Government declares multiple essential services

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Education Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party, Pubudu Jagoda states that it is not fair to put the tax burden on the people, citing that the Inland Revenue Division, which had stated that Rs. 800 billion of taxed remain unpaid from large companies.He further pointed out that scams such as the sugar scam have taken place, yet no action has been taken with regard to it, and the taxes have not been reimbursed from the companies which were involved.Moreover, Jagoda said that the same fate has befallen the coconut oil scam and the garlic scam.

NORTH PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police are investigating a shooting that left a 25-year-old man in critical condition.Officials say the shooting happened on the 1100 block of West Nevada Street, just after 5 o’clock early Wednesday evening, in North Philadelphia.The man was found in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, including in his torso and in the back.Police rushed him to Temple University Hospital where he was placed in critical condition.An investigation into the shooting is active, though police say no weapon has been found and no arrests have been made.___Tips can be submitted by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477) or texting PPD TIP (773847). Tips can also be submitted anonymously online, here.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Member of the Economic Center of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Dr. Harsha de Silva says that the Government's recent tax revision has a risk of being backfired, and alleged that the proposal was not brought before the Parliament and neither the Parliament Finance Committe for approval beforehand. Speaking at a press conference held on Wednesday (12), the MP alleged that the tax revsion is one of the moved which are stipulated in the IMF agreement, that was hidden from the public. Speaking further, the SJB MP said that these proposed 'dictatorial' tax amendments should be discussed more, and should be implemented gradually, in a step-by-step fashion rather than in a matter of a week or two. If these tax revisions are implemented without consulting with the public, it would result in disastrous circumstances, including being backfired, Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The 2022 Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index, a report released by OXFAM highlights that the pandemic alone has increased Sri Lanka's poverty by 27%.The report, which is the first detailed analysis looking at Governments' policies and actions to fight inequality during the first two years of the pandemic, presents an analysis of spending, tax and labour policies and actions of 161 governments during 2020–2022.In comparison with neighbouring countries, Sri Lanka has placed 111th in the report, while other countries include Nepal (112th), Bhutan (116th), India (123rd), Pakistan (126th), and Afghanistan (138th) out of the total 161.Two years ago, Sri Lanka ranked in 94th position among 158 countries in the 2020 Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index, and in comparison with this year, has gone down 17 places.The report highlights that Sri Lanka is the sixth lowest public services spender out of 161 countries and has been cutting the already low health and education budget shares by one-fifth each since 2019, due to a growing debt crisis which is absorbing 60% of the country's budget.The other countries that have ranked as low as Sri Lanka in public spending includes South Sudan, Timor Leste, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Uganda, Nepal and Yemen.

This picture taken on October 12, 2022 shows a view of a mosaic floor dating to the Roman era being excavated in the city of al-Rastan in Syria's west-central province of Homs, after its discovery was announced by Syria's General Directorate of Antiq RASTAN, Syria - Syria uncovered a large intact mosaic that dates back to the Roman era, describing it Wednesday as the most important archaeological discovery since the country's conflict began 11 years ago.Journalists were shown the mosaic in the central town of Rastan near Homs, Syria’s third-largest city.The mosaic, at 120 square meters (around 1,300 square feet), was found in an old building that Syria's General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums had been excavating. Lebanese and Syrian businessmen from the neighboring country's Nabu Museum bought the property that dates back to the 4th century and donated it to the Syrian state.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe pointed out that using children as shields in demonstrations is a serious offence according to the law of the country and advised the Sri Lanka Police to take immediate measures to prevent the perpetuation of such conduct.President Wickremesinghe issued these instructions during the special discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (12) on the protection of children’s rights.Highlighting sub-section 13 of Article 27 of the Constitution, “The State shall promote with special care the interests of children and youth, to ensure their full development, physical, mental, moral, religious and social, and to protect them from exploitation and discrimination,” the President emphasized that protecting children is the prime responsibility of a government.Steps were also taken to assign the responsibilities of child protection to the Sri Lanka Police and related government institutions.The President upheld the need for an Act to protect children’s rights to prevent them from being used for sexual activities and protect their fundamental rights. He also advised the officials to discuss this issue with the Attorney General to take necessary steps in this regard.The President drew attention to the detention of the children, who were among the people who were arrested for illegally migrating to India, and therefore separated from their parents. He said that this situation needs to be rectified immediately and arrangements made to return the children to their parents.The President also requested special attention to be paid to the education of children in orphanages and the protection of their rights and advised the officials to submit a report on those with special

