COVID-19 News & Perspective

GILBERT, S.C. - A school bus collided with a tanker truck Thursday in South Carolina, sending at least 18 people, mostly children, to the hospital, authorities said.The bus was carrying 36 passengers when it collided with the tanker at about 4 p.m. at an intersection near Gilbert in Lexington County, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.Dramatic video shows the school bus pull out in front of the tanker truck before the crash. At least 17 children and one adult were taken to Lexington Medical Center for treatment, the hospital told WIS-TV.

CHICAGO - An expected bump in violent crime this summer has mayors and police officials around the U.S. rolling out familiar strategies of making officers more visible and engaging with community groups, in some cases leaning on civilians to enforce curfews and keep the peace.Chicago is among the U.S.

SEATTLE, WA - APRIL 14: A detail shot of a baseball on the baseline during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on Friday, April 14, 2017 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Rod Mar/MLB via Getty Images) HARRISBURG - A college baseball player died after he was struck in the face when a makeshift dugout he was helping to dismantle collapsed on him this week.Angel Mercado, 19, was a middle infielder who had just completed his freshman season at Division II Central Penn College.

A 17-year-old boy who was reportedly stabbed outside a Philadelphia high school on Friday was driven to a nearby hospital by police. PHILADELPHIA - A teenage boy is recovering after police say he was stabbed outside a high school in West Philadelphia on Friday. Investigators say the 17-year-old was stabbed one time in the backside outside of Parkway West High School just after 2:30 p.m. The teen was taken by police to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where he was placed in stable condition, according to police. Authorities have not said what caused the stabbing.

David Johnston says his decision to recommend against a public inquiry into foreign interference was based on “unprecedented” access to raw intelligence, Canadian national security officials and their political masters.

Celine Dion has been forced to cancel her world tour as her health continues to deteriorate since being diagnosed with a rare and incurable neurological disease.The Queen of Power Ballads singer, 55, was diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) last year - a condition that causes the muscles to tense and spasm uncontrollably, it can also lock the body into painful rigid positions. Celine shared the news about the upcoming tour cancellation in a heartbreaking Instagram post on Friday.The singer wrote: "I'm so sorry to disappoint all of you once again... and even though it breaks my heart, it's best that we cancel everything until I’m really ready to be back on stage...

PHILADELPHIA - Emergency crews are responding to a large junkyard fire sending smoke into the air in Southwest Philadelphia. Multiple cars are reportedly on fire in the junkyard. SKYFOX flew over the junkyard on South 61st Street, where large flames from the 2-alarm blaze and explosions could be seen. The Philadelphia Fire Department has not released any official information on the size of the fire or the response from crews. Residents in the area have been urged to take precautions to avoid exposure to the smoke. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESAccording to the Philadelphia Health Department, people in the area should avoid going outdoors, avoid excessive activity, close all windows and doors to minimize indoor pollution and recirculate air with fans. The smoke from the flames may be especially troubling for children, the elderly, individuals who are pregnant and those with respiratory conditions. This is a developing story.

Celine Dion has officially announced the cancelation of her Courage World Tour after her continuous battle with an incurable neurological disorder. The iconic 55-year-old singer took to Instagram to update fans on her health condition.

FILE-Doctor Caitlin Bernard in Indianapolis on Sept. 28, 2022.

Demonstrators hold Serbian flags and a banner reading "Serbia against violence" as they march during a rally to call for the resignation of top officials and the curtailing of violence in the media. (ANDREJ ISAKOVIC/AFP via Getty Images) Tens of thousands of people are expected in the Serbian capital on Friday for a major rally in support of President Aleksandar Vucic, who is facing an unprecedented revolt against his autocratic rule amid the crisis triggered by two mass shootings that stunned the nation.Answering Vucic’s call for what he called "the largest rally in the history of Serbia," his supporters, many wearing identical T-shirts with his portrait, were being bused to Belgrade from all over the Balkan country as well as neighboring Kosovo and Bosnia.Those working in state firms and institutions were told to take a day off from work to attend the rally in front of the parliament building.

Sad news for Celine Dion fans.

The body of a missing toddler was recovered from what looked to be a well just north of Cobourg, Ont., on Thursday evening.

