Power cuts scheduled for 24th – 26th June

Police say a man was found shot dead in Philadelphia neighborhood. PHILADELPHIA - A 20-year-old man is dead after police say he was shot multiple times Monday night.Police found the man unresponsive on the sidewalk when they responded to reports of gunshots on the 6400 block of Broad Street.He reportedly suffered several gunshot wounds to the chest and neck.

MIAMI, FL - SEPTEMBER 15: Andy Fletcher of Depeche Mode performs the at American Airlines Arena on September 15, 2017 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images) NEW YORK - Legendary electronic band Depeche Mode has announced the cause of death for founding member Andy Fletcher who died last month at the age of 60."A couple weeks ago, we received the result from the medical examiners, which Andy’s family asked us to share with you now," the band wrote on their official Instagram page on Monday.

Atlantic City casino workers prepared for the possibility those talks would fail and the union would go out on strike Friday morning.  ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - As their leaders negotiated with management Tuesday, Atlantic City casino workers prepared for the possibility those talks would fail and the union would go out on strike Friday morning. Members of Local 54 of the Unite Here union assembled "On Strike" signs for picket lines, and signed up for reduced-level pay from a union strike fund. The union has authorized a strike against the Borgata, Caesars, Harrah’s and Tropicana on Friday, and against Hard Rock on Sunday if new contracts are not reached before then. The union is seeking a big pay raise for workers to help them keep up with rising costs.

PHILADELPHIA - Phillies slugger Bryce Harper will have surgery Wednesday to repair his broken left thumb and the team hopes the 2021 NL MVP can play again this season.Manager Rob Thomson did not offer a timetable for Harper’s return."It’s tough, but it’s probably the best thing for him. So whatever’s best for him is best for me," Thomson said Tuesday. "If he’s able to come back, which we plan on, then that’s good under the circumstances."Harper’s thumb was broken when he was hit by a 97 mph pitch from San Diego Padres left-hander Blake Snell on Saturday night.The 29-year-old Harper is hitting .318 with 15 home runs, 48 RBIs and a .985 OPS, and has helped the Phillies recently surge back into playoff contention.The Phillies opened a three-game series Tuesday night against Atlanta."I’ve got to be positive for the guys in here.

Health chiefs are being urged to reopen the minor injuries unit at Altrincham Hospital as soon as possible to allay "local suspicion and rumour" that it may never happen. The facility closed in November 2021 because of a shortage of emergency nurse practitioners (ENPs) and services there have been suspended ever since.

Binky Felstead has shared a positive update on the health of her baby son after he was rushed to hospital this week.The Made In Chelsea star, 32, went through a parent’s worst fear this week as her one-year-old son, Wolfie, suffered a severe allergic reaction.Little Wolfie, who Binky shares with husband Max Darnton, went into anaphylactic shock after eating hummus, which the reality star believes was caused by sesame present in the dip.Her baby was rushed to hospital via ambulance, with Binky later thanking paramedics for their quick actions in providing a potentially life-saving adrenaline shot to her sick child.‘He started to get incredibly uncomfortable and was continuously rubbing his face and getting upset,’ she wrote on social media after the scare.‘He went bright red all over his face & hands and white little spots appeared shortly before his eye, lips & tongue started to swell.’Thankfully, after a quick trip to hospital – sirens blazing, which Wolfie loved – and being monitored for several hours, Wolfie is now home and back to his old self.TV star Binky shared a series of snaps of her son looking happy and healthy, grinning for the camera, writing on Instagram: ‘Thank you,’ with a praying emoji.‘He’s back to his usual “nutty self”,’ she said, adding: ‘bad joke!’She thanked everyone who had contacted her with referrals or recommendations after Wolfie’s scare, saying she was ‘really learning so much.’She urged anyone else in their situation: ‘If in doubt [definitely]y call 999 or 111 ( I was apprehensive at first not wanting to waste anyones time & not knowing the full extent of what was going on).‘But thank god we did, as it escalated so quickly, timing to get him medical help was crucial (sic).’Binky promised

