Sri Lanka’s finance minister meets top IMF official – Reuters

PHILADELPHIA - Trevor Zegras had a goal and an assist to lead the Anaheim Ducks to a 5-3 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night.Sonny Milano, Zach Aston-Reese, Derek Grant and Troy Terry also scored for the Ducks. They opened a four-game trip by winning for just the second time in the last 15 contests.Travis Sanheim, Ronnie Attard and Ivan Provorov scored for the Flyers.The game pitted a pair of teams near the bottom of their conference standings.The Flyers entered 14th of 16 teams in the Eastern Conference with 57 points while the Ducks were 12th of 16 clubs in the West.Jamie Drysdale added a pair of assists for the Ducks.Zegras assisted on Terry’s go-ahead tally with 8:22 remaining with a beautiful pass from behind the net after deking from his forehand to his backhand.

Ervis Onuzi, 28, has been identified as the SEPTA Transit Police officer who was wounded during a gun battle with a suspect on Wednesday.  (SEPTA)PHILADELPHIA - Authorities have identified a gunman involved in Wednesday night's shootout in Frankford that injured four people, including a SEPTA Transit Officer. Police say 18-year-old Zyhiem Hartman exchanged gunfire with seven police officers from inside an apartment on the 4700 block of Leiper Street. Police initially reported that Hartman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, but an autopsy confirmed that he was fatally shot by police. Investigators on Friday shared preliminary information on the chaotic scene that started near the Arrott Transportation Center around 7 p.m. Wednesday.According to authorities, officers from the Philadelphia Police Department responded to the 4700 block of Penn Street after hearing 8-9 gunshots.The gunshots stemmed from a physical altercation between the suspect and another man, police said.

After a string of telehealth and hospital shifts in NYC recently, here are some thoughts:

A boy about 16 was shot multiple times and killed while three males reportedly involved in the shooting barricade themselves in Overbrook. OVERBROOK - An 18-year-old was shot multiple times in Philadelphia's Overbrook neighborhood, which, police say, led to a barricade situation Saturday night.According to officials, police responded to a shooting on the 6000 block of Clifford Terrace around 7 p.m.Officers arrived to find an 18-year-old male shot 13 times.

Today we are reporting 6,718 community cases, 604 hospitalisations and 12 deaths.

How is the new variant different from Omicron?

A boy about 16 was shot multiple times and killed while three males reportedly involved in the shooting barricade themselves in Overbrook. OVERBROOK - A homicide in Overbrook led to a barricade situation Saturday night.Officials say police responded to a shooting on the 6000 block of Clifford Terrace around 7 p.m.Officers arrived to find a boy somewhere between 16 and 18-years-old shot multiple times.

BELLEVIEW, Fla. - A Florida boy, 16, was killed this week after he and at least two others took turns shooting one another while wearing body armor, officials said.Joshua Vining and Colton Whitler, both 17, were arrested Thursday and are being tried as adults in connection with the shooting incident Sunday in Belleview (about 70 miles northwest of Orlando), where Christopher Leroy Broad Jr. was killed, according to the Belleview Police Department.Officers said they responded to a dispatch call where they found the boy in the residence with a gunshot wound.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 5: Alex Jones of InfoWars talks to reporters outside a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing concerning foreign influence operations' use of social media platforms, on Capitol Hill, September 5, 2018 in Washington, DC. Twit AUSTIN, Texas - Infowars host Alex Jones is facing a new lawsuit in Texas. Family members of some of the children killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting are accusing the conspiracy theorist of hiding millions of dollars in assets after they began taking him to court. The families sued Jones, Infowars and others in court over the hoax conspiracy, saying they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones’ followers.The families have already won defamation lawsuits against Jones after he said the massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, never happened.

Pitcher Kyle Gibson delivers a pitch against the Oakland Athletics during the third inning of a game at Citizens Bank Park on April 9, 2022. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) ((Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images))PHILADELPHIA - Kyle Gibson struck out 10 and tossed two-hit ball over seven shutout innings to lead the Philadelphia Phillies to a 4-2 win over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.Nick Castellanos hit his first home run for the Phillies, and Rhys Hoskins and Jean Segura hit back-to-back homers to support Gibson.

