News Scan for Sep 12, 2022

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe had attended the G24 Ministerial Meeting during the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.The meeting discussed a variety of new fiscal and economic issues emerged since the Covid 19 pandemic, along with renewed risks and financing burdens on many developing countries.At a time when Sri Lanka together with many other developing nations are facing multiple crises including high food inflation, debt problems and balance of payments issues and it is important to work together with the international community to raise the common voice of developing nations and secure necessary assistance from global financial institutions.The Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs and Development (G-24) coordinates the position of developing countries on monetary and development issues in the deliberations and decisions of the IMF and the World Bank.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Monetary Board, with the concurrence of the Minister of Finance, has promoted Mrs. K M A N Daulagala, Assistant Governor and the Secretary to the Monetary Board, to the post of Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) with effect from 07 October 2022. K M A N Daulagala has over 31 years of service at CBSL in different capacities in the areas of supervision and regulation of non-bank financial institutions, macroprudential surveillance, finance, international operations, risk management, regional development, human resource management and training and development. She has served as the Chief Accountant and Director of Supervision of Non-Bank Financial Institutions and Financial System Stability and has contributed towards strengthening the legal framework and governance in the non-bank financial institutions sector. Prior to the appointment as a Deputy Governor, Mrs.

PHILADELPHIA - A fire quickly consumed a string of row homes in West Philadelphia on Tuesday, putting over a dozen people out of their homes. Velice Hids, who lives on the 200 block of North Hobart Street, says she smelled smoke and heard a loud smack before running to the window to see where the startling noise could have come from. As soon as she looked out her window, she says she saw flames shooting from the row home across the street. "It was jumping from house to house.

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.

student safety and environmental benefits, according to a new study released Tuesday.Applied Information, a developer of connected, intelligent transportation system solutions, hooked up two school buses, one diesel, and the other propane powered, with Connected Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X) technology in Alpharetta, Georgia.The technology allowed the school buses to request green light priority at 62 traffic signals along their routes as they each served students in the Fulton County School System.Data showed that both school buses had "a clear and measurable reduction" in travel time, according to firm Kimley-Horn, which prepared the study report."These solutions applied across the national fleet of approximately 500,000 school buses would prove significant time and fuel savings as well as substantial reductions in CO2 emissions," said Bryan Mulligan, President of Applied Information.Officials also say the technology can help improve student behavior aboard the buses and address the school bus driver shortage that about 86% of the nation’s school districts are experiencing."The pilot showed we can use this technology to make our fleet more efficient and serve more students safely in a shorter amount of time, all while reducing our fuel bill and helping the environment," said Trey Stow, Director of Transportation – Operations for Fulton County Schools.Stow said that the district school buses use roughly around 25,000 gallons of fuel a week.

PHILADELPHIA - A judge threw out murder charges Tuesday against a former Philadelphia police officer accused of fatally shooting a Black man in the back as he ran. Ryan Pownall, 40, was facing third-degree murder charges in the 2017 shootingof 30-year-old David Jones. Pownall is accused of shooting Jones in the back as he ran from a traffic stop. Court records show that the third-degree charge, as well as reckless endangerment and weapons counts, were ‘quashed’ Tuesday after a motions hearing before a common pleas court. RELATED COVERAGE:FOP Lodge 5 President John McNesby responded to the dropped charges in a statement, reading in-part: "We promised a vigorous defense against all the charges and happy to see that all criminal charges were dismissed...

Vials of the COVID-19 vaccine bivalent booster from Pfizer-BioNTech (left) and Moderna. (Photo Courtesy of N.Y.

Police say a man is dead after he was shot inside a property in Stenton on Tuesday night.  PHILADELPHIA - Police are investigating a shooting that left one man dead in Stenton on Tuesday night. Just after 8 p.m., police say they responded to the 1400 block of East Sharpnack Street for reports of a shooting inside a property.Upon arrival, police say they found a 58-year-old man who had been shot one time in the back. Medics transported the victim to Albert Einstein Medical Center where authorities say he was pronounced dead at 8:35 p.m. Weapons were recovered in this incident and one male is in custody, according to police. 

