Sri Lanka ready to support Search and Rescue in Turkiye

A troubled mental health hospital has been slammed by inspectors, whose 'worrying' visit uncovered 'disproportionate levels of restraint'; 'care plans not being followed'; and 'people spending most of their time alone in their rooms'.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that a change of government can only be brought about through a parliamentary election and the streets is not an option for parliament.He made this comment on Friday (3) while participating in the Air Force cadets and other officers Passing Out Parade at the Trincomalee Air Force Base today."When you passed out today, you had to take an oath under the constitution. You also undertook an oath of the Sri Lanka Air Force in public. These two oaths underline your primary responsibility.

 

A B.C. cannabis company says it has approval from Health Canada to include cocaine as a substance the company can legally possess, produce, sell and distribute.

Nordstrom Inc. is closing all of its Canadian stores and cutting 2,500 jobs as it winds down operations in the country.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been evicted from their U.K. home at the request of Harry’s dad, King Charles III.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Election Commission will meet on Friday (3) to decide on the Local Government Election.The 2023 Local Government Election was scheduled to take place on the 9th of March, however, it was postponed indefinitely due to various issues, including the lack of funding.However, the Election Commission is expected to announce the next date of the Local Government Election following Friday's (3) meeting.

PHILADELPHIA - A group of Philadelphia teens are coming together to host a play that addresses traumatic issues facing the city's youth, including gun violence and conflict resolution. The Childhood Lost Chronicles will be held at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre on South Broad Street next weekend, a culmination of rehearsals that have been happening since November. "I feel good, I'm ready to do it," 16-year-old Nadhir Mapp said. He hopes the play makes impressionable audience members remember "how the littlest things can change someone's life.""I just hope when they see it that they have that in their mind for the future that it's not that big of a deal, I don't want to lose my life over something that small," Mapp said.MORE LOCAL HEADLINESBrothers Kaliek Hayes and Stephen Gardner are the founders of Childhood Lost Foundation, and co-produce the play.

a study published in 2022, more than a billion young people are at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices. That can include being in loud bars, at concerts or sporting events, or even just listening to music in headphones or earbuds that are turned up too loud."We need our physicians to be talking about it.

PHILADELPHIA - No one was hurt when authorities say someone inside a vehicle fired at police during a traffic stop Thursday in West Philadelphia.Investigators say a patrol car with two officers inside pulled over a Chevy Tahoe near the intersection of 54th and Summer streets just before 8 p.m. Deputy Commissioner Krista Dahl-Campbell told reporters someone inside the vehicle fired at least one shot at an officer who returned fire. No one was hit during the brief exchange of gunfire, according to police. Three people inside the vehicle were taken into custody and a weapon was recovered. Police say there may have been a fourth occupant of the suspect's vehicle who fled.

FILE - A woman gets care at a facility that offers care to patients with overweight issues or obesity, and related pathologies such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or hypertension. (SULIANE FAVENNEC/AFP via Getty Images)A startling new report may be putting a lot of people on notice.Without significant action to change this trajectory, more than half the world's population will be overweight or obese by 2035, according to a new report.The World Obesity Federation's 2023 atlas is predicting that 51% of the world, or more than 4 billion people, will be obese or overweight within the next 12 years, according to Reuters.NORTH CAROLINA MAN, ONCE OBESE, INSPIRED BY NAVY SEAL TO QUIT DRINKING, GET FIT AND RADICALLY ALTER HIS LIFEObesity rates are rising especially quickly among children and in lower income countries, the report found.Saying that the data represents a "clear warning," Louise Baur, president of the World Obesity Federation, said in a statement that policymakers must act with haste to prevent the situation from getting any worse.FILE - A 10-year-old from Indonesia has weighed in at an unbelievable 192kg (423lbs).

