High debt could slow countries' recoveries: IMF

Covid cases and three new deaths, while the positivity rate was 2.74%, according to data shared by the health department.

COVID on Monday, with 159 in intensive care.This is up by 98 for hospitalizations and an increase of eight for ICUs since the previous day, though officials noted not all hospitals reported updated figures due to the weekend.Last Monday, there were 1,213 hospitalizations with 201 in ICU.According to latest data for hospitalizations from the weekend, 61 per cent were admitted for other reasons but tested positive for COVID-19. For those in ICUs, 35 per cent were admitted for other reasons.

PHILADELPHIA - A dirt bike crash in North Philadelphia left a man in critical condition Sunday night.Police say a speeding dirt bike was riding "recklessly" and doing wheelies when it drifted onto Front and Allegheny streets and hit a man riding a skateboard.The dirt bike rider fled the scene after crashing into the pedestrian, according to police.The pedestrian was transported to Temple University Hospital where he is said the in critical condition.AdvertisementPolice are still looking to identify the suspect.

Laura Pearce, 32 CHESTER COUNTY - Police are asking for the public's help to find an endangered woman who went missing this weekend in Chester County.Laura Pearce, 32, was reportedly last seen on Bay Street in South Coatesville around 10 p.m.

BBC star Greg James was due to return to his Radio 1 show this morning but was missing from the airwaves after catching Covid. MORE: Prince Charles makes unexpected Covid comment since battling with illnessThe Radio 1 breakfast show presenter, who has been on honeymoon, took to Twitter to share the bad news with his listeners, sharing a photo of a positive Covid test and writing: "Oh for fu… Not a classic end to a (very delayed) honeymoon tbh. Thanks to the @BBCR1 gang for rallying in the early hours and to @ariellefree for covering the breakfast show.

Never before have more people been on the move. Globalization, war and climate catastrophes have pushed workers, refugees and migrants to leave their homes at record pace.

Even as we step into the 3rd year of the pandemic, the COVID virus continues to torment us. With new variants emerging, many of them showing vaccine-evasion properties, even the vaccinated people are getting infected and, the symptoms they are developing are quite different from the previously-known symptoms. Check here: 

HARRISBURG, Pa. - Former President Donald Trump's winning streak in U.S. Senate primaries is on the line Tuesday as voters in five states cast their ballots in midterm elections.Trump made bold endorsements in backing celebrity heart surgeon Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania and U.S. Rep.

PHILADELPHIA - Residents were left shocked after a building partially collapsed Sunday night.The building is located at Cecil B. Moore and North Dover streets in Brewerytown.Wires were brought down, and debris rained down on nearby cars, according to officials.

Monty Don, 66, revealed he has contracted coronavirus after spending the last few days feeling “utterly exhausted” while trying to recover in bed.The Gardeners’ World host admitted that having the illness hadn’t been “fun” but reassured fans he was feeling “better” this morning.@Marlene83206325 shared: “Get well soon Monty, covid is a real bummer, but don't try to push yourself once negative. It takes more than you realise.”@NewpPaul remarked: “It really knocks you down.

PHILADELPHIA - A teenage boy is in stable condition after police say he was shot in West Philadelphia Sunday night.Police say they rushed to 57th and Vine streets after they heard gunshots while on patrol.When they arrived on the scene, police say they found nine shots had been fired from a handgun.They later found 14-year-old boy was struck by one of those bullets in the leg.

opened fire at around 2:30 p.m. local time on Saturday outside Tops Friendly Market.

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Amber Heard is expected back on the witness stand Monday to continue her testimony in Johnny Depp's $50 million defamation trial that resumes following a weeklong recess.When the trial reconvenes in Fairfax County, Virginia, Depp's legal team is expected to cross-examine Heard. Jurors have already heard four weeks of testimony.Prior to the one-week trial hiatus, Heard went into graphic detail as she described disturbing sexual assault allegations against her ex-husband.Outside of the courtroom Monday morning, crowds of mostly Depp supporters lined up early in hopes of being allowed inside as the trial continues.

The home is listed on Zillow for $420,000 and has four bedrooms and three bathrooms. (Credit: FOX News) One Wisconsin couple went beyond the cliche "Live, Laugh, Love" sign and hung a "Welcome to Poundtown" sign directly above their bed.When Lauren Hegenbarth listed her family’s rural Wisconsin home for sale online, she never imagined that her master bedroom would land on one of her favorite social media accounts.

