COVID-19 News & Perspective

EVERMAN, Texas - Police in a small Tarrant County town are still trying to locate a 6-year-old boy whose family appears to have left the country without him.Investigators say right now there is no evidence that child has died. Police did acknowledge a rumor that boy may have been sold, but they say at this point there is no proof that is the case."We are investigating all possibilities," said Chief Craig Spencer.

for social anxiety.The study’s findings were presented at the European Congress of Psychiatry, held from Aug. 25-Aug.

FILE - View of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve coral reef in the outskirts of San Pedro village, in Ambergris Cay, Belize, on June 7, 2018. (PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images)SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - An environmental group filed a lawsuit Monday accusing the U.S.

PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga. - Troup County felt like a deleted scene from the movie Madagascar when news broke that two tigers escaped the Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain Sunday morning. The two big cats made their big break as a tornado ripped through the region."We have received a report from the Pine Mountain Animal Safari that they are reporting a Tiger that is unaccounted inside the park," the sheriff's office posted to Facebook just after 8:30 a.m.Residents flocked to the comment section.

Palmetto Moon store. (Credit: Palmetto Moon) Two South Carolina teenagers stole from a store at a mall in Greenville, but the business elected to turn the incident into a learning opportunity and a chance to give back to the community instead of pressing charges against the shoplifters.The teenage boys were caught by Greenville Police on surveillance video on March 13 stealing from Palmetto Moon in Haywood Mall.But Palmetto Moon president Amber Dube said that when the clothing store learned the shoplifters were teenagers, they wanted to work with the families on resolving the issue without pressing charges.

Fred and Betty Abdon enjoyed the special occasion with a lunch date and limousine ride courtesy of a Chick-fil-A in South Park Township, Pennsylvania. The couple, married for 72 years, was picked up from their senior center and driven to the restaurant. A couple celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary at a Chick-fil-A in Pennsylvania. (Photo courtesy of Chick-fil-A Cranberry/South Park Township, PA) While enjoying their free meal, the Abdons were entertained by a singing quartet at the popular eatery. RELATED: Woman remarries husband with dementia after he forgot first weddingEvery Saturday, the couple orders their favorite menu items at Chick-fil-A, and they find a parking spot to eat together, Chick-fil-A Cranberry shared on their Facebook page. their 72nd wedding anniversary at a Chick-fil-A in Pennsylvania.

GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 24: Maddy Siegrist #20 of the Villanova Wildcats shoots the ball against Destiny Harden #3 of the Miami Hurricanes during the second half in the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA Womens Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours VILLANOVA, Pa. - Villanova star and AP All-American Maddy Siegrist will not return for a fifth season and has declared for the WNBA draft.Siegrist led Villanova to a 30-7 overall record and the Sweet 16 for the second time ever this season. She led the country in scoring at 29.2 points per game and averaged 9.2 rebounds.

NEW DELHI : As travel resumes normalcy after the pandemic, several tour operators and airlines are reporting that demand for business and premium economy tickets has risen compared with the pandemic and pre-pandemic period. With air travel, especially business travel, slumping during the pandemic and economy-class airfares skyrocketing, an unintended consequence was that the gap between economy and premium economy tickets narrowed. Travel agency Thomas Cook India has seen a 50% jump in business class travel versus last year as corporate travel resumes.

Emergency crews are on the site of an explosion and house fires in Calgary’s Marlborough neighbourhood.

A female shooter killed three children and three adults at a Nashville elementary school on Monday before being killed by police, according to officials.

FILE - Taylor Swift performs onstage during the "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at Allegiant Stadium on March 24, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management) LOS ANGELES - A hearing was held Monday in Los Angeles for fans suing Ticketmaster over the spectacular breakdown during a sale of Taylor Swift concert tickets last year. Ticketmaster’s site crashed in mid-November during a presale event for Swift’s "Eras" stadium tour.

