Wimal & Gammanpila removed from positions by President

LOS ANGELES - Will Smith has resigned from the motion picture academy following his Oscars night slap of Chris Rock Sunday. A spokesperson for Smith issued a statement to FOX News Digital Friday afternoon."I have directly responded to the Academy’s disciplinary hearing notice, and I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable," Smith said in the statement.THE OSCARS® – The 94th Oscars® aired live Sunday March 27, from the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood at 8 p.m. EDT/5 p.m.

LOS ANGELES - Will Smith resigned Friday from the motion picture academy following his Oscars night slap of Chris Rock and said he would accept any further punishment the organization imposed.A spokesperson for Smith issued a statement from the actor Friday afternoon."I will fully accept any and all consequences for my conduct. My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable," Smith said in the statement.THE OSCARS® – The 94th Oscars® aired live Sunday March 27, from the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood at 8 p.m.

NEW YORK - A U.S. judge refused to throw out Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking conviction Friday, despite a juror’s failure to disclose before the trial began that he’d been a victim of childhood sexual abuse.Maxwell, a British socialite, was convicted in December of helping the millionaire Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse several teenage girls.U.S.

The Toronto International Film Festival returns in September with the full cinema experience. Caryn Lieberman reports.

want to be alone on a giant island. A home located within Florida’s Cayo Costa State Park is for sale for $3.5 million and comes with all the amenities you can imagine — except for neighbors. On 1000 Cayo Costa, you’ll find a stately island mansion on a sprawling 1.8-acre property along the Gulf of Mexico. The home gives "resort vibes" and even comes with its own private dock for you to have easy access to your boat, which you’ll obviously need to access the island.Aerial view of 1000 Cayo Costa.

Virginia and Maryland on Wednesday evening, killing one, authorities said.Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and WeatherLt. Cmdr.

The sunrise casts a golden glow on the Artemis I Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 23, 2022. (NASA/Ben Smegelsky) CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA kicked off a critical countdown test Friday for its new moon rocket, a 30-story behemoth that could make its first lunar test flight by summer.The two-day demonstration — the final major milestone before liftoff to the moon — will culminate Sunday as teams load nearly 1 million gallons of super-cold fuel into the rocket on the pad.

SEATAC, Wash. - Dozens of Alaska Airlines flights at Sea-Tac International Airport were canceled Friday morning and officials said they are connected to the shortage of pilots.  According to FlightAware, there were 75 flights canceled out of Sea-Tac as of noon Friday, and 66 of the flights are through Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airlines told FOX 13 News as of 2 p.m., more than 120 flights were canceled, which is about 9% of its overall operation.

Lady Gaga will be performing at the 2022 Grammy Awards, which will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3.The 36-year-old singer is nominated for six awards alongside Tony Bennett for their second collaborative album, Love for Sale.The announcement comes after the Foo Fighters canceled their upcoming tour and performance at the music industry's biggest night following the unexpected death of their drummer Taylor Hawkins, at 48, on March 25. Excititng: Lady Gaga is set to perform at the 2022 Grammy Awards, which will air live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 3 (seen in 2022)On Friday,Bennett'sson and managerDanny confirmed that his father will not be attending the ceremony but plans to cheer on Gaga from his home in New York City.

Anna Maria Tolomello, 48 (Bucks County District Attorney's Office)HILLTOWN, Pa. – 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.

ISTANBUL, TURKIYE - APRIL 01: Muslims perform the first Tarawih prayer of Ramadan at Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul, Turkiye on April 01, 2022. Turkiyeâs Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque in Istanbul holds its first tarawih prayer in 88 years, a speci HOUSTON - Despite the U.S.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy remains steadfastly hard at work despite testing positive for COVID-19 this week.

Myocarditis or pericarditis are much more likely to follow infection with SARS-CoV2 compared with COVID-19 vaccinations, according to research published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

COVID-19 infections per day last week across Quebec, according to an estimate released Friday by a Montreal-based research centre.The results of the study by CIRANO should make Quebecers take the sixth wave of the pandemic seriously, Roxane Borges Da Silva, a professor at Université de Montréal’s school of public health who worked on the research, said in an interview.The Quebec government, she added, should strengthen its messaging on COVID-19 and reconsider its plan to lift mask mandates in mid-April.“It’s a very significant rise — non-negligible and worrisome — especially for those who are vulnerable to COVID and to health workers,” she said.The exact case counts presented in the study, which looked at the period from March 24-29, are difficult to confirm, she said, but the tendency is clear: the data indicates a rise in cases of between 20 per cent and 40 per cent over the previous week.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared a Public Emergency in Sri Lanka with effect from the 1st of April 2022.