Norristown Police say one person was hospitalized after a shooting at Thomas and East Oak Streets. NORRISTOWN, Pa. - Norristown Police are investigating a shooting that happened in broad daylight Saturday morning.Officials say the shooting took place at the corner of Thomas and East Oak Streets, in Montgomery County's county seat, around 10 Saturday morning.One person was taken to the hospital.

A messy bed with comforter and pillows.On Friday, 12 March 2021, in Dublin, Ireland. (Photo by Artur Widak/NurPhoto via Getty Images) LThe Federal Trade Commission filed lawsuits against Walmart and Kohl's, claiming false advertising on a wide range of "bamboo" products.Walmart and Kohl's have sold a swath of items advertised as bamboo-based, ranging from clothing to bedding to bath towels.

DUBLIN, Calif. - A government watchdog has found a "substantial likelihood" the federal Bureau of Prisons committed wrongdoing when it ignored complaints and failed to address asbestos and mold contamination at a federal women’s prison in California that has already been under scrutiny for rampant sexual abuse of inmates.The U.S. Office of Special Counsel now wants Attorney General Merrick Garland to step in to investigate the allegations after multiple whistleblower complaints were filed earlier this year.

As hospitalization numbers increase, so do health care staff absences. Medical experts explain the importance of a booster shot as the province’s sixth wave surges.

Atlantic City, N.J. ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. - Atlantic City's casino earnings have surpassed where they were before the coronavirus pandemic broke out. Figures released Friday by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement show eight of the nine casinos posted a gross operating profit last year.Collectively, the nine casinos earned nearly $767 million in 2021, far eclipsing the $117 million they made in 2020.Their performance also exceeded that of 2019, the year before the coronavirus outbreak, when they earned nearly $594 million.

Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan arrives at the stadium during the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics at the Beijing National Stadium on February 04, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images) ISLAMABAD (AP) - Pakistan’s political opposition ousted the country’s embattled prime minister in a no confidence vote on Saturday, which they won after several of Imran Khan’s allies and a key coalition party deserted him.The combined opposition that spans the political spectrum from the left to the radically religious will form the new government, with the head of one of the largest parties, the Pakistani Muslim League, taking over as prime minister.Anticipating his loss, Khan, who charged his opposition colluded with the United States to unseat him, has called on his supporters to stage rallies nationwide on Sunday.

NEWARK, N.J. - A man has been sentenced to 375 years in jail in the 2016 slayings of three people, including two children, in New Jersey's largest city that authorities said apparently stemmed from his anger over a Facebook post.Essex County Judge Ronald Wigler on Friday imposed three consecutive life terms on 31-year-old Jeremy Arrington and consecutive sentences on other counts.

For first-time homebuyers, breaking into Edmonton housing market is proving to be difficult. The federal government is now offering more help, but is it enough? Sarah Reid takes a look.

PHILADELPHIA - Joel Embiid made his closing argument for MVP votes and improved his chances of winning the NBA scoring title, scoring 41 points while collecting 20 rebounds and dishing out four assists to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-120 victory Saturday over the Indiana Pacers.Embiid shot 14 for 17 from the floor, went 11 of 15 from the foul line and made both his 3-point attempts in a game that Philadelphia (50-31) needed to win to remain alive in the hunt for the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.James Harden had 22 points and 14 assists for Philadelphia, who also got double-digit point performances from Tobias Harris (18), Tyrese Maxey (18) and Danny Green (15).Oshae Brissett scored 20 points and Tyrese Haliburton had 19 for Indiana (25-56), which lost its ninth straight game. The Pacers fell behind by 21 points in the first half, then cut the deficit to five late in the third quarter before Embiid and Harden began to take control of the game.Embiid entered Saturday as the leader in the NBA scoring title race with a 30.4 points-per-game average, ahead of Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo at 29.9 points a game.

Bags of tortilla chips sit in a row at a Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. restaurant in Hollywood, California, U.S., on Tuesday, July 16, 2013.

RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas - A 26-year-old woman has been charged with murder in Texas after authorities said she caused "the death of an individual by self-induced abortion," in a state that has the most restrictive abortion laws in the U.S.It’s unclear whether Lizelle Herrera is accused of having an abortion or whether she helped someone else get an abortion.Herrera was arrested Thursday and remained jailed Saturday on a $500,000 bond in the Starr County jail in Rio Grande City, on the U.S.-Mexico border, sheriff's Maj. Carlos Delgado said in a statement.RELATED: Texas Supreme Court deals final blow to federal abortion law challenge"Herrera was arrested and served with an indictment on the charge of Murder after Herrera did then and there intentionally and knowingly cause the death of an individual by self-induced abortion," Delgado said in the statement.Delgado did not say under which law Herrera has been charged.

Rafiq Thompson, 38, of Philadelphia is wanted in connection to the fatal shooting of a 311-year-old woman in Upper Merion.  UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, Pa. - An active investigation is underway and police are searching for a gunman after a shooting near King of Prussia on Friday night. According to authorities, the shooting took place at an Exxon gas station before 11 p.m.

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - Three people are dead in a robbery at a Coweta County gun range.Grantville police confirmed someone shot and killed the gun range's owner, as well as his wife and their grandson, during a robbery that happened between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

The honorary diploma was awarded to Mr. Cooper to celebrate his achievements at Storer College (which was a high school at the time) as a high school student from 1934 to 1938, and his subsequent successes.

Police say Dion Marsh, 27, committed several violent crimes on April 8, including a carjacking, hit-and-run and a stabbing.  LAKEWOOD, N.J. - A Manchester Township man is facing charges after being accused of stealing a car and striking a pedestrian in Lakewood on Friday. According to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and Lakewood Township Police, 27-year-old Dion Marsh was charged with attempted murder, carjacking and related charges. Authorities say officers responded to the area of Martin Luther King Drive and Pine Street for a report of a carjacking around 1:15 p.m. on Friday. According to investigators, officers learned a male approached a 2016 Toyota Camry, assaulted the driver and fled in the vehicle. Officials say officers with Lakewood Township Police received a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle near Central Avenue and Carlton Avenue. ___MORE LOCAL HEADLINESAccording to investigators, responding officers discovered a male had been hit by a dark-colored vehicle.

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LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 22: Washington Redskins Quarterback Dwayne Haskins (7) laughs with teammates following the game between the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins on December 22, 2019 at FedExField in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Nicole ESPN's senior NFL insider, Adam Schefter, reports that Haskins passed away Saturday morning after a vehicle accident in Florida, per his agent.

We have experimented with a bunch of ideas since Covid & WFH to help the team think about their health. Sitting is the new smoking, & the idea has been to nudge everyone to move.Killing all work chats post 6pm & weekends have probably had the best ROI. 1/5 https://t.co/YsP83CrCmm

How long do you have till a COVID-19 reinfection comes knocking? Health officials say the answer is complex – but Omicron appears to make that time frame shorter.

If you still haven’t been infected with COVID-19, the highly transmissible Omicron variant and BA.2 subvariant probably have you thinking you’re next in line.

NEWARK, Del. - Delaware State Police say a 16-year-old boy from Bear has been charged in a carjacking attempt at Christiana Mall in Newark last month. Police say the incident happened around 7:30 p.m. on March 23 in the Target parking lot.RELATED: Federal officials charge 8 in connection with carjackings, violent crimes across PhiladelphiaA 14-year-old boy was returning to his brother’s vehicle when police say another teen approached and demanded that he give him everything.The 14-year-old fell when he tried to flee and the older teen took the car keys.

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A young pilot is recovering after his plane crashed onto Cobb Parkway Thursday morning.The crazy landing was caught on dash camera video and sent to FOX 5 by a viewer.Natasha Williams spoke to FOX 5 and said she was driving home when she saw the plane go down."It was crazy," said Williams.The video shows the plane, a single-engine Grumman American AA-1, clipping a powerline which caused the pilot to lose control of the aircraft. The plane then can be seen crashing into the median nose down on Cobb Parkway."I was like he's coming in real low," said Williams, "I've lived here my entire life.

