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The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has announced a new pilot program that aims to incorporate bus route maps into a geographic information system (GIS). This program will allow SLTB to effectively manage and monitor bus routes and schedules, thereby improving the quality of public transportation services in Sri Lanka. Through this pilot program, bus route maps will be integrated into a GIS, enabling SLTB to have a more accurate and detailed understanding of its transportation network.This will enable SLTB to identify potential issues, such as traffic congestion, and develop solutions to improve the efficiency of bus routes. In addition, the program will provide passengers with a user-friendly map of the SLTB's bus routes and schedules, making it easier for them to plan their journeys and travel more efficiently. The program is expected to provide significant benefits for both passengers and SLTB, by reducing travel time, improving bus scheduling and ultimately increasing the overall quality of public transportation services. A sample of the new pilot project was shared on the SLTB Facebook Page.  

CAIC via Storyful. (March 18) Right-click to download.

HOUSTON - Despite the U.S. having a sizable Muslim population, there remains a lot of confusion when it comes to how they worship or practice certain religious rituals like Ramadan, which this year begins Wednesday, March 22 in the evening. RELATED: Faces of Islam exhibit highlights diversity of Texas MuslimsAccording to an article from Pew Research, about 53% of Americans say they don’t personally know anyone who is Muslim, and a similar share (52%) say they know very little or "nothing at all" about Islam.

PHILADELPHIA - Pennsylvania State Police and dozens of local departments are joining forces to curb aggressive driving, which some say has gotten dangerously out of control. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation announced that more than 80 departments from Buck, Chester, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties will join the Pennsylvania State Police in a "coordinated aggressive driving enforcement wave to help reduce the number of crashes, injuries and fatalities on area roadways."The plan will run through Apr. 23 and focus on distracted driving, speeding and work zone awareness, according to PennDOT.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Over 250 female athletes arrived in Sri Lanka for the challenging 'Raid Amazones' adventure event that will take place in March 2023 in Sri Lanka.Raid Amazones will hit the fabled streets of the hill capital, Kandy with the participation of over 250 female athletes. Raid Amazones is a coveted annual destination adventure event originating from France, which features female athletes competing their way through a range of challenges such as orienteering, mountain biking, canoeing, riding, running and archery. Sri Lanka was chosen over rival destinations by the event’s founders due to the unparalleled warmth of its people and support on ground to pull off a successful event.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has issued landslide warnings for the districts of Badulla, Kegalle and Kurunegala. There is a high risk of landslides occurring in these areas, with the possibility of mounds of rock and earth falling onto roads, homes, and other buildings.The NBRO has urged residents of these areas to take immediate safety precautions.

Los Angeles to Houston, Texas, were delayed for over an hour after the flight attendants reportedly got into an argument and refused to work with each other.Ashley Brewer, an anchor on ESPN, tweeted on March 12 that her flight was delayed for a rather unusual reason."Guys. My flight can't take off [because] 2 flight attendants got in a fight and are now REFUSING to work together.

radioactive waste had leaked from a nuclear power plant in Monticello — but they didn’t announce anything about the leak until this week.The delay in notifying the public about the November leak raised questions about public safety and transparency, but industry experts said Friday there was never a public health threat. They said Xcel Energy voluntarily notified state agencies and reported the leak of tritium to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission soon after it was confirmed and that the leak of 400,000 gallons (1.5 million liters) of radioactive water never reached a threshold that would have required public notification."This is something that we struggle with because there is such concern with anything that is nuclear," said Victoria Mitlyng, a spokesperson with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

This illustration image shows tablets of opioid painkiller Oxycodone delivered on medical prescription taken on September 18, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images) MEXICO CITY (AP) - The U.S.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine on Saturday, the day after the International Criminal Court’ issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader accusing him of war crimes.Putin visited an art school and a children’s center, locations that appeared to have been chosen in response to the court's action on Friday.The court specifically accused him Friday of bearing personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine during Russia's full-scale invasion of the neighboring country that started almost 13 months ago.Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that most of the world denounced as illegal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has demanded that Russia withdraw from the peninsula as well as the areas it has occupied since last year.Putin has shown no intention of relinquishing the Kremlin’s gains.