RELATED: Democratic Women’s Caucus propose monument honoring Ruth Bader GinsburgOn the high court, her most significant majority opinions were the 1996 ruling that ordered the Virginia Military Institute to accept women or give up its state funding, and the 2015 decision that upheld independent commissions some states use to draw congressional districts."She is instrumental to why we now have women of all backgrounds, experiences and talents serving within our ranks, side by side with their male Sailor and Marine counterparts," Del Toro said in a prepared statement.Ginsburg died Sept. 18, 2020, of complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer.

MAYS LANDING, N.J. - Jurors have convicted a man of sexually assaulting a housekeeper in an Atlantic City hotel after he was released following his arrest on charges that he had beaten his girlfriend. The panel on Thursday found 36-year-old Jamel Carlton of Saugerties, New York, guilty of aggravted sexual assault, sexual assault, burglary, aggravated assault and criminal restraint. Authorities say Carlton pushed the housekeeper into a room at Bally’s Hotel and Casino and attacked her in February 2018. He had returned to the hotel after he was accused earlier in the day of attacking his girlfriend.

Two teenage boys use their smartphones as they sit on a bench in Vail, Colorado.

Omicron Covid-variant after a recent rise in cases, according to a tracker app. The new symptom has been added to the list after a number of people with the virus made reference to trouble with their ears.A number of Brit sufferers all cited ringing ears as something they have experienced after contracting Omicron.Following these reports, the ZOE Covid tracker app has now added the symptom to its top 20 most commonly reported symptoms, which is released every week.Ear pain has been seen in Omicron cases in the past but only now following reports has it become more common than originally thought.Last year, a study by A team of Stanford University experts and Dr Konstantina Stankovic, found that the Omicron variant could cause problems with the ear.The study reported symptoms including severe earache, ear numbness, and even temporary hearing loss, which can also continue even after the infection has passed.Dr Stankovic also revealed that these symptoms can also appear in those fully-vaccinated.Speaking to the Times Now News Portal, Dr Stankovic said: “Pain is often associated with ringing in the ears.

Three new studies to be presented at the upcoming European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) conference at the end of the month demonstrate benefits of the antiviral molnupiravir against COVID-19 infections, including evidence that Merck's pill reduces symptoms of the SARS-CoV-2 virus by day 3 of administration.All three studies are based on results seen in the MOVe-OUT st

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Police are investigating after a man allegedly shot and killed his daughter's boyfriend after he broke into their home.St.

PHILADELPHIA - Authorities are investigating an armed robbery at a Philadelphia daycare Friday where one of the suspects allegedly pepper sprayed a common where toddlers and staff were gathered. Officer from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the Munchkins to Masterminds Daycare on the 5400 block of Girard Avenue around 1:30 p.m. for reports of a robbery. Investigators say of 2-3 people stole an iPad from the school and sprayed pepper spray into a room where seven toddlers and two staff members were gathered.Emergency medical responders were called to the school to evaluate the victims, police said.

night sky, according to Sky & Telescope. Keep your binoculars and telescope handy because you just might catch a glimpse of Venus, Mars and Saturn several times this weekend and into next week. About 45 minutes before sunrise on Saturday, set your sights due southeast and look about 10 degrees above the horizon. You should see Venus shining brightly, according to Dr.

COVID-19 will be a reality for the “foreseeable future,” Canada’s top doctors are warning as the country is facing yet another resurgence of the virus.The forecast comes as Canada experiences an uptick in cases in many jurisdictions across the country, with a 28 per cent increase in daily average case counts as of March 31, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Vaccinated travellers no longer need pre-entry COVID-19 tests to enter Canada The latest surge will be Canada’s sixth wave of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.“COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future,” said deputy chief public health officer Dr.

Two studies yesterday in The Lancet Infectious Diseases confirm that COVID-19 vaccination confers substantial added protection—particularly against severe illness—to those previously infected with the virus.

In an historic moment, Pope Francis apologizes for the Church’s role in residential schools, and promises to visit Canada in the coming months. Europe bureau chief Crystal Goomansingh has the latest developments.

Start now on Royal Mail collection service

FILE - White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki holds a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC. on March 16, 2022.

HELLERTOWN, Pa. - Two young girls have died following a house fire in Northampton County, Pennsylvania. Authorities say the fire broke out just before 1 a.m. Friday on the 600 block of Linden Street in Hellertown. The coroner’s office announced Friday afternoon that Brianna Baer, 15, and Abigail Kaufman, 10, both died as a result of the fire. No further injuries have been reported at this time and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. This is a developing story.