WASHINGTON - With the recent warm weather, some people in the District are claiming more illegal ATVs and dirt bikes have been popping up in certain parts of the city.A viewer shared a video with FOX 5 showing maybe eight to nine illegal riders going through the intersection of 7th and K Streets. Northwest. She described the scene as, "off-putting." The woman said the ride happened a little after 5:30 p.m.

SEASIDE PARK, N.J. - As dead whales continue to wash ashore on the U.S. East Coast — and particularly the Jersey Shore — officials and academics are planning a wide array of monitoring and research aimed at preventing or minimizing harm to whales and other marine life during construction and operation of offshore wind farms.A dead whale washed ashore Thursday in New Jersey, a day after another was found in New York amid a continuing wave of whale deaths along the East Coast.

WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) - Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder Thursday in the shooting deaths of his wife and son in a case that chronicled the unraveling of a powerful Southern family with tales of privilege, greed and addiction.The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder at the end of a six-week trial that pulled back the curtain on the once-prominent lawyer’s fall from grace.Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison without parole when he is sentenced, which in South Carolina is typically right after the verdict but can be delayed if a judge chooses.Through more than 75 witnesses and nearly 800 pieces of evidence, jurors heard about betrayed friends and clients, Murdaugh’s failed attempt to stage his own death in an insurance fraud scheme, a fatal boat crash in which his son was implicated, the housekeeper who died in a fall in the Murdaugh home, the grisly scene of the killings and Bubba, the chicken-snatching dog.In the end, Murdaugh’s fate appeared sealed by cellphone video taken by his son, who he called "Little Detective" for his knack for finding bottles of painkillers in his father’s belongings after the lawyer had sworn off the pills.RELATED: Alex Murdaugh murder trial: What the trial says about usTestimony culminated in Murdaugh’s appearance on the witness stand, when he admitted stealing millions from clients and lying to investigators about being at the dog kennels where the shootings took place but steadfastly maintained his innocence in the deaths of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh."I did not kill Maggie, and I did not kill Paul.

UPPER MERION, Pa. - A South Jersey woman will spend at least a dozen years behind bars for her role in a crash that killed a firefighter in Lower Merion Township nearly two years ago. Jacquelyn Walker, 64, of Egg Harbor Township, pleaded guilty last fall to third-degree murder and other charges related to the July 2021 crash on the Schuylkill Expressway.Investigators say Walker drover her Jeep onto the shoulder of the expressway, crashing into a group of firefighters responding to a crash. Thomas Royd  Firefighter Thomas Royds was killed and three other first responders were injured. "He died for us, so we'll go serve for him, and that's where we stand to this day," a former colleague of Royds told FOX 29.Toxicology reports confirmed that alcohol was not a factor in the deadly crash.

WALTERBORO, S.C. (AP) - Disgraced South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh was convicted of murder Thursday in the shooting deaths of his wife and son in a case that chronicled the unraveling of a powerful Southern family with tales of privilege, greed and addiction.The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Murdaugh guilty of two counts of murder at the end of a six-week trial.Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison without parole when he is sentenced, which in South Carolina is typically right after the verdict but can be delayed if a judge chooses.RELATED: Alex Murdaugh murder trial: What the trial says about usA defense lawyer for Murdaugh said Thursday that state agents were so determined to get the disgraced South Carolina attorney convicted of murder in the killings of his wife and son that they lied about or misrepresented evidence.When closing arguments wrapped up, the judge turned Murdaugh's fate over to jurors after giving them his final instructions, and they headed to their jury room to begin deliberations.Attorney Jim Griffin gave the defense's closing, emphasizing Murdaugh's main point — that investigators focused solely on him and conducted the investigation so poorly that any evidence pointing to someone else, like fingerprints or possible DNA on Maggie or Paul Murdaugh's clothing, was never gathered."How could he have butchered Maggie and Paul without leaving a trace of evidence within a matter of minutes?" Griffin said.Murdaugh, 54, faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted.

