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(CNBC) WASHINGTON — Former President Donald Trump announced Tuesday night that he was running for president in 2024, laying out an aggressively conservative agenda that includes executing people convicted of dealing drugs.“We are a nation in decline. We are a failing nation for millions of Americans,” Trump said in a speech at his Florida private club, speaking about President Joe Biden’s first two years running the nation.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ministry of Health says that there are nearly 4,000 leprosy patients in society who have not been reported to the health authorities.The Director of the Leprosy Control Unit Dr Prasad Ranaweera said that there is a risk of leprosy spreading in society due to undocumented cases.He said during the first 7 months of 2022, over 450 leprosy patients have been treated in this country.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  The convener of the Inter-University Students Federation Wasantha Mudalige was presented to Tangalle Magistrate Hemantha Pushpakumara on Monday (14) afternoon following an order issued by the Supreme Court recently. Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Thursday (10) ordered for the convener of the Inter-University Student's Federation Wasantha Mudalige to be produced to a Magistrate immediately.In addition, the Supreme Court also ordered for Mudalige to be produced to the Judicial Medical Officer of the Karapitiya Hospital.Wasantha Mudalige is being detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act for 90-days.Upali Mohotti, PC told reporters that the state had requested for Wasantha Mudalige to be produced in other cases to which counsel expressed strong objection."His 90-days of detention will be completed on the 18th of November. If he is being moved for other cases, it is an attempt to detain him further," said the counsel.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Sri Lankan Defence Ministry will grant a general amnesty from Tuesday (15) for all servicemen who are absent without official leave to officially discharge from service. The Defence Ministry said that the amnesty period will be from Tuesday (15) to the 31st of December.This amnesty will be awarded to the servicemen who had not reported to their respective stations on or before the 25th of October 2022.In addition, the Defence Ministry said that if the servicemen owe any dues to the military, those must be settled in full in order to be discharged from service.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) says it has requested a report from the Inspector General of Police regarding the incident of a police officer harassing two female Police officers.The Chairman of the HRCSL, Supreme Court Judge (Rtd.) Rohini Marasinghe said that the report is expected to be received on Monday (14) and further action will be taken as soon as the report is received.Meanwhile, the Chairman of the National Police Commission Chandra Fernando has also instructed the Inspector General of Police to investigate the incident.In addition, Police Spokesperson & Attorney Nihal Talduwa says that the Inspector General of Police has ordered the Director of the Police Special Investigation Unit to immediately launch an investigation regarding the relevant Chief Inspector of Police.A Police inspector grabbed the neck of two policewomen in the Gorakapola area in Panadura on Saturday (12) harassing them physically and forcing them to take action to arrest two other women who were engaged in a protest march.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Eleven Sri Lankan fishermen along with two vessels have been arrested by the Indian Coast Guard under charges of illegally entering Indian waters.At the time, the fishermen were fishing in Indian waters, 175 nautical miles off the coast of Kalingapatnam in Srikakulam district.Indian media reported that the arrested fishermen have been handed over to the Kakinada Police Station for further investigations.

Covid-19 update: In India, the active caseload has declined to 12,553, according to the Union Health Ministry data. India has reported a single-day rise of 833 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the cumulative tally to 4,46,65,643, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. The country's active caseload has declined to 12,553, which accounts for 0.03% of the total coronavirus infections.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – An inmate who escaped from the Kandakadu Rehabilitation Camp has been found in the Welikanda, Sinhapura forest.It was reported that he was lost in the forest and that he was found during a search operation conducted by the army.Police Media Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa says that the escaped inmate who was ill due to the lack of food was hospitalised, and had died later.Last Sunday, a brawl broke out between two groups at Kandakadu Rehabilitation Camp over a bucket used for bathing.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – An audit report has revealed that a total of 158 million rupees for three years had been allocated for the drafting of a new constitution when the economy of the country was heading towards a downturn. The Auditor General's report revealed that a total of 20.8 million rupees had been spent to hold 38 meetings of the expert committee and 9 consultations with external parties to draft a new constitution from the 9th of October 2020 to the 12th of December 2021. The details were revealed in the Auditor General's report of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Reform for the year ending 31st December 2021. A sum of 816,480 rupees had been spent for 3 office spaces that have not been used, and another 435,348 rupees had been spent to furnish those offices. Each constitutional expert on the committee to draft the new constitution WAS paid 25,000 rupees for every meeting that they attended which came up to a total of 3.1 million. The constitutional experts were also paid 120,000 rupees for their transport. A total of 10 million 180,000 rupees had been spent for the payment of the monthly allowance of 200,000 rupees to the secretary of the panel, the allowance for the research assistant, and several other allowances. 4,768,000 rupees had been spent during the period from October 2020 to December 2021 for office space at the BMICH. The Auditor General's report further states that although by the 31st of December 2021 the committee had completed 15 months, they had still not completed their task. 

