Over 700,000 passports issued for 2022- Immigration Dept

The case tally climbed to 4,46,32,430, while the active cases have declined to 26,449, it said. There has been a decrease of 385 cases in the active Covid-19 caseload in 24 hours. India saw a single-day rise of 1,542 coronavirus infections, the lowest in 182 days, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Tuesday.

Also Read: New Covid variant alert: Meet omicron's newest cousin, BF.7 The state health department said people must not ignore flu-like symptoms and should get medical advice at the earliest. The earliest possible COVID-appropriate behaviour must be followed by everyone.

Lisa Murray-Lang and her pet hamster, Spud. (Credit: Lisa Murray-Lang) Panoramic view of Waikiki Beach and Honolulu, Hawaii as seen from the Summit of Diamond Head Crater on February 20, 2022.

Previous non-Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection was tied to a 44% lower risk of Omicron reinfection and 81% lower odds of related hospitalization, which was further improved by one, two, or three mRNA COVID-19 vaccine doses (86%, 94%, and 97%, respectively), according to a study published late last week in JAMA Network Open.Canadian researchers conducted a test-negative case-control study of

COLOMBO (News 1st) – More than forty students attending a school in Bogaswewa, Vavuniya were hospitalized following a wasp attack on Monday (17) morning.The students were rushed to the Padaviya, and Vavuniya hospital.Sri Lanka Police said that two students are in critical condition.

COLOMBO (News st) – Sri Lanka recorded over 49,100 dengue cases so far in 2022.The Health Ministry said that a total of 49,149 dengue patients were reported and a majority of 10,227 cases were reported from the Colombo District.6,598 dengue cases were reported from the Gampaha District, and another 3,272 dengue cases were reported from the Kalutara District.The highest number of dengue cases were reported in the month of July, which is 11,248 cases.In October 2022, a total of 586 cases were reported, said the Health Ministry.Also visit :  

(The Hindu) – Tamil Nadu has flagged serious security concerns over the increased presence of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China in Sri Lanka. An alert issued by the State’s intelligence agency a few days ago said the activities of the Chinese in the neighbouring country is a concern to national security and called for intensified vigil along the coastline.The movement of PLA cadres and deployment of hi-tech gadgets such as satellites, drones and other communication equipment in northern Sri Lanka required constant surveillance in coastal districts, the advisory sent to all cities/districts in the State said. Citing sources, the alert claimed that the PLA deployed sophisticated gadgets in the garb of launching sea cucumber farming.The security advisory comes days after an alert was issued by the same agency warning that a handful of Chinese nationals had clandestinely entered India via the sea route with the assistance of cadres belonging to a Sri Lanka-based political party.The Tamil Nadu Coastal Security Group had also, citing a Central intelligence agency, issued an alert on the Chinese ship used to monitor satellites, rockets and inter-continental missile launches of China docked at Hambantota Port, and called for adequate security arrangements in view of vital installations such as nuclear establishments and seaports along the Tamil Nadu coast.The free movement of Chinese nationals in many parts of northern Sri Lanka, including Mullaitheevu, Paruthitheevu, Analaitheevu, Meesalai, and Chavakkacheri, had triggered discontentment among Tamil fishermen.

Selective-focus image of a long row of red Target shopping cars in the parking lot of a Target department store in Dublin, California, May 21, 2018. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) For years, major retailers like Walmart and Target opened their doors on Thanksgiving, giving shoppers a head start on Black Friday madness or a place to buy last-minute items for the dinner table. The pandemic has led to a change in that trend.In 2020, companies announced they were closing their stores on Thanksgiving to give overworked retail workers some much-needed rest.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has issued landslide warnings for six districts as follows;Level 3 (Red);Ingiriya, Walallawita, Palindanuwara & Bulathsinhala DS in Kalutara district.Ambagamuwa Ds in Nuwara Eliya district.Kalawana, Eheliyagoda DS in Rathnapura District. Level 2 (Amber);Warakapola, Ruwanwella & Dehiovita DS in Kegalle district.Dodangoda, Horana, Bandaragama, Millaniya, Mathugama & Agalawatta DS in Kalutara district.Rathnapura, Elapatha, Nivithigala, Kiriella, Ayagama, Pelmadulla & Kuruwita DS in Rathnapura District.Level 3 (Yellow);Seethawaka & Padukka DS in Colombo District.Baddegama DS in Galle District.Kalutara, Beruwala, Panadura & Madurawala in Kalutara District.Bulathkohupitiya, Mawanella, Deraniyagala, Yatiyanthota in Kegalle District.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that he had recently discussed Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring with the Chinese Finance Minister and he is optimistic that the discussions in this regard would be concluded successfully.The President further mentioned that the delegation headed by the State Minister of Finance, who is currently in Washington, held initial discussions yesterday (15) with the International Monetary Fund and the three main countries, China, India and Japan that have given loans to the country. He said that the government is giving priority to immediately solve the problem of the country’s bankruptcy and to ensure food security.President Ranil Wickremesinghe made these remarks following an observation tour of the cultivated lands in Rathumada-Weerakandawala area in Siambalanduwa Divisional Secretariat this morning (16).The President also discussed the progress of the implementation of the food security program in Monaragala district with government officials.He said that there is no problem with having debates and also recalled the statements made by some people that they would come forward and shed blood and said that one should live before shedding blood.The President mentioned that if a proper program is not implemented to provide food to the people, they will not have to shed blood but will starve to death.

