker for this meeting.

Shoppers are seen in a Kroger supermarket on October 14, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia. - Economic prospects are becoming "more pessimistic" in the United States on growing worries of weaker demand, the Federal Reserve said in a report October 19, 2022, WASHINGTON - Nearly 30 million Americans who got extra government help with grocery bills during the pandemic will soon see that aid shrink — and there’s a big push to make sure they’re not surprised.Officials in 32 states and other jurisdictions have been using texts, voicemails, snail mail, flyers and social media posts — all in multiple languages — to let recipients know that their extra food stamps end after February's payments."One of the scenarios you don’t want to see is the first time they’re aware of it is in the checkout line at the grocery store," said Ellen Vollinger, an official with the Food Research & Action Center, a nonprofit organization.For the average recipient, the change will mean about $90 less per month, though for many, it could be much more, an analysis shows.

Reading, PA - May 10: Pennsylvania State Rep and Democratic Leader Joanna E. McClinton speaks in front of Reading City Hall. After a tour through downtown Reading, Pennsylvania and Reading's Keystone Opportunity Zone with Pennsylvania House of Repres HARRISBURG, Pa. - Philadelphia state Rep.

NEW DELHI : Over 25 crore health records of individuals have been linked to their Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), the Union Health Ministry said on Tuesday.  This is another milestone for the National Health Authority (NHA) under its flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) in building a digitally connected healthcare ecosystem.  “These records can be easily accessed and managed by the individuals using any of the ABDM-enabled health apps. The digitally available health records will enable the ABHA holders in availing paper-less health services across the ABDM network," the ministry added.  Individuals can use their Personal Health Records (PHR) apps to access their records across different health facilities like hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs etc.

What Does the New Office Look Like? Offices were heavily revamped to fit COVID-19 regulations instilled by the Government of India. Those changes were either physical changes made in the infrastructure of office spaces or in the functionality of work spaces. Here are the major changes that occurred on systemic, physical, and disciplinary levels.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Cabinet of Minister granted approval for the establishment of National Contributory Pension Fund.According to a document released by the Department of Government Information, the Cabinet has recognized that is appropriate to establish a fund named National Contributory Pension Fund to ensure an appropriate environment is created for public sector employees to spend their retired life without being a burden to the country as well as to provide a pension with a certain profit for the retired life of the state sector pensioners. Accordingly, 8% from the basic salary of the employee and 12% from the employer should be credited to the proposed fund when a state employee is recruited in the state service, it added.An independent entity governed by a board of management to manage the proposed contributory pension fund will be established and a fund manager with special skills will be appointed for management of the funds. The proposed national contributory pension scheme will be applicable to the individuals newly recruited  to the government service, said Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Bandula Gunwardena on Tuesday (28).Those recruited to government service after the month of January  2016 can contribute to the proposed national contributory pension scheme as per their consent, said the statement from the Departmnet of Government Information."Since 2000, all public sector appointment letters carry the clause that they would be moved to the National Contributory Pension Scheme in the future. Therefore, this National Contributory Pension Scheme applies to all those who were recruited since 2016.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The opposition leader, and a group of opposition MPs met the Speaker on Tuesday (28) to discuss on the future steps that would be taken with regard to the letter sent by the Election Commission seeking intervention for funds.The meeting took place at the Parliament Complex.The opposition leader, and a group of opposition MPs had informed the Speaker that the Finance Secretary should be summoned to the Parliament for an inquiry over the letter sent by the Election Commission.They requested the speaker to summon parliament immediately to discuss this matter.SJB MPs and MPs representing the People's Freedom Alliance called on the speaker today for this meeting.

