Food Crisis: Estate Sector worst affected, says WFP

Jamie Lee Curtis says social media is bad for people's mental health. The ‘Halloween Ends’ star says having smartphones constantly showing us “tragedies” - such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine - via apps is ultimately not good for humanity. Appearing on SiriusXM’s ‘The Jess Cagle Podcast with Julia Cunningham’, she said: “We have these devices in our hands.

A GP surgery was locked down after a man allegedly poured liquid on the floor and threatened to ignite it.

consumer advocacy group has sent legal notices to 11 sports apparel brands for allegedly selling sports bras and athletic shirts with high levels of BPA, a chemical that can cause health problems if exposure is too high.According to the Center for Environmental Health (CEH), an advocacy group focused on toxic chemicals in products, testing showed the bras and shirts contained more than 22 times the amount of BPA considered safe under California standards. BPA is used to make certain types of plastics and is widely used in almost every industry.The sports bra brands listed are Athleta, PINK, Asics, The North Face, Brooks, All in Motion, Nike and FILA.

NEW YORK (FOX NEWS) - Dane Partridge, an Idaho father and U.S. Army veteran, died this week while "fighting for freedom in Ukraine," his family announced. His father, Dennis Partridge, wrote on Facebook on Saturday that his son was in a coma after being critically injured by a Russian tank blast. Partridge was being treated at Kyiv military hospital and was taken off life support on Tuesday, his family announced. TWO AMERICANS DEAD IN UKRAINE, OFFICIALS SAY"He was a fine soldier who fought with valor and bravery on the battlefield," his family wrote on Facebook.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Foreign Minister Ali Sabry made a startling revelation on Friday (14) that the previous Cabinet was not fully aware of the dire situation that the economy was falling into.Speaking at the launch of the book ' Poverty to prosperity: A review of the Korean development model ', the Minister spoke about a number of topics including government responsibility for the prevailing economic crisis and Sri Lanka's foreign policy. Speaking at the event, the Minister said that the Government learned the hard way that the economy is the heart of the country, and if it fails, all else fails. Pointing out that unfortunately, the Ministers of theprevious Cabinet were focusing on their specific areas, such as himself holding the portfolio of the Minister of Justice, Minister Sabry said that he was looking forward to new plans with regard to law reform, digitization, improved infrastructure and more recruitments in the sector, however, confessed that he was unaware of the country's deep economic troubles. Pointing out that if the country's Cabinet's economic literacy is a minimum, then the normal people should be worse in their case, the Minister said that without taxation, there is no future for the country."In 1981, 21% of our GDP was taxes. Today it has come down to 8.3%. So we can point fingers.

RALEIGH, N.C. - A North Carolina mayor announced that five people, including a police officer, were killed in a shooting in a residential area.Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin told reporters that multiple people were shot on the Neuse River Greenway around 5 p.m. local time, and that the police department told her around 8 p.m.

Khloe Kardashian has given an update on her health after revealing her tumor ordeal.Earlier this week, the Good American designer opened up about why she had been sporting a bandage on her cheek, after sparking concern.In a series of posts, the 38-year-old explained that she had a tumor removed from her face, insisting that she was in the ‘healing process’.During a live-tweeting session for the new episode of the Kardashians, she was questioned on how she is feeling now.The mom-of-two replied: ‘Baby!!!!! I’m good!! I swear!! Super grateful that I’m healthy and that I have a lifetime supply of bandaids.‘Seriously im ok. The worst is over and now its time to be haaaaapppppy #TheKardashians [sic].’Baby!!!!! Iâm good!! I swear!! Super grateful that Iâm healthy and that I have a lifetime supply of bandaids.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A jury spared Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz from the death penalty Thursday for killing 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, sending him to prison for the remainder of his life in a decision that left many families of the victims angered, baffled and in tears."This is insane. Everyone knows right? This is insane," Chen Wang, cousin of shooting victim Peter Wang, said at a news conference after the jury’s decision was read.