TAMPA, Fla. - A father and daughter are lucky to be alive after they were struck by lightning outside a spring training game for the New York Yankees Saturday during a stormy weather pattern in Florida.Ashley and her father, John Moberg, were in the parking lot outside Steinbrenner Field when they saw a flash, heard a bang and the next moments became a blur."All of a sudden there was such a bright flash and a loud boom, almost like a bomb went off. And then I was flying through the air.

recession is on the horizon in the U.S. as the Federal Reserve makes an aggressive pivot to cool the hottest inflation in four decades, according to economists at Deutsche Bank. "We no longer see the Fed achieving a soft landing," Deutsche Bank economists led by Matthew Luzzetti said in the analyst note.

A woman waves to say good bye to her husband as she leaves on a bus, a day after a rocket attack at a train station in Kramatorsk, on April 9, 2022. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP) (Photo by FADEL SENNA/AFP via Getty Images) KYIV, Ukraine - Civilian evacuations moved forward in patches of battle-scarred eastern Ukraine a day after a missile strike killed at least 52 people at a train station where thousands were waiting to leave the increasingly vulnerable region before an expected Russian onslaught.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demanded a tough global response to Friday's train station attack in Kramatorsk, calling it the latest sign of war crimes by Russian forces and hoping to prod Western backers to step up their response to help his country defend itself."All world efforts will be directed to establish every minute of who did what, who gave what orders, where the missile came from, who transported it, who gave the command and how this strike was agreed," Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address, his voice rising in anger.RELATED: Benjamin Hall gives health update following deadly Ukraine attack: 'I feel pretty damn lucky to be here'Russia denied it was responsible and accused Ukraine’s military of firing on the station to try to turn blame for civilian slayings on Moscow.

Around 500 Leaving Cert students have had their Irish oral examinations postponed at the last minute due to examiners being unable to attend.

COLOMBO (News 1st); State and Private University Students have decided to join forces and march together towards Colombo to protest against the President, Government, and Parliament.Large crowds have already converged onto Galle Face in Colombo to protest, with many more making their way to the site.Debt in billions due to years of accumulated borrowings, record inflation, lack of foreign currency, crucial sectors witnessing a sharp fall in demand thanks to the pandemic, and the alleged government mismanagement are among the reasons that have dragged Sri Lanka into not just an unprecedented economic crisis but also a massive political turmoil.Meanwhile, the ruling coalition led by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna lost the majority in the Parliament. The opposition rejected an offer by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who had called to form a ‘unity government’ following the resignation of 26 ministers of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Cabinet amid violent protests.People are on the roads protesting against their government amid a severe shortage of fuel, essentials, and power outages.

COLOMBO (News 1st); People are continuing to protest opposite the President’s Office as of currently.According to News 1st reporters, the protesters have completely blocked the Galle road, while a group of Red Cross officials have also arrived at the protest site.Moreover, a special Ambulance service organized by Sarvodaya is also stationed in Galle Face premises, to support the protestors if the need arises. 

One person is in critical condition after being shot near King of Prussia on Friday night.  UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, Pa. - An investigation is underway after a shooting near King of Prussia on Friday night. According to authorities, the shooting took place at an Exxon gas station before 11 p.m.

Covaxin robustly triggered neutralising antibody responses and efficiently neutralised the multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2, Sakpal said.