PHILADELPHIA - Officers with the Philadelphia Police Department are investigating a shooting that left a woman dead on Tuesday night. According to authorities, officers with the 8th District responded to numerous 911 calls reporting gunshots and a shooting at a bar on the 2400 block of Welsh Road around 11:30 p.m.Chief Inspector Scott Smalls police arrived on scene and found two victims. A 21-year-old woman suffering from a gunshot wound to the head was transferred to Jefferson-Torresdale Hospital to undergo surgery, but she later died, according to police. Police say a second victim, who was cut in the face by glass, was taken to the same hospital for treatment. Small says investigators know at least 15 shots were fired by a semi-automatic weapon. Police say they found five bullet holes in the bar's front window and they believe one of the bullets struck the 21-year-old. According to Small, investigators do not believe she was the intended target. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESAuthorities say the investigation revealed a group of three men walked into the bar but were escorted out when one of them caused a disturbance at the bar. Small says the man who was giving the staff a problem then walked to a dark or Black pickup truck and 15 shots were fired in the direction of the bar. Authorities say there were multiple cameras in the area and they are confident that they will be able to identify him. The two men with the alleged shooter are not believed to be involved in the shooting, Small says. 

There has been a slight increase in the numbers of people in hospital with Covid-19.

BOSTON - Researchers have diagnosed chronic traumatic encephalopathy in a Major League Soccer player for the first time, saying Tuesday that defender Scott Vermillion suffered from the degenerative brain disease.The Boston University CTE Center said Vermillion, who died of an accidental drug overdose in December 2020 at the age of 44, had the disease. Although it is not possible to connect any individual case to a cause, CTE has been linked to repeated blows to the head.CTE has been found in more than 100 former NFL players as well as semi-pro and high school soccer players. Vermillion, who played for the Kansas City Wizards, Colorado Rapids and D.C.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The delivery of fuel to filling stations has been suspended, announced Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL) on Tuesday (28).It added that fuel will ONLY be issued for essential services from Tuesday (28).The Sri Lankan Government decided to issue fuel only for essential services from until July 10th, said Minister (Dr) Bandula Gunawardena on Monday (27).Accordingly, fuel will be released only for public transport, Airports, Ports, health, defense, power, export industries and other essential services including agriculture and food delivery from Tuesday (28) until the 10th of July.He added that the fuel for essential services will be delivered by SLTB Depots and the filling stations manned by the three Armed Forces.However, Media Institutions that provide information to the general public 24/7 have not been included in the essential services criteria.News 1st contacted Anusha Palpita, the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media and he said Diesel required for the functioning of media institutions will be provided following a discussion with the CPC, however, Petrol will not be delivered.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka has advised the Attorney General to Investigate and file appropriate criminal proceedings against SSP K. B. Keerthiratne with regard to the Rambukkana Shooting.The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka also directed the Inspector General of Police to take disciplinary action against Former SSP for Kegalle K.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Minister decided that ONLY essential services will operate from midnight today (27) to the 10th of July.The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation will ONLY issue Diesel and Petrol for essential services with effect from midnight on Monday (27).These services include Ports, Airports, Health, Food Distribution, Agriculture, said Minister Bandula Gunawardena.“All other sectors must prepare from work from home program,” said the Minister urging that the public must support to limit the consumption of fuel.The Minister said all only essential services will be allowed to function until the 10th of July, and all other operations will be temporarily suspended. The Minister said short distance travel will be permitted via the Sri Lanka Transport Board, however, long distance travel will be interrupted.All schools in the Colombo region, schools in the suburbs of the Western Province and in major cities in other provinces will be closed until July 10th.The Minister further stated that schools other areas will be operated at the discretion of school principals and education officials.Due to the prevailing fuel crisis, the Cabinet today decided to release fuel for essential services only from midnight today (27).