Coronation Street star Rob Mallard says his hidden health condition has "gotten worse" and is likely to continue in that direction. The actor, who is best known to viewers for playing Daniel Osbourne in the ITV soap, first spoke out about having an essential tremor in 2018.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The National Audit Office had launched a Special Audit as per the order given by the court when granting leave to proceed concerning two FR applications that were filed claiming that the Fundamental Rights of the people were violated due to wrong economic management decisions taken by the Gotabaya Rajapaksa government.Auditor General, W.P.C Wickramaratne stated that this investigation is being conducted based on an order by the Supreme Court, and a team led by a Deputy Auditor General was assigned to the investigation.The court ordered the following matters to be investigated;a. The decision made by the Monetary Board to set the value of the Sri Lankan rupee at Rs.

Health worker Nizam ud din (above) vaccinates a baby in a partly submerged village. ©WHO

LOS ANGELES - Dustan Jackson and his wife were waiting for their flight home after the perfect vacation in Cancun. With hours to spare, Jackson hopped in a cab to head to a store to get chewing tobacco, but the nearby gas station didn't have any. That's when he said his taxi driver kidnaped him."I'll never forget that feeling," Jackson said.

A conceptual illustration depicting housing in the United States. via Getty Images Rapidly rising mortgage rates have more than doubled this year.

Lotto Max draw, including six Maxmillion winners, but the jackpot again stayed unclaimed.Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. (OLG) said four Maxmillion prizes worth $1 million each were won by tickets sold in York Region, Scarborough, Burlington, and Woodbridge.Two Maxmillion prizes worth $500,000 each were won by tickets sold in Barrie and on OLG.ca.Two second-prize pool tickets that won $105,716.70 each were sold in Scarborough and on OLG.ca. What are the odds of winning big on Lotto Max? And lastly, a $100,000 Encore prize was won by a ticket sold in York Region.The OLG said the Lotto Max jackpot has never gone unclaimed this long, as there have been 18 draws since it was last won.

It’s going to be a girl for Kaley Cuoco and Tom Pelphrey!

COLOMBO (News 1st) – As many Sri Lankans have cut down on their meals, the demand for staples has also seen a drop.Usually, more than 200 to 300 Sri Lankan fishing boats set out to sea, however after the economic crisis hit, coupled with an acute shortage of fuel most of the Sri Lankan fishermen have been forced to tie up their boats to the piers, hoping for better days."The demand for fish had slumped. The main reason for this is the high cost of fuel and the rising cost of living. A liter of fuel that cost only Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – 9.6 million Sri Lankans have been affected by poverty, revealed a new study by the University of Peradeniya.Professor Wasantha Athukorala of Peradeniya University's Department of Economics and Statistics says that 9.6 million Sri Lankans are currently suffering from poverty.In 2019, nearly 3 million people lived below the poverty line, but that number has increased to 9.6 million in October 2022.Professor Wasantha Athukorala further stated that the study revealed that 42% of the people living in Sri Lanka are currently suffering from poverty.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A country’s security is not only ensured militarily but is also secured through food and economic security, President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized.The President said this during the progress review meeting of the National Food Security and Nutrition Assurance Program held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (11).Emphasizing that urgent measures should be taken to provide the country with fuel and food, the President said that if necessary, he could intervene through state security regulations.The President also noted that if the implementation of the food security and nutrition assurance program is hampered due to the collapse of the state machinery, he is ready to intervene at any moment to resolve these issues.President Ranil Wickremesinghe also pointed out the need to modernize agriculture and enact legislation on food security through this program.The multi-sectoral joint mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centres to ensure food security and nutrition was recently implemented across the island under the theme “No citizen should be allowed to starve due to the lack of food”, on the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.Also, the progress of the program at the district level was examined during this discussion and it was stated that rural economic revitalization committees have been established at the village level in all districts and programs have been initiated to ensure food security and nutrition.Discussions also centred on the issues that could arise during the cultivation process in the relevant districts, while special attention was placed on the supply of fertilizer, land issues, unavailability of seeds and the crop damage caused by wild animals.President

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - The New Jersey Attorney General's Office said it's investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting Tuesday night in Cherry Hill. Officials say the deadly shooting happened around 2 p.m.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, 4 of 10 Americans didn't follow public health measures or lied about being compliant, mostly because they wanted life to feel normal and exercise their personal freedoms, reveals a survey published yesterday in JAMA Network Open.

