Sri Lanka meets UN Core Group; 51st UNHRC session today (12)

Christina Aguilera is giving fans an expected gift. The iconic singer will be releasing a special new version of her famous song ‘Beautiful’ to mark World Mental Health Day and the 20th anniversary of her album ‘Stripped.’The 2002 hit song is known for having a very special message, with powerful lyrics and a music video that was incredibly inspiring at the time, and continues to uplift her fans during difficult times.The original video showed the many struggles people face everyday, and Christina decided to include issues that were not talked about or represented in the mainstream media in 2002.Now the singer has announced that a new video will be released October 19.

Now that King Charles III has taken the role of monarch following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, he will be crowned on May 6, 2023, in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey, according to the Buckingham Palace.

Orlando Bloom is opening up about a dark period in his life.

Bryce Dallas Howard opened up about her mental health in a lengthy post that was shared to her Instagram account on Monday.The 41-year-old actress spoke about how she has dealt with her struggle with depression over the years and why she was looking forward to her future as both a performer and a mother.The Jurassic World Dominion star began by recalling an instance where she once came to a sudden realization.   View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bryce Dallas Howard (@brycedhoward) '"The purpose of the human experience on earth is to move through obstacles with grace, and if you can do that, there will always be a sunset." These are the words I once heard from an anonymous voice in my head,' she wrote. ⁣Howard went on to give the recollection a bit of context and expressed that the incident occurred during a particularly turbulent period in her life.  The actress wrote: 'It was the last day on my first job as a new mother.

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a lower appeals court decision Tuesday regarding how rules for mail-in ballots had been applied in a Pennsylvania election, adding an element of uncertainty about voting procedures four weeks ahead of the state's high-stakes elections for governor and U.S.

Jose Sanchez MERCER COUNTY, N.J. - A music teacher could spend 10 years in prison after being charged in connection to child sex abuse materials, according to the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office.Officials determined 58-year-old Jose Sanchez viewed and shared child sex abuse materials after an investigation this month.Sanchez is reportedly a music instructor for children, who teaches private lessons in a studio in West Windsor.MORE HEADLINES:He was arrested, and his electronic devices were seized by detectives on October 7.He is being charged with third-degree possession of child pornography and second-degree file sharing of child pornography.  

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

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. - A road rage incident could have turned violent after police say a driver pulled a gun in Gloucester Township this past weekend.Police responded to reports of an "erratic" driver near Blackwood Clementon Road and Peters Lane around 10:30 a.m. Sunday morning.The victim told police that the driver rolled down his window and pointed a chrome-plated handgun at him.MORE HEADLINES:Kyle Boyce, 34, was quickly located at his home, along with his vehicle.

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

said on her podcast that it was who found her first professional referral when she was at her “worst point.” “My husband had found a referral for me to call,” the Duchess of Sussex told her guest, Hindi language film star Deepika Padukone. “And I called this woman—she didn't know I was even calling her. And she was checking out at the grocery store.

A California man has been charged with the kidnapping and killing of a family of four, including an eight-month-old girl.

Hockey Canada’s CEO and entire board of directors will leave the organization after facing fierce criticism for its handling of alleged sexual assaults.

Some of the people who died in the stabbing massacre on James Smith Cree Nation last month were killed because they were trying to help others, RCMP say.

Man stabbed at Bertucci's in Delaware County.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Prosecutors dropped charges against Adnan Syed on Tuesday in the 1999 killing of Hae Min Lee, a case that was chronicled in the first season of the hit podcast "Serial," according to a lawyer affiliated with Syed's case.Laura Nirider, a co-director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law who accompanied Syed when he walked out of prison last month, tweeted: "Breaking news: After the latest round of DNA testing generated results that, like previous rounds of testing, excluded Adnan Syed, he has now been formally exonerated!"Erica Suter, a lawyer who has represented Syed in court during his push to be freed, confirmed the news to The Baltimore Sun.The prosecutor’s office didn’t immediately respond to calls and emails seeking comment.A Baltimore judge last month overturned Syed's murder conviction and ordered him released from prison, where the 41-year-old had spent more than two decades. Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn also gave prosecutors 30 days in which to decide whether to retry Syed or drop the charges.Adnan Syed leaves the courthouse after being released from prison Monday, Sept.

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

Republicans are demanding more information from President Biden's Department of Education amid reports that blue states across the country are using billions of taxpayer dollars from the Democrats' $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package to push core tenets of critical race theory (CRT) in public schools. The American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, which the Democrats passed in March 2021 without any Republican support, was billed by the Democratic Party as a necessity for reopening schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new round of missile attacks struck the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia Tuesday, as the death toll from the previous day’s widespread Russian missile barrage across Ukraine rose to 19.

WAUKESHA, Wis. - Testimony in the Darrell Brooks trial shifts for the prosecution team on Tuesday, Oct. 11 as the state begins to focus its case on the six fatal victims of the November 2021 Waukesha Christmas parade attack. The first person called to the stand Tuesday was Kelly Grabow.