UNITED STATES - SEPTEMBER 24: Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Lt.

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Honda says it will build a $3.5 billion joint-venture battery factory in rural southern Ohio and hire 2,200 people to staff it as the company starts to turn the state into its North American electric vehicle hub.Honda, which announced its first Ohio factory 45 years ago, also plans to invest $700 million and add 300 jobs at three of its own Ohio factories to prepare them to start making EVs and components.The battery plant, to be built jointly with LG Energy Solution of South Korea, could see a total investment of $4.4 billion. The plant site is off Interstate 71 in Fayette County, about 40 miles southwest of the state capital of Columbus.In addition, Honda's assembly plants in Marysville and East Liberty, northeast of Columbus, and its engine plant in Anna north of Dayton, will share in the $700 million investment.

Ryan Seacrest? He's tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing the «usual symptoms.» The good news? Being sidelined means the TV host has time to catch up on his shows, especially those involving food.The host took to Instagram on Tuesday and revealed that he's currently in quarantine after contracting the virus a few days ago. Seacrest, 47, expressed shock at how he avoided the virus for so long.In any event, Seacrest will step away from his TV duties for the time being in hopes of making a quick recovery.

Tom Brady is getting candid about maintaining his mental health. During a new episode of his podcast, , Brady broached the topic in a special episode aired on World Mental Health Day Monday.«Everyone has different situations in their life, and children, and you worry about their mental health, you worry about your parents, obviously yourself,» Brady began.

A bout of COVID-19 infection may not be enough for long-lasting immunity as the virus continues to mutate and new variants emerge.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - New Zealand's government on Tuesday proposed taxing the greenhouse gasses that farm animals make from burping and peeing as part of a plan to tackle climate change.The government said the farm levy would be a world first, and that farmers should be able to recoup the cost by charging more for climate-friendly products.But farmers quickly condemned the plan. Federated Farmers, the industry's main lobby group, said the plan would "rip the guts out of small-town New Zealand" and see farms replaced with trees.Federated Farmers President Andrew Hoggard said farmers had been trying to work with the government for more than two years on an emissions reduction plan that wouldn't decrease food production.FILE - A photo taken on August 10, 2022, shows cows being milked on a dairy farm near Cambridge in New Zealand's Waikato region.

Lovecraft Country heartthrob Jonathan Majors has emerged as the latest smoldering cover star of Men's Health.The 33-year-old showcased his chiseled beefcake physique, flexing his astonishing muscles as he posed shirtless on the cover.He wore nothing but a tiny pair of shorts as he rose up out of a swimming pool, shooting his best supermodel stare at the camera for the magazine. Looking fab: Lovecraft Country heartthrob Jonathan Majors has emerged as the latest smoldering cover star of Men's HealthJonathan's shoot for the inside of the magazine showed him engaged in athletic activities including one of him dangling upside down from a set of pull-up bars.The Hollywood hunk, who has two Belgian Malinois called Captain and Hero, appeared in a charming snap with one of his dogs perched across his shoulders.

PHILADELPHIA - City leaders gathered outside Roxborough High School on Tuesday at announce thousands in security funding, two weeks after 14-year-old Nicholas Elizalde was killed and four others were wounded in an ambush shooting that erupted following a football scrimmage. The half million dollars will be used to improve cameras, install new door locks, and place new fire alarms among other improvements. Elizalde's mother joined politicians and educators at the school on Tuesday, and described the pain of losing her son to gun violence plaguing the city. "We’re in a state of emergency," she said.  "We’re in a war and no one has the luxury of sitting on the bench, I was the best mom that I knew how to be, I tucked my son in every night."Inside the school there’s a dream wall where students write of their dreams.

