Anti-Corruption & Governance reforms are critical – IMF

pioneering experiment with legalized magic mushrooms took a step closer to reality as the first "facilitators" who will accompany clients as they experience the drug received their state licenses, authorities said Tuesday.Voters approved the regulated use of psilocybin in a 2020 ballot measure, and anticipation has been building over the past 2 1/2 years for the day — expected to come later this year — when people can gain access to the drug that studies indicate has therapeutic value.Hundreds of people have invested thousands of dollars apiece in this budding industry, and some worry that the rollout is proceeding too slowly."We thank you for your dedication to client safety and access as we move closer to opening service centers," Oregon Psilocybin Services Manager Angie Allbee said in a statement Tuesday to three people who received the state's first facilitator licenses.But to date, no service centers — where customers would access psilocybin in controlled, calm environments with music, eye masks and mats — have been licensed. Nor has any laboratory where the products must be tested for potency.

Nasyrova is shown on an Interpol alert before her arrest. FOREST HILLS, N.Y. - Back in 2016, Olga Tsvyk was found unconscious and surrounded by pills in her bed.

NEWARK, Del. - Delaware State Police say a teenager has been arrested and charged in connection with a violent shooting that sent shoppers running for safety at the Christiana Mall earlier this month. Authorities say the incident occurred on April 8 at 6:43 p.m. at the food court entrance to the mall. Troopers say an investigation revealed three male suspects began physically assaulting an 18-year-old as he was leaving the food court.

Aaron Carter accidentally drowned in his bathtub after taking prescription pills and inhaling gas used in spray cleaners, a coroner’s report revealed on Tuesday.The Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner said Carter, 34, had recently taken alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax, and inhaled difluoroethane, a gas commonly used in cans of compressed air, before his death. Difluoroethane was identified by the coroner as a substance that “can induce feelings of euphoria when inhaled.” Read more: Morgan Freeman — ‘Black History Month,’ ‘African American’ are insulting terms As per TMZ, the first outlet to report the news, Carter reportedly became “incapacitated while in the bathtub due to the effects” of drugs and inhaled gas.

General view of campus life at Temple University, in Philadelphia, PA, on a frisk early spring day of March 27, 2019. (Photo by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images) PHILADELPHIA - The results of an audit examining public safety at Temple University have been released, revealing a need for improved community relations, assertive leadership and city-wide collaboration. According to the university's Public Safety Department, 21CP Solutions conducted an "external, independent review" of campus safety services from the Temple University Police Department.

NEWARK, Del. - What began as a simple hunt for a parking spot, ended with an elderly man being sent to the hospital, and another man in police custody.The violent incident unfolded in the parking lot of a medical complex at 700 Prides Crossing in Newark, Delaware, Tuesday morning.Both the 71-year-old and suspect, identified as 39-year-old Dimitri Taylor, tried to pull into the same parking spot, sparking an argument.As the victim tried to find another spot, police say the suspect chased him around the lot punching his window.MORE HEADLINES:Pleading with Taylor to stop, the victim parked his car and called the police.Taylor then punched the 71-year-old causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, according to authorities.He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.Police say Taylor later turned himself in, and has since been charged with assault.

DADEVILLE, Ala. - Law enforcement officials have arrested two teenagers and charged them with murder for the mass shooting during a Sweet 16 birthday party in eastern Alabama that killed four and injured more than 30 people.Members of the press from all over the country gathered on the steps of the Tallapoosa County Courthouse nearly 84 hours after the shots were fired at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio, located just one block away. Investigators say 18-year-old Phil Dowdell, 23-year-old Corbin Holston, 19-year-old Marsiah Collins, and 17-year-old KeKe Smith were killed in the gunfire.

This car landed on the roof of a home in Placer County. Photo: Cal Fire CAPE HORN, Calif. - The internet was brimming with questions after a white Subaru Outback landed on the second-story roof of a home in Northern California. "How does this even happen?" Amy White wrote on Cal Fire's Facebook page.According to the Cal Fire Placer County unit, firefighters and the California Highway Patrol responded Sunday to a home on Robbers Ravine. Crews worked to rescue the driver of the car, which had somehow launched itself up on the roof of the home.

A Nevada-based developer has submitted plans and applications for a 50-story mixed used structure in San Franciscos Outer Sunset District. (Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB))SAN FRANCISCO - A Nevada-based developer has submitted plans for a 50-story ocean view high rise in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset District, in what's shaping up to be a heated battle with the city's planning department. The plans and applications were submitted to the city last week by developer CH Planning LLC.The mixed-use structure, near Ocean Beach, calls for 712 apartments, including 115 affordable units.