In this image from the video uplink from the detention center to the courtroom, Dylann Roof appears at Centralized Bond Hearing Court June 19, 2015 in North Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo by Grace Beahm-Pool/Getty Images) WASHINGTON (AP) - The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from Dylann Roof, who challenged his death sentence and conviction in the 2015 racist slayings of nine members of a Black South Carolina congregation.Roof had asked the court to decide how to handle disputes over mental illness-related evidence between capital defendants and their attorneys.

DEWEY BEACH, Del. - Better keep an eye out for these dangerous sea creatures if you're headed to the beach for a last-minute trip.

Jeremiah Thomas and Milan Dean-Brewer PHILADELPHIA - A carjacking turned into a terrifying ordeal for a 12-year-old girl this weekend, and now two men are being held responsible, according to the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.Jeremiah Thomas and Milan Dean-Brewer are both accused of kidnapping the girl during a carjacking at a gas station on Ridge Avenue on October 9.The 12-year-old was still in the back seat when the suspects reportedly jumped in the running car and took off driving.Police say the girl's father had left her in the car to buy something inside the gas station.MORE HEADLINES:She was able to escape the car during a stop, and made it home safely with no injuries, according to the DA's office.The suspects were apprehended after they crashed the stolen car into a police vehicle in Montgomery County.They have both been charged with carjacking, kidnappings, auto theft and related offenses.

Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow was open to talks with the West on the Ukraine war but had yet to receive any serious proposal to negotiate.In an interview on state TV, Lavrov said Russia was willing to engage with the United States or with Turkey on ways to end the war, now in its eight month.His emphasis on Russia’s receptiveness to talks came after a series of stinging defeats since the start of September that have swung the momentum of the conflict in favour of Ukraine. Trudeau ‘appalled’ by Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian civilians, vows accountability Lavrov said officials including White House national security spokesman John Kirby had said the United States was open to talks but that Russia had refused.“This is a lie,” Lavrov said.

Kylie Jenner changes hairstyles more frequently than we change our bed sheets, but it seems as though the reality star has returned her hair to its natural state – for the meantime, at least. Posting a short video to her Instagram Stories, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star shows off a new shoulder-length dark brunette hairstyle that’s distinctly shorter than we’re used to seeing her with.

(Reuters) – The annual IMF/World Bank meetings in Washington D.C. from Monday (10) to Saturday will include talks on several emerging markets squeezed by rising inflation and borrowing costs against a backdrop of slowing global growth.The economic hit from Russia's invasion of Ukraine has added to pressures that surfaced during the COVID-19 pandemic and have led many smaller developing economies to turn to the International Monetary Fund in recent months for help.The IMF has approved programs or financing facilities for 10 countries since the start of the Ukraine war on Feb.

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.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Scary scenes at a daycare in Allentown after officials say multiple children have been taken to a local hospital.Crews responded to the Happy Smiles Learning Center on Wabash Street around 6:52 a.m. Tuesday morning for an emergency incident.Officials say children have been rushed to a local hospital, however an exact number was not available at this time.MORE HEADLINES:SkyFOX was live over the very active scene, where a large presence of ambulance, fire and police crews have responded to the daycare.It is unclear what prompted the emergency response, or the condition of the children.This is a developing story.

There may be a little sense of deja vu about the warnings today from Government about the potential for some mandatory mask-wearing if there is a big Covid-19 wave this winter.

Suspects sought in armed robbery near Temple campus. PHILADELPHIA - Police are asking for the public's help to identify three suspects after an armed robbery unfolded near Temple University last weekend.The male suspects reportedly stole wallets and phones from a group of people just three blocks from campus on October 1.

FILE - An Illinois farmer walks through a hog pen on his farm on Jan. 25, 2020, in Polo, Illinois.

MUIR, Pa. - Authorities say at least five people were reported injured in an explosion at a quarry in eastern Pennsylvania.Emergency officials in Schuylkill County said the 11:45 a.m.

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

FILE - Madonna poses after arriving on the carpet to attend a special screening of the film "The Beatles Eight Days A Week: The Touring Years" in London on Sept. 15, 2016.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka is to seek eligibility for IDA loans while remaining as a middle-income country and the government stated that Sri Lanka will remain a middle-income country.Sri Lanka no longer qualifies for International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loans due to a downgrade of the country’s credit rating.Therefore, the Cabinet approved a proposal yesterday (10) to request the World Bank to grant the country eligibility to obtain loans offered by the International Development Association (IDA).This is with the aim of obtaining concessionary funding from the International Development Association (IDA) — an arm of the World Bank that helps the world’s vulnerable countries. This facility is called “Gap”.Twelve countries including Indonesia have availed themselves of this facility when they were facing economic downturn similar to Sri Lanka.

DEIDRE Sanders returned to This Morning today after her shock breast cancer diagnosis and told Holly and Phil "I'm feeling good." The Sun's beloved agony aunt joined the ITV show to help viewers struggling with addiction. Before taking part in the phone-in segment Deidre, 77, confirmed she had surgery on a lump in her breast and was awaiting the results to find out if she is cancer-free.

endometriosis had progressed, consuming her pelvic organs to the point where only “about three millimetres” of healthy colon tissue remained.She said she was told her bowel could rupture and that her colon needed to be removed – the words “irreversible” and “colostomy bag” ringing in her ears.“I knew it was bad. I didn’t know it was that bad at that point … it was a very blunt conversation.” Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women – here’s how to recognize the symptoms Mock didn’t want to accept that as her only option.