King Charles III will be crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6 in a ceremony that will embrace the past but look to the modern world after the 70-year reign of the late Queen Elizabeth II.Tuesday’s announcement from Buckingham Palace comes amid speculation that the coronation will be shorter and less extravagant than the three-hour ceremony that installed Elizabeth in 1953, in keeping with Charles’ plans for a slimmed down monarchy. While the palace provided few details, British media reported that the guest list would be pared to 2,000 from 8,000.Charles will be crowned in a solemn religious ceremony conducted by Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, the palace said in a statement.

Meghan Markle is revealing how Prince Harry helped her when her mental health was suffering.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – After the economic crisis hit, the prices of books spiked by over 50% due to import costs, forcing Sri Lankans to look for the alternative.Almost every Sri Lankan knows about the Lotus Tower standing tall in Colombo built at a massive cost of USD 113 Million. But, this is not about a structure that added a colossal weight on to Sri Lanka's debt.Tucked away not far from the Lotus Tower, is a line of book shops.Now, these are not your ordinary books shops with publications fresh out of the press.These are Colombo's second hand book shops that have been catering to book worms over the years.One of the main reasons why these establishments are popular among readers, is that the second books here are cheap and are in good condition.However, when Sri Lanka's economic crisis hit, these book stores were also in dire straits."Business is not that great because of the low number of customers. There is a demand for second hand books.

PHILADELPHIA - A local animal shelter has a message for a man they say stole a dog straight from its crate on Monday."If you’re reading this, and it was you who stole the dog, we want to make sure he is safe," ACCT Philly said in a Facebook post.They made the post after a dog named Withers went missing from its crate around 5 p.m. Staff says a man came into the shelter on Hunting Park Avenue and took the dog."Our staff were not able to stop him," the shelter said.MORE HEADLINES:Surveillance footage shows the suspected thief walking into the shelter in a black hoodie and sweatpants. The shelter says Withers' adopter is "heartbroken," and they are asking for the public's help to locate the dog."If he was your dog, and you were wanting to reclaim him, that’s great as we want to reunite as many pets with their people as possible," the shelter said.

FROM MARS have investigated some of the leading health conditions which could be life-threatening. The experts created the men’s health report by analysing different diseases and illnesses most prevalent across the world’s male population.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Cascading global crises have left 54 countries including Sri Lanka – home to more than half of the world's poorest people — in dire need of debt relief, the UN said Tuesday (11).In a new report, the United Nations Development Programme warned that dozens of developing nations were facing a rapidly deepening debt crisis and that "the risks of inaction are dire".UNDP said without immediate relief, at least 54 countries would see rising poverty levels, and "desperately needed investments in climate adaptation and mitigation will not happen".That was worrisome since the affected countries were "among the most climate-vulnerable in the world".The agency's report, published ahead of meetings of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and also of G20 finance ministers in Washington, highlighted the need for swift action.But despite repeated warnings, "little has happened so far, and the risks have been growing," UNDP chief Achim Steiner told reporters in Geneva."That crisis is intensifying and threatening to spill over into an entrenched development crisis across dozens of countries across the world."The poor, indebted countries are facing converging economic pressures and many find it impossible to pay back their debt or access new financing.'Volatility'"Market conditions are shifting rapidly as a synchronised fiscal and monetary contraction and low growth are fuelling volatility around the globe," UNDP said.The UN agency said debt troubles had been brewing in many of the affected countries long before the Covid-19 pandemic hit."The rapid build-up in debt over the past decade has been consistently underestimated," it said.The freeze on debt repayment during the Covid crisis to lighten their burden