PHILADELPHIA - A shooting rang out as police say suspects targeted their victims at a gas station in Philadelphia's East Mount Airy section early Sunday morning.Police found a 24-year-old man shot inside a car parked at the pumps of a Liberty gas station around 1:20 a.m. He suffered a gunshot wound to the back, but his condition is not known at this time.Two other passengers were also in the car, a 21-year-old woman who suffered cuts from the car's glass, and a 25-year-old who was not injured.MORE HEADLINES:Police say a passenger reached his arm out of the car's window, fired 14 shots, then fled the scene.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Meteorological Department says that the current heavy rains are expected to continue, due to the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ – The region where the Northern Hemispheric wind and the Southern Hemispheric wind converge) located in the vicinity of the island.Accordingly, showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts. Heavy showers above 100 mm can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts.Showers or thundershowers will occur elsewhere over the Island during the afternoon or night.

Monmouth University shows the majority of Americans, about 61%, would get rid of the twice yearly time change, while about a third want to keep the practice in place.Most people who want a single time year-round would rather have a later sunrise and a later sunset, which would make daylight saving time permanent. Only 13% of people polled favor keeping standard time, the period from November to March.Lawmakers are catching up to the notion of eliminating the time change.

Covid-19 which is slowly rising. In its health bulletin, the health department informed that now total cases of the Covid-19 virus in the city stand at 20,04,787, while the death toll is 26,506. The city saw 112 cases on Friday with a test positivity rate of 1.75% while on Thursday, the number of cases was 130, with a positivity rate of 1.84%.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Disaster Management Center says that three people have died, while over 55,000 have been displaced due to the continuing inclement weather conditions.Moreover, the DMC warned to expect more severe weather on Sunday (16).Meanwhile, an amber advisory has been issued for Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces and Galle and Matara Districts by the Meteorological Department.According to the Meteorological Department, the current heavy rains are expected to continue, due to the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ – The region where the Northern Hemispheric wind and the Southern Hemispheric wind converge) located in the vicinity of the island.Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.Heavy showers above 100 mm can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.Showers or thundershowers will occur elsewhere over the Island during the afternoon or night.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Police say that 1,620 people have been displaced in many areas due to the Kelani river overflowing.

COLOMBO (News 1t) – The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) announced power cuts of 1 hours and 20 minutes for Saturday (15) and Sunday (16).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Denny Dalliance had long worried about what would happen if he fathered a child because his job as a truck driver keeps him away from home most of the week.But after the U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - Rhys Hoskins burst out of his postseason malaise with a three-run homer and spiked his bat in triumph and Bryce Harper hit a two-run shot that sent Philadelphia Phillies fever soaring and helped carry them to a 9-1 win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the NL Division Series on Friday night.Harper added an RBI double as Philadelphia took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five matchup against the reigning World Series champs. The Phillies can advance to the NL Championship Series with a Game 4 win at home on Saturday.The Phillies and a sellout crowd of 45,538 fans waited 11 mostly miserable years -- 4,025 days, to be exact -- to host a playoff game again at Citizens Bank Park.Phillies fans should save the rally towels -- the Phillies played like a team that wants to keep Red October aliveThe bats erupted in a six-run third inning that will forever be stamped on a Philly sports highlight reel.