TIJUANA, MEXICO - MARCH 22: A person (R) collects donations as people walk in line to the San Ysidro Port of Entry on their way to cross the southern border into the United States on March 22, 2022 in Tijuana, Mexico. March 21 marked the two-year ann WASHINGTON (AP) - The Centers for Disease Control announced Friday that it is ending a policy that limited asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent the spread of COVID-19.The use of public health powers had been widely criticized by Democrats and immigration advocates as an excuse for the United States to shirk its obligations to provide haven to people fleeing persecution.

FILE-Hope Solo Hope Solo during Press Conference to Announce the Launch of Nike Tailwind Product Line. (Jemal Countess/WireImage/Getty Images) WASHINGTON - Soccer legend Hope Solo was arrested Thursday in North Carolina for driving while intoxicated and resisting arrests, and police say Solo’s two children were in the car at the time of her arrest, TMZ reported Friday. Solo, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup winner, was taken into custody by authorities in a Walmart parking lot in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. US women football team's goalkeeper Hope Solo blocks the ball during a training session in Chengdu, China's southwestern province of Sichuan.

NEW YORK - Amazon workers on Staten Island, voted to unionize on Friday, marking the first successful U.S. organizing effort in the retail giant’s history and handing an unexpected win to a nascent group that fueled the union drive.Warehouse workers cast 2,654 votes in favor of a union, giving the fledgling Amazon Labor Union enough support to pull off a victory.