Australia has been found.Ines Zepcan was only 8 years old when she and her siblings sent the bottle off a pier in Portland, Victoria.Her message was simple and sweet, "Whoever finds this bottle will have good luck for life, from me and my family."Rosalind Evans, a beachcomber with Warrnambool's Beach Patrol 3280, was excited after she found the intact yet battered plastic bottle at Fitzroy River estuary during a March 25th cleanup. The group searched for Zepcan on social media and sent her a message.BOTTLE FULL OF MESSAGES WASHES ASHORE ON A FLORIDA BEACHRosalind Evans, a beachcomber with Warrnambool's Beach Patrol 3280, was excited after she found the intact yet battered plastic bottle at Fitzroy River estuary during a March 25th cleanup.

PHILADELPHIA - A man is in critical condition after several shots were fired in a morning shooting on a North Philadelphia street Tuesday.Police responded to the shooting on the 2900 block of North Stillman Street around 8 a.m.The victim, a 43-year-old man, was found shot twice in the neck, once to the back and multiple times in the lower body.MORE HEADLINES:He was transported to a local hospital, and placed in critical condition.No arrests have been made, and no weapons recovered.

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - A woman's shopping trip could have ended in a carjacking, but luckily she was able to safely drive away.Police say three teen suspects approached the woman as she sat in her car in the Walmart parking lot on Route 38 Monday night.They opened her door, demanded she get out, and displayed a handgun, according to authorities.She drove away and immediately notified police.MORE HEADLINES:All three suspects were still at the Walmart when officers arrived and took them into custody.

NEW DELHI : The 3rd day of the 2nd Health Working Group meeting under India’s G20 Presidency being organised in Goa witness series of technical sessions on digital health innovations, healthcare technology and Digital Public Goods (DPGs) to emphasie India’s commitment to “healthcare for all" through vibrant global and local collaborations.  The first session focused on “Innovations in Healthcare" during which health experts pushed for a lifecycle-care framework where open-source software can enable data innovations.  “Suggestions such as a central organization or coalition in the world to guide national governments, along with regional implementation hubs, paradigm shift towards Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and AGI-enabled Digital public goods were put forward.

NEW DELHI : In view of the rise in the number of covid-19 cases across India, Dr. P.K.

booster doses can still reduce the severity of the disease, experts are of the opinion that it may be time for governments to start thinking about second-generation vaccines. I think a booster dose is not really going to hurt while as such. Again, you know, it can still reduce the severity of the disease.

Once upon a time, Chrystia Freeland attempted to relate to Canadians’ cost-of-living concerns with a personal anecdote – and it didn’t produce a fairy-tale ending.

Americans seeking messenger RNA vaccines for Covid-19 for the first time will get one, updated shot targeting both the Omicron variant and the original strain of the virus under new moves rolled out Tuesday by federal health officials. The Food and Drug Administration also authorized a second booster of the updated shots for people at high risk of Covid-19, specifically people 65 years and older or people who have weak immune systems. The agency’s actions mark the latest tweaks to Covid-19 vaccines, and could be followed up by further efforts to simplify the complicated vaccination regimen, perhaps by enshrining plans for a once-a-year shot for most people.

7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes want customers to "BYOC" and get a Slurpee drink for just $1.99 on April 29, 2023. (Credit: 7-Eleven) IRVING, Texas - 7-Eleven is ushering in the warm weather months with its "Bring Your Own Cup Day" returning to stores this month. The day, happening on Saturday, April 29, encourages customers to "tap into their creativity" and bring in their favorite cup, helmet, beer stein, watering can, or any other unconventional container and fill it with a Slurpee drink for just $1.99.The deal is at all participating U.S.

FILE - Netflix sign-in page is seen displayed on a laptop screen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland, on June 1, 2022. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) SAN FRANCISCO - Netflix has revealed a new timeline to crack down on password-sharing among customers in the United States as streaming platforms proliferate and more people share services.The streaming giant previously indicated in January that tougher password restrictions would be imposed by the end of March for customers, but that didn’t happen in several key markets, including the U.S. In a shareholder letter released Tuesday with its first-quarter performance, Netflix said it was "pleased with the results" of a paid password-sharing program it launched in four countries and said it plans to introduce a "broad rollout" – including the U.S.

People walk through the Sadar Bazaar in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. Photo: Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg via Getty Images NEW DELHI - India is on track to become the world's most populous nation, surpassing China by 2.9 million people by mid-2023, according to data released by the United Nations on Wednesday.The South Asian country will have an estimated 1.4286 billion people against China's 1.4257 billion by the middle of the year, according to U.N.