Travis Jordan and Brett Ryan, and give thanks for their service ahead of a regimental funeral for the slain police officers on Monday afternoon.As Jordan and Ryan’s bodies are transported from the Alberta legislature to Rogers Place, where the funeral is being held, Edmontonians are being invited to line the procession route to pay their respects and say their goodbyes.Jordan, 35, and Ryan, 30, were responding to a call at an apartment complex in Edmonton’s Inglewood neighbourhood on March 16 when they were shot and killed by a 16-year-old male.Investigators believe the officers were shot before they had a chance to even pull out their guns. The suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound while his mother remains in hospital after sustaining injuries when she tried to wrestle the gun away from her son.“The Edmonton Police Service has been marked by a really unthinkable and horrific tragedy as two of our members have died in the line of duty,” EPS Chief Dale McFee said.On Sunday afternoon, the Ryan and Jordan families released statements thanking the community for its support while they grieve.“Grieving the sudden loss of a beloved member of our family is ineffable,” the Ryan family said.

FILE - Jeremy Renner attends the Hawkeye New York Special Fan Screening at AMC Lincoln Square on Nov. 22, 2021, in New York City.

WEST READING, Pa. - The governor of Pennsylvania has ordered commonwealth flags flown at half-staff in honor of seven people whose bodies were recovered from the site of a powerful explosion at a chocolate factory."West Reading, we stand with you — and we’ll continue to provide all the support your community needs," Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a Twitter post Monday, referring to the borough about 60 miles (96 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia where the R.M. Palmer Co.

Quebec provincial police say a nine-year-old girl has dead after an accident in the snow behind a home in Saint-Ubalde, Que. on Sunday afternoon.

The HSE has announced that Covid-19 community testing centres will close nationwide from Thursday.

DEPTFORD, N.J. - It's been weeks since Officer Bobby Shisler became the victim of a shooting while protecting his community, and he has been fighting to recover ever since with the support of family, friends and beyond.The Deptford Township Police Officer was shot while conducting a pedestrian stop on March 10 that escalated into a pursuit, struggle and shooting that left the suspect dead.Shisler was rushed to a local hospital for emergency surgery after suffering "critical life-threatening injuries."RELATED COVERAGE: 'Brave' officer has 'long recovery ahead' after being shot in deadly Deptford shootingOver the weekend, the Deptford Township Police Department asked for prayers for the injured officer, saying he is still in hospital's trauma intensive care unit."Please keep our Officer, P.O. Bobby Shisler in your prayers.

NEW DELHI : Amid rise in covid cases across the country, the union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Monday reviewed the public health preparedness and vaccination status with states/UTs. He has directed the states to focus on surveillance & genome sequencing and increase the pace of testing.

WEST READING, Pa. - An explosion inside a Pennsylvania chocolate factory left seven people dead and a community shaken by the tragedy. The blast took place at the R. M.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - A shooting was reported on Monday at an elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee, with emergency crews reporting "multiple patients" and the alleged suspect dead, according to officials. The shooting was reported at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school for about 200 students from preschool to sixth grade, according to its website. Students walked to safety Monday, holding hands as they left their school surrounded by police cars, to a nearby church to reunited with their parents.The Nashville Fire Department confirmed there were "multiple patients" after responding to "an active aggressor" reported at the school, located at 33 Burton HIlls Boulevard.Their conditions were not immediately clear.

PHILADELPHIA - Weeks after a Philadelphia pizzeria owner and her daughter were shot during an attempted robbery inside the crowded business, the doors are set to reopen. Authorities say on March 8, 19-year-old Kaleb Bridges entered Mayfair Pizza just before 9 p.m. wearing a mask and hood.

The David statue by artist Michelangelo Buonarroti during a presentation of the celebrations for the 140th anniversary of the placement from Piazza della Signoria to the Gallerie dall'Accademia in Florence, Italy. (Roberto Serra - Iguana Press/Getty ROME - The Florence museum housing Michelangelo’s Renaissance masterpiece the David on Sunday invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign.Florence Mayor Dario Nardella also tweeted an invitation for the principal to visit so he can personally honor her.