FILE-Ikea flags fly outside of a store in New York. Victor J.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The CEB’s request for 8 hours and 30 minutes power cut was approved by the PUCSL due to limited supply of fuel for thermal power plants, for tomorrow (02)Groups ABCDEF4 hours from 8am to 12pm3 hours from 4pm to 7pm 1 hour & 30 minutes from 9pm to 10:30pm.Groups GHIJKL4 hours from 12pm to 4pm3 hours from 6pm to 9pm 1 hour & 30 minutes from 10:30pm to 12am.Groups PQRS4 hours from 8am to 12pm3 hours from 4pm to 7pm 1hour & 30 minutes from 9pm to 10:30pm.Groups TUVW4 hours from 12pm to 4pm3 hours from 6pm to 9pm1 hour & 30 minutes from 10:30pm to 12am.Groups MNOXYZ3 hours and 30minutes from 5.30am to 9am.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa used minimum force to disperse the protest that took place at Pengiriwatte Road, Mirihana on Thursday (31) night.He said the protestors caused serious damage to public and private property, until the early hours of Friday (1).The Minister said that after the President ordered the use of minimum force the crowds dispersed within half an hour., adding that the President was very patient on the matter.Sri Lanka Police fired tear gas and water cannons to control the protests that took place on the road leading to the President’s Mirihana residence on Thursday (31) night, where people voiced their anger over a mismanaged economy.The people of Sri Lanka have a right to protest, said Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga on Friday (1) adding that the right is to protest for the betterment of the country not to lead the country into a state of anarchy.There are some things that are beyond the government’s control, and incidents that were witnessed on Thursday (31) would lead to a state of anarchy, he said.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police said that those arrested during Mirihana Protest will be prosecuted under the Penal Code and Public Property Act, and NOT under the PTA.Senior DIG & Senior Police Spokesperson Ajith Rohana speaking to reporters at the Department of Government Information on the Mirihana Protests said that Sri Lanka Police did not use any force on the peaceful protest that commenced at 6 PM until around 10:30 PM when certain groups started acting in a violent manner.“Sri Lanka Police ensured the right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression,” he said adding that by around 10:30 a group resorted to violent conduct and obstructed traffic, and thereafter caused damage to the tune of Rs. 39 Million.The Senior Police Officer said the Sri Lanka Police used force as per the provisions of the law, where at first a warning was given, and when the protestors did not comply water cannons were used, and thereafter tear gas was used, and eventually Sri Lanka Police had to use force to control the situation.Commenting on the damages caused to Sri Lanka Police he said three buses were damaged, 1 Police Bus was set on fire, 1 Sri Lanka Army Bus was badly damaged, 1 Police bike was destroyed, 1 Police jeep was also destroyed.He went on to note that 2 Police Special Task Force buses and a water cannot truck were also damaged.The Senior Cop also went on to note that 53 people were arrested for their involvement in the Mirihana Protest.The Senior Police Spokesperson added that 24 Police Officers including an ASP were injured during the Mirihana Protest, and 18 among them were members of the Police Special Task Force.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Masatsugu Asakawa, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), stated with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that the projects that have been implemented with the assistance of the ADB have made significant strides and he pledged to support Sri Lanka’s development efforts continuously.Asakawa made these remarks when he met with President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, on Thursday (10).The ADB President also said that special attention will be paid to support small and medium scale enterprises as well as private sector entrepreneurial development.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided US $ 750 million as concessional loans last year. Asakawa said that loans worth US $ 2 billion would be allocated for operational projects this year.The ADB President assured assistance in the efforts to revive the tourism sector in Sri Lanka and the development of human capital, which has suffered a setback due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The President thanked the ADB for providing nearly US $ 600 million worth of loans and financial assistance to Sri Lanka to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.The President said Sri Lanka seeks the assistance of the Asian Development Bank for green agriculture, renewable energy generation and foreign direct investment in industrial zones.The government aims to achieve 70% of the total energy generation from renewable sources.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued an extraordinary gazette amending the Duties and Functions of the State Minister of Defence, State Minister of Disaster Management, Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to convene the Economic Council on a weekly basis with the objective of accelerating the economic growth in the country through the management of the entire economy by thoroughly discussing the local economic policies including macroeconomic policies, the behavior of the national economy after Covid – 19 pandemic situation, economic restructuring as well as the major development projects that directly affect the economic policies and financial policies of the government.The Cabinet of Ministers decided to grant their concurrence to the measures to be taken by the President to let implement the decisions taken by the relevant Ministries, Departments and Statutory institutions when necessary subject to the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers followed by the instructions and guidance of that Board as well as to invite intellects with esteem/standard in the respective fields as required for the meetings of the Economy board.Accordingly, the composition of the Economic Council is comprised as follows.• His Excellency the President Gotabhaya Rajapaksha (Chairman)• Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa• Minister of Trade Bandula Gunawardhana• Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando• Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksha• Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage• Minister of Plantation Ramesh Pathirana• Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal• Secretary to the President Gamini Senerath• Secretary to the Treasury S. R.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The state-of-the-art cement manufacturing facility of Lanwa Sanstha Cement Corporation (Pvt) Ltd., was inaugurated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday (7).A BOI venture, the Lanwa Sanstha facility spread across 63 acres is located in Hambantota’s Mirijjawila Export Processing Zone, and saw an investment of US $ 100 Mn.The total capacity of the plant would be 4mn MT per annum and is one of the largest such facilities in the whole of South Asia.The President and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa also placed the foundation stone for the proposed steel factory at the premises which will cover 250 acres, with an investment of US $ 400 Mn.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has advised the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs to name the late ceremonial tusker ‘Nadungamuwe Raja’ as a National Treasure.Further, he had noted to conserve the remains of the Tusker for future generations.The President’s Media Division said that a team from the National Museum was dispatched to Gampaha, where the remains of the ceremonial tusker are currently placed.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former Deputy Police Chief Ravindra Seneviratne filed a Fundamental Rights application with the Supreme Court on Monday (7) seeking an order to prevent his arrest.Ravindra Seneviratne was also the Former Head of the Criminal Investigations Department.The Former DIG in his application sought an interim order preventing any attempt to arrest him based on the contents of the B report produced to the Kuliyapitiya Magistrate’s Court on charges that include the failure to properly investigate Zaharan Hashim, who led the suicide bomb attacks on 21st April 2019.In addition, the Former DIG also sought an interim order restraining President Gotabaya Rajapaksa from issuing a detention order as the Minister of Defense to arrest him under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.The petitioner also seeks an order quashing the B report filed against him in connection with a fraudulent investigation report allegedly made on an anonymous petition.The Former DIG has requested the court to order his immediate release if he is arrested and to pay Rs. 100 million as compensation.Assistant Superintendent of Police Meryl Ranjan Lamahewa of the CID, Women Inspector Niroshani Pathirana among 14 others were named as the respondents in the application.The Former DIG pointed out that he could be arrested at any time on the basis of that report, thereby violating his fundamental rights.

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); Former Minister Wimal Weerawansa revealed that he will not accept any ministerial position under the government of the incumbent President.Weerawansa was speaking reporters in Colombo, in his first-ever briefing after he and Udaya Gammanpila were stripped of their ministerial portfolios on Thursday (3) evening.Udaya Gammanpila and Wimal Weerwansa were 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,Watch the Media Briefing Here: 

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.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday (25) visited Mico for Inspection.State Minister D. B.