East Ayrshire Council reveals 'severe impact' of coronavirus pandemic on finances

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has informed the Ceylon Electricity Board to permit companies and people that use electricity on a large scale to source electricity using their generators and suspend the supply to them from the National Grid.PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake told News 1st that the PUCSL is prepared to pay Rs. 36/- per unit for those sourcing electricity via generators.On 13 February, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) sought the PUCSL permission for scheduled load shedding due to lack of fuel to operate oil-fired power plants, depleting water reservoirs for hydropower generation.On Tuesday (15) the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka rejected the CEB request to go for power-cut for a period of three and introduced alternatives for the CEB to consider.To manage the limited resources available ahead of the dry season, the PUCSL said hydropower generations will be slashed by 50% from today, while large-scale consumers were instructed to purchase standby generators.“If residents in condos need to have air conditioners operated during peak hours between 6:00 p.m.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha, the Media Director of the Archdiocese of Colombo was back at the Criminal Investigations Department on Thursday (17) to make a statement with regard to a complaint he filed in December 2021, over the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks.The Rev.

NEW DELHI :

An Edmonton security firm is warning that critical infrastructure such as airports could be the next target of so-called freedom protesters, and a threat assessment that included a covert operation at the Coutts border blockade also found links between some protest organizers and far-right extremist groups. Breanna Karstens-Smith explains.

attended the big game. Rodgers wasn't one of them. Then, following the loss, Rodgers was named the MVP of the season – because that award is about the regular season, during which Rodgers was pretty spectacular.

People still participating in the so-called “Freedom Convoy” blockade of downtown Ottawa are being warned by police to “leave the area now” in flyers distributed to the demonstrators and in the door jams of trucks participating in the protest Wednesday morning.

Paislee Shultis, a child who was kidnapped two years ago at the age of four, was found alive in a makeshift room underneath a closed staircase that led to the basement of a home in the town of Saugerties in upstate New York, police said.

We have more details on just what the Emergencies Act, invoked by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Monday, will allow officials to do about truckers protests. Aaron McArthur has the latest.

As concerns over government overreach swirl for the now-invoked Emergencies Act, debates are set to ensue in Parliament on whether it is necessary. David Akin explains the new measures the government hopes will end the disruptive protests, and which political parties will be supporting or pushing back against them.

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. - A stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was closed for hours Wednesday after a tanker trunk crashed onto its side and spilled fuel across the highway. The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. on the eastbound side near mile marker 337 in Fort Washington.Emergency crews and a hazmat team were quickly dispatched to the crash site.

PHILADELPHIA - Residents in Philadelphia's Fairmount neighborhood have reported frightening encounters with a man asking for money, including at least two homeowners who said the panhandler threatened them at their doorstep.Geno Rapone said he was making dinner for his children on Tuesday night when the man started banging on his front door. Rapone noticed the man from a picture that a neighbor posted on the NextDoor app about a threatening encounter. "I asked him what he wanted, he said ‘I need money to get to 52nd and Market.

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.