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 16: Governor of the Philadelphia Flyers Dave Scott speaks during a press conference for 2021 Flyers Hall of Fame Inductees Paul Holmgren and Rick Tocchet prior to a pregame Hall of Fame induction ceremony at an NHL game be PHILADELPHIA - Dave Scott will retire as chairman of the Philadelphia Flyers' parent company Comcast Spectacor and be replaced by Dan Hilferty.Hilferty, who was recently named CEO of Comcast Spectacor, will succeed Scott as chairman of the company on April 17 and as the team's governor on July 1.Scott joined Comcast Spectacor in December 2013 and the Flyers have struggled under his reign. They will miss the playoffs for a third straight season and haven’t won a Stanley Cup since 1975."Our number one goal for the Flyers will be to consistently compete for the Stanley Cup," Hilferty said.

UPPER DARBY, Pa. - Fire crews are on scene in Upper Darby, where a fire broke out inside an auto garage. According to the Upper Darby Fire Department, the fire broke out on the 8800 block of West Chester Pike on Monday morning. Fire officials say the fire has reached two alarms. West Chester Pike has been shut down to give crews full access to the area. SKYFOX flew over the scene as fire crews battled heavy smoke and flames. No update has been released by authorities at this time. This is a developing story.

A home, that's been within the family for four decades, was struck by a tornado Friday evening in Winona, MS. (Austin Westfall/FOX/FOX Weather) WINONA, Miss. - A family of four is safe after their home took a direct hit from an EF-3 tornado.Tornadoes ravaged the South, killing dozens and decimating towns across Mississippi and Alabama.In Winona, Mississippi, a family was forced to take shelter as the tornado headed straight for their home.VIDEO INSIDE AMORY SCHOOL SHOWS MOMENTS MISSISSIPPI TORNADO HITFOX News multimedia reporter Austin Westfall spoke with the family about the moments leading up to the twister.The children's toys were thrown to the front yard after a tornado hits the family's home in Winona, MS.

PARK CITY, Utah - The man suing Gwyneth Paltrow over a 2016 collision at one of the most upscale ski resorts in North America is expected to take the stand on Monday as the closely watched trial goes into its second week in Utah.Attorneys said Friday that retired optometrist Terry Sanderson, 76, would likely testify first on Monday, before his attorneys rest and hand the courtroom over to Paltrow's defense team to make their case. Paltrow's attorneys are expected to call her two children — Moses and Apple — and a ski instructor who was present the day of the collision.(L) Terry Sanderson, the Utah man suing Gwyneth Paltrow, appears in court during her testimony on March 24, 2023, in Park City, Utah.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 10: Madonna is seen at DiscOasis event on August 10, 2022 in New York City.

LOS ANGELES - A car was sent flying into the air, flipping over, after a tire from the truck next to it on a Chatsworth freeway flew off earlier this week.The dashcam of Anoop Khatra's Tesla captured the scene on the Ronald Reagan Freeway on Thursday. In the video, a dark Kia Soul is seen passing the driver on the left, pulling even with a silver pickup truck.

PHILADELPHIA - A 19-year-old has been critically injured after shots were fired in Northeast Philadelphia early Monday morning.Police were called to the 2600 block of Welsh Road around 2:30 a.m.

PHILADELPHIA - Shattered windows of a food store show the aftermath of a shooting that ended with a man in critical condition Monday morning.Police say shots were fired outside the Save A Lot grocery store on the 5800 block of Pulaski Avenue around 3:20 a.m.A 22-year-old was struck in the stomach and wrist.