DREXEL HILL, Pa. - A Pennsylvania judge on Tuesday ruled that Delaware County Memorial Hospital will temporarily remain open. Prospect Medical Holdings, the building's current owners, had planned to turn the hospital into an in-patient psychiatric facility. An executive with the health care system confirmed Prospect was not closing the facility but would provide few other details.A local foundation challenged the company in court and a hearing was held on Friday. RELATED COVERAGE:Dr.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia family is mourning the loss of their loved one after a 13-year-old boy was shot and killed in the city’s West Oak Lane section.Authorities say at around 6:48 p.m. on Monday, police responded to the 6500 block of North Smedley Street, where they found the 13-year-old suffering multiple gunshot wounds to his head and face. The boy was rushed to Einstein Hospital where authorities say he was pronounced dead shortly after 9 p.m. Monday night.

WASHINGTON (AP) - All but lost in the shadow of major contests for U.S. Senate and governor, voters in some battleground states will be deciding ballot proposals this November that could reshape the way they vote in the next presidential election.In Arizona, scene of the closest presidential contest in 2020, the question is whether to require more identification to vote in the future.

A new global estimate of people who experienced long-COVID symptoms after having symptomatic COVID infection suggests that 6.2% reported one of three long-term symptom clusters, an international research group reported yesterday in JAMA.The experts, called the Global Burden of Disease Long

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.

One in three unvaccinated COVID-19 survivors in a Spanish cohort had no detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies nearly 1 year after infection, according to a prospective study published today in BMC Medicine.A team led by researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Healt

COVID-19 pandemic when it comes to the number of kids going to Alberta hospitals with the coronavirus, according to provincial data collected by Global News.At the end of 2021, a total of 103 infants under one year old had been to hospital because of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. By the end of August 2022, that number ballooned to 418.

In preparation for an expected fall COVID-19 wave, Canada has started rolling out updated vaccines to target the Omicron variant.

sounds of wind on Mars and its landing.On Thursday, mission managers provided an update on what the rover had discovered while exploring 8 miles of the Jezero Crater. The area was likely a lake more than 3.5 billion years ago, which is why NASA landed the rover there, to search in an ancient habitable environment for evidence of life. "This mission is not looking for extant life things that are alive today," Ken Farley, Perseverance project scientist, said.

New England farm with Autumn Sugar Maples, Vermont. (Joe Sohm/Visions of America/Universal Images Group via Getty Images / Getty Images) As the country moves deeper into fall, temperatures won't be the only thing changing across the northern tier of the country.

South African researchers report waning monovalent (single-strain) COVID-19 vaccine booster effectiveness against the Omicron subvariants, with estimated efficacy falling to 50% against the BA.1/BA.2 and 47% against BA.4/BA.5 as early as 3 or 4 months after vaccination.In the study, published yesterday in the New England Journal of Me

A photo shows the class of 2022 finalists for induction, announced Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2022, by the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong museum in Rochester, New York. (Credit: Provided / National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong museum) ROCHESTER, N.Y. - Voting opened Wednesday on which toys should go into the National Toy Hall of Fame this year.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Vanithabimana 2022 – an awards program to empower the women of Sri Lanka and recognize their efforts, was launched on Thursday (15) for the third time by News 1st & NDB Bank.The 2022 edition of Vanithabimana was launced after successfully completing the 2020 and 2021 programs. Women will be recognized under eight separate categories at provincial level.The agreement for Vanithabhimana 2022 was signed in Colombo on Thursday (15) evening.Dimantha Senevirathne Director and Chief Executive Officer of NDB Bank and several other officials were present at the event representing NDB Bank.Suranga B. M.