A passenger opened an emergency exit door during a plane flight in South Korea on Friday, causing air to blast inside the cabin and slightly injure 12 people, officials said. The plane landed safely.

The American tourist was snorkeling when she was bitten by a shark in Turks and Caicos, a report says. (Getty Images) An American tourist has lost her leg after being bitten by a shark while vacationing in Turks and Caicos, police say.The 22-year-old female from Connecticut and a friend were snorkeling in the waters off Providenciales island Wednesday when they were attacked, The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force said in a statement posted to Instagram, that later appeared removed on Friday.The statement added that a resort employee on the island "indicated that the female victim had her leg bitten off by a shark."The Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force and an ambulance responded to the scene. PENNSYLVANIA TEENAGER SURFING IN NEW JERSEY SUFFERS INJURIES FROM POSSIBLE SHARK ATTACK: REPORTSThe Turks and Caicos islands are a popular Caribbean vacation destination.

mortgage rates are ratcheting up the pressure on Canadian landlords, especially young investors who are facing the harsh side of the interest rate cycle for the first time.A report released Thursday by Royal LePage shows higher payments are even pushing some housing investors to consider selling off their properties. But for 32-year-old Karim Najjar, that decision is about more than just writing off the loss on an investment.Najjar moved to Ottawa from Edmonton in 2017 and jumped into the housing market a year after he arrived.His timing into the market was good, Najjar recalls, as home prices soared in his first few years of ownership.

. Danielle and Nick met in the pods on season 2 of and went on to get married on the show.But in August 2022 the pair announced they were divorcing after less than two years of marriage.

PHILADELPHIA - A vice principal from West Philadelphia is going viral for all the right reasons. His name is Arnold Ford, and he’s creating a bond and a safe space for his loving students at Mastery Charter Mann Elementary. The school is equipped with newly installed security cameras that can capture a wide range of things. Recently, they’ve been capturing adorable acts of kindness and caring from Vice Principal Ford. "We’ve been doing this for years," Arnold explained. "The interactions that you see on the cameras, we’ve been doing that for years.

Celine Dion has cancelled her upcoming world tour.The songstress, 55, was set to jet across the globe to perform some of her hit tracks for fans but, as her health continues to deteriorate, Celine has cancelled the tour.  She shared on Instagram: "I'm so sorry to disappoint all of you once again... and even though it breaks my heart, it's best that we cancel everything until I’m really ready to be back on stage...

Celine Dion is canceling her tour amid her ongoing health battle with Stiff Person Syndrome. The 55-year-old singer made an official announcement on her social media and her website, announcing that all 42 upcoming dates on her Courage World Tour are being canceled. «It is with tremendous disappointment that we have to announce today the cancellation of the Courage World Tour,» a post on her Instagram was captioned. In a statement, Dion was quoted as saying: «I'm so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I'm working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you're 100 percent.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is asking for the public's help to identify a shooter and a person of interest in connection with a fatal shooting on a SEPTA bus in Philadelphia. The shooting took place on Wednesday night inside a bus on the 5200 block of Germantown Avenue, police say. According to investigators, a confrontation between the suspect and a young man broke out on the bus before shots were fired. Officials say responding officers found the victim on the floor of the bus bleeding from a gunshot wound to the chest. The victim was rushed to Einstein Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.  Related According to investigators, eight passengers were on the bus at the time of the shooting.The City of Philadelphia is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the suspect. Authorities say police are also searching for a person of interest in relation to the investigation. RELATED: Ski masks banned from SEPTA property, Transit Police Chief says: 'You will be engaged by police'Police released surveillance video of the shooting on Friday in an effort to get information on the suspect and person of interest or information from potential witnesses. Anyone with information is urged to contact Philadelphia police at 215-686-8477. A man was shot and killed on a SEPTA bus in Germantown, police say.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A total of 23 people have been gunned down in Sri Lanka so far in 2023, revealed the statistics presented by Sri Lanka Police.Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa said that 6 people were injured in shootings so far this year.Priyantha Jayakody, the Former Senior DIG of the Crimes Division and Organized Crime Division said "In 2019, 273 homicides were reported, and that figure spiked to 523 in 2022."He went on to note that 239 homicides were reported so far within the 146 days in 2023. "This is a daily spike of 1.6%.