Canada’s Liberal government is in a tight spot heading into the 2023 federal budget.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Professionals' Trade Union Collective says that they will be intensifying their trade union action against the government's new tax policy, from this week. This decision has been reached due to the fact that the discussion planned to be held with the President regarding the tax policy has not yet taken place.Representing the Professionals' Trade Union Collective, Secretary of the Government Medical Officers' Association Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Cabinet has given the green light to award licenses to Sinopec, United Petroleum, Australia & RM Parks of USA in a collaboration with Shell Plc to enter the Fuel Retail market in Sri Lanka.Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said that the Energy Committee & relevant other procurement committees had given their approval & recommendation to award the 3 companies the licenses to operate.He said that the 3 companies will be allocated 150 Dealer operated fuel stations each which are currently operated by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation.He added that these companies will be granted a license to operate for 20 years to import, store, distribute and sell petroleum products in Sri Lanka. A further 50 fuel stations at New locations will be established by each selected company, he added. 

Canadian Armed Forces is under fire for its plan to cut thousands of troops off a cost-of-living allowance without much notice.The military announced last week that about 7,700 Armed Forces members will no longer receive the top-up starting in July, when it will be replaced by a new housing benefit that commanders say will better assist those who need the most help.Social media and online forums dedicated to military personnel have been crackling with dissatisfaction over the plan, including the abbreviated timeline. Some are also unhappy with a new 10 per cent pay increase over four years, retroactive to 2021.Experts say the lack of notice speaks to larger problems around how the military treats its people, which they worry is sparking anger and frustration at a time when the Canadian Armed Forces is struggling with a recruitment and retention crisis.

PHILADELPHIA - A chemical spill sparked a mad dash for bottled water, leaving many Philadelphia residents confused and concerned about the safety of the water in their own homes and local restaurants.Officials say 8,100-12,000 gallons of a water-based latex finishing solution leaked upstream of the Baxter Treatment Plant Friday night. The plant provides drinking water for 975,000 Philadelphia customers.The Philadelphia Water Department now says tap water is safe to drink and use until midnight Monday after a bottled water advisory was issued Sunday, clearing grocery shelves across the city.Dr.

ROLLING FORK, Miss. - A massive tornado obliterated the modest one-story home that Kimberly Berry shared with her two daughters in the Mississippi Delta flatlands, leaving only a foundation and some random belongings — a toppled refrigerator, a dresser and matching nightstand, a bag of Christmas decorations, some clothing.During the storm Friday, Berry and her 12-year-old daughter huddled and prayed at a nearby church that was barely damaged, while her 25-year-old daughter survived in the hard-hit town of Rolling Fork, some 15 miles (24 kilometers) away.Berry shook her head as she looked at the remains of their material possessions. She said she’s grateful she and her children are still alive."I can get all this back.

People are more health conscious than ever these days and have a wealth of information at their fingertips to help keep them alive and kicking.

CLEARWATER, FL - March 23: Philadelphia Phillies Shortstop Trea Turner (7) at bat during the spring training game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Detroit Tigers on March 23, 2023 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Welch PHILADELPHIA - Baseball begins again on Thursday with opening day.

WEST READING, Pa. - In the aftermath of the R.M. Palmer factory explosion, local organizations have established the West Reading Disaster Recovery Fund and, already, thousands of dollars have poured in for the families affected.

TEL AVIV, Israel - Israel's largest trade union group launched a strike across a broad swath of sectors Monday, joining a surging protest movement against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judiciary — a plan that is facing unprecedented opposition.The strike by the Histadrut umbrella group, which represents nearly 800,000 workers in health, transit and banking, among many other fields, could paralyze large parts of Israel's economy, which is already on shaky ground, ratcheting up the pressure on Netanyahu to suspend the overhaul.Departing flights out of the country's main international airport were grounded in protest, affecting thousands of travelers. Other sectors were also falling in line, with local governments, which manage pre-schools and other essential services, as well as a main doctors union announcing they would walk out.The growing resistance to the plan came hours after tens of thousands of people burst into the streets around the country in a spontaneous show of anger at Netanyahu’s decision to fire his defense minister after he called for a pause to the overhaul.