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Authorities in Vietnam have reported that the skipper of the large migrant boat that was rescued by its Navy was not among those who were rescued.Vietnam media quoting the rescued Sri Lankans reported that the captain of the iron-hulled ship LADY R3 abandoned the boat after it started drifting at sea, and then did not return.A border guard commander of Ba Ria – Vung Tau province had also confirmed the information.A Sri Lankan man had reportedly said that his group had traveled from Sri Lanka to Myanmar and from there they had boarded the LADY R3 boat to travel to Canada by sea.It is unclear if all 303 Sri Lankans traveled together or in groups to Myanmar, and how they made it to Myanmar, as investigations are pending.Before 303 Sri Lankan citizens were rescued by the Helios Leader Vessel on the afternoon of November 6th, their ship had been stalled for nearly 40 hours, unable to maneuver and was drifting freely. On the afternoon of November 8th, when the SAR 413 vessel from the Vietnamese Coast Guard organized to welcome the 303 Sri Lankan citizens from the Helios Leader vessel to shore, initially four men got off the ship, the rest refused to get off despite the persuasion of the Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka, who took an entire hour to pursuade them to leave the Japanese freighter.At this time, the authorities considered the option for these four people to return to the Helios Leader, but they refused and said that if they returned, they would be beaten. Thereafter, all 303 Sri Lankans were taken off the Helios Leader in batches and brought ashore.For humanitarian reasons, the Ba Ria – Vung Tau Provincial Command for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control and Search and Rescue has arranged for 303

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Several civil organizations visited the Chinese Embassy in Colombo to request China to support Sri Lanka's debt restructuring efforts.However, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo reportedly refused to accept the letter from the civil organizations.The Liberal Democratic Youth Collective, The Sarvapakshika Aragalakaruwo (A movement formed after the people's struggle) and several other groups visited the Chinese Embassy in Colombo to request China to support Sri Lanka's debt restructuring efforts.Sri Lanka Police did not allow the activists to approach the Embassy and hand over the letter.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A Sri Lankan court on Friday (11) imposed a travel ban on State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage.The Colombo Chief Magistrate ordered to prevent the State Minister from travelling overseas until the 17th of December 2022.The case filed against the citizenship of the State Minister was called up via a motion that was filed by Attorney Gunaratna Wanninayake and several other counsels.On Thursday (10) the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court ordered the OIC of the Criminal Investigations Department to immediately investigate whether State Minister Diana Gamage is remaining in Sri Lanka without a valid visa, and submit a progress report to the court on the 15th of December.Attorney Gunaratna Wanninayake told reporters outside the court that attempts were made earlier to undermine this investigation.

