Ashes to be sprinkled over parishioners' heads during pandemic Ash Wednesday

COLOMBO (News 1st): The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) will issue a directive on Thursday (Feb. 17), requiring consumers who have defaulted on their electricity bills, to settle the outstanding bills within 03-months.As per the directive, the power supply will be suspended to the consumers, who fail to settle the bills, Janaka Ratnayake, the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission told News 1st.The PUCSL informed the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) on Wednesday (Feb.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Criminal Investigations Department had recorded a statement from Fathima Hadiya, the wife of terrorist Zaharan Hashim, on Tuesday (15).Police Spokesperson and Attorney-at-Law SSP Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that detectives recorded the statement from the accused at the Welikada Prison for approximately five hours.He said further statements will be recorded as investigations continue into the terror attacks of April 21, 2019.

Covid scare, the Queen has made her first public appearance since her son Prince Charles tested positive.Major concerns had been raised after the Queen, 95, and Charles, 73, met at Windsor Castle two days before he tested positive with the virus. A Palace source said that Her Majesty was not displaying any symptoms but that the situation was being monitored as she attended official royal duties.On Tuesday, the Queen was snapped holding virtual audiences with new ambassadors from Estonia and Spain via a video call in her first public appearance.On Wednesday, the Palace said she had received both the outgoing and incoming Defence Services Secretaries at Windsor Castle.The Queen, who was walking with the support of a stick, said: "Oh, I am here."When asked how she was, the Queen chuckled: "Well, as you can see, I can't move."Her Majesty then pointed towards her feet before shuffling forward and greeting the pair with a handshake.The update comes after many were concerned that the Queen could also test positive after coming into contact with Charles.Charles would typically greet his mother in public with both a kiss on the hand and a kiss on the cheek.Prince Charles's wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, has since also now tested positive for Covid.Last week, a Palace source said the Queen, who this month celebrated the 70th anniversary of her accession to the throne, would be returning to normal duties.After a long-anticipated nervous wait, it's understood that the Queen, who has been triple jabbed, is showing no symptoms and has submitted a negative result.Prince Charles is currently self-isolating after catching Covid last Thursday.

Police say a 30-year-old man was stabbed several times Wednesday night near SEPTA's Arrott Transportation Center.  PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say a man is expected to survive after he was stabbed several times Wednesday night near a SEPTA station in Frankford.Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 4700 block of Oxford Avenue just after 9 p.m.

Police in Radnor Township are warning about theives stealing items and checks from mailboxes.  RADNOR TOWNSHIP, Pa. - Police in the Pennsylvania suburbs are warning about thefts from mailboxes. According to police, thieves are going through boxes, stealing checks and then cashing in. In Radnor Township, one thief scored big, allegedly taking $25,000. Superintendent Chris Flanagan with the Radnor Police Department said this type of crime is unusual for the department. Authorities say thieves are waiting for residents to raise the red flags on mailboxes that typically alert mail carriers to collect mail. "They'll take them somewhere, alter them and attempt to pass them at a bank related to that account or something they may have, and then they are cashing what we're calling bad checks."The issue is widespread, hitting every corner of the township from Ravenscliffe in Wayne to Boxwood Road in Bryn Mawr. "We are asking residents if you see people in a private vehicle touching or altering or it looks like they are taking mail out of a private mailbox, then we want you to contact us," Flanagan said. Residents are also encouraged to take their mail directly to the post office or send money electronically as a precaution. MORE LOCAL HEADLINES ___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

While many restaurant owners are breathing a sigh of relief now that the vaccine mandate for indoor dining has been dropped, some plan to continue enforcing it.  PHILADELPHIA - City officials announced an end to the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for indoor dining, but not all restaurants are on board. COVID-19 cases continue to drop, leading city health officials to roll back the mandate. Masks will still be mandated and customers can now leave their vaccine cards in their wallets. One restaurant owner told FOX 29 they still want to see vaccine cards, while another is breathing a sigh of relief. "I was actually happy about it," Debbie Betten, the owner of Sweet Lucy's Smokehouse in Northeast Philadelphia, said.

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CHICAGO - The carjacking task force announced well over 100 arrests since the start of this year.However, there is still a bigger problem.CPD Supt. David Brown says about 60 percent of the offenders taken into police custody are juveniles.