COLOMBO (News 1st); Minister of Power and Energy Kachana Wijesekera says that he met with the Deputy Director-General of the Qatar Fund for Development and discussed a possible Credit Line facility for Petroleum and Gas supply.He tweeted that funds have been allocated for medical supplies and the Qatar Fund for Development will consider the request for a credit facility and support the International monetary fund (IMF) program for Sri Lanka

COLOMBO (News 1st); A group of inmates held at the Kandakadu Treatment & Rehabilitation center, Polonnaruwa have fled the premises.Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Major General Darshana Hettiarachchi told News 1st that an inmate moved to the premises had behaved in an unruly manner, during the commotion several inmates had fled.He also said that the 36-year-old inmate who behaved in an unruly manner had also died.He was identified as a resident from Mutuwal.

Long covid is making it hard for millions to return to normal life. Yet medical efforts to figure out how best to help these patients are proceeding only slowly. However, a Canadian research trial has reportedly found an answer that why some people continue to experience Covid symptoms months after contracting the disease.

A commemorative stone has been laid in a Lanarkshire town to pay tribute to the role NHS workers played during the COVID pandemic.

New Delhi: India reported 14,506 new covid cases and 30 deaths in the last 24 hours.  The country’s active caseload has climbed to over 99,602, taking the total tally of covid cases to 4,34,33,345 and 5,25,077 so far, the union health ministry said on Wednesday. The daily positivity rate is now 3.35% while the weekly positivity rate is 3.30%. States like Delhi witnessed an active caseload of 4482, Maharashtra has 25481 cases, Haryana has recorded 2649 cases while Kerala has reported more than 28086 covid cases at present.

₹37,50,000 to ₹3,75,00,000 ($100,000 to $1,000,000). The product is available with two plans - ‘Imperial Plan’ and ‘Imperial Plus Plan’ which offer both international and domestic Covers.

mysterious deaths of 21 teenagers who died while partying at a South African nightclub, survivor statements have revealed new details about that deadly night.To celebrate the end of school exams, a number of underage teenagers gathered at the Enyobeni Tavern in East London on Saturday evening and partied until the early hours of the next morning. Survivors speak of smelling a strong and suffocating smell that filled the packed club as teens started to collapse on the dance floor.Police discovered bodies slumped over chairs and couches, lying on tables and sprawled on the dance floor of the club.

Rafael Nadal after the Spaniard was pictured with the Italian after hitting with him last week in the lead-up to the tournament. The withdrawal of Berrettini, who reached the final at Wimbledon last year, was confirmed on Tuesday morning. In a statement, the Italian said: "I am heartbroken to announce that I need to withdraw from @wimbledon due to a positive COVID-19 test result.

John Horgan is set to announce at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday that he plans to step down as premier.Horgan will remain on until a new leader is chosen.

China has cut the quarantine time for inbound travellers by half in a major easing of one of the world's strictest Covid-19 curbs, which have deterred travel in and out of the country since 2020.

PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say four people were shot in a pair of unrelated nighttime shootings Monday night in Philadelphia. Investigators say two men, ages 18 and 25, showed up at Albert Einstein Medical Center around 8 p.m. suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities say both young men were shot while sitting in front of a property on the 4900 block of Wayne Avenue. Both victims were placed in critical, but stable, condition, according to police.

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court said Monday that it has sided with the former Bremerton, Washington football coach who wanted to pray on the field.In a 6-3 ruling, SCOTUS says the public school district violated the coach Joe Kennedy's free speech and free exercise rights when it barred him from praying on the field after games.The justices said Monday the coach's prayer was protected by the First Amendment.  "The Constitution and the best of our traditions counsel mutual respect and tolerance, not censorship and suppression, for religious and nonreligious views alike," Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the majority.The case forced the justices to wrestle with how to balance the religious and free speech rights of teachers and coaches with the rights of students not to feel pressured into participating in religious practices. The outcome could strengthen the acceptability of some religious practices in the public school setting.