WASHINGTON - FOX News reports two buses of migrants arrived Thursday morning outside Vice President Kamala Harris’s residence at the Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C.Approximately 100 migrants, mainly from Venezuela, arrived just before 7 a.m. from the Del Rio, Texas area and off-loaded near the Naval Observatory’s main guard gate.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A 50-year-old monk was found dead under suspicious circumstances inside a Temple in Seeduwa.Police said they received information about a foul stench emanating from the Wettewa Nandaram Temple on Wednesday (15) evening, and a team was rushed to conduct an investigation.To their surprise, police officers discovered that the room used by the 50-year-old Chief Incumbent was locked from the outside, and the foul stench emanating from that room.After breaking the locks and entering the room, police officers discovered the remains of the Chief Incumbent.The body was found blindfolded, and a cloth was used to cover the late Thero's mouth, said the police.It was later reported that another monk had been residing in the Temple, and he had left the premises without notifying anyone.Interestingly, the Defender SUV, and a small car that was seen parked at the Temple Premises are also missing.

Ozzy Osbourne has shared his determination to return to the stage after a series of devastating health issues.The Black Sabbath frontman, who has been living with Parkinson’s disease for nearly two decades, was forced to take time out of the spotlight due to a string of difficulties.He also underwent multiple operations after falling in 2019 and has been recovering from a ‘nightmare’ surgery ever since.After taking to the stage at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, the 73-year-old has set his sights on performing in front of a crowd once again with his brand new album.‘I am determined to get back on stage even if I have to be nailed to a board and wheeled on,’ he vowed in a new interview. ‘Survival is my legacy.’Ozzy has faced huge health issues over recent years and recalled the moment he fell while making his way to the bathroom, which impacted old injuries to his neck and back from an accident 16 years prior.He underwent surgery that ‘really messed me up’ soon after, and has been back under the knife twice since, with Sharon previously explaining that his most recent procedure could ‘determine the rest of his life’.Despite his difficulties, the musician dazzled the crowds during his surprise Commonwealth Games set last month.‘I’ve never been this laid up,’ he continued to People Magazine.

Kelly Ripa thought she and Mark Consuelos were going to have a pandemic baby. The host is releasing her upcoming book “Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories,” and ahead of its release, she’s sharing some of the things you can expect.

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies fell over time after vaccination or COVID-19 infection but were restored with booster doses in West Virginia nursing home residents and staff, and antibody levels were significantly lower during the Delta than the Omicron variant surges in those with breakthrough infections, finds a study published yesterday in JAMA Network Open.A team led by West Virginia University researchers obtained blood sam

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Phillies are getting a huge energy boost from Nick Maton.Some big hits, too.Maton homered off Miami ace Sandy Alcantara for the second time in a week, hitting a go-ahead, two-run drive in the seventh inning Tuesday night that led the Phillies past the Marlins 2-1."I hope I play the rest of my career with that guy," Phillies starter Bailey Falter said. "He’s always motivated. Brings the guys together.

Matt Hancock is reportedly wanted by producers for the next series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins. Earlier this month, the former Health Secretary allegedly attended a meeting with producers who asked him to take part in the gruelling Channel 4 show.The Tory party member is the first serving MP to be called up to take part in the hit series which sees several celebrities take on a series of physical and mental challenges. READ MORE: Celeb SAS star was told to quit show by bosses and was left needing two operations Insiders believe this TV stint could show the public that there is a different side to Matt after his affair with his aide Gina Coladangelo was revealed in May 2021.The source told The Sun: "Matt impressed Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins producers when he spoke to them and they want him to take part.

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the release of the first global framework on the responsible use of life sciences, which addresses the accidental or deliberate misuse of biologic and other life sciences, including dual-use research.In a statement, the WHO said the goal of the guidance is to help