The mayor of a municipality in Germany told Global News on Thursday that three people from his community are dead after an avalanche occurred near Invermere, B.C. a day earlier.

PHILADELPHIA - Students at a Philadelphia high school were abruptly moved to remote learning when the presence of asbestos was found in the building during a Tuesday night inspection. The Building 21 School in the city's West Oak Lane section will remain closed for the rest of the week after asbestos was found in stairwells and the auditorium. The School District of Philadelphia says it's working to clear the hazardous material, but they did not offer a timetable about when the job will be complete.Before the coronavirus pandemic, a dozen Philadelphia schools closed between 2019 and 2020 due to the presence of asbestos. District teachers say it's a health hazard that must be addressed. MORE LOCAL HEADLINES"You come in here, and you try to teach the kids, but you've got to worry about your own health, and their health, and there ain't nothing being done," Robert Smith said. Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President Jerry Jordan says a lack of funding for school maintenance has caused problems like asbestos to keep reoccurring. "Our buildings have been neglected because of the lack of budget to keep them in good repair, this unfortunately happened," Jordan said.A recent court decision in Pennsylvania called state funding of Philadelphia school unconstitutional, but Senator Vincent Hughes has crafted a bill that he believes will provide appropriate funding."It provides $1B to fix up toxic and broken schools, it provides $2.15B – the largest increase in equity and adequacy funding in Pennylvania's history – to make our schools in compliance with the state's constitution," Senator Hughes said. He was optimistic that he could get newly-elected Pennsylvania Gov.

GERMANTOWN - A 44-year-old man was shot in the head and killed in Germantown and police are searching for his killer.According to officials, the shooting happened Thursday afternoon, just after 4:30, on the 200 block of West Queen Lane, in Philadelphia’s Germantown section.Responding officers found the unconscious man lying in the street with a gunshot wound to his head.MORE HEADLINES:He was rushed to Temple University Hospital where he died a short time later.Police are actively investigating a motive for the shooting, but did not release any details regarding suspects. They say no arrests have been made.___Tips can be submitted by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477) or texting PPD TIP (773847).

TRENTON, N.J. - Two weeks after the CDC rang the alarm on teen suicides, lawmakers in New Jersey are exploring how schools can help combat the ever-growing and tragic problem.The Senate Education Committee held a hearing on Thursday afternoon. Nearly a dozen speakers gave testimony on the great need for mental health resources among other interventions to support young people."I had one of my dearest friends come to me and tell me that they were suicidal.

LONDON - Britain's domestic intelligence agency didn't act swiftly enough on key information and missed a significant opportunity to prevent the suicide bombing that killed 22 people at a 2017 Ariana Grande concert in northwest England, an inquiry found Thursday.Retired judge John Saunders, who led the inquiry into the Manchester Arena attack, said that one MI5 officer admitted they considered intelligence about suicide bomber Salman Abedi to be a possible national security concern but didn't discuss it with colleagues quickly enough."I have found a significant missed opportunity to take action that might have prevented the attack," Saunders said.In a rare televised statement, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum, who normally keeps a low public profile, said he was "profoundly sorry that MI5 did not prevent the attack.""Gathering covert intelligence is difficult, but had we managed to seize the slim chance we had, those impacted might not have experienced such appalling loss and trauma," McCallum said.Abedi, 22, set off a knapsack bomb in the arena’s foyer at the end of the May 22, 2017 concert, as thousands of young fans, including many children, were leaving the pop star’s show. More than 100 people were injured.

HONG KONG - A gruesome murder case that happened in the former British colony of Hong Kong has sent shockwave throughout Asia and the rest of the world.According to officials with the Hong Kong Police Force, four people have been arrested in connection with the murder of Abby Choi, a model and social media influencer who was known amongst the city's rich and famous.Here's what you should know about the murder.(This story contains details that some may find disturbing. Discretion is advised)While statements issued by officials with the Hong Kong Police Force did not identify the victim, Hong Kong English newspaper South China Morning Post (SCMP) has identified the victim as Abby Choi Tin-fung.The Associated Press, along with Hong Kong Chinese news website HK01, have also identified the victim as Abby Choi.According to Hong Kong Police, Choi was last seen during the afternoon hours on this day.In an article published by SCMP, it is stated that Choi was set to pick up a daughter she had with her ex-husband, but the child was never picked up.A missing person's report, according to police, was filed on Feb.