Russian Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.These banned individuals include senior government officials, active and retired military personnel, academics and leading media figures.Among the Canadians banned are foreign and defence policy adviser to the prime minister of Canada Dan Costello, Toronto Mayor John Tory, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney, chairman of the Bank of Canada Tiff Maclem, and president and CEO of CBC/Radio Canada Catherine Tait. Wimbledon bans Russian, Belarusian tennis players over Ukraine war In a release, the Russian ministry said this move has been made in response to the sanctions imposed on Russia by the federal government.The ministry also went on to say that in the near future, the Russia “stop list” will continue to expand.“The Russian side will continue the principled line, which implies a resolute rebuff to the Russophobic actions of the official Ottawa, including the supply of weapons and connivance in sending mercenaries to Ukraine,” the ministry said in a statement.“In this regard, we warn the Canadian curators of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the national battalions of responsibility for the war crimes committed by their wards.

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the strategic city of Mariupol on Thursday, even as he ordered his troops not to risk more losses by storming the last pocket of Ukrainian resistance in the war’s iconic battleground.Russian troops have besieged the southeastern port city since the early days of the conflict and largely reduced it to ruins. Top officials have repeatedly claimed it was about to fall, but Ukrainian forces have stubbornly held on in the face of overwhelming odds.

COLOMBO (News 1st); US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu says the U.S. welcomes Sri Lanka & IMF working towards a sustainable solution to relieve the economic hardships for its people.The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs said that Assistant Secretary Lu, Sri Lankan Finance Minister Sabry & Central Bank Governor Dr.

A student walks near Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA in Los Angeles, California. (Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) Created in 1994, the income-driven repayment program was meant to provide a safety net for people who struggle to repay student loans.

LOS ANGELES - A standoff is underway after a suspect led police on a chase across Los Angeles late Tuesday night.SkyFOX is over the standoff scene as the Los Angeles Police Department is hoping to get the suspect to come out and surrender to officers. The suspect may have stolen the SUV they drove for the chase.Over the course of the ongoing chase, the suspect pass through parts of Encino, Van Nuys, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana and Beverly Glen.At one point, SkyFOX captured the moments where the suspect drove erratically in the Beverly Glen area.

Julianne Hough has announced that she has coronavirus.

TEMPE, Ariz. - A Tempe high school teacher is facing charges and possible prison time after allegedly having an inappropriate relationship with a student.Court documents say that the male teacher is in his early 30s and has been at the school for three years. The relationship allegedly started in September 2021.A teenage student reportedly came forward and told her mom exactly what happened, saying that when she broke off the contact, the teacher allegedly became aggressive and jealous.Seniors at Mountain Pointe High School are reacting to the news that one of their own teachers, Mohamed Ryan Elnounw, is facing four counts of sexual abuse for an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student."Crazy.