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A country’s security is not only ensured militarily but is also secured through food and economic security, President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized.The President said this during the progress review meeting of the National Food Security and Nutrition Assurance Program held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (11).Emphasizing that urgent measures should be taken to provide the country with fuel and food, the President said that if necessary, he could intervene through state security regulations.The President also noted that if the implementation of the food security and nutrition assurance program is hampered due to the collapse of the state machinery, he is ready to intervene at any moment to resolve these issues.President Ranil Wickremesinghe also pointed out the need to modernize agriculture and enact legislation on food security through this program.The multi-sectoral joint mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centres to ensure food security and nutrition was recently implemented across the island under the theme “No citizen should be allowed to starve due to the lack of food”, on the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.Also, the progress of the program at the district level was examined during this discussion and it was stated that rural economic revitalization committees have been established at the village level in all districts and programs have been initiated to ensure food security and nutrition.Discussions also centred on the issues that could arise during the cultivation process in the relevant districts, while special attention was placed on the supply of fertilizer, land issues, unavailability of seeds and the crop damage caused by wild animals.President

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The movement to protect the rights of pensioners filed a complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.The movement to protect the rights of the pensioners claims in its complaint that the government had suspended the gratuity payment for pensioners for more than a year.They say delayed payments have posed economic and social risks to pensioners at large.

COLOMBO (News 1st)-  Former Norwegian government minister Erik Solheim has been appointed as a International Climate Adviser together to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, along with Former Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed.He called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday (12) and tweeted that the President has a great vision for green economic revocery and for Sri Lankan climate leadership.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Monetary Board, with the concurrence of the Minister of Finance, has promoted Mrs. K M A N Daulagala, Assistant Governor and the Secretary to the Monetary Board, to the post of Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) with effect from 07 October 2022. K M A N Daulagala has over 31 years of service at CBSL in different capacities in the areas of supervision and regulation of non-bank financial institutions, macroprudential surveillance, finance, international operations, risk management, regional development, human resource management and training and development. She has served as the Chief Accountant and Director of Supervision of Non-Bank Financial Institutions and Financial System Stability and has contributed towards strengthening the legal framework and governance in the non-bank financial institutions sector. Prior to the appointment as a Deputy Governor, Mrs.

PHILADELPHIA - A fire quickly consumed a string of row homes in West Philadelphia on Tuesday, putting over a dozen people out of their homes. Velice Hids, who lives on the 200 block of North Hobart Street, says she smelled smoke and heard a loud smack before running to the window to see where the startling noise could have come from. As soon as she looked out her window, she says she saw flames shooting from the row home across the street. "It was jumping from house to house.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealand's government on Tuesday proposed taxing the greenhouse gasses that farm animals make from burping and peeing as part of a plan to tackle climate change.The government said the farm levy would be a world first, and that farmers should be able to recoup the cost by charging more for climate-friendly products.But farmers quickly condemned the plan. Federated Farmers, the industry's main lobby group, said the plan would "rip the guts out of small-town New Zealand" and see farms replaced with trees.Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard said farmers had been trying to work with the government for more than two years on an emissions reduction plan that wouldn't decrease food production.FILE - A photo taken on August 10, 2022, shows cows being milked on a dairy farm near Cambridge in New Zealand's Waikato region.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia family is mourning the loss of their loved one after a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed in the city’s West Oak Lane section.Authorities say at around 6:48 p.m. on Monday, police responded to the 6500 block of North Smedley Street, where they found the 13-year-old suffering multiple gunshot wounds to his head and face. The boy was rushed to Einstein Hospital where authorities say he was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m. Monday night.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka is to seek eligibility for IDA loans while remaining as a middle-income country and the government stated that Sri Lanka will remain a middle-income country.Sri Lanka no longer qualifies for International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loans due to a downgrade of the country’s credit rating.Therefore, the Cabinet approved a proposal yesterday (10) to request the World Bank to grant the country eligibility to obtain loans offered by the International Development Association (IDA).This is with the aim of obtaining concessionary funding from the International Development Association (IDA) — an arm of the World Bank that helps the world’s vulnerable countries. This facility is called “Gap”.Twelve countries including Indonesia have availed themselves of this facility when they were facing economic downturn similar to Sri Lanka.