I'm A Celebrity campmate Mike Tindall is reportedly being investigated for potentially breaching the show's strict Covid-19 rules.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The ‘Muthu Raja’ tusker at the Kande Viharaya Temple in Aluthgama was handed over to the Thailand Embassy in Sri Lanka to be sent overseas for treatment.‘Muthu Raja’ is one of the two tuskers which were donated to Sri Lanka from Thailand by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, ‘Muthu Raja’ will be sent to Thailand for treatment.The tusker was at the Kande Viharaya Temple in Aluthgama for the past 25 years and fell ill several times.The tusker's feet and legs were covered with fertilizer bags in recent times after wounds were reported on its feet.On Wednesday (9) Thai Embassy Officials visited the tusker to inquire into its current condition.The tusker will be flown to Thailand after being kept at the Dehiwala Zoological Garden for a few days of treatment.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court ordered the OIC of the Criminal Investigations Department to immediately investigate whether State Minister Diana Gamage is remaining in Sri Lanka without a valid visa, and submit a progress report to the court on the 15th of December.The order was made when a case filed challenging the citizenship of Diana Gamage was taken up in court on Thursday (10).Attorney Gunaratna Wanninayake told reporters outside the court that attempts were made earlier to undermine this investigation.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Supreme Court in its determination on the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill noted that subject to the amendments being moved at the Committee Stage of Parliament as proposed by the learned Deputy Solicitor General, the Bill as a whole is not inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution.The Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill was challenged in the Supreme Court in terms of Article 121(1) of the Constitution.The amendments are as follows:(i)Clause 3 The insertion of the following proviso in Section 10(1)— “Provided further, for the purposes of paragraph (vii), the requirement for the registration shall raise from the date on which this Amendment Act comes into operation.”(ii)Clause 4(1) The reference to “September 30, 2022” to be deleted and substituted with “November 30, 2022”.(iii)Clause 4(2) The reference to “October 1, 2022” to be deleted and substituted with “December 1, 2022”.

Covid-19: The death toll climbed to 5,30,514 with three new fatalities -- two in Maharashtra and one in Rajasthan --being reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated. India logged 1,016 new coronavirus infections taking the total tally of Covid-19 cases to 4,46,63,968, while the active cases dipped to 13,187, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday. The death toll climbed to 5,30,514 with three new fatalities -- two in Maharashtra and one in Rajasthan --being reported in a span of 24 hours, the data updated at 8 am stated.

Fran Drescher has praised Disney for dropping Covid vaccine mandates on 12 shows - after previously calling for a review of the strict measures.The president of the SAG-AFTRA actors union, 65, posted a video on Wednesday captioned: 'Way to go Mickey! as she celebrated Disney's decision that shows including 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy - would no longer require cast and crew members to be vaccinated.In an impassioned video, the star - who is herself vaccinated - likened vaccine mandates to 'fascism' and lauded the entertainment company for becoming one of the first notable studios to lift the mandate. Joy: Fran Drescher has praised Disney for dropping Covid vaccine mandates on 12 shows - after previously calling for a review of the strict measuresShe said: 'To think that every human on the planet can take one vaccine is ludicrous.'And to make that one vaccine the criteria for who is allowed to work, travel, dine, go to theatre … is an infringement on the Disabilities Act, the Freedom of Religion Act, and body sovereignty.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka detected its second case of Monkeypox on Wednesday (9), confirmed the country's Health Ministry.It is reported that the second person to have been tested for Monkeypox is a Sri Lankan who returned from Dubai recently.On the 4th of November 2022, Sri Lanka's health ministry reported the first case of monkey pox in the country.Sri Lanka detected its first case of Monkeypox on 4th November 2022,  after a 20-year-old man who returned to Sri Lanka from Dubai on the 1st of November tested positive.He had consulted a doctor for treatment due to suspicions that he may have contracted a social disease, and his samples were sent to the Medical Research Institute in Colombo where it was confirmed that he had Monkeypox.He is currently being treated at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Colombo.What is Monkeypox?Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox has emerged as the most important orthopoxvirus for public health.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – In an unusual rescue operation in the South China Sea on Monday (7) , a migrant vessel attempting to make a transpacific voyage was rescued off the coast of Vietnam.More details about this dramatic rescue have surfaced following revelations made by the Vietnamese media.Migrant vessels are frequently rescued off Cuba, Haiti, Libya and Turkey, but these are generally small, improvised craft on regional journeys. The Myanmar-flagged trawler Lady R3, saved by a good samaritan ship off the coast of Vietnam yesterday, was none of these things. This substantial steel-hulled fishing vessel was attempting to make it all the way from Myanmar to Canada – another 6,000 nm away on a Great Circle route  – in order to deliver more than 300 Sri Lankan nationals to a new country. Vietnamese authorities in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, in coordination with representatives from the Sri Lankan Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, have welcomed more than 300 Sri Lankans who were saved by a Japanese freighter, after their boat faced a serious incident in the waters off the Vietnamese town.No injuries were reported, and Helios Leader transited to Vung Tau's sea buoy in order to meet up with the Vietnamese Coast Guard and transfer the survivors.At 8:30 p.m.