A study of 30 million people in the United Kingdom finds that 0.4% of people who completed their primary COVID-19 vaccine series had severe breakthrough infections, compared with 0.2% of booster recipients, during Omicron variant predominance.The study, published today in The Lancet, also shows that older adults

The U.S. extended the public health emergency status for the COVID-19 pandemic Thursday, weeks after President Biden's controversial remarks declaring the pandemic was "over."  The move extends the order through Jan.

Troy Fletcher, 15 (Philadelphia Police Department)PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police have issued a warrant for another suspect in the shooting outside of Roxborough High School that killed a 14-year-old boy late last month. On Friday, police identified Troy Fletcher, 15, as a suspect in the case. He faces multiple charges, including murder, in connection with the shooting. Fletcher is now the fourth suspect to be identified by police following the Sept.

TRICARE, the health care program for active-duty service members, military retirees, reservists and their families, will drop more than a quarter of the pharmacies in its current network later this month, a move that will force an estimated 400,000 beneficiaries to find new pharmacies. The program said nearly 15,000 independent, community pharmacies will no longer be in the TRICARE network as of October 24.The network will still include more than 40,000 pharmacies across the country.

Omaha, Nebraska public schools are employing $460,000 in federal funding allocated for COVID-19 relief to invest in social emotional learning (SEL) throughout the district, a practice that is popping up across the state and the country, Parents Defending Education found. "The pandemic’s impact has taken a toll on students in particular, contributing to an increase in mental health problems since 2020, according to statewide and national data," the Omaha World-Herald reported earlier this month.

With employment insurance premiums set to rise in the new year, both employers and workers are calling on the federal government to step in and rescue the program from the considerable amount of debt it has fallen into since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health bosses are being asked to give 'clear and unambiguous signals' that NHS services at Altrincham General Hospital are 'there to stay'. The call has come from the chair of Trafford council's health scrutiny committee, Coun Michael Whetton.

Florida grandfather has been arrested and charged after he returned a rental car and employees later found his granddaughter — a toddler — in the backseat.According to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, employees at Hertz car rental at Daytona Beach International Airport discovered the young child on Monday evening. She was locked in the car, which had been returned about 45 minutes earlier to an unshaded parking lot.

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.

Goalkeeper Yussef Hassan L of Qatar attends a public training session of Qatar national team in preparation for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at the Jassim bin Hamad stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Oct. 2, 2022.

Nearly three of four US high school students report one or more adverse experiences contributing to poor mental health and suicidal behaviors amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers an

LAS VEGAS - Fifty-six-year-old Lance Reberger reached a milestone this week: he learned how to make a password for an online account.For many people, it may not sound like a big deal, but after 31 years in prison, Reberger is digitally illiterate."If you go out and have a plan, which most people it seems like they have a plan, but once you get out and face the reality of what’s going on out here, I had no clue. So right now I would be homeless if I didn’t have the help that I had," Reberger told KVVU.The help he’s speaking of is Jared Uraine, a Nevada realtor who met Reberger through a prison ministry program."When I heard that he’d been in for 31 years I kind of did the math, and knowing him on somewhat of a personal level ...

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan State Minister Sanath Nishantha appeared in court on Thursday (13) after the Court of Appeal ordered for his immediate arrest for failing to appear in court.The Judicial Services Commission and multiple Counsel had filed petitions with the Court of Appeal claiming that State Minister Sanath Nishantha has made comments that bring disrepute to the Judiciary and the Magistrates, during a press conference convened at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Head Office.The Court of Appeal had ordered the State Minister to appear in court on Thursday (13) to provide reasons as to why the court should not impose any punishment on him for the contempt of court allegations mentioned in the petitions.The application was called up in the presence of Court of Appeal Justices Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne, and R.

LOS ANGELES - Following backlash over racially charged remarks, Nury Martinez has resigned from the Los Angeles City Council, she announced Wednesday. Martinez released a statement saying in part, "It is with a broken heart that I resign my seat for Council District 6, the community I grew up in and my home. To my constituents - Serving you has been a privilege and one that I don’t give up lightly.