Chinese laboratory leak, the White House on Monday asserted that there is no definitive conclusion on the origin of Covid-19, according to the news agency ANI.  Speaking to media persons at a daily White House news conference, National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said that the intelligence community and the government are still looking at the Covid-19 origin theory.  “There's not been a definitive conclusion, so it's difficult for me to say, nor should I feel like I should have to defend press reporting about a possible preliminary indication here," he said.  Kirby was responding to questions on the findings of the Department of Energy that a lab leak most likely caused the Covid-19 pandemic, which was first reported in The Wall Street Journal over the weekend. He further said that President Joe Biden made trying to find Covid origin a priority right when he came into office.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Application are called for the scholarship program offered by the Government of India for 2023/2024.The Indian High Commission in Colombo said Sri Lankan students can register for the program until the 8th of March 2023.The Government of India is offering more than 150 fully-paid scholarships to students from Sri Lanka.The Nehru Memorial Scholarship Scheme will be offering 75 undergraduate scholarships, 10 postgraduate scholarships, and 5 PhD scholarships.The Moulana Azad Scholarship Scheme will be offering 45 postgraduate scholarships in Engineering, Science, and Agriculture.The Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship Scheme will be offering 20 undergraduate scholarships in IT, Engineering, and Technology.Details can be obtained by emailing [email protected]  

Sri Lanka was expecting its long-standing ties with Saudi Arabia to grow stronger, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said on Monday, after meeting with a delegation from the Saudi Fund for Development.Sabry hosted the Saudi delegation led by Mohammed Almasoud, the SFD’s director of central and west Asia operations, in the capital Colombo and said Sri Lanka was grateful for the fund’s “continuous assistance despite challenges” as well its support on an extension of an International Monetary Fund loan.“The longstanding Sri Lanka-Saudi bilateral relationship will grow from strength to strength,” Sabry said in a tweet.The minister visited the Kingdom last month, discussing with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan ways to boost economic and energy cooperation between the two countries.Sabry had then presented Sri Lanka as a gateway to not only south Asia but the rest of the continent – an “ideal place” to do business. His trip followed a series of high-level engagements by Sri Lankan officials with the Kingdom last year.During Monday’s meeting, the Saudi government pledged to continue providing financial assistance for projects in Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan lawmaker Mohamed Shariff Thowfeek said after taking part in the talks.“This was a great gesture from the Saudi government at a time when some countries have stopped their aid in the midst of the economic crisis,” Thowfeek told Arab News.The SFD has given at least 15 development loans worth $425 million to Sri Lanka, which have financed various projects in water, energy, health, roads, and education.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Ballot paper printing has been delayed indefinitely.The Government Printer said that issues surrounding the date of the Local Government Election, and the lack of facilities to continue printing ballot papers, prompted the decision to delay the printing of ballot papers indefinitely.The Government Printer also said that the ballot papers that have been printed already have been placed in a secure location.The printing of ballot papers faced continuous interruptions due to the lack of proper police protection, lack of funding and related issues.The Government Printer said that if the necessary facilities are provided, the printing of ballot papers can be completed between 25 and 30 days. 

WASHINGTON (AP) - The White House is giving all federal agencies 30 days to wipe TikTok off all government devices, as the Chinese-owned social media app comes under increasing scrutiny in Washington over security concerns.The Office of Management and Budget calls the guidance, issued Monday, a "critical step forward in addressing the risks presented by the app to sensitive government data." Some agencies, including the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security and State, already have restrictions in place; the guidance calls on the rest of the federal government to follow suit within 30 days.The White House already does not allow TikTok on its devices."The Biden-Harris Administration has invested heavily in defending our nation’s digital infrastructure and curbing foreign adversaries’ access to Americans’ data," said Chris DeRusha, the federal chief information security officer. "This guidance is part of the Administration’s ongoing commitment to securing our digital infrastructure and protecting the American people’s security and privacy."The guidance was first reported by Reuters.Congress passed the "No TikTok on Government Devices Act" in December as part of a sweeping government funding package.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Amnesty International says that Sri Lankan Authorities must exercise restraint in use of force and facilitate the right to peaceful assembly.Responding to the news that one protestor had been killed and dozens injured as a result of the unlawful use of water cannons and tear gas by the police in Colombo in Sri Lanka on Sunday, Harindrini Corea, Regional Researcher for the Right to Protest at Amnesty International said, “It is worrying that even after months of widespread protests in the country, the Sri Lankan police needs to be constantly reminded of their duty to facilitate the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and exercise restraint in the use of force while policing assemblies.