MANTUA, N.J. - A police officer who fatally shot a homeowner who had called 911 to report intruders outside his southern New Jersey home has been indicted on a manslaughter charge.The count against Mantua Township Police Officer Salvatore Oldrati was handed up Tuesday by a state grand jury and was made public Wednesday night. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.The charge stems from the Sept. 14, 2021, death of Charles Sharp III, 49, who called 911 around 1:30 a.m.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka has made a request from Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co.,Ltd. to provide USD 6.9 Mn worth of Chemical Fertilizer, to replace the rejected stock of Organic Fertilizer.However, Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co.,Ltd.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police have arrested two men for chopping off another person's wrist following a dispute.Sri Lanka Police said that an argument had broken out in Weragampita, Matara while flying kites, and the heated exchange led to the left wrist of an 18-year-old youth being chopped off.Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that the argument broke out when one person told two others to put down their kites, as he could not fly his kite.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in a pivotal business round table on “Sri Lanka’s Economic Revival & Opportunities for Japanese Enterprise,” where he presented the nation’s commitment to stabilizing and liberalizing the economy while actively inviting new foreign ventures.The event, jointly organized by JETRO, Japan-Sri Lanka Business Co-Operation, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Japan, aimed to strengthen economic ties between the two nations.During the round table, President Wickremesinghe fervently outlined the ongoing efforts undertaken by Sri Lanka to restore stability and openness to its economy, presenting an inviting climate for foreign investment. With a clear vision to attract Japanese enterprise, he discussed the various measures and reforms being implemented to create a conducive business environment for potential investors.Recognizing Japan’s significance as a vital economic partner, President Wickremesinghe emphasized the mutual benefits that can be derived from increased collaboration between the two nations. Sri Lanka’s strategic location and skilled workforce were highlighted as key advantages, providing a gateway for Japanese companies to expand their operations in the region and leverage the country’s emerging economic opportunities.As Sri Lanka continues its journey toward economic revival, President Wickremesinghe’s active participation in the round table, underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to attracting foreign investment and driving sustainable economic progress.Meanwhile, President Ranil Wickramasinghe also joined a meeting with the Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association.Meanwhile, a meeting took place in Tokyo between Japan’s Minister of Digitization, Mr.

BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. - The families of four young men killed and buried on a Pennsylvania farm have settled their wrongful-death lawsuits against the man who confessed in the killings and his parentsCosmo DiNardo, who was 20 at the time, admitted luring four young men ages 19 to 22 to the family’s farm in July 2017, saying he would sell them marijuana. He then killed them and buried them on the farm.

Seperated by gender, here Native American students sit down to a meal. The United States Indian School in Carlisle Pennsylvania opened in 1879. Its director, Captain Richard H.

Emma Cole was 3 years old at the time of her passing.  DOVER, Del. - A Delaware woman is facing decades in prison after pleading guilty to killing her 3-year-old daughter and dumping her burned remains on a softball field.Kristie Haas, 31, pleaded guilty Thursday to murder by abuse or neglect, abuse of a corpse, and three counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Prosecutors are recommending a sentence of 50 years in prison on the murder charge, suspended for non-custodial supervision after 30 years behind bars.

REHOBOTH BEACH, DE - JANUARY 2: Beach goer gather by the ocean the beach on an unseasonably warm day on January 2, 2021 in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, face masks are required on the boardwalk and strongly rec Delaware's low elevation mixed with crowded beaches and limited exit routes make the state particularly vulnerable to massive flooding, but officials hope an influx of federal infrastructure money will trigger future evacuation plans automatically via artificial intelligence.The Biden administration was set to announce a total of $53 million in grants Thursday to Delaware and seven other states aimed at high-tech solutions to traffic congestion problems.