PHILADELPHIA - Investigators with the Philadelphia Police Department are working on learning more about a shooting that left a man dead on Tuesday morning. According to police, officers responded to reports of gunshots and a person shot at 52nd and Berks Streets just before 12:30 a.m.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued instructions to streamline the process of responding to letters, emails and phone calls addressed to government institutions. The president has focussed his attention on streamlining and expediting the process of responding to letters, emails, and phone calls by the public instead of them having to waste their time, effort, and money by having to come to these institutions personally to attend to their requirements. Accordingly, a special letter signed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, including provisions in replying to letters, e-mails and telephone calls addressed to government institutions, has been sent to all ministry secretaries, provincial chief secretaries, and Heads of departments.Priority should be given to general letters from the public to government institutions, and in case final replies cannot be sent immediately, an interim reply stating that the letter has been received should be sent within one week and a final reply should be sent within four (04) weeks. In addition, for all official letters, the direct telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the staff officer in charge of the subject should be mentioned below the signature of the relevant letter when sending reply letters.Emails sent to public email addresses of relevant offices should be checked daily and a specific officer should be assigned for the purpose.

She was only 28 years old and had no reason to believe she was anything other than perfectly healthy, except for a few headaches.

New Zealand’s government on Tuesday proposed taxing the greenhouse gasses that farm animals make from burping and peeing as part of a plan to tackle climate change.The government said the farm levy would be a world first, and that farmers should be able to recoup the cost by charging more for climate-friendly products.But farmers quickly condemned the plan. Federated Farmers, the industry’s main lobby group, said the plan would “rip the guts out of small town New Zealand” and see farms replaced with trees.Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard said farmers had been trying to work with the government for more than two years on an emissions reduction plan that wouldn’t decrease food production.“Our plan was to keep farmers farming,” Hoggard said.

PHILADELPHIA - A man is dead after police say he was shot multiple times Monday night in Southwest Philadelphia. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 800 block of South 48th Street just before 9 p.m.

PHILADELPHIA - Police are investigating a shooting that left a teenager critically injured in West Oak Lane on Monday night. At around 6:48 p.m., police responded to the 6500 block of North Smedley Street where they say they found a 13-year-old boy who had been shot multiple times in the head and face. The victim was transported to Einstein Hospital where police say he was placed in critical condition. Authorities say no weapons were recovered, and no arrests have been made. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the police. 

WASHINGTON (AP) - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez called Monday for freezing all U.S. cooperation with Saudi Arabia, delivering one of the strongest expressions yet of U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - Multiple police officers became the target of a man, who is now being charged with several counts of attempted murder, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.Keith Blount, 59, is accused of firing several ‘unprovoked’ shots at officers driving down the 3300 block of North 10th Street last week. He was reportedly sitting in his car at the time.After police radioed for backup and established a perimeter, Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said Blount jumped out of his car and continued firing at police. Authorities say four officers returned fire, grazing the man in the head.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The four adults who were arrested by the police during Sunday's (9) Aragalaya Heroe's Memorial at Galle Face Green were produced to court on Monday (10) after were released on personal bail of Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe noted that the country needs a national policy that does not change with every government that comes to power and invited everyone to commit to building the country on one national policy without party differences.The President pointed out that to build a developed economy and raise Sri Lanka to the pinnacle of the world, a solid economic policy as well as political stability is a must. Hence, he invited everyone to join hands to discuss the national policy framework using the "Jathika Sabhawa" (National Council) as a platform.President Wickremesinghe stated this while declaring open the first life-saving pharmaceutical manufacturing plant established in Sri Lanka on Monday (10).The President also pointed out that he is working towards establishing a national policy to prepare an export economy using competitive and modern technology.Expressing his views further, the President said, “This company has taken steps to develop our export industry, not only to supply medicines needed domestically but also by producing medicines needed internationally. We sincerely hope that this project commenced by this young entrepreneur will progress to greater heights.