FILE - Police lights are shown in a close up image. (Credit: FOX TV Stations) PHILADELPHIA - Police are investigating a deadly shooting that happened Wednesday night in Philadelphia's Lawcrest neighborhood, according to authorities. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 5500 block of Whitaker Avenue just after 8 p.m.

COLORADO - Officials with the Colorado State Patrol have a simple message for drivers, as they post a shocking video of a crash that was captured by a dashcam.The video was posted to the department's Twitte page on Feb. 16, and shows a CSP trooper pulling a driver over along a freeway.

A Sharon Hill mother is searching for her family dog, which serves as an emotional support animal for her son, who has autism.  SHARON HILL, Pa. - A local family is hoping for the safe return of their beloved dog, but the animal is more than just a pet. The Bolar family in Sharon Hill has now had several sleepless nights knowing their dog Ruzteze is gone. The 15-pound Parson terrier is the emotional support dog for 14-year-old Amare, who has autism. Rusteze got out of a back door on Friday without his collar and hasn't been seen since. Amare has been beside himself without his best friend. "He is his companion.

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Jason Lubell holds ‘Frank Sinatra,’ his Hungarian Puli dog, in Washington Square Park on January 19, 2022 in New York City. "We all share the same goal – to get to a point where COVID-19 is no longer disrupting our daily lives, a time when it won’t be a constant crisis – rather something we can prevent, protect against, and treat," Walensky said.With the omicron variant waning and Americans eager to move beyond the virus, government and business leaders have been out ahead of the CDC in ending virus measures in the last week, including ordering workers back to offices, eliminating mask mandates and no longer requiring proof of vaccine to get into restaurants, bars and sports and entertainment arenas.RELATED: California ends mask mandate, but not all counties are ditching masksThe efforts have been gaining more steam each day.Philadelphia officials on Wednesday said the city’s vaccine mandate for restaurants was immediately lifted, though indoor mask mandates remain in place for now.

Wendy Williams is looking happy and healthy in a brand new video.

COVID-19.The preventive isolation policy had been criticized by family members who said their relatives’ health declined during the isolation period.Dr. Luc Boileau, Quebec’s interim public health director, told reporters Wednesday that residents will only have to isolate if they are in contact with someone who later tests positive for COVID-19 for more than 10 minutes without a mask.

Edmonton Police Service Chief Dale McFee is defending officer’s actions at the recent convoy demonstrations and counter-protests, saying his top priority is safety for everyone. As Sarah Komadina explains, on Wednesday he shrugged off suggestions of selective enforcement.

The province says it has more than 20 million take home COVID-19 tests on the way. How will those tests get into the hands of British Columbians though? Richard Zussman has more on the plan.

The Big Boost push continues to see tens of thousands of people going out to get their booster dose each day. Yesterday, 40,452 booster doses were administered across the motu and brings the total so far to more than two million doses.

More than 3 million Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) have been distributed across New Zealand for workers who keep New Zealand’s critical services and supply chains moving, and those in our community most at risk from the effects of COVID-19, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield says.

SCITUATE, Mass. - A Massachusetts man got a big surprise on Valentine’s Day, but it wasn’t a surprise in the traditional sense. Steve Maguire, who ironically teaches meteorology to high schoolers, accidentally left the family van’s sunroof open before a heavy snow day. The family had been quarantined for several days after some family members contracted COVID-19 and had gotten a tad stir-crazy. Maguire figured it’d be a nice treat to drive around in the family van to get them out of the house. "We had the windows open, and we had the sunroof open, and it was 63 degrees here in Scituate, and it’s February, it’s amazing," Maguire told Boston 25 News. Photos showing snow inside Steve Maguire’s van. RELATED: Chicago weather whiplash: Temps climb into the 50s followed by more snow However, when they returned home from their drive, Maguire forgot to close the sunroof on Feb.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The U.S. Marines is testing new technology that can readily produce hydrogen fuel to use as an energy source rather than relying on petroleum or batteries. Recently, Marines saw a demonstration of the hydrogen tactical refueling point (H-TaRP) at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

US Senate Candidate Gary Chambers burns the confederate flag. (Gary Chambers)NEW ORLEANS (AP - A Louisiana candidate for the U.S.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Wednesday that it sent 80 unruly airline passenger cases to the FBI for possible criminal prosecution. The FAA told FOX Business that these were the "most egregious" incidents out of the nearly 6,500 cases reported since January 2021. Airlines have already reported 499 cases of unruly passenger incidents since the beginning of 2022, according to FAA data.