This illustration image shows tablets of opioid painkiller Oxycodone delivered on medical prescription taken on September 18, 2019 in Washington,DC. - Millions of Americans sank into addiction after using potent opioid painkillers that the companies CHARLESTON, W. Va - A Pennsylvania doctor was sentenced to six months in federal prison Thursday for his role in a pain pill prescription scheme.Dr.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Twenty-one students who were arrested for assaulting a school teacher in Puttlam were released on bail, subject to strict conditions.All twenty-one suspects were produced to the Puttlam Magistrate's Court on Friday (26), where the court ordered them to be released on a personal bail of Rs. 500,000/- each per student.They were also ordered to report to the Puttlam Police on every Sunday after the conclusion of the O/L Exam, and place their signature on the records book.The court also ordered that if the aggrieved party is threatened in any manner, bail will be revoked and the suspects would be remanded until the conclusion of the case.Sri Lanka Police on Thursday (25) arrested 17 more students with regard to the incident where a school teacher in Puttlam was assaulted earlier in the week.Four other students of the Thillayadi Muslim Maha Vidyalaya who had assaulted the school's master in charge of sports and discipline were arrested and remanded until Friday (26).All students were produced in court on Friday (26).According to the Police, the students had assaulted the teacher for advising them to groom their hair and beard to suit the school uniform.

PHILADELPHIA - A young man has been hospitalized after he was shot and found by officers in a vacant lot in Philadelphia, police say. According to authorities, just after 1 a.m.

New Delhi: India registered 461 fresh COVID-19 infections in the last 24 hours, according to an update by the union health ministry on Friday. The nation has seen a decline in active cases, currently at 5,707. Since the onset of the pandemic three years ago, over 44.9 million Indians have been infected, with death toll at 531,856.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Minister of Power and Energy said that the Fuel Quota currently allowed on the National Fuel Pass QR system will be increased from the next months fuel price revision. He tweeted that the decision was taken at the meeting held with the CPC finance, commercial & marketing divisions. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); A Sri Lanka woman was among the six people who died in a fire that broke out at a hotel in Bani Yas in Abu Dhabi.General Manager of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Gamini Senarath told News 1st that the woman in question had gone to Abu Dhabi for employment on a tourist visa in 2021.He said that the Sri Lankan Embassy in Abu Dhabi is working on ascertaining the identity of the deceased.He also added that information with regard a report that a Sri Lankan woman died after falling off a high-rise in Malaysia is being obtained via the Sri Lankan High Commission in Malaysia.However, he said no definite information is available over such an incident.Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that a complaint had been filed with the Kobeigane Police citing that a 42-year-old woman had died in Malaysia.It is reported that the woman had gone to Malaysia to serve as a domestic aide in December 2022. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police said that motorcycle gunmen opened fire at a man in Thaldena, Ambalangoda on Thursday (25) night.The target of the shooting was a 33-year-old man.Sri Lanka Police said that the motorcycle gunmen had opened fire when the man was returning from a wedding with his seven-year-old son on a motorcycle.Police said that when the shots were fired, he had jumped off the motorcycle with his son, and the gunmen missed the target.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Former Mayoress of Colombo Rosy Senanayake was appointed as the Advisor to the President on Local Government Affairs.The appointment was made by the President, and the appointment letter was issued by the Secretary to the President.

The Sri Lanka Navy today (26th May 2023) brought ashore an ill fisherman who had fallen ill while aboard a multiday fishing trawler. The rescue operation took place approximately 460 nautical miles (about 851km) off the coast of Galle, in the southwestern region of Sri Lanka.The multiday fishing trawler named 'Krevin Baba 01’ (Reg.

After long ruling out providing F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine to defend itself from Russia, the U.S. military now says the jets “clearly have a role” in the war.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The second postmortem examination into the death of Colombo-based businessman, the-late Dinesh Schaffter, who died under mysterious circumstances, will take place on Friday (26) at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital.The postmortem will be carried out by a five-member expert committee appointed by the court on February 27th 2023.The committee is headed by Senior Lecturer in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo Asela Mendis.The other members are:  Dr. U.C.P.