Footage captured by a fixed camera in San Nicolas de los Ranchos, Mexico, shows the moment the eruption occurred at 22:36 on Friday evening. (Credit: Nicola Rustichelli via Storyful) Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano violently erupted last week, sending lava and ash thousands of feet into the air, and the explosive moment was caught on camera.Video recorded in San Nicolas de los Ranchos, Mexico, showed the exact moment the volcano exploded just after 10:30 p.m.

TORONTO - Canada is banning TikTok from all government-issued mobile devices and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it might be a first step to further action.The European Union’s executive branch said last week it has temporarily banned TikTok from phones used by employees as a cybersecurity measure. The EU’s action follows similar moves in the U.S., where more than half of the states and Congress have banned TikTok from official government devices.TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore. It has been targeted by critics who say the Chinese government could access user data, such as browsing history and location.

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 18: Former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes on November 18, 2022 in San Jose, California. Holmes appeared in federal court for sentencing after being convicted of four counts of fraud for allegedly engaging in a multimill Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes has given birth to her second child, court documents filed last week by the disgraced entrepreneur's defense team revealed.Holmes' attorneys cited the baby's birth in their latest request for a federal judge to allow her to remain out of prison while she appeals her federal fraud convictions, arguing in part that she is not a flight risk because of her close family ties.In pleading for U.S.

TikTok on all government-issued mobile devices, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier announced on Monday.Effective Tuesday, TikTok “will be removed from government-issued mobile devices,” Fortier said in a statement.“Following a review of TikTok, the Chief Information Officer of Canada determined that it presents an unacceptable level of risk to privacy and security,” she added.“The decision to remove and block TikTok from government mobile devices is being taken as a precaution, particularly given concerns about the legal regime that governs the information collected from mobile devices, and is in line with the approach of our international partners.” Read more: TikTok on government devices under assessment in Canada TikTok’s data collection methods on mobile devices provide “considerable access” to the contents of the phone, Fortier explained.“While the risks of using this application are clear, we have no evidence at this point that government information has been compromised,” she added.When pressed on the announcement during a press conference on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government is “looking carefully at how to ensure Canadians are kept safe online.”“We’re making the decision for government employees, for government equipment, it is better to not have them access TikTok because of the concerns that people have in terms of safety,” Trudeau said.“This may be a first step.

Jagmeet Singh is calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold a public inquiry into alleged Chinese election interference, joining several high-profile officials making the same ask.Singh, whose party is upholding Trudeau’s Liberal minority government, said in a statement Monday that while his party accepts the outcome of the 2021 election, serious allegations of foreign interference made in recent media reports need a “thorough, transparent and independent investigation.” Read more: Liberals ignored CSIS warning on 2019 candidate accused in Chinese interference probe, sources say Read next: ‘We kind of missed the landing’: Alberta premier on awkward handshake with prime minister “When Canadians learn about possible foreign interference through leaked documents, confidence in our democracy is put at risk,” Singh said.“The way to stop alleged secret Chinese interference is to refuse to keep their secrets for them.

HATBORO, Pa. - A viral video of a racist rant by a customer, yelling offensive things directed at the business owner, is posted on TikTok and has been viewed over and over, shared on multiple platforms and it’s sparking outrage."You feel frustrated. It’s something that I was not expecting," said Omar Quinones. He’s the owner of Amy’s Pizzeria in Hatboro.Captured on video, the woman is seen yelling, "You give me my money back! I'm not giving my money to some illegal immigrant."It happened at Amy’s Pizzeria, Thursday night.

SOCIETY HILL - On the final weekend of Black History Month, Philadelphia leaders welcomed Dr. Bernice King for a forum at the historic Mother Bethel A.M.E Church.Morgan Lloyd, with the African American Museum in Philadelphia, said the hope is people will take away a feeling of community and empowerment."Black History Month is a continual thing," said Lloyd. "We’re here at this historical institution that was one of the foundations for our Black abolitionists and a huge community here in the city.