States have been asked to continue monitoring incoming international travelers, undertake constant genome sequencing and step-up vaccination. NEW DELHI: India reported 811 fresh covid infections in the past 24 hours, while active cases slipped to 13,559, the health ministry said in an update on Wednesday.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs revealed that around 7 million Sri Lankans require assistance following the economic crisis.It went on to note that  Sri Lanka continues to face a multidimensional crisis compounded by food insecurity, threatened livelihoods, shortages of vital medicines, as well as rising protection concerns. The economic crisis is the worst since Sri Lanka’s independence in 1948 and is having humanitarian consequences for the most vulnerable people in the country. A 40 per cent reduction in agricultural outputs in the 2021/2022 Maha and a 5per cent reduction during the 2022 Yala seasons have further exacerbated the situation.

₹1,854.5 crore, lower than consensus estimates. This is the first decline in Divi’s revenue in the last 20 quarters, said analysts from Nuvama. Operating deleverage coupled with high energy costs meant that the Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) margin fell fast.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A Vietnamese rescue ship had docked alongside a Japanese ship to bring more than 300 Sri Lankans in distress ashore on Tuesday (8).According to reports from Vietnam, the Vietnamese Coast Guard vessel SAR 413 of the Center for Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Area 3 approached the fishing boat LADY R3311.According to a border guard commander of Ba Ria – Vung Tau province, at 6 pm on November 6th, when the fishing boat arrived in the Truong Sa archipelago, it broke water and drifted into the sea, the ship sent a distress signal.On November 7th, the Japanese cargo ship Helios Leader en-route from Japan to Singapore approached the distressed vessel and brought all 305 Sri Lankan citizens and sailors on board and proceeded to Vung Tau where it was met by the Vietnamese Coast Guard.The Vietnamese functional forces boarded the Herios Leader Vessel, a vehicle carrier, anchored off the coast of Vung Tau to receive the more than 300 Sri Lankans.It is reported that the Sri Lankans were saved by the crew aboard the Herios Leader Vessel.Accompanying the delegation on board the ship SAR 413 were representatives of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Vietnam.

Council finance chiefs are proposing to use Covid-19 response cash to ease cost of living pressures in the region.

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.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – 217 detainees who were arrested for their involvement in the recent brawl at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center were remanded.Police Spokesperson & Attorney SSP Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that the detainees were produced to the Polonnaruwa and Hingurakgoda Magistrate Courts and were thus remanded.Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Major General Darshana Hettiarachchi told News 1st that an investigation is underway over the brawl, adding that a five-member committee comprising of senior ranks will investigate the brawl at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center.The report prepared by this investigation body will be handed over to the Justice Minister upon completion.Sri Lankan authorities said that scores of detainees held at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center fled the premises following Sunday (6) night's brawl.According to reports, the cause of the brawl was a dispute over the use of a bucket used for bathing at the premises.547 detainees were at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center at the time of the brawl.The Commissioner General of Rehabilitation said that steps will be taken to start assessing the damage caused to the facility following the brawl, and it will be carried out by government officers.On the 29th of June 2022, a brawl broke out at the same facility resulting in the death of one detainee, while 400 others escaped.Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for a full report on the Kandakadu Rehab Center incident.The President's Media Division said that the necessary steps needed to be taken to avert a recurrence of such incidents have also been called for, following discussions with Justice Minister Wijeyadasa

