President instructs ministries to implement fuel conservation plans

A fuel ship, Seafrontier, has arrived at Colombo Port, the Ministry of Ports and Civil Aviation confirmed today (17). The vessel delivered 17,000 metric tons of 92-octane petrol, 18,000 metric tons of diesel, and 2,800 metric tons of super diesel. Part of the cargo was offloaded at Kerawalapitiya fuel storage, with the remainder transported to Kolonnawa via the Dolphin Jetty.

New fuel shipment arrives in Colombo amid energy crisis

Amazon is ramping up its speedy delivery service by offering 1-hour and 3-hour shipping in markets across the U.S., including Los Angeles and Chicago, in its latest efforts to stave off e-commerce competition from its biggest rival Walmart.&nbsp; Fast delivery has been a significant part of Amazon’s push to increase basket sizes and shopping frequency. The company in December announced a separate service called “Amazon Now” to deliver grocery items and everyday essentials in 30 minutes or less in select locations including Seattle and Philadelphia. “We saw an opportunity to use our unique operational expertise and delivery network to help make customers’ lives a little easier while unlocking even more value for Prime members,” Amazon Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations Udit Madan said in a press release.&nbsp; The Seattle-based e-commerce giant said on Tuesday that its 1-hour delivery option is available on more than 90,000 products, including everyday essentials, toys and toilet paper, and will rely on its existing same-day delivery network. The 60-minute option has launched in major U.S. metropolitan areas and smaller cities like Boise, Idaho. The 3-hour option has launched in more than 2,000 cities and towns. Perishable groceries are available in select areas, Amazon said.&nbsp; To ensure the 1-hour and 3-hour orders are fulfilled in a shorter amount of time, Amazon introduced designated work stations for these orders within existing same-day delivery centers, new yellow labels that are placed on the packages for easy identification and updated signage throughout the site to easily direct delivery partners, the company said. Using the high-speed delivery comes at an extra fee. Prime members pay an extra $9.99 for 1-hour delivery and $4.99 for 3-hour delivery. Shoppers without Prime memberships pay $19.99 for 1-hour orders and $14.99 for 3-hour deliveries. Source: Reuters

Amazon launches 1-hour shipping in US cities to challenge Walmart

Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence claimed that it seized hundreds of Starlink satellite internet systems in a nationwide operation, according to Iranian state media on Tuesday. “The locations of satellite systems were identified and the criminal activities of their users were monitored and controlled,” the Ministry of Intelligence said in a statement, reported by Iran’s Mehr News and Tasnim News. “This series of actions will continue until all satellite internet terminals that serve the enemy in any way are fully identified,” the Ministry of Intelligence statement continued. “According to the law, use of illegal Starlink systems is a crime and during wartime, it is punishable by the severest penalties.” For context: Iran’s internet blackout is now entering day 18, according to the internet monitor Netblocks. But the Iranian population is one of the most sophisticated in the world when it comes to circumventing web restrictions, and chief among the tools is satellite internet, like Elon Musk’s Starlink, which the company has made free in Iran. It’s estimated that in the country of roughly 92 million people, only about 50,000 Starlink terminals have been smuggled into the country, according to digital activists cited by FreedomHouse. Estimates vary, though. Source: CNN

Iran says it seized hundreds of Starlink terminals, state media reports

Israel targeted Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, in a Tehran strike on Monday night, according to an Israeli Military spokesperson. The Israeli military is still awaiting the results of the strike, known as a battle damage assessment, to determine if Larijani was killed. On Tuesday morning, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said, “We recorded significant achievements in Iran last night.” The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) carried out a wave of simultaneous strikes on Monday evening against the cities of Tehran, Shiraz and Tabriz. The IDF made no mention of targeting Larijani, instead naming missile production sites and command centers as the goals. “Alongside the ongoing damage and erosion of military capabilities and industrial production capacities, we are acting against elements of the Revolutionary Guards and the regime’s repression apparatus,” Zamir said at a situation assessment. Israel also targeted senior figures in Palestinian Islamic Jihad, an Iran-backed militant group in Gaza, in a separate attack a few days ago, the Israeli source told CNN. Source: CNN