View of the Colosseum in 2011 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Santi Visalli/Getty Images) Spring break outings are often defined by parties and trips to beaches in California, Florida and Hawaii — however, new data shows a growing interest in international travel among Americans.Less conventional destinations, particularly in Europe, have replaced longstanding favorite locations such as Orlando, Phoenix and Maui atop many Americans' travel itineraries. Many report lower prices, fairer weather and loosening COVID-19 restrictions across the globe as driving factors in their shift toward the likes of London, Rome and British Columbia.10 SAFETY TIPS TO REMEMBER IF YOU'RE TRAVELING OUT OF THE COUNTRY FOR SPRING BREAKWhat is driving this change?After years of visiting national parks, wide-open nature retreats, and domestic tropical island getaways during the pandemic, Americans are showing renewed interest in travel this spring."Interest in international travel is increasing given the favorable exchange rate for Americans," Philip Ballard, the Florida-based chief communications officer of HotelPlanner, told the Associated Press. "For example, we're seeing about a 20% increase in U.K.-bound bookings because the U.S.

EASTON, Wash. - A Yakima man, his cousin and 10-year-old daughter died after troopers say a semi crossed the median and crashed head-on into their sedan Thursday on Interstate 90 east of Snoqualmie Pass. His wife and son were critically injured.A verified GoFundMe post identified the victims as Justin Poole, 40, his cousin Michaela Buckholt, 27, and his daughter, 10-year-old Chelsea, all of Yakima.Justin's wife, Nikki, and 6-year-old son, Maddox, were taken to Seattle's Harborview Medical Center for treatment of severe injuries. Maddox was intubated and required brain surgery, according to the GoFundMe."Nikki needs as much support as she can possibly get right now," JoeyLynne Stanelle Perry, a friend of the family wrote on GoFundMe.

FILE - People participate in an abortion rights rally outside of the Supreme Court. (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Doctors in California who mail abortion pills to people in other states would be protected from prosecution under a new bill to be unveiled Friday in the state Legislature.The bill would not let California extradite doctors who are facing charges in another state for providing abortion medication.

Indian Railways kickstart Buddhist Circuit Tourist trainTo facilitate people to embark on the path of enlightenment, the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation's (IRCTC) Buddhist Circuit Tourist train on the Bharat Gaurav Trains concept has commenced its spiritual journey.In the Mahaparinirvana sutra, the Buddha tells his followers that they can attain merit and a noble rebirth by going on pilgrimage to the places where he was born- Lumbini, gained enlightenment- Bodhgaya, first taught- Sarnath, and attained Nirvana- Kushinagar.The Buddhist tourist train takes people to these destinations and helps them experience first-hand the self-disciplined and legendary life of Lord Buddha.India, the country where Buddhism originated has rich memories of the Buddhist legacy. As part of its drive towards austerity, the only kind of art and architecture that it supported were Stupas (stone-cased moulds that commemorated relics of Buddha), Chaityas (prayer halls) and Viharas (cells for the monks).

The spike in covid cases in India can be attributed to the emergence of the new XBB The spike in covid cases in India can be attributed to the emergence of the new XBB.1.16 variant, said Rajesh Gokhale, secretary of the department of biotechnology and chief of India’s SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium. The variant has been found in Maharashtra and among Indian travellers, according to the World Health Organization. In an interview, Gokhale noted that the widespread exposure to covid-19 has made the population susceptible to various viruses, including the seasonal flu.

The ministry has urged top private hospitals across the country to provide quality, affordable medical education by setting up their medical colleges New Delhi There has been an increase of 71% in medical colleges from 387 before 2014 to 660 till date, the health ministry said on Friday. The government said that there has also been an increase of 97% in MBBS seats from 51,348 before 2014 to 101,043.

Chorley, has had a long health battle after contracting the virus at the start of the pandemic in 2020. The 55-year-old was hospitalised for over a year and did not return home until April 2021. During the height of the pandemic, the former Southlands High School and Runshaw College pupil became the UK's longest inpatient in a hospital to be treated.

A Norfolk Southern Corp. freight train sits parked during a crew change in Burnside, Kentucky, U.S., on Friday, Oct. 17, 2014.

PHILADELPHIA - Police are searching for the driver of a vehicle that they say fatally struck a woman in West Philadelphia Tuesday night. Shortly after 8 p.m., police were called to the intersection of 49th Street and Lancaster Avenue for reports of an auto accident involving a pedestrian. Responding officers located a 58-year-old woman who had been struck by a vehicle.MORE HEADLINES Medics pronounced the woman dead on scene just before 8:30 p.m.Authorities describe the vehicle as a white Mitsubishi Outlander. Authorities say the SUV was traveling at a high rate of speed through the intersection when it made contact with the victim.