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's Cabinet has granted approval to downgrade Sri Lanka to a low-income country from a lower-middle income country, announced Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, the Cabinet Spokesperson on Tuesday (11)."Sri Lanka was a middle-income country as per the global classification.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh by three runs in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2022 at the Sylhet International Cricket Stadium on Monday (October 10).Winning the toss, the Bangladesh women's team captain opted to bowl first against Sri Lanka in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 2022.Batting first, Sri Lanka managed to score 83 for the loss of five wickets in 18.1 overs before heavy rain stopped the match. Later, the fate of the match was set following the Duckworth-Lewis method (D/L method). To win the match, Bangladesh needed 41 runs in seven overs.In reply, Bangladesh managed to score 37 runs for the loss of seven wickets in the allotted seven overs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – It is no secret that the prevailing economic crisis has led to the disruption of the day-to-day lives of the general public. How many families have been impacted by this unprecedented economic crisis? Has sufficient attention been given to those who are severely affected? The Gammadda Door to Door initiative continues to identify a range of issues faced by average Sri Lankans. On Monday (10), which was Day Six of the Sixth edition of the Gammadda Door to Door program, the team that completed it's tour in the Jaffna district reached the Killinochchi district.They visited the Malayalapuram area in the Karachchi Divisional Secretariat, where most of the residents are day-wage earners.Unfortunately, the economic crisis left them with no work, ruining their chances of providing for their families. Gammadda teams in the Ratnapura district visited Handagirigoda, Handagiriya, Kolonna andSuriyakanda villages in the Welligepola Divisional Secretariat and met with the poverty-stricken estate workers living in Suriyakanda. People in this area do not have the luxury of enjoying cell phone services as the area lacks the basic facilities. Unlike most areas in Sri Lanka children in the area do not have access to online education.Gammadda teams in the Polonnaruwa district toured many areas in the Hingurakgoda Divisional Secretariat. On top of the economic crisis, people in this area face wild elephant threats. 

FILE - Toyota logo seen outside a Toyota dealership. (Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Toyota Motor Corp.

Photo collage: (Left) Photo illustration by Nikolas Kokovlis/NurPhoto via Getty Images. (Right) Photo by Robyn Beck / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A California man is in trouble for reportedly using Snapchat to sell "ghost guns."Andrew Jace Larrabure-Tuma, 20, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to using the social media platform to sell guns that he bought kits for online, also known as "ghost gun kits".He bought them "from a company called Polymer80, a licensed firearms manufacturer in Nevada, and manufactured his own firearms and then sold the guns he had manufactured," read a news release from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).He was caught when he sold guns to undercover officers and a "confidential informant."Larrabure-Tuma isn't legally allowed to buy guns in California, ATF said."A search warrant was executed at Larrabure-Tuma’s residence in Sacramento and law enforcement officers found what appeared to be a firearm manufacturing operation, including partially complete firearms, firearm kits from Polymer80, firearm parts, tools for manufacturing and finishing firearms, firearm accessories, completed firearms, and ammunition," the news release read.He will be sentenced just after the new year and could face up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.RELATED: Biden administration crackdown on 'ghost guns' takes effectAn April 2022 news release from the White House describes these firearms as, "unserialized, privately-made firearms."Adding, "Law enforcement are increasingly recovering at crime scenes in cities across the country.

Media gather outside the Countess of Chester Hospital on July 3, 2018 in Chester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Anthony Devlin/Getty Images) LONDON (AP) - A hospital neonatal nurse in Britain accused of killing seven babies and trying to kill 10 others poisoned two infants deliberately with insulin, a British prosecutor said Monday.Lucy Letby, 32, has been charged with murder in the deaths of five baby boys and two girls, and the attempted murder of five boys and five girls, while she worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwest England between 2015 and 2016.Letby earlier pleaded not guilty to the charges.Opening her trial at Manchester Crown Court, prosecutor Nick Johnson said beginning in 2015, the hospital saw a significant rise in the number of babies who were dying or suffering "serious catastrophic collapses.""Babies who had not been unstable at all suddenly deteriorated.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The World Bank in its October 2022 update says that it will be imperative to protect the poor and vulnerable by providing immediate additional assistance to the poorest in need, while comprehensively reforming the social protection system.The World Bank warns that poverty has increased sharply since 2021, and it is likely to increase further in the absence of effective mitigation measures and made several recommendations.– In the short run, increasing financing for social assistance should be a priority. – The government will need to invest in the establishment and operationalization of the Welfare Benefits Board and a Social Registry. – The generosity of cash transfers needs to be revisited, particularly for some vulnerable groups– Sri Lanka also needs to adopt more modern payment systems for cash transfer programs.– Given its increasing vulnerability to shocks, Sri Lanka would also benefit from developing a social protection system that can scale up and phase out where needed.– In the medium to long term, Sri Lanka needs to transition to a more fiscally sustainable and inclusive social insurance and aged care system.– Sri Lanka also needs to strengthen its productive inclusion programs.– Finally, a social protection strategy is needed to guide the overall social protection reformThe World Bank said that Rising debt vulnerabilities and weak competitiveness, resulting from years of risky borrowing and poor fiscal and monetary policy choices, along with weak governance, led to an unsustainable debt and a severe balance of payments crisis. It warned that a delayed response allowed the crisis to spread to all key sectors of the economy.The World Bank said that a significant economic contraction is