Israel targets Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Chief Ali Larijani

Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday the Israeli military had killed Iran’s security chief and the head of its Basij militia in airstrikes overnight. Larijani is a former nuclear negotiator and a close ally of slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Katz said in a statement he had been informed by the military that Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani had been killed. Iranian state media published a handwritten note ⁠by Larijani commemorating Iranian sailors killed in a U.S. attack whose funeral was expected on Tuesday but there was no immediate comment by Tehran on Katz’s remarks. Larijani would be the most senior figure assassinated since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei was killed on the first day of Israeli-U.S. airstrikes on February 28. Katz said Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of Iran’s Basij forces, had also been killed. The Basij militia is a part-time paramilitary force under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that is often used to quell protests inside Iran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the Israeli ⁠leader had ordered “the elimination of senior officials of the Iranian regime”. The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran is in its third week, with at least 2,000 people killed and no end in sight. The Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed off and U.S. allies have rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump’s calls for them to help to reopen the ⁠vital waterway, through which about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas flows. There was no let-up in attacks by both sides early on Tuesday, with Iran launching missiles on Israel overnight, underscoring that Tehran retains ⁠the capacity to carry out long-range strikes despite more than two weeks of pounding by U.S. and Israeli weapons. The Israeli military said it was targeting “Iranian regime infrastructure” with a new wave of strikes ⁠across Tehran, as well as Hezbollah sites in Beirut, a day after saying it had drawn up detailed plans for at least three more weeks of war with Iran. Source: Reuters

Israel says Iran’s key security chief Larijani has been killed in strike

Tens of millions more people will face acute hunger if the Iran war continues through to June, according to analysis from the World Food Programme released on Tuesday. The U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran that began on February 26 have choked up key humanitarian aid routes, delaying life-saving shipments to some of the ⁠world’s worst crises. An extra 45 million are projected to be pushed into acute hunger because of rises in food, oil and shipping costs, pushing the global tally above its current record level of 319 million, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme Carl Skau told reporters in Geneva. “This would take global hunger levels to ⁠an all-time record and it’s a terrible, terrible prospect,” he said. “Already, before this war, we were in a perfect storm where hunger has never been as severe as now, ⁠in terms of numbers and how deep that hunger is,” he added. Skau said its shipping costs are up 18% since the ⁠U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran began on February 28 and that some have had to be rerouted. The ⁠extra costs come on top of deep spending cuts by the WFP, as donors focus more on defence, he added. Source: Reuters