COVID-19, the risk of infection remains higher than at any point in time prior to the ongoing Omicron wave, local health officials say.That’s why it’s essential that Londoners continue to “use the tools within your toolbox” to protect against infection and possible severe outcomes amid the sixth wave of the pandemic, driven by the highly transmissible Omicron subvariant BA.2, the region’s medical officer of health said.“The COVID-19 Provincial Science Table last week did allude to a levelling off of wastewater data and COVID wastewater counts across the province. It is still early days and we hope that that continues,” Dr.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday it is working to implement steps for nearly 4 million federal student loan borrowers to reach loan forgiveness.The department estimates these changes will result in immediate debt forgiveness for at least 40,000 borrowers."Today, the Department of Education announced steps that will bring borrowers closer to public service loan and income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness by addressing historical failures in the administration of the federal student loan programs," the department said in a press release.You can read the department’s plan to achieve student loan debt forgiveness for millions of Americans on their website.The announcement follows a move by the Biden administration earlier this month to freeze federal student loan payments through Aug.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Private Bus employees across many areas have stepped away from their operations to protest against the fuel price hike on Tuesday (19), said the Lanka Private Bus Owners Association.Multiple protests are taking place against the fuel price hike and the shortage of fuel across many areas in Sri Lanka on Tuesday (19).News 1st correspondents said that protests are currently taking place in Rambukkana, Hingurakgoda, Baddegama, Digana, Gampola, Ratnapura, and Theldeniya.At the same time, people have obstructed the railroad from Rambukkana, prompting delays in train services along that road.Moreover, many shops and businesses in Rambukkana Town have been closed down in support of these protests.Over in Avissawella, people have blocked the Avissawella – Colombo Main Road from the main junction, known as the Color Light Junction.Sri Lanka Police said that the protest had disrupted the movement of traffic.Moreover, people are also protesting in Anuradhapura by obstructing the main road opposite the Anuradhapura new bus stand.Another protest is taking place at Theldeniya Town where the Kandy – Mahiyanganaya Road is completely blocked.Further, a protest is taking place in the Galle Town obstructing the Colombo – Galle main road, said Sri Lanka Police adding that buses have parked on the road obstructing the movement of traffic.A similar protest is also taking place in the Matara town.CEYPETCO FUEL PRICES INCREASEDThe Ceylon Petroleum Corporation decided to increase fuel prices with effect from midnight on Monday (18).The revised prices are as follows:92 Octane Petrol: Up by Rs. 84/- (New Price: Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Multiple protests are taking place against the fuel price hike and the shortage of fuel across many areas in Sri Lanka on Tuesday (19).News 1st correspondents said that protests are currently taking place in Rambukkana, Hingurakgoda, Baddegama, Digana, Gampola, Ratnapura, and Theldeniya.At the same time, people have obstructed the rail road from Rambukkana, prompting delay in train services along that road.Moreover, many shops and businesses in the Rambukkana Town have been closed down in support of these protests.Over in Avissawella, people have blocked the Avissawella – Colombo Main Road from the the main junction, known as the Color Light Junction.Sri Lanka Police said that the protest had disrupted the movement of traffic.Moreover, people are also protesting in Anuradhapura by obstructing the main road from opposite the Anuradhapura new bus stand.Another protest is taking place at the Theldeniya Town where the Kandy – Mahiyanganaya Road is completely blocked.Further, a protest is taking place in the Galle Town obstructing the Colombo – Galle main road, said Sri Lanka Police adding that buses have parked on the road obstructing the movement of traffic.A similar protest is also taking place at the Matara town.

PHILADELPHIA, Pa - Gas prices hit a record high this year and now people have to deal with the prices fluctuating every day. If you got gas on Monday, you probably noticed the prices are slowly creeping up again. According to AAA, the average gas price in Pennsylvania is $4.16 per gallon, which is 5 cents lower than it was last week.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Minister of Finance Ali Sabry met the IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva on Monday (18) at IMF Headquarters in Washington DC.IMF commended the steps already taken by the Finance Minister to mitigate the situation, and assured support by the IMF was also positive on expediting the processes.Minister Sabry also requested a Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI).The IMF subsequently informed Minister Sabry that India had also made representations on behalf of Sri Lanka on an RFI, and informed him that they will consider it despite it being outside of the standard circumstances for the issuance of an RFI.

Pioneering hip hop artist Keith Grayson, who performed as DJ Kay Slay and worked with top stars, has died of complications from COVID-19. Grayson's death at age 55 on Sunday was confirmed by his family in a statement released through New York radio station HOT 97, where he hosted "The Drama Hour" for more than two decades.

NEW DELHI :

World-famous hip-hop DJ and radio personality DJ Kay Slay has passed.

DJ Kay Slay, famed for his run of early 2000s mixtapes, has died following a four-month battle with Covid-19, his family have confirmed. He was 55. In a statement the family of Slay, real name Keith Grayson, said: "Our hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay.

New York radio station Hot 97, where he once worked. “Our hearts are broken by the passing of Keith Grayson, professionally known as DJ Kay Slay,” the statement read. “A dominant figure in hip-hop culture with millions of fans worldwide, DJ Kay Slay will be remembered for his passion and excellence with a legacy that will transcend generations. In memory of DJ Kay Slay, our family wishes to thank all of his friends, fans, and supporters for their prayers and well wishes during this difficult time.

DJ Kay Slay has sadly passed away.

