‘There was NO fuel crisis, misleading statements led to panic’ – Prime Minister Rajapaksa

While the dollar value may be low–some of the items stolen in a Vancouver break-in are priceless to their young owner. He is pleading for your help to get them back.

Rohan Campbell and Alexander Elliot, stars of the “Hardy Boys” television series, preview what’s set to come for the detective brothers in Season 2.

International Legion of Territorial Defence of Ukraine, the official channel for foreign fighters, will only consider recruits with combat experience. The Ukrainian military is now urging those without military experience to stay at home.“Our main priority is combat experience and all of them have to understand their role and place,” Anton Myronovych, a spokesperson for Ukraine’s Armed Forces, tells Global News.“We don’t need mercenaries who think they may make some money or something like that.”This phenomenon has also raised questions about what will happen when these people return home.For Canadian foreign fighters, in particular, Veteran Affairs has said it bears no responsibility for physical or psychological injuries acquired by anyone, since Global Affairs has advised against travel to Ukraine.On February 27, three days after Russia launched its invasion, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy issued a call for foreign volunteers to help fight for his country’s freedom — an international legion that would operate as part of Ukraine’s military.The next day, he signed a decree waiving visas for any foreigners who wished to join the fight and launched a website outlining how to apply to the newly created International Legion.In the month since, thousands of foreigners have applied to be part of the group.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The President’s Media Division announced on Friday (1) that an organized group of extremists were among those who were protesting at Jubilee Post, Nugegoda.The statement noted that the group acted in an unruly manner, and noted that this group armed with iron clubs, machetes, and sticks, had provoked the protesters and marched towards the President’s residence in Pengiriwatte, Mirihana.The President’s Media Division in a statement noted that most of those who acted in a violent manner were arrested, and it was identified that a majority of them were an organized group of extremists.They have spearheaded the campaign calling for an Arab Spring in Sri Lanka.The President’s Media Division also said that those who were arrested revealed that this unruly situation was created with the intention of enraging the public via planned anonymous social media gatherings.

Canadian families are feeling the financial squeeze with the high cost of living.

Covid-19 cases, India on Friday reported 1,335 new Covid-19 cases, according to Union Health Ministry data. Additionally, the country is witnessing a further drop in active cases, with the active caseload at 13,672 on Friday, the Health Ministry data further revealed.

Texas man was arrested on Wednesday after police found human remains in his home while responding to a wellness call.The remains are believed to be of the man’s son, police say.In a press release, the New Boston Police Department wrote that they received a request for a wellness call from a neighbour.When authorities arrived at the address Wednesday evening, a man named David McMichael answered the door. Trial set for Florida man charged with human smuggling after family found frozen in Manitoba According to the police report, when officers asked McMichael if he knew why they were there, “McMichael advised them it was because he had a body in his kitchen.”McMichael reportedly told police the body belonged to his son, who died in May 2018.

COLOMBO (News 1st); 45 people who engaged in the protest on Thursday (31) night in Mirihana, Nugegoda have been arrested by Sri Lanka Police.Police stated that a woman was among them.Two Police & army buses, a jeep, a three-wheeler, and two motorcycles were damaged, during the protest.Police said that five officers were injured in the protest.Meanwhile, the Nugegoda-Maharagama 119 road has been closed.The Police further stated only the residents can travel on the relevant road until further notice.

MAPLE SHADE, N.J. - Authorities are searching for a person of interest in possible New Jersey package theft ring who police believe is impersonating as a delivery driver. The investigation started after a Burlington County woman said her purse and a flash drive filled with pictures of her late mother was stolen from her car Thursday night."Completely violated, not being able to get those irreplaceable items back it just weighs on you, it sucks," the woman who asked to remain anonymous said. The thieves allegedly used her stolen credit cards and her home address to order 2 iPhone 13's valued at $1300 each. Home security camera shows a person dressed in a FedEx uniform knock on the woman's door just after the packages were dropped off. The family knew something was wrong, and her son followed the suspected imposter FedEx driver to a van with stolen license plates. "My son questioned him are you really a Fed Ex employee or are you here just to steal these iPhones off my mom," she said.