Iran war may push 45 million people into acute hunger by June, WFP says

Google Maps just got a major upgrade that could make the world’s most popular navigation app even better. The navigation app is introducing two big new features that can make its directions more informative and adaptable. Google is ‘‘fundamentally changing what a map can do’’ by using Gemini models to make navigation experiences more intuitive and even conversational, says a release from Google’s blog, The Keyword. Here’s how Google has improved Maps to make it more useful for drivers:<ul><li>Google Maps’ new Ask Maps feature answers questions</li></ul> Google is officially introducing Ask Maps, a feature that allows drivers to ask ‘‘complex, real-world questions a map could never answer before.’’ Ask Maps will appear on the Maps app as a button that users can tap to engage in informative conversations. The Ask Maps feature can do everything from provide recommendations for stops along route to inform drivers about specific amenities offered at their destinations.&nbsp; Using the feature can optimize the travel experience because it cuts out the need for extra research. It also allows Gemini users to ask questions normally reserved for the AI assistant within the Maps app itself.Results from Ask Maps are personalized based on locations you have saved or on places you’ve search for via the navigation app. Ultimately, this feature can make actions like finding parking, restrooms and attractions near your desired destination easier.&nbsp; Ask Maps is being rolled out now in the U.S. and India for iOS and Android. <ul><li>Google Maps’ Immersive Navigation feature transforms the user experience</li></ul> The Keyword blog calls Immersive Navigation the app’s ‘‘biggest transformation of the navigation experience in over a decade.’’This feature creates a ‘‘vivid 3D view that reflects the buildings, overpasses, and terrain around you.’’ It can also highlight crosswalks, lanes, stop signs and traffic lights to make the navigation experience more helpful to drivers. This feature utilizes Gemini AI models to enhance spatial understanding of your route and the landmarks and potential obstacles along the way. Immersive Navigation allows Maps users to drive more confidently with a deeper awareness of what they’ll encounter while getting to their destination. It can eliminate instances of second-guessing specific turn-by-turn directions thanks to a more detailed view and perspective. Maps’ Immersive Navigation feature is currently being rolled out in the U.S. and availability will expand in the coming months. Google Maps has become the go-to navigation app for over two billion users a month, says a blog post from The Keyword. It’s popular because the app uses accurate real-time data to provide useful directions whether you’re driving, biking or walking. Maps also integrates other Google features and services like reviews so users can see information and opinions others are sharing regarding specific locations. Users can do everything from save their parking spot to share their real-time location with friends and family on a drive. New Maps features like Ask Maps and Immersive Navigation are making the navigation app even more useful for drivers who rely on it daily. Source: USA Today&nbsp;

Google Maps reinvents navigation with AI-powered ‘Ask Maps’

Minister Bimal Rathnayake stated that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will hold a press conference tonight (17) at 7:30 p.m. regarding the current situation in Sri Lanka. The President is also scheduled to address Parliament this Friday, with opportunities for opposition leaders to present their views.

President instructs ministries to implement fuel conservatio ...

New fuel shipment arrives in Colombo amid energy crisis

New fuel shipment arrives in C ...

Amazon launches 1-hour shipping in US cities to challenge Walmart

Amazon launches 1-hour shippin ...

Iran says it seized hundreds of Starlink terminals, state media report ...

Iran says it seized hundreds o ...

Israel targets Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Chief Ali Lari ...

Israel targets Iran’s Supreme ...

Israel says Iran’s key security chief Larijani has been killed in stri ...

Israel says Iran’s key securit ...

Iran war may push 45 million people into acute hunger by June, WFP say ...

Iran war may push 45 million p ...

Google Maps reinvents navigation with AI-powered ‘Ask Maps’

Google Maps reinvents navigati ...

President to hold special press conference tonight

President to hold special pres ...

New fuel shipment arrives in Colombo amid energy crisis

New fuel shipment arrives in C ...

Amazon launches 1-hour shipping in US cities to challenge Walmart

Amazon launches 1-hour shippin ...

Iran says it seized hundreds of Starlink terminals, state media report ...

Iran says it seized hundreds o ...

Israel targets Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Chief Ali Lari ...

Israel targets Iran’s Supreme ...

Israel says Iran’s key security chief Larijani has been killed in stri ...

Israel says Iran’s key securit ...

Iran war may push 45 million people into acute hunger by June, WFP say ...

Iran war may push 45 million p ...

Google Maps reinvents navigation with AI-powered ‘Ask Maps’

Google Maps reinvents navigati ...

President to hold special press conference tonight

President to hold special pres ...

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New fuel shipment arrives in Colombo amid energy crisis

New fuel shipment arrives in C ...

Amazon launches 1-hour shipping in US cities to challenge Walmart

Amazon launches 1-hour shippin ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Iran says it seized hundreds of Starlink terminals, state media report ...

Iran says it seized hundreds o ...

Israel targets Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Chief Ali Lari ...

Israel targets Iran’s Supreme ...

Israel says Iran’s key security chief Larijani has been killed in stri ...

Israel says Iran’s key securit ...

Iran war may push 45 million people into acute hunger by June, WFP say ...

Iran war may push 45 million p ...