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court is deciding whether women will face restrictions in getting a drug used in the most common method of abortion in the United States, while a lawsuit continues.The justices are expected to issue an order on Wednesday in a fast-moving case from Texas in which abortion opponents are seeking to roll back Food and Drug Administration approval of the drug, mifepristone.The drug first won FDA approval in 2000, and conditions on its use have been loosened in recent years, including making it available by mail in states that allow access.The Biden administration and New York-based Danco Laboratories, the maker of the drug, want the nation’s highest court to reject limits on mifepristone’s use imposed by lower courts, at least as long as the legal case makes it way through the courts. They say women who want the drug and providers who dispense it will face chaos if limits on the drug take effect.

SAN FRANCISCO - Netflix is poised to shut down the DVD-by-mail rental service that set the stage for its trailblazing video streaming service, ending an era that began a quarter-century ago when delivering discs through the mail was considered a revolutionary concept.The DVD service, which still delivers films and TV shows in the red-and-white envelopes that once served as Netflix's emblem, plans to mail its final discs on Sept. 29.RELATED: 'Incredibly sorry': Netflix keeps 'Love Is Blind' fans waiting for live reunionNetflix ended March with 232.5 million worldwide subscribers to its video streaming service, but it stopped disclosing how many people still pay for DVD-by-mail delivery years ago as that part of its business steadily shrank.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating an incident that began at FDR Park and ended with lane closures on I-76 West. Authorities say police responded to a report of a shooting on Pattison Avenue in the area of FDR Park in the South Philadelphia section of the city just before 3 a.m. Officers who responded to the scene did not find anything initially, according to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small. Small told reporters officers found a scene on the westbound lanes of I-76, where a Ford SUV and Infiniti Sedan were involved in a crash. According to authorities, the Ford had eight bullet holes and a 27-year-old victim in the back seat with a gunshot wound to the neck. Small says the shooting victim, who was unable to move due to the gunshot injury, was transported to Presbyterian Hospital, where he is in critical condition. Police say a 32-year-old woman was the driver of the Ford SUV. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESA 22-year-old man was driving the Infiniti and a gun was found on the vehicle's floorboard, authorities say. Investigators say a preliminary investigation revealed the drivers of both vehicles got into an altercation on the 1900 block of Pattison Avenue. According to Small, that's where crime scene technicians found 19 spent shell casings from the shooting. Officials say a PennDOT driver witnessed the incident and told authorities the two cars then drove at a high rate of speed the wrong way on I-76 West. The two vehicles eventually crashed on I-76 as police responded to the scene, police say. The 22-year-old driver of the Infiniti was taken into custody, according to Small. Lanes on I-76 West were closed for several hours but have since reopened. Police respond to lanes on I-76

LEONIA, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 17: The sun set behind EV charging stations on June 17, 2022 in Leonia, New Jersey. The Biden administration is revealing a new set of standards to help accelerate the installation of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers across TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey residents looking to buy or lease an electric vehicle won’t be able to get a government rebate — at least temporarily — because the state program is so popular that it's already running out of money, officials said.The Charge Up New Jersey program has disbursed an estimated $35 million for the fiscal year ending this July, according to the state's Board of Public Utilities.

airport, railway stations and the Churaibari check gate," the official said. Wearing masks in hospitals has been made a must, he said.

coronavirus infections, while the active cases increased to 63,562. According to the data by the union health ministry, the Covid-relate death toll in the country stands at 5,31,190 with 38 deaths reported today, including 11 reconciled by Kerala. The active cases now comprise 0.14% of the total infections.

New Delhi: India saw a sharp rise in covid-19 cases as the country reported 10,542 new cases and 38 deaths in a day, as per data shared by the health ministry on Wednesday. The daily positivity rate has climbed to 4.39%, and the weekly positivity rate was at 5.14%. The number of active cases touched 63,562.

The wearing of face masks in hospitals and other healthcare settings is no longer required from today.

(With inputs from agencies)

PHILADELPHIA - The family of a Philadelphia woman who was killed in a hit-and-run crash by a food delivery service driver in 2020 is now suing three delivery companies they believe played a hand in the tragedy.Tiffany Reed was 29-years-old when she was struck and killed in the crosswalk of Broad Street and Lehigh Avenue after leaving her job at Wendy's. The driver, later identified as 21-year-old Todd Burton, was arrested and charged with homicide by vehicle, accident involving death and involuntary manslaughter. Burton was working for three different food delivery services when the deadly crash happened.