A scheme has opened for the families of healthcare workers who died after contracting Covid-19 in the course of their work.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the President for appointing a Cabinet Sub-committee on economic growth and recovery with the President as the chair and another five ministers of the Cabinet including the Prime Minister.Immediate decisions should be taken concerning the steps to be taken with escalated priority for economic revival/recovery and growth in the wake of the current economic crisis, said the Department of Government Information on Tuesday (13).Accordingly, it has been recognized to establish a cabinet sub-committee on economic growth and recovery/revival with a view to render the strategic guidance required for national economic management activities. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) have partnered to procure a significant portion of maize seed requirements in Sri Lanka, targeting the Maha cultivation season.Maize is a staple input in the livestock feed industry and maize-based food items such as Thriposha and Samaposha, and the demand for seeds has swelled over recent years. Sri Lanka is expected to face over a 60% drop in crop production this Yala cultivation season which will decline farmers' income to half, creating a cascading effect during the next Maha cultivation season growing the current socio-economic crisis to its worse end, the UNDP stated.However, due to shortages related to the ongoing crisis in Sri Lanka, only approximately 50% of the seed requirement is readily available in the country to supplement cultivation in the Maha season.Accordingly, the agreement was signed today with Yamada Tetsuya, the chief representative of JICA Sri Lanka Office and Malin Herwig, Officer-in-Charge, UNDP in Sri Lanka in the presence of Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera with the participation of wider representatives from the partner organizations. Highlighting the role of JICA in contributing towards food security needs, Tetsuya, the chief representative of JICA Sri Lanka Office stated, “Currently, the supply chain of livestock and food production is affected by shortage of the maize seeds, affecting the availability and affordability of some essential food items, and giving rise to nutritional concerns for the population, which we hope to resolve through the JICA’s collaborative assistance with UNDP.”JICA and UNDP will work with the Ministry of Agriculture to procure and

The National List of Essential Medicines plays an important role in ensuring accessibility of affordable quality medicines at all levels of healthcare. This will give boost to cost-effective, quality medicines and contribute towards reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare for citizens NEW DELHI: Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday released the National List of Essential Medicines 2022, comprising 384 medicines across 27 categories, the ministry of health and family welfare said in a statement.

NEWTOWN, PA - MAY 17: Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz greets supporters after the primary race resulted in an automatic re-count due to close results on May 17, 2022 in Newtown, Pennsylvania. Television personality Oz, endorsed by former P FOX NEWS - Democrats hold the advantage in battleground Pennsylvania, as GOP candidates haven’t closed the sale with Republican voters. In the U.S.

The EU's medicines watchdog has approved a vaccine specifically targeting the new and infectious types of the Omicron variant amid fears of a new wave of winter infections.

FILE - An individual purchases cannabis at a dispensary on the morning that cannabis sales became legal in New Jersey on April 21, 2022, in Paterson, New Jersey. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) There has been increasing support for marijuana legalization in the United States over the past few decades, with a majority of Americans now overwhelmingly in favor, according to polling — and many states enacting laws to allow for its legal use and sale.On the federal level, marijuana remains illegal.

Ukraine kept the counteroffensive momentum in its war against Russia going Monday, saying it liberated one village after another and claiming that in one region it pushed the invaders back right up to the border in a lightning military move that stunned many.

giant sturgeon of the Nechako River? Government scientists are asking for the public’s help to solve that mystery after 11 of the iconic and endangered fish were recently found dead in the Nechako in central B.C.The fish were all adults of a species that can grow to six metres in length and live for more than 100 years.Their bodies showed no visible external injuries and provincial scientists did not believe the deaths were caused by disease, chemical exposure, angling or gillnet fisheries, the Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship said.The dead fish had all been found since last week, the ministry said. ‘Newbies’ hook 700-pound sturgeon on B.C.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lankan delegation in Geneva met with the Core group on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council.Further, productive discussions took place on a constructive agreement and working together to archive effective and sustainable progress, said the delegation.The Human Rights Council will hold its fifty-first regular session from 12 September to 7 October at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, currently serving as acting High Commissioner, will present the High Commissioner’s oral update at 9 a.m. on Monday, 12 September.At an organizational meeting held on 30 August in preparation for the session, the President of the Council, Federico Villegas, bid farewell to High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, whose term of office ended on 31 August.