German carrier hopes that its Swiss airline will pay back its pandemic-related government-backed loans by the end of the year because interest rates on them are high, the CEO said, adding that the unit isn’t for sale.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka has started discussions with international monetary agencies and other friendly nations on its debt servicing obligations, said President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday (16), in a televised address to the nation.“We need to clear the deficit and increase our foreign reserves,” said the President, adding that the government is in talks with various factions to implement necessary processes that would not be detrimental to Sri Lanka.‘We held talks with the International Monetary Fund yesterday (15). We hope to secure a process that would see us service our annual debt installments and sovereign bonds,” said the President adding that it was decided to further work with the IMF after studying the pros and cons of the proposed process.President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that certain decisions made by him in the past attributed to the control of import expenses, and that is why vehicle imports were suspended two years ago, and local industries were encouraged to boost production.The President said the main issue faced when controlling import expenses is the rapidly rising petroleum prices in the world market.“Over 20% of our import expenses are spent on petroleum products.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa leading a protest opposite the President’s Office in Colombo on Tuesday (15) said that the government that promised relief, has only brought about the burden to the people.Sajith Premadasa was clear in his message to the government “Go home or allow the people to decide at a Presidential Election.”“The government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa must leave if they cannot do what they were elected to do, and let us carry on with governance,” he told the protestors.“We cannot bear this suffering anymore,” Premadasa told a gathering of thousands of protestors in Colombo, adding that the Rajapaksa Government, the Rajapaksa Family are responsible for the suffering and the time is now to send them home.“We are here to tell the government that ruined this country, to go home,” he said.Heavy security was experienced around the President’s Office when the protest was taking place, with protestors also making attempts to break through the police cordon to make their way into the premises.He said the Samagi Jana Balavegaya led government will bring back the Sri Lankan identity that was lost as a result of the actions of the present government.Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told the protestors that it is time to be prepared to save the country from the brink of destruction.“Thousands have come here with no fear of bullets, tear gas, bombs, water cannons, and even baton charges,” he said in a message aimed at the government.Commenting on the fuel crisis, Premadasa said that three middle-eastern governments have promised to supply fuel for two years with no up-front payment to a Samagi Jana Balavegaya led government.He said

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lankan Twitter-sphere is abuzz with two new #hashtags that have started to trend among pro & anti-government activists.The two hashtags are #WeAreWithGota and #GoHomeGota.According to the local newswire website, several Government officials have extended their support to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amidst the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka.President Gotabaya Rajapaksa can resolve the current economic crisis of Sri Lanka, the Additional Director General of the Government Information Department Milinda Rajapaksa assured on Monday (14).

The visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, H.H. Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdulla Al Saud paid a courtesy calls on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa followed by a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Masatsugu Asakawa, President of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), stated with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that the projects that have been implemented with the assistance of the ADB have made significant strides and he pledged to support Sri Lanka’s development efforts continuously.Asakawa made these remarks when he met with President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, on Thursday (10).The ADB President also said that special attention will be paid to support small and medium scale enterprises as well as private sector entrepreneurial development.The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided US $ 750 million as concessional loans last year. Asakawa said that loans worth US $ 2 billion would be allocated for operational projects this year.The ADB President assured assistance in the efforts to revive the tourism sector in Sri Lanka and the development of human capital, which has suffered a setback due to the Covid-19 pandemic.The President thanked the ADB for providing nearly US $ 600 million worth of loans and financial assistance to Sri Lanka to mitigate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.The President said Sri Lanka seeks the assistance of the Asian Development Bank for green agriculture, renewable energy generation and foreign direct investment in industrial zones.The government aims to achieve 70% of the total energy generation from renewable sources.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued an extraordinary gazette amending the Duties and Functions of the State Minister of Defence, State Minister of Disaster Management, Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to convene the Economic Council on a weekly basis with the objective of accelerating the economic growth in the country through the management of the entire economy by thoroughly discussing the local economic policies including macroeconomic policies, the behavior of the national economy after Covid – 19 pandemic situation, economic restructuring as well as the major development projects that directly affect the economic policies and financial policies of the government.The Cabinet of Ministers decided to grant their concurrence to the measures to be taken by the President to let implement the decisions taken by the relevant Ministries, Departments and Statutory institutions when necessary subject to the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers followed by the instructions and guidance of that Board as well as to invite intellects with esteem/standard in the respective fields as required for the meetings of the Economy board.Accordingly, the composition of the Economic Council is comprised as follows.• His Excellency the President Gotabhaya Rajapaksha (Chairman)• Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa• Minister of Trade Bandula Gunawardhana• Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando• Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksha• Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage• Minister of Plantation Ramesh Pathirana• Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal• Secretary to the President Gamini Senerath• Secretary to the Treasury S. R.