DISTRICT TWP., Pa. - First, it was spotted laternflies. Now, it's a highly invasive disease that could be affecting trees at neighborhood parks, college campuses, and nature parks all across New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Horticulturists say beech leaf disease is rapidly spreading across the area, causing beech leaves to darken and crinkle, which ultimately prevents photosynthesis and kills beech trees. SKY FOX drone flew high above the District Township Conservation and Recreation Area in Berks County where forestry experts say many beautiful beech trees are being killed.

PSAC) announced Tuesday night, after the union failed to reach an agreement with the federal government.Canada’s largest public service union had set a deadline of 9 p.m. Eastern Tuesday for the two sides to make a deal.

Colorado middle school principal asked parents to step in and guard the school after two administrators were shot by a student in the area.McAuliffe International School Principal Kurt Dennis sent a letter to parents in which he asked for volunteers to check student IDs and guard the doors at the Denver middle school."Our hope is that if enough adults sign up for a volunteer shift, we can address these areas for the duration of this school year," Dennis said in the letter, according to local 9News.Dennis' letter, which was sent to families Friday, laid out "near-term improvements" to shore up school safety in the wake of a student at nearby East High School who opened fire on two people who were searching him for weapons last month.Dennis told the outlet that his school has to pat down a student every day who was accused of attempted first-degree murder and illegal discharge of a firearm.The principal explained in his letter that the school is seeking adults who are willing to be posted at the school doors throughout the day to ensure they are locked, as well as someone who can stay at the front entrance and run student IDs through a security system to check if they are permitted in the building.Adults who take on the volunteer role will reportedly be decked out in bright yellow vests to indicate who they are.Dennis also wrote that hoodies will no longer be a part of the middle school uniform because of the ability of students to hide things in them."Students wearing hoodies are difficult to recognize, and the pockets in front are used to store items out of sight from our staff," Dennis said.

WILLIAMSTOWN, N.J. - The Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office announced on Tuesday that a man has been arrested and charged with manslaughter of a 17-year-old Gloucester County boy over the weekend. On Sunday, April 16, officers from the Monroe Township Police Department were dispatched to a residence on Chestnut Street in Williamstown for a report that a man had been shot. Upon arrival, officers discovered a victim who had been shot in the head. Authorities say a suspect, 18-year-old Nasir D.

ELGIN, Texas - A Texas high school cheerleader is recovering in the hospital after being shot in Elgin. This comes just before the biggest All-Star Cheerleading competition in the world. Those close to the cheerleader said it was supposed to be a big weekend for her, but instead she won’t be able to participate because of a senseless act of violence.On Monday, April 17, Payton Washington and her three teammates were returning home from an out-of-town cheer practice at Woodlands Elite in the Woodlands.

Patty Hung, 77, or Orinda, Calif., ran her 37th consecutive Boston Marathon on Monday, April 17, 2023, extending her record as the longest streak of finishers for women’s athletes in the storied race. (Photo courtesy: B.A.A./MarathonFoto)BOSTON - A 77-year-old Bay Area woman made her definitive mark in the storied Boston Marathon on Monday, crossing the finish line for the 37th consecutive time-- more than any other woman in the history of the prestigious, world renowned road racing event.Patty Hung, of Orinda, completed the 26.2 mile race with a time of 5:40:37, putting her in 9th place in her division of women aged 75-79.Last year, she set her name in the Boston Marathon record books owning the longest active women’s streak with her 36th consecutive run, surpassing the previous record set by Andrea Hatch of Maine who ended her streak in 2013, according to the Boston Athletic Association. SEE ALSO: Boston Marathon 2023: Defending champ Evans Chebet wins, spoils Kipchoge debutSEE ALSO: Warriors' Draymond Green ejected after stomping on chest of Sacramento King's SabonisA former math teacher at Miramonte High School, Hung returned to school later in life to become a nurse.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The International Monetary Fund said that Sri Lanka must increase tax revenue in a growth friendly manner. Peter Breuer, the Senior IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, told reporters that the current economic crisis has a number of origins including the governments' inability to meet government spending needs through revenue collection and Sri Lanka is among the countries that collect the least amount of fiscal revenue in the world. He said that Tax Reforms are badly needed to correct the imbalance, and only with appropriate tax receipts will the government be able to fund essential expenditures, and avoid further slashing critically important outlets. "These reforms will also help regain the confidence of the creditors, so that in the future they will once again finance the gap between revenue and expenditure," he said.Peter Breuer further said that it is important that those who can afford it may commence contributions to the financing of necessary government expenditures."The tax package the authorities have introduced including the new tax rate schedule for Personal Income tax helps to meet the objectives. The tax rates proposed under the authorities program are also inline with similar countries who are contributing to Sri Lanka's support package, through the IMF," he said."So it is important to remember that there are many countries who have income levels comparable or may be less than Sri Lanka with much higher tax rates.