(Army) – The Sri Lanka Army; the proud “Protector of the State” which led a sustained crusade against ruthless terrorism and brought durable peace to the Nation after more than three decades of human suffering celebrated its 73rd anniversary aka the Army Day on Monday (10 October) with grandeur at Panagoda, assuring that it would continue to be the leading gurantor of national security.Fluttering Army Flag and multi-coloured flags of all Regiments and formations which provided a dramatic backdrop for the day's formal spectacle in the premises where Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage, Commander of the Army added dignity and prominence to the commemoration as the Chief Guest, set the stage aptly ready for the day's proceedings in the glittering ceremony soon after the Army Chief's arrival was heralded.Typical of military formalities, a smartly-attired Guard Turnout salute greeted the day's Chief Guest as he entered the premises after the Centre Commandant, Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI) Regimental Centre welcomed Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage to the location. This year’s Army Day parade commanded by Major General SUMN Manage WWV RWP RSP psc, Director General General Staff, together with Brigadier GWA Senevirathna USP psc, Director Research Concept and Doctrine, 2nd in Command consisted of 77 Officers and 652 Other Ranks of all 25 Regiments with Colours squads.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Sri Lankan Cabinet of Ministers on Monday (10) will likely take up a proposal for Sri Lanka to revert from a middle-income country to a low-income country.This is with the aim of obtaining concessionary funding from the International Development Association (IDA) — an arm of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries.The decision has been taken after considering the financial constraints, including lack of foreign reserves, inflation, and difficulty in meeting debt payments. The government also has taken into consideration the claim that some former officials had manipulated figures to push Sri Lanka to a middle-income country.The move effectively will mean that Sri Lanka will be seeking a ‘reverse graduation’ to IDA on the grounds that the country lacks creditworthiness to borrow on market terms, including from the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) — the lending arm of the World Bank – and, therefore, requires concessional resources to finance the country’s development programs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The World Bank in its October 2022 update says that it will be imperative to protect the poor and vulnerable by providing immediate additional assistance to the poorest in need, while comprehensively reforming the social protection system.The World Bank warns that poverty has increased sharply since 2021, and it is likely to increase further in the absence of effective mitigation measures and made several recommendations.– In the short run, increasing financing for social assistance should be a priority. – The government will need to invest in the establishment and operationalization of the Welfare Benefits Board and a Social Registry. – The generosity of cash transfers needs to be revisited, particularly for some vulnerable groups– Sri Lanka also needs to adopt more modern payment systems for cash transfer programs.– Given its increasing vulnerability to shocks, Sri Lanka would also benefit from developing a social protection system that can scale up and phase out where needed.– In the medium to long term, Sri Lanka needs to transition to a more fiscally sustainable and inclusive social insurance and aged care system.– Sri Lanka also needs to strengthen its productive inclusion programs.– Finally, a social protection strategy is needed to guide the overall social protection reformThe World Bank said that Rising debt vulnerabilities and weak competitiveness, resulting from years of risky borrowing and poor fiscal and monetary policy choices, along with weak governance, led to an unsustainable debt and a severe balance of payments crisis. It warned that a delayed response allowed the crisis to spread to all key sectors of the economy.The World Bank said that a significant economic contraction is