Arkansas Walmart on the hunt for milk turned up a giant discovery that a man will never soon forget – a Jurassic-era insect thought to have disappeared from eastern North America.Back in 2012, Michael Skvarla was a doctoral student at the University of Arkansas when he spotted the giant insect along a store’s facade in Fayetteville.The entomology student carefully put it in his hand and took it home, where he forgot about the specimen for years.Fast-forward nearly a decade later, and Skvarla, now the director of Penn State University’s Insect Identification Lab, decided to show students what his personal insect collection looked like while under a microscope.During a live zoom class, Skvarla discovered that what he once labeled your average day insect was anything but.The Polystoechotes punctata or giant lacewing was collected in Fayetteville, Arkansas in 2012. (Michael Skvarla / Penn State / FOX Weather) "We were watching what Dr.

Emma Heming is sharing a sweet throwback moment with her husband Bruce Willis, following news of health struggles. The 44-year-old actress took to Instagram to share a video featuring the Hollywood star, in which he can be seen saying he loves his wife’s skincare brand, Cocobaba.“What’s this new memory thing on IG!?” Emma wrote, referring to a new feature on the popular app that shows you photos and videos from previous years.

DOVER, Del. - Delaware State Police spent Thursday investigating threats made to various school districts throughout the state.According to officials with the DSP, calls were placed to many police departments statewide, warning of an active shooter at different schools.Troopers determined the calls were a hoax, calling the calls swatting. Swatting is defined as a prank call made to emergency services in order to draw law enforcement to a particular location.Police investigate a phone threat made to a Wilmington elementary school.

MAYS LANDING, N.J. - Authorities in Atlantic County are seeking the public's help in identifying human remains that were found nearly two years ago. The county prosecutor's office on Thursday said the unidentified remains of a man were recovered in Galloway Township in June, 2021.Investigators approximate the man was 40-60-years-old at the time of his death and his height was between 5-foot-5 and 5-foot-11.Authorities have been unable to identify the man's race at this point, according to the prosecutor's office. They did not say how the man died.Authorities called attention to a distinctive ring found with the unidentified remains of a man in Galloway Township.

Gisele Bündchen is embracing health in every possible way. The model shared a candid Instagram post where she discussed her health and the things she prioritizes in her day to day life. Gisele Bündchen stuns at Carnival & more estrellas we loveGisele Bündchen breaks out of her shell, parties with friends in Rio de Janeiro’s CarnivalA post shared by Gisele Bündchen (@gisele)The post shows Bündchen in a gray matching set of a workout top and leggings, as she completes a yoga routine.

WEST WHITELAND TOWNSHIP, Pa. - A multi-vehicle accident has closed a busy portion of a Chester County road.Officials say the accident happened early Thursday afternoon, around 1 p.m., on Route 100, in West Whiteland Township.The accident involved two tractor-trailers and eight passenger vehicles.

The Port Arthur News."If they’re open, I’m here," Stinson added. Workers at the Chick-fil-A in Port Arthur, which is roughly 90 miles east of Houston, took notice of Stinson’s accomplishments and decided to reward him and his wife for their dedication.In a video posted by the Port Arthur Chick-fil-A location to YouTube, Stinson and his wife could be seen being celebrated by the staff as they entered on their 1,000th visit. "We got a chance to surprise our wonderful Mr. James Stinson.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Former President Donald Trump can be sued by injured Capitol Police officers and Democratic lawmakers over the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S.