Police in northeastern China said that seven people have been arrested following a clash between residents and authorities enforcing COVID-19 quarantine restrictions. The violence comes as China reports new cases nationwide, with 2,230 cases reported Tuesday in the southern manufacturing and technology hub of Guangzhou.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe urged the Secretary-General of the UN and Egypt, as the head of the COP27, to summon a meeting of all Ministers of Agriculture of all the countries to assess the food requirements of 2023 and 2024 and submit a report on the food situation. The President also emphasized the need to work closely with multilateral, and sources of funding and formulate a sustainable debt relief plan immediately to ensure global food security.The President further said that it is essential to finalize this plan by February 2023 and should be implemented by the end of the 1st quarter of 2023, if not the damage caused to the political and social structures of countries will be irreparable.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – 201 detainees at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center were arrested for unruly behaviour, said Police Spokesperson & Attorney SSP Nihal Thalduwa on Monday (7).The detainees who occupied a building at the facility surrendered to Sri Lanka Police on Monday evening.Military Spokesperson Brigadier Ravi Herath told News 1st that 514 detainees were under the control of the security forces by 4 PM on Monday.In addition, a manhunt is underway to locate 33 other detainees who escaped from the facility.Sri Lankan authorities said on Monday (7) that scores of detainees held at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center had fled the premises following Sunday (6) night's brawl.According to reports the cause of the brawl was a dispute over the use of a bucket used for bathing at the premises.547 detainees were at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center at the time of the brawl.A dispute had arisen between a detainee from Galle, and a detainee from Colombo over the bucket at the bathing area.Thereafter, detainees banded together as the Galle Group and Colombo Group.One of the groups thereafter attempted to approach the armoury at the premises, and that escalated the brawl. Sri Lanka Army personnel attached to the 9th Field Regiment Sri Lanka Artillery who were assigned to the security detail of the armoury had foiled the attempt, and shots were fired into the air to control the situation.One group of detainees, around 200 of them, occupied one of the buildings at the facility and defied orders to surrender.At the same time, around 300 other detainees surrendered to the security forces, while another group fled the premises.Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for a full

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.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for a full report on the Kandakadu Rehab Center incident on Sunday (6).The President's Media Division said that the necessary steps needed to be taken to avert a recurrence of such incidents have also been called for, following discussions with Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.Sri Lankan authorities said on Monday (7) that around 75 – 100 detainees held at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center had fled the premises following Sunday (6) night's brawl.Military Spokesperson Brigadier Ravi Herath told News 1st that around 25 of the escapees had surrendered themselves to the Sri Lanka Army Checkpoint positions on the Somawathiya – Kandakadu Road.A brawl took place between two groups of detainees at the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center on Sunday (6) night.One injured detainee and one Sri Lanka Army soldier were admitted to the Polonnaruwa General Hospital.Military Spokesperson Brigadier Ravi Herath told News 1st that several detainees had attempted to approach the armoury at the premises, and that escalated the brawl.Sri Lanka Army personnel attached to the 9th Field Regiment Sri Lanka Artillery who were assigned to the security detail of the armoury had foiled the attempt, and the armoury of the Kandakadu Treatment and Rehabilitation Center was secured by the Sri Lanka Army, said Military Spokesperson Brigadier Ravi Herath.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – 31 year old Danushka Gunathilaka was arrested at about 1am on Sunday, according to foreign media, after a 29 year old woman made a complaint to police last week.New South Wales police said the cricketer and the 29-year-old woman first made contact via a dating app last weekend. According to Australian media the app used was 'Tinder'.In Tinder, users "swipe right" to like or "swipe left" to dislike other users' profiles.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Litro Gas Lanka Ltd.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Litro Gas Lanka Ltd.

Sri Lanka, which is under an ongoing economic crisis, is headed for another major turbulence as the country will not be able to secure the much-needed IMF loan in December as its ally and debtor China is yet to initiate a dialogue on debt restructuring with Colombo.A report in the Hindustan Times quoting financial analysts based in Washington said that Sri Lanka will miss the IMF deadline and will have to wait till March next year to secure a loan of $2.9 billion, as Beijing was involved in the 20th National Party Congress.The next meeting of the IMF executive board is in March 2023, Sri Lanka will most likely have to wait until then for IMF Board approval, and access to the funds.Why is China's involvement so important to access IMF funds?Sri Lanka is now considered a country that defaulted on its external debt because the island nation lacked foreign reserves for debt servicing.According to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Finance Ministry, Sri Lanka's total debt was $36 billion at the end of 2021.Of this total debt, Colombo owes some 52% in bilateral credit to China, 19.5% to Japan, and 12% to India.One of the main conditions for Sri Lanka to tap the USD 2.9 Billion funding from the International Monetary Fund is debt reconciliation and restructuring.Bilateral means transactions between two countries, and there is an institution that operates with the support of the International Monetary Fund to talk about bilateral debt, and this is called the Paris Club.Sri Lanka has obtained a large number of loans from Japan, India, and China, and among them, only Japan is a member of the Paris Club.India is openly supporting Sri Lanka's engagement with the IMF, and avenues are open for Sri Lanka to discuss debt