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Federation For Health Professionals warned that if the retirement age for one particular profession is extended, it would protest against such decisions.The Federation For Health Professionals in a statement said that the government had reached a policy decision to bring down the retirement age of all public sector employees to 60 years.It notes that reports have revealed an attempt being made by a Cabinet Sub-Committee to reverse this decision for one particular profession in the health sector.The Federation For Health Professionals strongly condemns the attempts to completely disregard its contribution towards implementing the government's policies.The Federation For Health Professionals warned that trade union action would be inevitable if the cabinet of ministers decided to reach a decision that would not treat all health sector professions equally.Around twenty trade unions representing health professionals had signed the letter requesting that the retirement age policy not be reversed.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  Following controversy over grounded aircraft by its government, Russia's Aeroflot resumed services to Sri Lanka on Monday (10).With the arrival of an Aeroflot Flight on Monday (10) to the Katunayake International Airpor the Moscow-Colombo route will be reinstated, on conditions being promised by the Sri Lankan government that none of its planes will be grounded or arrested.On 2nd June 2022, SU289, A330-343 aircraft was scheduled to depart from Colombo to Moscow with 191 passengers and 13 crew members, but it was not allowed, as the owner of the aircraft – Celestial Aviation of Ireland had filed a case against the airline, for a pending arbitration on the lease of the aircraft in London.Following the legal dispute, Aeroflot also announced that it was suspending commercial flights between Colombo and Moscow.Aeroflot is the oldest international airline that operated flights to Colombo, and it has been operating the Moscow-Colombo route since 1964.Russia remains the third largest tourism source market year-to-date with 51,300 arrivals, behind India and UK.The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow in September announced that Aeroflot, the national carrier of the Russian Federation, will resume flight operations to Sri Lanka with effect from the 09th October 2022.The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Moscow in consultation with the Government of Sri Lanka played a pivotal role by making a diplomatic representation with the Government of the Russian Federation in order to resume Aeroflot’s flights on this route.Given that the Russian Federation could be regarded as an important tourist traffic source to Sri Lanka at this trying time, the Embassy was of the view that this flight resumption will be of vital importance to Sri

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police are investigating a daytime shooting that unfolded in Kensington Sunday afternoon.A 29-year-old man was reportedly shot multiple times inside a store on the 3100 block of Kensington Avenue around 12:30 p.m.He is said to be in critical condition after being transported to a local hospital.MORE HEADLINES:No arrests have been made, and no weapons recovered at this time.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Transport Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena has requested for anyone who knows the method for freeing the country from its current crisis to come forward. The Minister said that as the Government has announced that it has defaulted on its debt, if anyone can indeed teach the Government on how to get out of its situation, that would bring them glory in this world and a blessing in the hereafter.He also stated that the Government of USA has filed a lawsuit alleging that Sri Lanka has not paid part of the debt it has taken by issuing sovereign bonds, and said that Sri Lanka does not have the expertise to face such a case. Therefore, the Government has assigned the responsibility of providing legal advice to a company called Clifford and Sons, and had chosen a company called Lazard to prepare a system to get us out of the crisis. "There is no political solution for this.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickramasinghe says that he intends to reduce the number of members of local Government bodies prior to the next election.The Presidential Media Division said that accordingly, the number of members of local councils, municipal councils and urban councils should be reduced from 8,000 to 4,000.The President's Media Division added that the President also intends to implement the Jana Sabha program.The President has also said that executive power of the Pradeshiya Sabhas should be given to a chairman-based committees instead of a single chairman, and draft laws will be prepared to incorporate these amendments prior to the next local government elections.Pointing out that the main cause for political corruption is the preferential system, President Wickremesinghe said that a non-preferential list system or a mixed electoral system should be adopted and restrictions should be imposed by the election law on the amount spent on elections.Furthermore, during a meeting with professionals held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (09), President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that a proposal would be made to appoint a Parliament Select Committee to decide on the parliamentary voting system, and if this select committee fails to come up with a decision by July next year, a referendum would be held. 

EAST GERMANTOWN - A 24-year-old man has been shot multiple times and killed in East Germantown.Authorities say the shooting happened Saturday night, just after 8:30, on the 800 block of East Chelten Avenue.14th District officers responded to the address and found the 24-year-old man suffering with multiple gunshot wounds throughout his body.MORE HEADLINES:Police rushed him to Einstein Medical Center where he died.Officials say an investigation into the shooting is underway. They recovered a weapon from the victim, but no arrests have been made.___Tips can be submitted by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477) or texting PPD TIP (773847).