Denise Welch, 64, reacted to a video of Piers Morgan, 57, addressing his changing views about the coronavirus vaccines.The Loose Women star reposted the video from his TalkTV show on her Twitter page amongst previous comments he said during the pandemic, including a time he called her a covid denier.On Twitter this afternoon, the 64-year-old expressed her shock over Piers' latest comments after he said: “When it was established that vaccines actually didn’t stop transmission, they just stopped people from getting very sick and dying, the argument to suppress any liberties and freedoms, to me, went away.“Because it is down to the individual if they want to protect themselves against the virus, so I changed my mind.“I got pilloried when I said my original statement, I got pilloried when I changed my mind, I got pilloried about all of it and to me it seemed perfectly logical to change my mind because facts changed.”In response, she wrote: "Are you absolutely f*****g joking Piers Morgan!!! You scaremongered, terrified people, called people akin to murderers, called me a covid denier, covidiots!!! You bullied and harassed because you DID NOT DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK!!!!!"Nadia Sawalha 'very sure' she would never do Strictly after Kaye AdamsPiers has since shared a tweet telling fans he blocked Denise to "protect" his mental health as he urged her to "be kind", followed by crying with laughter emojis.The ex Coronation Street star shared the tweet and claimed he once accused her of "wearing my depression like a designer handbag".She continued: "He was responsible, amongst others, for causing massive anxiety for his CONSTANT fearmongering re Covid for attention."His son today also referred to someone with mental health

COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario Medical Association said Wednesday.Although screenings have since returned to normal levels, the organization warned that the temporary decrease in testing has led to many cases of the disease being diagnosed at later stages.Dr. Rose Zacharias, the association’s president, said mammogram screening is the best method to detect breast cancer early, when it is less likely to have spread to other parts of the body.

COVID-19 vaccination may protect pregnant women and their fetuses against virus-related placentitis (inflammation of the placenta) and stillbirth, concludes a review study published today in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. The research will also be presented next week at ID Week in Washington, DC.The study, led by a Perinatal Pathology Consulting researcher in Atl

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

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Welfare Benefit Fast Track Program ‘Leave No One Behind’ targeting low-income families, which was initiated as per the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, has so far received 2.3 million applications, according to the Welfare Benefit Board.The applications are being promptly entered into the system through Welfare Benefit Information Units established in 341 Divisional Secretariats throughout the country and as of today (12), 624,714 applications have been entered into the system.It is expected that the 600,000 families that have been downgraded to the low-income category, in the face of the second COVID-19 wave and the economic crisis faced by the country, as reported by the United Nations Development Program, are also eligible to apply for this Welfare Benefit Fast Track Program. This is in addition to the 3.3 million families that are currently receiving welfare benefits or those who are already on the waiting list.Accordingly, it is estimated that 3.9 million families would apply for this social welfare program.

Only Fools and Horses star Sir David Jason has revealed he recently collapsed after contracting "seriously bad" Covid-19.The TV legend, 82, was speaking to BBC Breakfast presenter Jon Kay about his new book, when he revealed that he recently collapsed while getting out of bed one night when he had covid-19 during the Summer.The Open All Hours star said: "I got it seriously bad."Because all the muscles weren't working, I collapsed and I fell against the radiator... I was so weak, I couldn't get up."READ NEXT: Only Fools, Skins and Gavin and Stacey - British TV remakes that flopped in the USSaying that he tried to get out of bed to go to the toilet, Sir David explained that he had to use the bed to try and stand up as his muscles "weren't working.""I crawled to the bed.

A brazen Ayrshire business chief has been banned from being a company director for ten years after spending the majority of a Covid loan on herself.

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.

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

Experts are warning not to delay getting the Covid-19 booster vaccine as new strains of the virus sweep the country. One in 50 people have coronavirus and almost 10,000 patients are in hospital with the disease, according to the latest figures published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

Price tag for a recently approved ALS drug illustrates broad industry problems Why a $158,000 Drug With Unclear Benefits Hurts Whole Health System BY DAVID WAINER | UPDATED 10月 10, 2022 04:48 午後 EDT Price tag for a recently approved ALS drug illustrates broad industry problems Like many patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS—also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease—Layne Oliff didn’t have any time to waste. Even before the drug Relyvrio was approved late last month by the Food and Drug Administration, he has had his own do-it-yourself method: He gets sodium phenylbutyrate in liquid form from a New Jersey pharmacy and taurursodiol online from Amazon.

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

States have been asked to continue monitoring incoming international travelers, undertake constant genome sequencing and step-up vaccination. New Delhi: India reported 1,957 new covid infections, while active cases declined to 27,374 in the last 24 hours, according to an update from the Union health ministry on Tuesday.

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.