A new University of Alberta study suggests young kids with pandemic-related reading challenges can catch up quickly with a deliberate and sustained set of lessons. Dan Grummett reports.

FILE - A photo illustration of water in a clear glass drinking glass. WASHINGTON - Upholding a Trump-era environmental policy, the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it will not regulate a drinking water contaminant that has been linked to brain damage in infants.The agency said the Trump administration's decision in 2020 not to regulate perchlorate in drinking water was made with the "best available peer reviewed science." The chemical is used in rocket fuel and fireworks.At the time, Trump's EPA said perchlorate was not found widely enough in drinking water or "at levels of public health concern" to warrant federal regulation.

Global’s Keith Baldrey on whether the recent increase in new cases in B.C. is a sign of another wave of COVID-19

LEBANON, Pa. - A Pennsylvania police officer was killed and two others injured Thursday during a shooting that occurred while responding to a domestic disturbance call, Lebanon Mayor Sherry Capello said.Police officers went to a home in the city at about 3:30 p.m. for the disturbance call.

EGG HARBOR, Twp. - Authorities in New Jersey say a young boy was tased in the head during "hose play" with a close family friend. Officers from the Egg Harbor Township Police Department were called to a home in West Atlantic City Monday afternoon for reports medical emergency.Police found an unconscious and unresponsive 12-year-old boy who they say had been shot in the head with taser.

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. - Investigators in Connecticut believe they've pinpointed a batch of school cafeteria milk tainted with sanitizer that sickened several children in New Jersey this week.The Connecticut Department of Agriculture said its investigating Guida’s Dairy in New Britain regarding its 1% low-fat half-pint milk cartons with a sell by date of APR 11. State investors believe the issue is limited to milk within a specific time range of 4:30 and 7:30 and code stamped on the cartons. They said the batch had "limited distribution in New Jersey." Out of an abundance of caution, Guida’s Dairy has asked all its institutional customers with 1% lowfat half pint milk cartons with a sell-by date of APR 11 to dispose the product. The New Jersey Department of Health’s Public Health on Wednesday encouraged public schools to remove Guida's 1% Lowfat Milk from circulation in their cafeterias.

Today we are reporting 13,475 community cases, 764 hospitalisations and 17 deaths.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Board of Education will announce Friday which of its three finalists will be the next superintendent of Philadelphia's public schools. Following a six-month search, the School District of Philadelphia narrowed its candidates to John L. Davis Jr., Krish Mohip, and Tony B. Watlington Sr.

PHOENIX - Republican Gov. Doug Ducey has signed bills banning transgender girls from playing on girls' sports teams and prohibiting gender reassignment surgeries for minors.The governor described Senate bills 1138 and 1165 as legislation to "protect female athletes" and "to ensure that individuals undergoing irreversible gender reassignment surgery are of adult age.""This legislation is common-sense and narrowly-targeted to address these two specific issues ⁠— while ensuring that transgender individuals continue to receive the same dignity, respect and kindness as every individual in our society," Ducey said in a Twitter thread.Two GOP governors last week bucked conservatives in their party and vetoed bills in Indiana and Utah requiring trans girls to play on boys sports teams.Republicans have said blocking transgender players from girls sports teams would protect the integrity of women’s sports, fearing that trans athletes would have an advantage.Many point to the transgender collegiate swimmer Lia Thomas, who won an individual title at the NCAA Women’s Division I Swimming and Diving Championship last week.But there are few trans athletes in Arizona schools.