NEW YORK - North Carolina-based First Citizens will buy Silicon Valley Bank, the tech industry-focused financial institution that collapsed earlier this month, rattling the banking industry and sending shockwaves around the world.The deal could reassure investors at a time of shaken confidence in banks, though the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. and other regulators had already taken extraordinary steps to head off a wider banking crisis by guaranteeing that depositors in SVB and another failed U.S.

A call has been issued to the Scottish Government to better support NHS Ayrshire & Arran to meet waiting time targets for physiotherapy appointments.

(CNN) For months, hundreds of thousands of Israelis have been taking to the streets across the country to protest far-reaching changes to Israel’s legal system some say threaten the country’s democratic foundations.At its core, the judicial overhaul would give the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, and therefore the parties in power, more control over Israel’s judiciary.From how judges are selected, to what laws the Supreme Court can rule on, to even giving parliament power to overturn Supreme Court decisions, the changes would be the most significant shakeups to Israel’s judiciary since its founding in 1948.The proposed reforms do not come out of nowhere.Figures from across the political spectrum have in the past called for changes to Israel’s judiciary.Israel has no written constitution, only a set of quasi-constitutional basic laws, making the Supreme Court even more powerful. But Israel also has no check on the power of the Knesset other than the Supreme Court.What are the changes and what are the reasons behind them?The judicial overhaul is a package of bills, all of which need to pass three votes in the Knesset before they become law.One of the most important elements for the Netanyahu government is the bill that changes the makeup of the nine-member committee that selects judges, in order to give the government a majority of the seats on the committee.Netanyahu and his supporters argue that the Supreme Court has become an insular, elitist group that does not represent the Israeli people.

COLOMBO (News1st); The Ceylon Petroleum Trade Union Collective has commenced a satyagraha opposite the Kolonnawa Terminal.Chairman of Petroleum branch of the Sri Lanka Nidahas Sevaka Sangamaya, Jagath Wijegunaratne says that the satyagraha is being carried out against the attempts to privatize the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. He says that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is currently making profits, and terms these times as the "golden era" of the CPC.  Wijegunaratne says that the profit of last month alone is Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Chairman of the Indian Oil Corporation or IOC Shrikant Madhav Vaidya called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe over the weekend.The Chairman of IOC Shrikant Madhav Vaidya met with President Wickremesinghe along with the Shri Pankaj Jain, the Secretary to the Indian Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.He presented 500 IOC produiced indoor solar cooking systems, to the Government of Sri Lanka, in the presence of Gopal Baglay, the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.The visiting IOC Chairman also presented a unique jacket, made of sustainable threads obtained by recycling PET bottles under Indian Oil's Unbottled initiative.In addition, he also took part in an event to inaugurate three filling stations of Lanka IOC in Colombo, and the opening of the new premises were done remotely.Manoj Gupta, the Managing Directro of LIOC tweeted that 34 more new LIOC filling stations are set to commence physical operations within March 2023 further strengthening the footprints of LIOC in the country.The Chairman of IOC noted that it underlines the company's unwavering dedication to fortify Sri Lanka's energy security and also demonstrates the IOC commitment to becoming a dominant player in the global energy space.The Chairman of IOC Shrikant Madhav Vaidya also met with Sri Lankan cricket legend & World Cup Winning Captain Arjuna Ranatunga in Colombo.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Leader of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he believes an election will take place before December 2023. Speaking to reporters following an event at the Abhayarama Temple in Colombo on Monday (27), the Former Sri Lankan President said irrespective of the nature of the election, be it Local Government or Presidential, the SLPP is ready for the election.

modelling, based on excess-death figures, suggests the true figure is between 17m and 28m). And the new pandemic has made the old one worse. After many years of slow but steady decline, the number of deaths from TB is rising again.

Linda Nolan has revealed that her cancer has spread to her brain in a devastating health update on Monday's Good Morning Britain. The star, who found fame as one fifth of The Nolans – one of the most successful girl groups of all time, selling over 30 million records worldwide – first learned she had breast cancer in 2006. Her devastating diagnosis came six years after her older sister Anne’s and four years before sister Bernie’s.