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Today is Day six of the 6th Edition of the Gammadda Door to Door Program, and the Gammadda teams were deployed across three districts today (10) as well.The Gammadda teams engaged in the Door to Door program are currently based in the Ratnapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kilinochchi Districts.The Gammadda Door to Door program is joined by the University of Peradeniya as well. Gammadda is well known among all Sri Lankans, young and old, as the people's force that brings about a new beginning for the villages and towns of Sri Lanka.Gammadda implements these projects by identifying the real needs of the local population.The needs of the people were identified following an extensive and streamlined study of the findings in the Gammadda Door to Door program that was implemented five times before along with the University of Peradeniya.The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Economic Crisis have forced the people of Sri Lanka to undergo various hardships.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called the attack that damaged the huge bridge connecting Russia to its annexed territory of Crimea "a terrorist act" masterminded by Ukrainian special services.The Kerch Bridge, which holds important strategic and symbolic value to Russia in its faltering war in Ukraine, was hit a day earlier by what Moscow has said was a truck bomb. Road and rail traffic on the bridge were temporarily halted, damaging a vital supply route for the Kremlin’s forces."There’s no doubt it was a terrorist act directed at the destruction of critically important civilian infrastructure of the Russian Federation," Putin said during a meeting with the chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee, Alexander Bastrykin.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Transport Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardena has requested for anyone who knows the method for freeing the country from its current crisis to come forward. The Minister said that as the Government has announced that it has defaulted on its debt, if anyone can indeed teach the Government on how to get out of its situation, that would bring them glory in this world and a blessing in the hereafter.He also stated that the Government of USA has filed a lawsuit alleging that Sri Lanka has not paid part of the debt it has taken by issuing sovereign bonds, and said that Sri Lanka does not have the expertise to face such a case. Therefore, the Government has assigned the responsibility of providing legal advice to a company called Clifford and Sons, and had chosen a company called Lazard to prepare a system to get us out of the crisis. "There is no political solution for this.

GLADIATOR star Russell Crowe has donated £5,000 to help save an independent book shop. The Oscar-winning actor contributed to a crowdfunding campaign launched this week.

Also Read: Viruses ‘watch’ us to decide when to attack Fauci was speaking at an event with the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism.There is always a risk of upsurge in the winter, he warned, so people shouldn't let their guard down. Although things appear to be going well, it would be premature to declare that the pandemic is finally finished, he added.

FILE - A car goes through a drive thru at a Taco Bell restaurant. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)QSR Magazine, a publication that provides in-depth information about the fast food industry, released its 2022 drive-thru report which outlines the fastest drive-thrus in the United States, among other things.

A man is dead after faulty GPS coordinates may have led him to drive his Jeep off a North Carolina bridge that had washed away in 2013. There was no signage or barricade on the bridge to alert drivers of its decrepit state.