Voluntary product recall covers these Skippy peanut butters with certain "best if used by" dates (Photo courtesy Skippy) Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread 40 ounces: Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread - Club 2/40 ounces: Skippy Reduced Fat Chunky Peanut Butter Spread 16.3 ounces: Skippy Creamy Peanut Butter with Plant Protein 14 ounces:No other Skippy peanut butter brands or jar sizes are included in the recall, the company said.RELATED: Milk of Magnesia products being recalled over possible contamination, FDA saysAdvertisementConsumers can return the products to a store to exchange or call Skippy Foods Consumer Engagement at 1-866-475-4779.

CAMDEN - If you’ve driven anywhere in 2022 you may have noticed that the price you’re paying at the pump, is a far cry from what it was just a year ago.In New Jersey, where prices are sometimes less than Pennsylvania, some are reporting gas stations price gouging customers.The division of Consumer Affairs reports that they received more complaints in one month then they've received in the past two years."High prices alone may not constitute a violation, but we encourage consumers who suspect excessive price increases at the pump or any other form of consumer abuse, to file an online complaint," Division of Consumer Affairs Public Information Officer Gema de las Heras said. As of Thursday, the price for a gallon of regular fuel in New Jersey sat around $4.19 which is a tick below the national average of $4.22, per AAA.According to AAA, the average price of a gallon of regular fuel in Pennsylvania was $4.42 on Monday. Driver in New Jersey paid $4.33 per gallon, and Delaware's gas prices sat at $4.21 on average.  "We try to carpool, we try to just keep things local a little bit and just do our best to save from making extra trips," one New Jersey small business worker said. President Biden announced actions today to help Americans at the pump by ordering gas companies to use idle wells or face a fine from the government. "Right now, oil and gas industries are sitting on nearly 9000 unused but approved permits for production on federal lands are more than a million unused acres they have a right to pump on, families can't afford that company sit on their hands," President Biden said.A more immediate step he announced is the releasing of one million barrels of oil from the strategic petroleum reserve.

Police said an officer was hit by a suspected drunk driver who was later arrested after he sped away. PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say a driver whose license was suspended last year for drunk driving was intoxicated when he plowed into a Philadelphia police officer Wednesday night. Terrell Lee, 41, was charged Thursday with a number of crimes including aggravated assault and aggravated assault while DUI. Chief Inspector Scott Small told reporters that two officers were walking back to their car during a traffic stop on the 6700 block of Torresdale Avenue when the officer nearest the road was struck by a black Chevy that crossed over the double yellow lines. Small said the 44-year-old officer was launched 10 feet and landed on the northbound side of the road.

RELATED: Study: Wildfires from Washington, other states produced up to half of pollution in western U.S."As cardiologists, we are used to thinking about many traditional risk factors such as smoking, hypertension or diabetes," Moreyra said in a news release. "This study and others suggest maybe we should start thinking about air pollution and noise pollution as additional risk factors for cardiovascular disease."The study is one of the first to look at the link between noise and heart disease in America, but researchers said it aligns with other studies done in Europe. Moreyra said other dense urban areas would likely see a similar pattern.The study didn’t examine the biology behind the link, but noise can cause chronic stress, sleep loss, anxiety and depression, all of which can impact heart health, Moreyra said.

It’s been weeks since Ontario’s top doctor has delivered a pandemic update. Despite growing calls for more transparency, the province says it’s not necessary to bring them back. Matthew Bingley reports.