TRENTON, NJ. - Amazon's Black Employee Network donated 10,000 to a cemetery in Mercer County, New Jersey. On Wednesday, Amazon workers presented the checks to the Locust Hill African Cemetery and Museum Project in Trenton. According to the official website, the project is focused on restoring the cemetery and creating a museum to honor the Black people laid to rest there. Locust Hill is Trenton's largest Black burial ground.

Reuters, Fauci said U.S. states are facing tough choices in their efforts to balance the need to protect their citizens from infections and the growing fatigue with a pandemic that has dragged into its third year.

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BRUSSELS :

B.C. health officials release a written report Wednesday, Feb. 16, with the daily COVID-19 case numbers. Legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey has analysis and how the province is looking as most restrictions are dropped tonight at 11:59 p.m.

While many COVID-19 restrictions are lifting in Alberta, some businesses are taking a cautious approach, including Edmonton’s Varscona Theatre. This comes as Alberta’s chief medical officer of health is reminding us that people have different risk tolerances.

PENNSAUKEN, N.J. - A nine-year-old girl who was attacked by a dog at a Pennsauken park on Monday has reunited with the three Good Samaritans who rescued her.On Tuesday, Erika Rivera spoke to FOX 29 after she rushed her daughter to Cooper University Hospital the day before.PREVIOUS: Mother searching for strangers who saved her daughter from dog attack in PennsaukenRivera was so focused on her daughter that she didn't get a chance to thank the three people who saved her and drove her to her aunt's house.The power of social media helped them connect and on Wednesday, Billy Jackson and his friends met with Rivera and brought Toni balloons.Jackson said he was sitting in the car with his friends when he saw the dog wrestling with the girl. After realizing Toni was not playing with the dog and was instead being attacked, he quickly jumped into action.Rivera's social media post searching for the Good Samaritans was sent to him by a family friend and he commented to make the connection."Glad I was there to help her," he said.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said residents should stay on the line when calling 911, even if the wait time gets lengthy. Outlaw addressed the issue of 911 wait times on Wednesday during a bi-monthly gun violence response briefing. FOX 29 obtained data that shows about 2.3 million 911 calls were made in 2020. More than 11,000 of those calls had a wait time anywhere from one-and-a-half to more than two minutes for a dispatcher to answer the phone.

Conestoga High School switched back to remote learning on Feb. 14 after the school received threats over its mask policy.  BERWYN, Pa. - A Chester County high school banned a parent who officials say snuck into the locker room and delivered a speech to members of the wrestling team about defying the school's mask rule.Officials at Conestoga High School said the incident happened last Friday and the parent has since been banned from being on Tredyffrin/Easttown School District property. The school said police were contacted about the incident, but no charges have been reported. "Entering the locker rooms by anyone other than authorized students or staff is prohibited," the district said in a short statement.

Concordia University student unions say students don’t feel safe about heading back to campus.They say they believe the university is not doing enough to keep them safe from COVID-19 transmission since they returned to in-person classes on Feb.

The firing of a senior staff member in the Solicitor-General’s office over an apparent donation to the ‘Freedom Convoy’ has opposition members demanding more answers from the Ford Government. Matthew Bingley reports.

The province has released more numbers showing just how effective the vaccine has been in Manitoba.

Ford government to provide more details after the leak of donations made to the so-called “Freedom Convoy” GiveSendGo campaign cost a senior staff member her job.The solicitor-general’s now-former director of communications, Marion Isabeau-Ringuette, reportedly donated $100 to the online fundraising platform on Feb. 5.First reported by QP Briefing, the alleged donation came a day after GoFundMe suspended another fundraising campaign over concerns the protest in Ottawa had become an occupation, and just ahead of blockades at the Ambassador Bridge.Ontario’s attorney general eventually stepped in to seek an injunction, freezing the funds for the GiveSendGo campaign several days later.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - Great Scott! After almost forty years on the shoulder, the DeLorean is coming back to the roads. It's going to be all electric and, yes, according to the company's CEO, it will have the iconic doors.The DeLorean is one of the most iconic, albeit shortlived, cars ever to be made in American history.