COLOMBO (News 1st). The Deputy Principal of a school in Ambalangoda was injured following a shooting on Friday (26) morning close to the Balapitiya Court Complex.Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that two motorcycle gunmen had opened fire at the victim and fled the scene.The injured man was identified as a 44-year-old, and Sri Lanka Police said that he was a relative of notorious criminal Kosgoda Suji.Gunmen opened fire at him when he was traveling on the road, and the Police Spokesperson said the injured man was admitted to the hospital.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police arrested 17 more students with regard to the incident where a school teacher in Puttlam was assaulted earlier in the week.Sri Lanka Police said that the students will be produced in court on Friday (26).Four other students of the Thillayadi Muslim Maha Vidyalaya who had assaulted the school's master in charge of sports and discipline were arrested and remanded until the 26th of May.According to the Police, the students had assaulted the master for advising them to groom their hair and beard to suit the school uniform.  The principal of the school turned back the students involved in the attack when they had visited the school to collect their admission slips for the G.C.E ordinary level exam.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Two people were arrested for assaulting a police officer assigned to the security detail of Minister Prasanna Ranatunga and another individual in Pansilgoda, Minuwangoda on Thursday (25) evening.Sri Lanka Police said that a heated exchange between two factions led to the altercation.A police officer assigned to the security detail of Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, and a staff member detailed to the Minister were injured and were admitted to the Gampaha Base Hospital.According to the locals, the altercation took place when a group had visited a land in Pansilgoda, and started digging trenches.Speaking to News 1st, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said the incident had taken place at a land that belongs to the Reggie Ranatunga Foundation."The Reggie Ranatunga Foundation provides school books, scholarships, housing for the local students. The land in question was used to operate a vocational training institute with funding from Korean associates," said the Minister.He added that many years later the building at the premises reached a dilapidated state, and it was decided to remove the building and plant coconut trees as a development project.The Minister alleged that a political group had misled the local community and that resulted in two people assigned to the premises being assaulted.Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that the premises is not a play ground, and permission was even granted by the Reggie Ranatuga Foundation to organize the annual Vesak Dansala.The Minister stressed the land does not belong to him, and belongs to the Reggie Ranatunga Foundation.

₹689.85 apiece on BSE. The company's consolidated net profit stood at ₹26.58 crore for the quarter ended March 31, from ₹11.73 crore a year ago. The company's consolidated revenue from operations increased 30% as a result of increased consumer accessibility because it now sells pharmaceuticals both online and through its physical stores all throughout the nation.

Cold Lake but in the summertime the city, located 280 kilometres northeast of Edmonton, shines.“We’ve got a beautiful beach and a lot of people come up here to camp and to fish,” said Cold Lake mayor Craig Copeland.Over the next several years, thousands of people could be coming to the area of Alberta to work as well.The city has been home to a Royal Canadian Air Force based for decades — the military says 4 Wing Cold Lake is the busiest fighter base in Canada.People who live in Cold Lake either, for the most part, work at the military base or in oil and gas — but soon, Cold Lake could become major hub for clean energy as site of one of the largest carbon capture and storage facilities in the world.“It has the right geology,” Pathways Alliance president Kendall Dilling said.

Japanese and Sri Lankan leaders on Thursday (25) confirmed the importance of "transparent and fair" debt restructuring, apparently warning against China's alleged debt-trap diplomacy, which uses loans as leverage to gain concessions from borrower nations.The agreement came during a meeting in Tokyo between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who expressed appreciation for the Asian country's role in restructuring his nation's debt.Sri Lanka defaulted on its debt in April 2022 amid the worst economic crisis since the South Asian country, with a population of 22 million, gained independence from Britain in 1948, with China emerging as the biggest bilateral creditor to the nation in recent years.Against a backdrop of Beijing's so-called debt trap diplomacy, many developing countries receiving massive loans from China, including Sri Lanka, have given up control of key infrastructure after the debt liabilities become untenable.During the three-day Group of Seven summit through Sunday in the western Japan city of Hiroshima, the leaders urged all nations to refrain from using "economic coercion" as a tool to pursue political objectives with China in mind.Wickremesinghe, meanwhile, told Kishida at the outset of their meeting, which was open to the media, that the debt-strapped country's efforts to improve its fiscal health have made "remarkable headway" on the back of support by Japan and other major democracies.Japan, France and India have launched an initiative to coordinate the restructuring of Sri Lanka's hefty loans among its creditors.

PHILADELPHIA - Congenital Heart Disease affects millions of Americans, but doctors in Philadelphia are on the cutting edge of new technologies that are helping patients live longer and more active lives. It's estimated that 1 in 100 Americans are currently living with Congenital Heart Disease, which is simply defined as structural heart defects that patients are born and live with. "It means it happens structurally when the heart was developing, you carry that diagnosis throughout your lifespan," Dr. Stephanie Fuller from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia said.Dr.