COLOMBO (News 1st); An individual who was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital following the protest staged by the Jathika Jana Balavegaya in Colombo on Sunday (27) has died.General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva speaking to reporters in Colombo on Monday (27) said a peaceful protest by the JJB was attacked, and as a result of an attack around 28 people were hospitalized due to injuries. "Two people were in critical condition.

SOCIETY HILL - On the final weekend of Black History Month, Philadelphia leaders welcomed Dr. Bernice King for a forum at the historic Mother Bethel A.M.E Church.Morgan Lloyd, with the African American Museum in Philadelphia, said the hope is people will take away a feeling of community and empowerment."Black History Month is a continual thing," said Lloyd. "We’re here at this historical institution that was one of the foundations for our Black abolitionists and a huge community here in the city.

Colombo (News1st) – The Freedom People's Alliance staged a protest at the Welekade junction in Badulla on Sunday (26) demanding that elections be held. Parliamentarians representing the Freedom People's Alliance including Prof. G.L.

southern Italy at dawn Sunday, the Italian Coast Guard said."As of now, 80 persons were recovered alive — some of whom succeeded in reaching the shore after the shipwreck — and 43 bodies were found along the shore," the Coast Guard statement said shortly before noon.Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni said that the migrants were crowded into a 20-meter (66-foot) -long boat in "adverse weather conditions." In a statement released by her office, she expressed "her deep sorrow for the many human lives torn away by human traffickers.""It's inhumane to exchange the live of men, women and children for the ‘price’ of a ticket paid by them in the false prospect for a safe voyage," said Meloni, a far-right-wing leader whose governing allies includes the anti-migrant League party.She vowed to use her leadership to press for crackdowns on departures arranged by human smugglers and to press fellow European Union leaders to help Italy in her quest.A chunk of the boat, along with piles of splintered wood, littered the beach at Steccato di Cutro, part of Calabria's coastline along the Ionian sea. Some of the survivors tried to keep warm, wrapped in what appeared to be colorful blankets or sheets.Credit: Italian Red Cross via Storyful A helicopter and motorboats were deployed in search efforts, including vessels from state firefighters, border police and the coast guard.A Coast Guard motorboat rescued two men suffering from hypothermia and recovered the body of a boy in the rough seas, it said in a statement.

A hotel chain operated by the businessman bidding to buy Manchester United FC netted £3.1million in public Covid-19 grants - despite him being worth billions, it's been revealed.

Colombo (News1st) – 28 people have been hospitalised following the protest march organised by the Jathika Jana Balavegaya in Colombo on Sunday (26).Police fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the protest march which commenced at the Vihara Maha Devi Park in Colombo.The injured have been admitted to the National Hospital for treatment.The protest was held citing several concerns including delays in conducting the Local Government Election.Earlier in the day, the Fort Magistrate Court issued an order preventing a group of 26 including Leader of the Jathika Jana Balavegaya Anura Kumara Dissanayaka from entering areas around the President's Office, President House and Galle Face from 01 pm – 08 pm on Sunday (26).This was in reponse to a request made by the Fort, Kompannavidiya and Colpetty Police.The Police had made the request taking into consideration the inconvenience to the public owing to the JJB protest to be held in Colombo on Sunday (26) afternoon.Similarly, the Maligakanda Magistrate Court issued an order preventing a group including Leader of the Jathika Jana Balavegaya Anura Kumara Dissanayaka from protesting or marching around the Colombo Hospital Square.This was in response to a request made by the Maradana Police OIC.The Maradana Police had made the request considering the possible inconvenience to patients and people visiting the hospitals including the National Hospital and Eye Hospital.According to the court order, the protesters were prevented from marching from the Lipton Roundabout to Deans Road, as well as blocking the road and pavement leading upto the Seamans Road Junction.The court order applies to 26 including JJB Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, Tilvin Silva, Vijitha Herath, Nalinda