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says that President Ranil Wickremesinghe will continue to have the support of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna to move the country forward.The former President and former Prime Minister, attending a public meeting held in Kalutara, said that he believed that President Wickremesinghe has returned to a 'better path'.SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena organized the public rally under the theme, "Let's rise together from Kalutara", at his coordination office which was burned down previously.Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and many MPs of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna attended the event.The former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa speaking at the event said that despite Sri Lanka facing many challenges today, the party has the strength to overcome those challenges, and should go forward with programs that the people of the country needs. "I believe that the duty of a government is to understand the needs of the people and fulfill their needs. Therefore, we say that today we have taken steps to fulfill that role.

medical assistance in dying, commonly known as MAiD.It’s an unmistakable message from the government: if you want to end your life, we’ll help you.“If you call the number on the government website, they will provide doctors that will sign off for you,” says the 52-year-old resident of Windsor, Ont.“They can have me dead in 90 days. That’s what I was told.”Cowie certainly meets the medical criteria.“I have severe, severe asthma.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says that President Ranil Wickremesinghe will continue to have the support of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna to move the country forward.The former President and former Prime Minister, attending a public meeting held in Kalutara, said that he believed that President Wickremesinghe has returned to a 'better path'.SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena organized the public rally under the theme, "Let's rise together from Kalutara", at his coordination office which was burned down previously.Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and many MPs of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna attended the event.The former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa speaking at the event said that despite Sri Lanka facing many challenges today, the party has the strength to overcome those challenges, and should go forward with programs that the people of the country needs. "I believe that the duty of a government is to understand the needs of the people and fulfill their needs. Therefore, we say that today we have taken steps to fulfill that role.

Jason Kenney says he concerned about certain elements that appear to be taking over along the right of the political spectrum.Pointing to the works of traditional conservative philosopher Roger Scruton, Kenney said an important tenet of conservative politics is recognizing the “prosperous and free society” handed down by past generations and being a custodian for future generations.“Conservatism, therefore, means protecting what’s best about what we’ve inherited. Not being opposed to thoughtful reform, but being opposed to radical overnight change and the destruction of institutions,” Kenney told The West Block’s Mercedes Stephenson in an interview airing in full on Sunday..“And so some of what I see now, what I call ‘populism with a snarl,’ is not conservatism.

PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say a man was shot by police after he fired several times at officers Friday night in North Philadelphia. The shooting happened just before 6 p.m.

File: A "help wanted" sign is displayed in a window in Manhattan on July 28, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images WASHINGTON - America’s employers slowed their hiring in September but still added 263,000 jobs, a solid figure that will likely keep the Federal Reserve on pace to keep raising interest rates aggressively to fight persistently high inflation.Friday’s government report showed that hiring fell from 315,000 in August to the weakest monthly gain since April 2021.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Although the President attempted to push the idea that he accepted the challenge of leading the country forward through an economic crisis as there was no one else qualified to take up the challenge, the question remains whether he accepted it because he did not have a choice, or whether he was chosen to oversee the return of the Rajapaksas. Speaking at the Parliament, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the Rajapaksa camp was pushed against the wall, and they chose Wickremesinghe as the President to see them through the current crisis. "Therefore, he is not the one who accepted this challenge, but he is the chosen one," Dissanayake said.He emphasized that he too remains ready to accept this very same position and challenged the President to hold an election to appoint a leader and government.Citing the statement by President alleging that some political parties are ready to take power over dead bodies, Dissanayake challenged the President to name such parties."We have to accept that a Government and an individual cannot come out of this crisis. Society should be united for this.