Saskatchewan officials say 1,196 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed by laboratory tests last week.The province also reported 20 new deaths, about 39% lower than in the previous week of 33 deaths. COVID-19: 895 cases in Saskatchewan reported, deaths increase Of the newly reported deaths, seven were in the Saskatoon zone.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka has imposed a police curfew on multiple police sectors in the Capital City of Colombo until further notice.These areas are:COLOMBO CENTRAL DIVISIONPettah / Keselwatta / Dam Street / Wolfendhal Street / Fort / Slave Island / Maradana / MaligawattaCOLOMBO NORTH DIVISIONColombo Harbour / Fore shore / Modara / Kotahena / Mattakkuliya / Bloemendhal / Grandpass / Dematagoda / Mihijaya sewanaCOLOMBO SOUTH DIVISIONColpetty / Bambalapitiya / Kirulapone / Wellawatta / Narahenpita / BMICH / Borella / Cinnamon GardenNUGEGODA DIVISIONMirihana / Maharagama / Boralesgamuwa / Wellampitiya / Thalangama / Welikada / Nawagamuwa / Mulleriyawa / Homagama / Kottawa / Athurugiriya / Padukka / Hanwella / Gothatuwa / Meepe / Kaduwela / MalabeMOUNT LAVINIA DIVISIONMount Lavinia / Piliyandala / Angulana / Dehiwala / Kohuwala / Moratuwa / Kahathuduwa / Moratumulla / Egoda Uyana / KesbewaKELANIYA DIVISIONKelaniya / Kandana / Wattala/ Mahabage / Sapugaskanda / Biyagama / Meegahawatta / Ja – Ela / Ragama / Kiribathgoda / Kadawatha / EnderamullaAuthorities were compelled to impose a curfew after ugly scenes were witnessed on Thursday (31) night during protests against a mismanaged economy and rising cost of living.Scuffles broke out between protestors and security forces on Thursday (31) night when a peaceful protest proceeded towards the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence on the outskirts of the city, in Mirihana.Heavy police presence was witnessed in the area at first, and thereafter the Riot Police, Police Special Task Force, Sri Lanka Army, and Sri Lanka Navy personnel were called in to control the situation and prevent the protestors from proceeding towards the President’s house.It is still unclear if

A study of COVID-19 patients at clinics in 12 Brazilian cities found that treatment with ivermectin—an antiparasitic drug—didn't prevent hospital admission compared with those in the placebo group.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said today that almost 4 out of 10 US adolescents are experiencing poor mental health, a trend exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Airbus news release. The plane had one of four engines that used 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), which consists of a combination of cooking oils and fatty acids. The flight took off from the Blagnac Airport in Toulouse, France, at 8:43 a.m. and returned safely, the company said. The SAF used to fuel the plane was produced in Normandy, France by TotalEnergies, a company that creates sustainable sources of energy for a global market, according to the company website. The fuel was created from Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids (HEFA), which is free of aromatics and sulfur, according to Airbus. This is the third flight an Airbus aircraft has executed using 100% SAF over the past year, the company said.

A football helmet lies on the ground while members of the Floral Park High School football team are in the background practicing for the 2015 season, on the morning of August 19, 2015.(Photo by Thomas A. Ferrara/Newsday via Getty Images) COLUMBUS, Ohio - Youth tackle football has become a particularly controversial topic due to the mix of benefits and risks it offers — and a new study proves just how divided America is on the subject."Football plays a prominent role in American culture," a co-author wrote.

WASHINGTON - Five fetuses were found in a D.C. home after a tip lead to the shocking discovery, according to authorities.Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and WeatherD.C.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy (Edwin J. Torres/Governor’s Office)TRENTON - New Jersey Gov.

Ontario’s health minister said the provincial government is “staying the course” on it’s decision to life the mandatory masking mandate, despite experts saying the province is now experiencing the sixth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.Christine Elliott made the remarks during a funding announcement at North York General Hospital on Thursday.The minister was asked whether there have been talks about potentially reinstating the mandatory mask mandate which was lifted earlier this month.“We’re staying the course, we don’t anticipate that we’ll need to move back to mandatory masking,” she said. “Except in certain locations where it is mandatory, most of it is discretionary.”Elliott said people should be “patient” and “kind” with one another, noting that some may feel more comfortable to continue wearing a mask in public settings.

BENSALEM, Pa. - A Philadelphia man is facing charges after investigators say he stabbed a former co-worker over 50 times and ran him over before dumping his body at a Bucks County train station. Dominique Harris, 30, was taken into custody Thursday morning by officers from the Philadelphia Police Department after his vehicle was spotted near Broad Street and Hunting Park Avenue. He has been charged with criminal homicide and possession of an instrument of crime. It's alleged that Harris ambushed 54-year-old Michael Pickens as he ws taking out the trash at a Bensalem Wendy's early Wednesday morning.