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies says At least 5.7 million people require humanitarian assistance in Sri Lanka..The International Federation of Red Cross And Red Crescent Societies in its Needs Assessment Report for October 2022 said that At least 5.7 million people or 26 per cent of the population require humanitarian assistance.IFRC warned that without immediate humanitarian assistance, and ‘upstream’ interventions to address the fragility of systems, services and facilities, this number will multiply, and the consequences will deepen.IFRC said that at the community and family level, the macroeconomic collapse in Sri Lanka has translated into a complex humanitarian emergency, as millions of people are increasingly suffering, with severe shortages of food, fuel, cooking gas, medicine and other essentials.The IFRC assessment found that household purchasing power is constrained by food inflation and that disruptions to livelihoods and food insecurity have increased, raising worries about malnutrition.People are suffering from poorer health because the healthcare system has become compromised, and the household economic stresses have resulted in rising concerns over basic needs and protection for the most vulnerable such as those already living below the poverty line, people with disability, and marginalised people.

(Hindustan Times) – Sri Lanka will miss the December deadline for securing an IMF loan as the main bilateral debtor China was involved in the 20th party congress and had little time for holding debt restructuring talks with Colombo, reported the Hindustan Times.The next meeting of the IMF executive board is in March 2023.According to financial analysts based in Washington, Sri Lanka likely will miss the December IMF deadline and will have to wait for March 2023 to secure a USD 2.9 billion loan from the lending institution in eight equal tranches.In the meantime, the Sri Lankan debt has increased further due to forex depreciation, deep recession, and burgeoning fiscal deficit. Since the end of 2021, inflation has considerably eroded the real value of domestic debt.While debtors India and Japan have already initiated a dialogue with Colombo on debt reconciliation and restructuring, China is still to engage in the dialogue as Beijing was involved in the 20th National Party Congress and had little time for client state Sri Lanka. The total debt of the island nation was USD 36 billion at the end of 2021. Of this, Sri Lanka owes USD 7.1 billion to China or 20% of its debt.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's health ministry reported the first case of monkey pox in the country.Sources said the patient had returned from abroad, and was directed to medical treatment.What is Monkeypox?Monkeypox is a viral zoonosis (a virus transmitted to humans from animals) with symptoms similar to those seen in the past in smallpox patients, although it is clinically less severe. With the eradication of smallpox in 1980 and subsequent cessation of smallpox vaccination, monkeypox has emerged as the most important orthopoxvirus for public health.

Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of and “severely condemned” the firing incident at Imran Khan’s long march container in Wazirabad.He has instructed Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah to seek an immediate report on the incident from the IGP and chief secretary Punjab, according to a tweet from the Government of Pakistan’s official Twitter account.After a man opened fire at PTI chairman Imran Khan to injure him in Gujranwala, party leader Shahbaz Gill said that "Imran Khan is our red line and an attempt has been made to cross that red line."He also said that Khan will fight till his last breath.Following the incident, the PTI chairman has been shifted to a hospital.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Committee on Public Finance says that granting approval to the Gazette Notification to temporarily suspend the importation of bathware is an injustice to the consumer.The Committee on Public Finance was of the view that Regulations published in the Extra Ordinary gazette Notification 2296/30, Under the Import and Export (Control) Act No. 1 of 1969 should be subjected to further consideration and that consideration should also be given as to whether approval for such would stand as justifiable by the consumer. This was discussed at the Committee on Public Finance which met on Tuesday (01) under the chairmanship of Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen was ordered by Fort Magistrate Thilina Gamage to be released from a case filed under the Prevention of Terrorist Act allegedly assisting the suicide bombers who carried out the 2019 April 21st Terror Attacks.The Magistrate made the order following the submissions made by the Attorney General who had pointed out that was insufficient evidence to file a case against the Ex-Minister under the PTA.Rishad Bathiudeen was arrested on the 24th of April and detained for 111 days for investigations and was later released on bail by the Fort Magistrate's Court."They fabricated the charges and ruined me and my community. They came to power accusing me and the entire Muslim community for the Easter Attacks.