NORTH WILDWOOD N.J. - The sunny day finally gave people down the shore the chance to check out any damage and start the clean-up process, after several days of rain and flooding.The mayor of North Wildwood, New Jersey is calling on state and federal governments to fulfill what he calls their "legal and moral" obligation to approve a beach replenishment project along the dune at the end of 15th Street.The dune was lashed in the early-week storm causing what city engineer, Jim Verna, describes as "massive damage" and making the dune vulnerable to a breach, endangering what he said is, "…millions of dollars in private and public infrastructure damage."RELATED COVERAGE:Verna, wearing a blazer and sunglasses, walked the wounded dune surveying the damage in the early afternoon. He said, "We didn’t lose the entire dune in the storm, but we’re approaching 2-million cubic yards of sand to restore it back to its engineered design."North Wildwood’s mayor told FOX 29’s Jeff Cole the community will spend $800,000 to buy and install a metal bulkhead to keep back the ocean from the headquarters of the beach and hotels and commercial properties just beyond it.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa speaking in Parliament on Friday (7) said the economy cannot be revived by a small group of people confining themselves to small rooms.He said the government must visit the people and understand their woes and the destruction that has been caused due to wrong economic decisions.He proposed for the government implement an economic growth strategy. He said that the government must recover the money looted from the state via various scams, and use that money to boost tax revenue.He proposed for the government to recover the looted funds via an anti-corruption program, and the UN's Stolen Asset Recovery Assistance program.

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that social media carries positive as well as negative information, which is one of the major problems that the entire world is facing.Ranil Wickremesinghe visited a workshop organized for the Media Secretaries of the Cabinet Minister, State Ministers, and Governor on Friday (7) in Colombo."Unlike Print and electronic media, currently we are all facing social media problems. It carries positive as well as negative information, which is one of the major problems that the entire world is facing.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed to expedite the program to provide welfare benefits to 3.1 million low-income families in Sri Lanka.This program has been planned to cover all the districts of the country under the theme ‘Don’t Leave Anyone Behind’. Under this program, the benefits will be available for the families or individuals receiving benefits under Samurdhi, Elderly Persons, Disabled Persons, and Kidney Disease Assistance Program. People who are on the waiting list expecting subsidies as well as people who are affected by the current economic crisis and who are expecting government welfare benefits will also receive this benefit, the Minister revealed.Minister also said that calling for applications has already started and the closing date has been extended to October 15.The relevant application form can be downloaded via the www.wbb.gov.lkBy calling for new applications, the government hopes to include all eligible beneficiaries and to provide benefits to all those who deserve benefits through the Social Welfare Benefit Board, the Minister further said.Denying the rumor that has been circulating among the public regarding the cut-down of the allowances according to the agreements with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he said the government needs to organize the data in a correct system. It needs to include the group who are currently receiving welfare benefits as well as the group who are not receiving welfare benefits but are expecting. We expect to gather all the information and give the allowance to the necessary, appropriate, and correct individual."We are united in the national responsibility that no one should be left behind.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Workers’ remittances increased to US dollars 325 million during August 2022, in comparison to US dollars 279 million in the previous month, recording the highest monthly remittances thus far during 2022. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka said that total departures for foreign employment were recorded at 29,072 during August 2022. Total departures of foreign employment comprised unskilled (9,685), skilled (8,590), and domestic aid (7,176) categories. Total departures for foreign employment during January – August 2022 were recorded at 192,594, compared to 45,899 in the corresponding period of the previous year, and a total of 117,952 in 2021.Tourist arrivals:Tourist arrivals moderated in August 2022 to 37,760, from 47,293 arrivals recorded in July 2022. The United Kingdom, India, Germany, and France remained the main source countries for tourist arrivals in August 2022.

Belarusian human rights activist Ales Bialiatski speaks after he and the Belarusian human rights organization Vjasna were awarded the 2020 Right Livelihood Award during the 2020 awarding ceremony in Stockholm on Dec. 3, 2020.

Chrystia Freeland said Thursday while speaking on the bill at the Senate Committee.“This relief is really needed by people. That’s why I am very grateful to all the MPs in the House of Commons who decided to support the measure,” added Freeland, who sponsored the bill.The enactment amends the Income Tax Act in order to double the Goods and Sales Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) credit for six months.

Albertans will learn later Thursday who the new premier of the province will be.Voting is wrapping up by members of the United Conservative Party (UCP) to select a successor to Premier Jason Kenney. How Alberta’s UCP leadership race works Kenney announced in the spring he was leaving after receiving 51 per cent in a party leadership review.“I’m feeling great.