The effectiveness of two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine against hospitalization for infections with the highly transmissible Omicron variant was 40% among adolescents 12 to 18 years and 68% among children aged 5 to 11, finds a test-negative study published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

COVID-19 have died as hospitals admitted 111 new patients with the virus last week.The latest COVID-19 data comes both from a COVID-19 bulletin emailed to media and a weekly COVID-19 update from the province, posted online Thursday mornings which cover the previous week. Removal of Manitoba COVID-19 data portal alarms epidemiologist Thursday’s online report includes data from March 20-26.While the online data shows eight people died during the week covered by the report, the bulletin,  which the province says will be the last scheduled bulletin from health officials, listed three further deaths.The latest victims of the virus include five women and six men aged between 50 and 80 plus.Six of the deaths come from the Winnipeg Health region, two were reported in the Prairie Mountain Health region, and one each were reported from the Northern, Southern, and Interlake-Eastern Health regions.

NEW DELHI :

Bruce Willis is being showered with love and support after being diagnosed with aphasia. Some of the 67-year-old actor's closest colleagues and friends — from Haley Joel Osment, Sir Anthony Hopkins and Sylvester Stallone to John Travolta, Lucy Liu and Maria Shriver — posted touching tributes and throwback photos wishing him the best following his long and successful career in Hollywood.Osment, the former child star who appeared opposite Willis in the 1999 thriller, said he struggled to find the right words for someone he's looked up to for so long, before paying homage to the actor on Instagram.«He's a true legend who has enriched all of our lives with a singular career that spans nearly half a century,» Osment wrote in part.

COVID-19 cases.The province reported bumps in virus cases and hospitalizations on Thursday and wastewater monitoring suggests cases have been rising throughout the month.NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says the “complete silence” from the government and chief medical officer of health is disconcerting and called on them to provide guidance.

Rock duo Royal Blood's Saturday night date at Manchester's AO Arena has been postponed after frontman Mike Kerr tested positive for Covid, it's been confirmed. In a social media announcement, Kerr said he 'cannot sing a single note' following a gig on Wednesday night at the O2 Arena in London.

WASHINGTON - The Chris Rock and Will Smith confrontation at the Oscars has generated plenty of reaction, and you can now add producer Joseph Patel to that growing list. Patel condemned Rock and Smith for their heated exchange at the Oscars, and for a joke Rock made after "Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised" won an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. Director Questlove and producers Patel, Robert Fyvolent, and Davis Dinerstein took home the award. In a recently-deleted series of tweets on Wednesday, Patel didn’t mince words towards Smith and Rock for what happened at the Oscars, according to FOX News and other media outlets who reported on the posts.RELATED: Chris Rock addresses Will Smith slap at first comedy show since OscarsPatel said it took him a few days to "process everything," sharing that once people realized that the confrontation between the comedian and actor was not a bit, "everything got turned upside down." Patel wrote in one of the tweets, "I think what Will did was selfish.

National Advisory Committee on Immunization to release guidance today on fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccine.Christine Elliott told legislators that the advice will centre on what age groups should receive a fourth shot.NACI previously recommended that people who are “moderately to severely immunocompromised” receive a fourth dose of the vaccine six months after getting their third shot.The committee says that data on the fourth dose is currently limited, but those who are immunocompromised are at a higher risk both of severe outcomes of COVID-19 and of decreasing protection over time. 4th COVID-19 vaccine dose: What’s the science behind another booster? It comes as public health indicators tick upwards across Canada, with Quebec warning that a sixth wave of the pandemic has begun.Earlier this week, U.S.