ABU DHABI (Reuters) – Sri Lanka's energy and power minister Kanchana Wijesekera said on Tuesday his country was expecting a diesel shipment from China that will possibly arrive by the end of November, as his country faces a deep financial crisis.Wijesekera was answering reporters' questions on the sidelines of an industry conference in Abu Dhabi on whether Sri Lanka had received any support.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Instagram appears to be down right now, but the glitch many users are reporting is an odd one. It’s not just that users are having trouble accessing the popular photo- and video-sharing app, but they’re also having trouble accessing their accounts and have reported being hit with account suspension notices.On Monday morning, the apparent Instagram outage was reported by users on Twitter and Downdetector. Both sites included numerous reports saying that users suddenly lost access to their IG accounts and were given account suspension notices.Many of these user reports followed a similar pattern.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Department of Census and Statistics reported that the Overall Rate of Inflation as measured by the Colombo Consumer Price Index on a Year-on-Year basis is 66.0% in October 2022.It added that the Year-on-Year inflation calculated for the month of September 2022 was 69.8%.According to the Department of Census and Statistics Food Inflation dropped to 85.6% in October 2022 from 94.9% in September 2022 on a year-on-year basis. 

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The family of a Surinamese woman arrested with cocaine in Sri Lanka have appointed a Surinamese lawyer to appear for her case.The government of Suriname has refuted media reports that a Surinamese woman arrested in Sri Lanka has been sentenced to death on suspicion of drug smuggling. The woman was arrested by the Customs Narcotics Control Bureau on October 18 for possession of over two kilograms of cocaine at the Katunayake Airport.The 25-year-old woman, who had arrived at the Katunayake Bandaranaike Airport through Doha, Qatar from Brazil, was questioned by the Sri Lanka Customs Narcotics Control Bureau officers, due to her suspicious behavior.During the investigation, the officers discovered 2,553 grams of cocaine, in tins, labeled as containing food.The suspect was subsequently detained and charged with the offense of drug smuggling.The Suriname Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Business and International Cooperation has become involved in the matter on the basis of the Vienna Convention on Consular Traffic’ (Arts 5 and 36 paragraph 1c) and ‘the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Traffic’, adding that information is requested from Sri Lanka.The Surinamese government has taken steps in accordance with these preconditions and the embassy in New Delhi, India, immediately contacted the authorities in Sri Lanka.After confirming the suspect’s arrest, the Surinamese embassy in New Delhi immediately requested permission from the Sri Lankan authorities for consular access to the person concerned, either virtually or physically.In the meantime, a Surinamese lawyer has been appointed by the suspect’s family as a contact person, and information is exchanged with the family via this communication

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Motorcycle gunmen struck once again on Monday (31) morning killing two men in Thiranagama, Hikkaduwa.Sri Lanka Police said that two men aged 26 & 47 were gunned down by the killers.According to report, the victims were shot dead when they traveling towards Hikkaduwa on the Colombo – Galle Main Road.Sri Lanka Police said the victims were heading to court for a legal matter when they were gunned down, adding that the men were suspects in a murder.They were identified at Kapuwa Handi Prasanna Mendis, and Henda Hewage Isuru Prasanna,

Over 4.12 crore adolescents have been administered with the first dose of the vaccine so far, ever since the covid vaccination for the age group 1ṁ2-14 years started on 16 March 2022 New Delhi: India’s Covid-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 219 crore as per the provisional data till Sunday morning, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said in a statement. Covid vaccination for the age group 12-14 years started on 16 March 2022 and so far, over 4.12 crore adolescents have been administered with the first dose of the vaccine. The precaution dose administration for age group 18-59 years started from 10 April 2022.