FILE - Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., is seen outside a House Republican Conference meeting in the U.S.

vlogger and social media influencer lost a majority of her vision when she was 14 years old to retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Now, through social media, she is on a mission to educate people about the common misconceptions about blindness, advocate for universal and accessible design and normalize and humanize disability.She has the personality and pizzazz to be a TikTok trendsetter. But at 14 years old, Burke turned to social media at her darkest point. "When I was 14 years old.

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - A Pennsylvania man admitted packing explosive materials, fuses and a lighter in a suitcase he checked for a commercial flight to Florida and fled the Lehigh Valley airport when he feared being arrested, federal authorities said in a court document filed Thursday.Marc Muffley, 40, of Lansford, called his girlfriend for a ride and soon switched his phone number, U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C.

UPPER DARBY, Pa. - Police in Upper Darby say an infant girl who was inside a car when it was stolen Wednesday night has been safely located and the man suspected of stealing the vehicle is in police custody, sources tell FOX 29’s Steve Keeley.The Upper Darby Police Department tweeted a photo of a gray Hyundai Elantra with New Jersey license plates that was taken from 69th street around 5:30 p.m. with the child still inside.Police Superintendent Tim Bernhardt told FOX 29 the mother of the child was picking up a food order for a delivery service when the car was stolen.

LOS ANGELES - If you want to get a "healthy" cheeseburger, you may not have to go too far to get one. California-based In-N-Out Burger ranked second among America's healthiest fast-food burger chains, according to a study based on data from Gambling.com. Analysts surveyed standard cheeseburger offerings from the top 10 fast-food chains based on factors such as sugar, fat, salt, and caloric content.Texas chain Whataburger apparently ranked first, serving up the healthiest cheeseburgers with a rating of 8.4 on a 10-point scale.SUGGESTED:In-N-Out trailed close by with a 8.2 rating. According to the In-N-Out website, a standard cheeseburger with onion equals about 480 calories, with 27g fat, 1,000mg sodium, and 10g sugar.

New Delhi: P&G India is evaluating bringing more nutraceutical and wellness products into India as the pandemic has led to a jump in demand for such products New Delhi: P&G India is evaluating bringing more nutraceutical and wellness products into India as the pandemic has led to a jump in demand for such products. It recently launched sleeping gummies under its Vicks brand; more products under the wellness portfolio such as multi-vitamins and supplements could come to India, said a top executive at the company. “We are definitely considering from a portfolio point of view in the future as well.

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia police officials say the South Philadelphia school placed on a lockdown was given the all-clear after officers and K9 inspected the situation.About an hour earlier, the Stanton School was placed on a lockdown after a live round was found inside the school building.Officials said the incident happened Thursday morning, around 11:30, on the 900 block of South 17th Street.School district police placed the school on the lockdown after someone found a live round on the gym floor, inside the school.Philadelphia police, with K9, inspected the premises and cleared the incident around 12:40 Thursday afternoon.

LOS ANGELES - As California continues to deal with the wrath of the winter storms, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for more than a dozen counties.Some residents and visitors have been trapped for over a week following a series of winter storms.On Wednesday, the declaration was announced for 13 counties in hopes of pushing the pace of disaster response and relief. Two of the counties, Los Angeles and San Bernardino, were included in the Governor's list.In addition, the California Guard has been activated to help with emergency response efforts and give mutual aid.Below is a list of the counties under Newsom's state of emergency:The state of emergency declaration comes as San Bernardino County residents have been trapped in their homes and vacation rentals during the winter storms.