Ukraine had refused to carry out orders, sabotaged their own equipment and accidentally shot down one of their own aircraft.Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands of people, displaced millions and raised fears of a wider confrontation between Russia and the United States.

Anna Maria Tolomello, 48 (Bucks County District Attorney's Office)PHILADELPHIA - The owner of a Bucks County pizzeria has been charged with murder after authorities say she shot and killed her longtime partner earlier this month. Anna Maria Tolomello, 48, is accused of fatally shooting Giovanni Gallina, 65, inside a home they shared in the Chalfont section of Hilltown Township. The two also owned Pina’s Pizza in New Britain. She faces several charges including criminal homicide, abuse of corpse, and related offenses. Authorities say their investigation began when Gallina’s son informed them that he had not heard from his father since March 16.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Sri Lankan Minister Wimal Weerawansa on Friday (4) revealed that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa wanted to become President even before Gotabaya Rajapaksa was nominated as the candidate for the President of the country.“Basil Rajapaksa wanted to use the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna as his personal property to realize his intentions of becoming president,” Weerawansa told reporters in Colombo, in his first-ever briefing after he and Udaya Gammanpila were stripped of their ministerial portfolios on Thursday (3) evening.He said that as the group that created the call for Mahinda Rajapaksa’s return, it was opined that Gotabaya Rajapaksa was most suitable to be the candidate if Mahinda Rajapaksa did not wish to contest.“We worked on that premise and that itself posed challenges to Basil Rajapaksa’s dreams of becoming President,” revealed Weerawansa, adding that Basil Rajapaksa eventually had to accept in a disgruntled manner that Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the Presidential Candidate.Wimal Weerawansa also said that after Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated on the 8th of January 2015, Basil Rajapaksa had met with then-President Rajapaksa and requested for the post of Opposition Leader.“However, Mahinda Rajapaksa did not want to do that.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Vasudeva Nanayakkara has announced that he expects to resign from his position as the Minister of Water Supply.Speaking to reporters on Friday (4), he said the government committed a grave mistake in removing Udaya Gammanpila and Wimal Weerawansa from their ministerial portfolios.Nanayakkara said he cannot function as a Minister until justice is meted out to Weerawansa and Gammanpila.Udaya Gammanpila and Wimal Weerwansa have been removed from their ministerial portfolios with effect from Thursday (3) evening, said the President’s Media Division.The PMD statement notes that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa removed Minister of Industries Wimal Weerawansa and Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila from their portfolios, as per the powers vested in him by the constitution,

COLOMBO (News 1st); S. B.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has assured the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka that all necessary action will be taken immediately to avert the electricity crisis prevailing in the country.The Chairman of the PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake told News 1st that the Treasury and Central Bank will make sure to facilitate the import of fuel for the generation of electricity with immediate effect, as per a directive of the President.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Although the country is being ruled by the Government in a manner which ensures the freedom of the people, that freedom is being misused by many, says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Speaking at the event of distribution of 100,000 Mahaweli Ranbima deeds at the Mahaweli Stadium in Embilipitiya today (26), the President stated that especially today, himself and the present Government is ruling the country in a way which democracy is ensured.President Rajapaksa also said that the cause of the foreign exchange crisis is not his own fault or the fault of the government.The 100,000 Mahaweli Ranbima deed program is being implemented in line with the Government’s policy statement, “Vision of Prosperity”. Under this program, the Government plans to complete the distribution of 100,000 land deeds to farmers in the Mahaweli areas before the end of next year.35,000 deeds settled under the first phase will be handed over to farmers in 10 Mahaweli zones, and deeds were symbolically awarded to 30 persons today.The President further went onto state that although there are many complaints about the lack of power and electricity in the country, the previous Government did not take any action to implement a single power plant in the country after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa established the Norochcholai power plant.President reiterated that he has been able to reaffirm the security of the country.Citing the promises made to implement a green agriculture in the policy statement, the President said that unfortunately the intent was not able to be communicated to the farmers in the correct manner, and many remained misinformed.