Elon Musk’s adult daughter to change her name and gender on her birth certificate.Vivian Jenna Wilson filed the petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court the day after turning 18 in April.She listed gender identity and an apparent dislike of her father, as the reason for the change.“I no longer live with or wish to be related to my biological father in any way, shape or form,” she wrote on the petition. Elon Musk details Tesla staff cuts in anticipation of U.S.

health complications, including breathing difficulties or acute lung function impairment, irregular heartbeat and chest discomfort, back, shoulder, and joint pains, eye redness and irritation, skin rashes, headaches, and overall weakness, as per Hindustan Times report. Co-author Suresh Jain, professor at IIT Tirupati said, “over the years, air pollution in Delhi has become a significant concern.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Janaka Ratnayake has approved power cuts for the 22nd and 23rd of June as follows;Groups A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W – 2-Hours & 30-Minutes from 12 noon to 10.00 PMGroups M,N,O,X,Y,Z – 3-Hours from 5.00 AM to 8.00 AM

COLOMBO (News 1st); Colombo-based businessman Dhammika Perera was sworn in as a Member of Parliment on Wednesday (22).He took oaths in the presence of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena in Parliament.Dhammika Perera was nominated to the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna National List position left vacant following the resignation of Former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK (AP) - Throngs of tourists gleefully watched the legendary Old Faithful geyser shoot towering bursts of steaming water while others got stuck in "bison jams" on picturesque valley roads as visitors returned Wednesday for the partial reopening of Yellowstone National Park after destructive floods.Park managers raised the gates at three of Yellowstone’s five entrances for the first time since June 13, when 10,000 visitors were ordered out after rivers across northern Wyoming and southern Montana surged over their banks following a torrent of rainfall that accelerated the spring snowmelt. The cost and scope of the damage is still being assessed, Yellowstone Superintendent Cam Sholly said Wednesday.Empty roads and parking lots quickly grew busier by mid-morning as about 5,000 vehicles entered the park after getting through long lines that stretched for several miles (kilometers) at one gate in the early morning.

(Reuters) More than 30 asset managers holding Sri Lanka’s international bonds announced on Tuesday the formal launch of a creditor group to start debt restructuring talks with the island nation, according to a statement from legal adviser White & Case LLC.Amundi Asset Management, BlackRock, HBK Capital Management, Morgan Stanley Investment Management and T.

WASHINGTON (AP) - WNBA star Brittney Griner tried to call her wife nearly a dozen times through the American embassy in Russia on the couple’s fourth anniversary Saturday, but they never connected since the phone line at the embassy was not staffed, Cherelle Griner said Monday.The couple has not spoken by phone in the four months since Griner's arrest in Russia, where she remains jailed. That was to have changed Saturday, when a long-awaited call was to have finally taken place after getting Russian government approval.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Fundamental Rights applications filed challenging the appointment of Dhammika Perera to Parliament, were rejected by the Supreme Court on Tuesday (21).One Writ Application and Four Fundamental Rights Applications were filed with the Supreme Court challenging the appointment of Dhammika Perera to Parliament, by nominating him to the SLPP National List seat left vacat following the resignation of Basil Rajapaksa.On Monday (20) Businessman Dhammika Perera promised to the Supreme Court that he will NOT take oaths as an MP or as a Minister UNTIL a decision is made with regard to the FR petitions challenging his appointment.He made this promise when Five Fundamental Rights applications filed challenging his appointment were taken up at the Supreme Court on Monday (20).The promise was made via President’s Counsel Romesh De Silva in the presence of Supreme Court Justice Priyantha Jayawardena, Yasantha Kodagoda, and Arjuna Obeysekera.The FR applications were taken up for consideration on Tuesday (21)Businessman Chandra Jayaratne, Journalist Roel Raymond, the Center Policy Alternatives are among the parties that filed these applications.

(L) Max Collins of Eve 6 performs at The Greek Theatre on July 19, 2015, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Golden/Getty Images) (R) John W.