Channel 4 drama Truelove due to ill health.The actor will be replaced by Lindsay Duncan in the role of Phil on the upcoming series, after filming was paused last year due to Walters suffering severe back pain.Speaking to Deadline, Truelove creators Charlie Covell and Iain Weatherby said they were “saddened” by the loss of Walters, but “with her blessing, Lindsay has joined and we are both huge admirers.”A statement from producers Clerkenwell Films reads: “Last year, filming on Truelove was paused while Julie Walters sought medical advice and attention for severe back pain.“Subsequently, Julie has decided to step back from the project to focus on her recovery and recuperation, and so will not be returning to the role of Phil. We wholeheartedly support her decision, and the entire cast, crew and production team wish her the very best and a speedy recovery.”Filming on the project, which also stars Clarke Peters (The Wire), is set to restart in Bristol later this year.Walters previously revealed she was diagnosed with stage three bowel cancer in 2018, but was given the all clear after undergoing chemotherapy.Her last major role was in the 2020 film The Secret Garden opposite Colin Firth, which was based on the novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett.Truelove follows the lives of Phil (Duncan) and Ken (Peters), two former childhood sweethearts who reunite when they’re retired in their 70s after decades apart.

An impressive array of more than 50 Canadian recording artists have pooled their talents for a new single to promote an excellent cause.

Former Made in Chelsea star Louise Thompson and her fiancé Ryan Libbey recently enjoyed a family holiday to Switzerland with their adorable son Leo. Louise, 32, headed to Gstaad with Ryan, 32, and one year old Leo for a winter getaway, where they spent days playing in the snow, seeing the sights and spending quality time together. The mum-of-one documented the fun trip on Instagram with her 1.4 million followers, and revealed she felt "so lucky" be on holiday with her family, following her recent health scares.

An investigation into over 20 Covid-19 related deaths at a HSE-run nursing home in Dublin during the first wave of the pandemic in 2020 has outlined "significant concerns" regarding the management of preparations and the initial response to the outbreak of the virus at St Mary's Hospital in Phoenix Park.

froze to death on the streets of Dartmouth just hours after they say their daughter was dismissed from a mental health clinic.They blame Nova Scotia’s mental health system.“We’re are very frustrated with the system and very angry,” mother Irina Andriychuk said. “We lost our daughter to, actually, a terrible health system.”Irina and Mike Andriychuk said their daughter Yuliya died the night of Nov. 14, 2022.

Read more: Crown recognizes that sentence of N.B.

PHILADELPHIA - A man has died after police say he was stabbed multiple times in North Philadelphia.Police responded to the 2600 block of North 4th Street shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday morning. Officers arrived on scene to find a 43-year-old man had been stabbed three times in the neck, and once under his right arm. Paramedics rushed the victim to Temple University Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later. No weapon was recovered at the scene, and no arrests have been made.

Alex Murdaugh listens to testimony about cellphones during his trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Feb. 10, 2023, in Walterboro, South Carolina.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken (top C) walks past Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (lower) during the G20 foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on March 2, 2023. (Photo by OLIVIER DOULIERY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) NEW DELHI - U.S.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – New Zealand has advised its citizens to Exercise increased caution in Sri Lanka due to the impacts of the economic crisis, the potential for civil unrest and the risk of terrorism.The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade for New Zealand in its official portal noted that Sri Lanka has stabilised somewhat since the widespread shortages and associated large protests and consequent changes in political leadership in mid-2022. There are still sporadic shortages of basic goods including medicines and some food due to the economic position of the country and living conditions of Sri Lankans, which have significantly deteriorated in the past year. It added that there is a restricted/limited supply of fuel including diesel, petrol and cooking gas, which is being rationed. The rationing system has reduced queues but there may occasionally be difficulties or delays obtaining specific types of fuel, particularly outside of Colombo.It added that Travellers should ensure they have transport plans and contingency plans in place ahead of any journeys to or around Sri Lanka. It also advises New Zealanders in Sri Lanka to avoid protests, demonstrations, political rallies and events, large crowds and queues. On Terrorism, New Zealand says there is an ongoing threat of terrorism in Sri Lanka.It added that in response to the 2019 April Attacks, the country’s security presence has increased, and security has since improved across the country.More details on : https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/sri-lanka