Meghan Markle got personal in the newest episode of her "Archetypes" podcast, in which she discussed mental health. The Duchess of Sussex spoke to Constance Wu, Jenny Slate and Deepika Padukone in the latest episode that aired Tuesday, entitled "The Decoding of Crazy." Meghan Markle discussed mental health in the latest episode of her "Archetypes" podcast.

PHILADELPHIA - Authorities with the Philadelphia Police Department are investigating a shooting that left two injured Tuesday morning. According to police, officers responded to Snyder Avenue in South Philadelphia for reports of a shooting. Officers responded at the same time two victims arrived at Methodist Hospital by private vehicles, officials say. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESPolice say a 26-year-old man was shot in the abdomen and a 20-year-old woman was shot in the hip. Authorities have not yet provided updates on their conditions but say there are no motives or suspects at this time. This is a developing story.

PHILADELPHIA - Investigators with the Philadelphia Police Department are working on learning more about a shooting that left a man dead on Tuesday morning. According to police, officers responded to reports of gunshots and a person shot at 52nd and Berks Streets just before 12:30 a.m.

PHILADELPHIA - Tuesday is set to be a sunny and pleasant day during a seasonable fall week in the Delaware Valley. FOX 29's Scott Williams says temperatures will begin in the 40s and 50s during the early hours of the day before see temperatures rise into the 70s by the afternoon. Conditions will remain dry Tuesday and Wednesday before a cold front moves rain and severe weather into the forecast. According to forecasters, an isolated severe thunderstorm will move through the area with storms. Areas of the Delaware Valley should expect an inch to an inch-and-a-half of rain. Looking ahead, the rain will move out before a sunny and pleasant weekend with clear weather present for the Phillies and Eagles games. ____SEVEN-DAY FORECASTTUESDAY: A reality. High: 74, Low: 48WEDNESDAY: More clouds.

Policy measures aimed at assisting troubled but viable businesses as pandemic supports wind down and debts fall due need to be targeted, scalable and equitable, new research from the Central Bank suggests.

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

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

COLOMBO (News 1st) –  President Ranil Wickremesinghe has issued instructions to streamline the process of responding to letters, emails and phone calls addressed to government institutions. The president has focussed his attention on streamlining and expediting the process of responding to letters, emails, and phone calls by the public instead of them having to waste their time, effort, and money by having to come to these institutions personally to attend to their requirements. Accordingly, a special letter signed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, including provisions in replying to letters, e-mails and telephone calls addressed to government institutions, has been sent to all ministry secretaries, provincial chief secretaries, and Heads of departments.Priority should be given to general letters from the public to government institutions, and in case final replies cannot be sent immediately, an interim reply stating that the letter has been received should be sent within one week and a final reply should be sent within four (04) weeks. In addition, for all official letters, the direct telephone number, fax number, and e-mail address of the staff officer in charge of the subject should be mentioned below the signature of the relevant letter when sending reply letters.Emails sent to public email addresses of relevant offices should be checked daily and a specific officer should be assigned for the purpose.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said there has been a "significant" increase in the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 over the last week.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Four rights organizations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Forum Asia and the International Commission of Jurists have called for permanent representatives of member and observer states of the United Nations Human Rights Council to adopt a strong resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the four organizations have called for support for a strong resolution on human rights in Sri Lanka, which renews the OHCHR Accountability Project and addresses ongoing violations and abuses, including the suppression of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.Pointing out that Sri Lanka is currently suffering an economic, political and human rights crisis, the rights organizations state that during the recent months, countless people have taken to the streets to call for reform, accountability for corruption, and for urgent Government action to protect their rights.Citing previous recommendations made by the former UNHRC High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet, the four rights organizations further call to adopt a resolution renewing the mandate of the Accountability Project and requesting the UN to provide the resources required to provide greater investigative capacity and witness protection, greater technical capacity to analyze evidence and to undertake outreach and engagement with civil society and victims.The rights organizations further state that the resolution should also call upon Sri Lanka to;– Restore cooperation with the efforts at the Human Rights Council to advance accountability for serious crimes under international law; – Strengthen and ensure the independence of the Office of Missing Persons and the  Office of Reparations, which were established under Resolution

COLOMBO (News 1st); UN Acting High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al- Nashif has called on the UN Human Rights Council Member States and international financial institutions to ensure Sri Lanka has fiscal space to fulfil its core economic and social rights obligations.Delivering her statement in the UNHRC Comprehensive report and Interactive dialogue on Sri Lanka on Monday (12), the Acting High Commissioner it is essential the Government ensures an environment that respects and promotes free expression, peaceful assembly and inclusive democratic participation. She added that the Sri Lankan Government has a fresh opportunity to steer the country on the path towards justice and reconciliation and to address the legacy of conflict."Continued reports of surveillance and intimidation of civil society organisations, victim groups, human rights defenders, journalists and former LTTE cadres by police, military and intelligence services are of concern.