Trafford council has cut costs during Covid - but still faces a £18.4 million budget gap.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Public Utilities Commission pf Sri Lanka (PUCSL) says that there will be no power cuts from 8 AM until 12 noon for tomorrow (20) and the day after (21).The commission stated that the Ceylon Electricity Board had granted permission for a two and a half hour power cut within the duration of 12 noon until 10.30 PM on those days.Following a request made by the Ministry of Education, the Public Utilities Commission stated that the power cuts scheduled for the morning will not take place on 20th and 21st June.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) said that there will be NO power cut in the morning from Monday (20).The Chairman of the PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake said the decision was reached following a request made by the Ministry of Education to facilitate online education.However, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has been permitted to cut power for 2 hours and 30-minutes in four stages from Monday (20) between noon and 10:30 PM.The Chairman of the PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake said that the Ministry of Power & Energy has agreed to continue to supply crude oil and naphtha required for the production of electricity.

PTI reported.  On 30 May, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested the Delhi minister and AAP leader, under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), in a case connected to hawala transactions related to a Kolkata-based company. "He was brought from Tihar Jail to GB Pant Hospital first, and then shifted to the LNJP Hopsital. His condition is stable," people familiar with the matter told PTI.

Low-cost airline EasyJet said today it was cutting thousands more flights this summer after London Gatwick and Amsterdam airports reduced capacity and it battled staff shortages on the ground and in the air.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Minister of Energy, Kanchana Wijesekara requests the public to not to cause a high demand for Petrol, and to not to obtain Petrol for non-essential journeys.Speaking during a briefing, the Minister said that fuel will be issued on a priority basis for essential workers such as doctors and others who are engaging in essential services, including those whose livelihoods depend on fuel, such as three-wheel drivers. He added that the next Petrol consignment will arrive in the country on 23rd June.The Minister, however stated that as there are enough Diesel stocks in the country, that there will not be a high demand for it now, yet requested the public to utilize Diesel sparingly.

A dog competes in the 9th annual Masters Agility Championship during the 146th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at the Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, New York, on June 18, 2022. ( (Photo by TIMOTHY A.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lankan Parliament will convene from the 21st to the 24th of this month. Time is allotted from 10.00 am to 11.00 am for questions for oral answers, on all days except the 24th.The Adjournment Debate on the first report of the Committee on Public Enterprises pertaining to the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament, which was tabled in Parliament on March 8, will be held on March 23 from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm, Secretary General of the Parliament Mr. Dhammika Dasanayake said.This was decided at the recent meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business chaired by the Deputy Speaker, Ajith Rajapaksa.The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Bill and the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill are to be passed without a debate from 11.00 am to 11.30 am on the 21st.Then from 11.30 a.m.

Jeff Bridges had no idea that his role as Dan Chase in the FX thriller "This Old Man" would pack a punch. The actor, who stars as a former CIA spy in the series, recalled how he played many of his fight scenes while fighting another real-life battle – cancer. "What makes me laugh, I’m doing this scene, all that fighting and I’ve got a 9-by-12 inch tumor in my body, taking those punches," the 72-year-old told The New York Times on Thursday.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Ceylon Electricity Board Chairman told the Parliamentary Watchdog that he was told by the President that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was insisting that the energy investments projects be awarded to the Adani Group.Appearing at the Committee on Public Enterprises hearing in Parliament on Friday (10), the CEB Chairman said that following a meeting chaired by the President, he was summoned by the Head of State and was told that the Indian Prime Minister was insisting that the 500 MW wind power plant be given to India’s Adani Group.“I told him (President) that this is not a matter related to me or the CEB and it should be referred to the Board of Investment,” he told COPE.The CEB Chairman said that he thereafter informed the Treasury Secretary in writing, and requested him to look into the matter while noting that there was a government to goverment requirement on the matter.However, he admitted that the agreement can be termed as unsolicited as it is a G2G agreement.In Parliament, Sri Lanka’s Opposition charged that an unsolicited government-to-government agreement to build a 500 MW wind power plant in the northern coast with the involvement of the Adani Group was the main reason to bring forward amendments to the 1989 Act.The main Opposition SJB wanted projects beyond 10 MW capacity to go through a competitive bidding process, but the majority of the government MPs voted against the clause.This Bill, introduced in Parliament on May 17th, 2022 by the Minister of Power and Energy, qualifies a person to apply for a generation license to generate electricity.Accordingly, this amendment will remove the restrictions on the issuance of a power generation license for a person whose generating