COVID-19 cases over the past three weeks and expects that to continue.The agency says there were 8,300 cases of COVID-19 detected from Sept. 25 to Oct.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Although the President attempted to push the idea that he accepted the challenge of leading the country forward through an economic crisis as there was no one else qualified to take up the challenge, the question remains whether he accepted it because he did not have a choice, or whether he was chosen to oversee the return of the Rajapaksas. Speaking at the Parliament, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that the Rajapaksa camp was pushed against the wall, and they chose Wickremesinghe as the President to see them through the current crisis. "Therefore, he is not the one who accepted this challenge, but he is the chosen one," Dissanayake said.He emphasized that he too remains ready to accept this very same position and challenged the President to hold an election to appoint a leader and government.Citing the statement by President alleging that some political parties are ready to take power over dead bodies, Dissanayake challenged the President to name such parties."We have to accept that a Government and an individual cannot come out of this crisis. Society should be united for this.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Minister of Justice Dr.Wijayadasa Rajapaksa says the latest resolution adopted on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council would have an effect on the proposed IMF bailout as well as the GSP+ concession. The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Reforms attributes the change of stances Sri Lanka as a nation adopted from time to time and the breakdown of the general public's trust in its leaders to the UNHRC resolution being passed.The Minister warned that this development has pushed Sri Lanka into a perilous situation. The resolution presented at the 51st Session of the UNHRC by the core group on Sri Lanka was passed yesterday.9 out of the 19 facts presented in the resolution concerned the economic crisis in the country and recent violations of human rights.20 countries voted in favour of the resolution while 7 opposed it. 20 countries including India, Japan and Nepal abstained from voting. The Minister of Justice pointed out that he will continue to hand in hand with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expedite steps to introduce democratic reforms while working with the international community through a mutual understanding.

Good Morning Britain presenter Kate Garraway has said that heer husband Derek Draper “remains very damaged” amid his health battles following on from him contracting coronavirus in 2020. The former political advisor has been in and out of hospital many times in the last couple of years, after he contracted a serious case of coronavirus in March 2020. The virus caused damage to a number of Derek’s organs causing his health to decline after first falling ill over two years ago.

Kate Garraway has opened up on her husband’s illness on ITV’s new show DNA Journey and things took an emotional turn as she spoke about her partner.The Good Morning Britain presenter appeared on the show alongside her ITV colleague Alison Hammond and the pair set about retracing their ancestry.However, the topic soon turned to her husband’s ill health and Kate made herself very vulnerable for the programme.READ MORE: Kate Garraway says ITV star Alison Hammond 'texted her everyday' during 'difficult time'Garraway bravely spoke about Derek on DNA Journey and heartbreakingly said that “2020 was a devastating year”.She continued: “With Derek, he got very sick very early on in the pandemic and has remained very damaged.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Ministry of Health has decided to conduct a study on the quality of food being consumed by Sri Lankans.Its Food Control Unit said the study hopes to establish the quality of both imported and locally produced foods.The unit also said that more than 25 types of essential foods will be selected for this study, and the collection of samples is to start next month.In recent weeks concerns were raised over the quality of food items being imported to Sri Lanka, and thus the Health Ministry decided to conduct a study on the different types of food consumed by Sri Lankans.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The World Bank on Thursday (6) announced that debt restructuring and the implementation of a deep reform program are critical for Sri Lanka’s economic stabilization.Sri Lanka’s real GDP is expected to fall by 9.2 percent this year and a further 4.2 percent in 2023, said the World Bank in its twice-a-year update, underscoring the need for Sri Lanka to build resilience.Beset with Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, Pakistan’s catastrophic floods, a global slowdown, and impacts of the war in Ukraine, South Asia faces an unprecedented combination of shocks on top of the lingering scars of the COVID-19 pandemic, said the World Bank in a statement titled "Unprecedented Shocks Rattle South Asia, Exacerbating Challenges and Dampening Growth."“Protecting the vulnerable is critical as Sri Lanka fast tracks deep reforms to navigate the deepening economic crisis.The crisis calls for immediate action to protect the poorest and most in need while also focusing on strengthening the social protection system,” said Faris H. Hadad-Zervos, World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. “In the face of the economic crisis, poverty estimates doubled to 25.6 percent between 2021 and 2022, increasing the number of people living in poverty by 2.7 million.

PHILADELPHIA - As city and community leaders try to find ways to protect kids from the gun violence crisis, a new program at several Philadelphia schools aims to keep students safe after the final bell rings.The folks in the blue vests outside West Philadelphia High School are community members paid to monitor dismissal, as part of the "Safe Path" program just instituted this year at eight Philly schools. The goal is to help reduce violence and make sure kids get home safely.