Hazelton Newman, 30, is accused of using Snapchat to try to coax an underage girl to meet up for sex, according to prosecutors.

Quebec opposition parties call for end of COVID-19 state of emergency In another volatile question period, the leader of the Official Opposition lobbed stinging accusations.“The premier has forgotten what it means to govern in a democracy,” said Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade.“(The state of emergency) allows the premier to decide there will be a curfew without debate at the National Assembly, without the opinion of public health,” she continued.However, the government says it needs the state of emergency to uphold things it has already brought in by decree, like salary bonuses for nurses and mask mandates. Premier François Legault said the government intends to lift the state of emergency in a few weeks.

COVID-19 cases across the globe declined last week for the second week in a row, with illness levels dropping in every region except the Western Pacific, the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday in its weekly pandemic snapshot.

Quebec health experts stress COVID-19 booster shot still necessary despite vaccine passport removal The other puts in place a ban on outdoor cooking and consuming alcohol in parks and in public spaces that Marchand says will be revisited this summer.Quebec City police issued 170 tickets and made three arrests during protests in front of the legislature during the first weekend in February. 

The federal government’s move to invoke the Emergencies Act marks an attempt to cut off funds directed to the “Freedom Convoy,” including new cryptocurrency channels.

ATLANTA - COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is already recommended to prevent severe illness and death in pregnant women, but a new study shows the vaccine may also protect a mother’s newborn baby. According to the study, published Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, completion of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccination series during pregnancy may help prevent hospitalization from the virus among infants who are less than six months old.A group of researchers at the Overcoming COVID-19 network conducted the study at 20 pediatric hospitals in 17 states between July 1, 2021 and Jan. 17, 2022. Among 176 hospitalized infants with COVID-19 aged less than six months, 84% were born to mothers who were not vaccinated during pregnancy. A pregnant woman holds her belly on September 27, 2016 in Cardiff, United Kingdom.

Gojira have rescheduled their upcoming UK and European tour due to COVID-19 restrictions.The French metal titans were supposed to hit the road last month, beginning in Helsinki, with stop-offs in Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Berlin, Prague, Budapest and other cities throughout January into February and March.However, they’ve announced that they will now kick off their European tour on July 5 in Brussels and conclude it in Milan on July 31 at Carroponte.The UK and Ireland leg of the tour, meanwhile, has moved to 2023 and will begin on February 11 in Dublin and conclude at London’s Alexandra Palace on February 22.Gojira will then play rescheduled shows in Bordeaux, Paris, Luxembourg and Lyon between February 24 and 28, 2023.“We cannot express how much we appreciate your continued patience and support while we worked through last month’s postponement,” the band said in a social media post.“Despite our best efforts to resume touring this month, the continued uncertainty in various territories has left us with no other choice but to reschedule the remaining dates of the tour as well.“In light of this unfortunate news we are pleased to share the rescheduled dates for the entire European Tour below.”A post shared by Gojira Official (@gojiraofficial)Original tickets for the tour – which sees support from special guests Alien Weaponry and Employed To Serve – remain valid.

Today during a White House press briefing, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, said she was cautiously optimistic about the trajectory the United States was currently on, 2 months after the Omicron variant became the dominant strain in the nation.

COVID-19-related deaths on Wednesday, lifting the death toll in the area to 387.“Today we are reporting two deaths in our community related to COVID-19. One individual was a male in his 60s.

Easter, which means Lent has officially begun. It’s an important time for people in the Christian community, but in response to COVID-19 safety measures, many will be practicing traditions in a different way.Ash Wednesday marks the official start of Lent.

BRYN MAWR, Pa. - Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent for Christians worldwide. And, like everything else for almost a year, the coronavirus pandemic changed the way ashes were distributed on the solemn day.The big, beautiful red doors haven’t been open to the public for almost a year.