COLOMBO (News 1st); Businessman Dhammika Perera’s name submitted to Elections Commission for the SLPP National List post left vacant following the resignation of Basil Rajapaksa, said SLPP General-Secretary Attorney-at-Law Sagara Kariyawasam.Basil Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka’s Former Finance Minister and SLPP National List MP quit parliament on Thursday (9) after submitting his letter of resignation to the Secretary-General of Parliament.He said he was paving the way for a more suitable candidate to enter parliament via the national list.

Border workers will no longer be required to undergo COVID-19 testing under New Zealand’s public health response to the pandemic, from 11.59pm Thursday 30 June, as part of ongoing adjustments to the pandemic response.

FILE-Milk is poured into a glass. (Photo PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP via Getty Images) ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A dozen children and two adults were served floor sealant instead of milk at a day care summer program at an Alaska elementary school after containers were apparently mixed up, the school district superintendent said Wednesday.Several students complained of burning sensations in their mouth and throats, and at least one child was treated at a hospital after the Tuesday morning incident in Juneau, Superintendent Bridget Weiss said.Juneau police are leading the investigation of how the mix-up occurred, "not really because we believe there’s anything criminal or mal-intent at this point, but we do want a thorough investigation of what happened, how it happened, and they’re trained investigators," Weiss said.The incident happened while students in the day care program at Sitʼ Eeti Shaanáx̱-Glacier Valley Elementary in Alaska’s capital city were served breakfast.

A screengrab from a video shared by Colombia’s Ministry of National Defense shows the cocaine shipment disguised as potatoes and other foods. (Credit: Colombia’s Ministry of National Defense / Twitter) Authorities in Colombia recently seized a shipment containing 1,000 kilograms (over 1 ton) of cocaine that was disguised as potatoes and frozen chips, according to police and news reports.A video of the seized shipment was shared on Wednesday by Colombia’s Ministry of National Defense, which showed officers extracting cocaine from the fake food. "The intelligence of the @PoliciaColombia dealt a resounding blow to drug trafficking by seizing a shipment of refrigerated and vacuum-sealed cocaine simulating yuccas and Creole potatoes," the defense ministry wrote, according to an English translation. It added that the shipment was destined for Spain. Anti-Narcotics Police Major General Ricardo Augusto Alarcón Campos, who appears in the video, said police received a tip from an anonymous caller about the shipment, according to 9News, a national news network in Australia."This may be the most innovative case discovered by drug traffickers in recent years, they had designed the drug in irregular molds simulating croquettes of cassava and papa criolla," Campos said, according to the outlet. A screengrab from a video shared by Colombia’s Ministry of National Defense shows the cocaine shipment disguised as potatoes and other foods.

Sitʼ Eeti Shaanáx̱-Glacier Valley Elementary School in Anchorage, Alaska. (Google Street View) ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A dozen children and two adults were served floor sealant instead of milk at a day care summer program at an Alaska elementary school after containers were apparently mixed up, the school district superintendent said Wednesday.Several students complained of burning sensations in their mouth and throats, and at least one child was treated at a hospital after the Tuesday morning incident in Juneau, Superintendent Bridget Weiss said.Juneau police are leading the investigation of how the mix-up occurred, "not really because we believe there’s anything criminal or mal-intent at this point, but we do want a thorough investigation of what happened, how it happened, and they’re trained investigators," Weiss said.The incident happened while students in the day care program at Sitʼ Eeti Shaanáx̱-Glacier Valley Elementary in Alaska’s capital city were served breakfast.