GE-brand French Door Refrigerators with bottom freezers in fingerprint resistant stainless steel recalled. (The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC))More than 150,000 General Electric refrigerators are being recalled because of a fall hazard, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).The recall includes six models of the GE-brand French Door Refrigerators with bottom freezers in fingerprint resistant stainless steel, which were sold at home improvement and home appliance stores nationwide for over two years.The recall was initiated because the freezer handle can detach when a consumer tries to open the drawer, which poses a fall hazard, according to the CPSC.To date, there have already been 71 reports from consumers that the freezer handle detached, "resulting in 37 reported injuries, including three serious fall injuries," the CPSC said.The recalled appliance was sold at major home improvement and home appliance stores including The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Best Buy from February 2020 through January 2022.

HipHopDX, Van Silk remembered his ‘dear brother’ and wrote: ‘Hip Hop lost a real gem.‘I’ve known him since he was 16 years old. He was my little brother.

The Sun reported.New York hip-hop radio station Hot 97, also honored the rapper in a statement to The Post, writing: “Hot 97 is shocked and saddened by the loss of our beloved DJ Kay Slay. We cherish the many memories created through the twenty-plus years he dedicated to the ‘Drama Hour.’ “A week prior to the his death, Wack 100 had revealed on Instagram that the musician was “still fighting” and needed all the prayers he could get.“He’s been off the #ECMO machine for a couple weeks now,” they wrote, “Let’s continue our prayers as our brother continues to fight.”Born in August 14, 1966 in New York City, Grayson began his career as a graffiti artist, and performed hip hop in his spare time.

Kay Slay has died four months after being hospitalised with COVID.The news of the DJ’s death was revealed to HipHopDX by hip-hop promoter Van Silk, who confirmed that Kay Slay passed away yesterday (April 17). He was 55 years old.“Hip Hop lost a real gem,” Silk told the outlet. “My dear brother is gone.

Rick Hiemstra, director of research at the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, explains misperceptions about evangelical Christians and says they are often portrayed as “deviants” in mainstream culture.

LEGENDARY hip-hop star DJ Kay Slay has died – months after being hospitalized with Covid-19. The 55-year-old DJ, of New York City, passed away on April 17.

COVID patients in the last 24 hours, the active cases saw a minor decline to 11,542 which account for 0.03 per cent of the total cases.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Western leaders have been quick to condemn Russia’s invasion. But many others have stayed neutral or muted, with some even blaming the West for what’s happening in Ukraine.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) complaint lodged in the Southern District of New York district court on Thursday. Sidoo and seven other people wee named.The complaint describes a scheme that operated from 2006 to 2020. David Sidoo, B.C.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The discussions between Sri Lanka and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will begin in Washington DC,  USA on Monday (18).The Ministry of Finance said that the first round of talks with the IMF will go on until the 24th of April.According to the Ministry of Finance, technical-level discussions with IMF officials took place online during the last six days.Finance Minister Ali Sabri, PC, Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, & Secretary to the Ministry of Finance K.M.M Siriwardana will attend these meetings with the IMF.Finance Minister Ali Sabry had recently informed the international media that Sri Lanka will seek about USD 4 Billion in aid from the IMF.

New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking 100 people diagnosed with rare cancers to a Woodbridge high school.In 1999, when he was just 27, Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare forms of brain cancer on the same day.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Metro Atlanta students say the "poor condition" of their school is affecting their ability to learn.Druid Hills High School students say problems like mold, plumbing, electrical issues and water damage have plagued their campus for quite some time.FOX 5 Atlanta spoke with several students who said they’re not out here to bash administrators or the school. They just want their health, safety, and learning environment to be a priority for district leaders, and now they're now calling them to task."These signs right here say do not touch the poles or the outlets, right, because we are at risk of electrical shock," senior Townes Purdy can be heard saying.MORE EDUCATION HEADLINESSeven frustrated students just put together this eight-minute video, detailing what they say are years worth of problems."Human waste tends to flow up from up it and flood this area right here which is known as our senior picnic area, and we eat outside here every day," Purdy said on the video. While the exterior is beautiful, the students said behind these brick walls neglect seeps through every inch of this campus."Electrical issues, mold issues, water damage.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Minister of Finance PC Ali Sabry and a delegation left the island this morning (17) for discussions with the International Monetary Fund.-The delegation, which left for Washington, D.C., included Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance K.M.M.

An Edmonton high school student assaulted outside of his school has died of his injuries. Edmonton police say the 16-year-old boy died in hospital Friday. The homicide unit has taken over the case. Chris Chacon reports.