An Arkansas man discovered a 3.29-carat brown diamond at MURFREESBORO, Ark. - A regular visitor became one of the few lucky ones when he spotted a 3.29-carat brown diamond at Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park. David Anderson, of Murfreesboro, discovered the gem over the weekend while wet-sifting soil from the West Drain of the park’s 37.5-acre diamond search area.Park rangers said it's the largest diamond found at the park this year and the largest since last September. RELATED: Minnesota couple unearths 1.9-carat diamond at Arkansas diamond crater"At first I thought it was quartz but wondered why it was so shiny," Anderson said in a news release. "Once I picked it up, I realized it was a diamond!"Anderson said he first learned about the park while watching The Travel Channel in 2007. David Anderson a 3.29-carat brown diamond.

FILE-Security personnel check the health codes of travelers on smartphones at an entrance to Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, China, on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2021.

British actress Tilda Swinton is adamant she will not wear a mask on the set of her new project, despite being asked to do so. "I'm actually just about to start shooting a picture in Ireland. And I was told, full disclosure, and I'm sure this is being recorded – people in Ireland might hear it – to wear a mask at all times," she revealed while giving the keynote address at the 2023 South by Southwest Festival (SXSW).

Kate Garraway has opened up about the reason she decided to draft in cameras to capture every aspect of her husband Derek Draper's health battle after he was hospitalised due to contracting coronavirus.

PHILADELPHIA - Two Philadelphia police officers are in the hospital recovering after being injured in a car crash on the streets of North Philadelphia. Authorities say the officers were following a stolen car northbound on Broad Street when they struck a white Subaru traveling west on Allegheny Avenue just before 7 p.m.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Department of Immigration and Emigration said that MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage was turned away from the Bandaranaike International Airport on Friday (10), as another persons' data was added to the system, instead of the MPs passport data.Harsha Ilukpitiya, Controller General of the Immigration and Emigration Department, stated that the travel ban list came into effect after the wrong data was added to the system.The officer who added the wrong data into the system has been suspended, pending inquiry.The Criminal Investigation Department and the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team are conducting further investigations into the matter.

File photo of Black's Beach in San Diego, California. (Sam Hodgson/Bloomberg via Getty Images) The San Diego Police Department told Fox News Digital that eight people are confirmed dead so far after two boats carrying a "group of immigrants" crashed off Black's Beach. The police spokesman said San Diego Lifeguards is handling the incident as rescue and recovery efforts continue. A tweet from a KNSD reporter, initially listing the death toll at 6, says Coast Guard, the San Diego Fire Department, and U.S.

A man walks near the Gateway International Bridge, between the cities of Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Tamaulipas on March 15, 2021. in Brownsville, Texas. (Photo by CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP via Getty Images) LAKE CITY, S.C. (AP) - It was supposed to be a fun road trip to Mexico, a post-pandemic adventure for a group of childhood friends.One was treating herself to cosmetic surgery after having six children.

Air Force One on Ottawa Tarmac (Photo by �� Christopher J. Morris/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) President Joe Biden decided to stick with blue and white for the exterior color scheme of the next Air Force One aircraft, though the classic design will be slightly modernized.The U.S.

Maritza Rios, Marina Rios and Dora Saenz (Penitas Police Department) Two sisters from Texas and a friend are missing in Mexico after they crossed the border last month to sell clothes at a flea market, U.S. authorities said Friday.The abduction of four Americans in Mexico that was caught on video last week received an avalanche of attention and was resolved in a matter of days.

A Pennsylvania man claims he unknowingly had a loaded revolver in his backpack that was stopped by TSA Agents at JFK Airport. Credit: TSA.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating a two-car crash that left one driver dead and another injured on Thursday evening. According to police, the crash occurred around 11:30 p.m. on the 12800 block of Knights Road in the Northeast Philadelphia section of the city. Authorities say a 24-year-old man was traveling in a car moving at a high rate of speed when the vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a pickup truck. Police say the person in the pickup truck was injured and the 24-year-old did not survive. This is a developing story.

GENESSEE COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A family doctor who practices in Saginaw is accused of trying to meet a 15-year-old for sex.According to Genesee County Sheriff Christopher Swanson, 61-year-old Dr.

drug cartel blamed for abducting four Americans and killing two of them condemned the violence and said the gang turned over to authorities its own members who were responsible.In a letter obtained by The Associated Press through a Tamaulipas state law enforcement source, the Scorpions faction of the Gulf cartel apologized to the residents of Matamoros where the Americans were kidnapped, the Mexican woman who died in the cartel shootout, and the four Americans and their families.Drug cartels have been known to issue communiques to intimidate rivals and authorities, but also at times like these to do some public relations work to try to smooth over situations that could affect their business.READ MORE: How did four Americans get kidnapped in Mexico?"We have decided to turn over those who were directly involved and responsible in the events, who at all times acted under their own decision-making and lack of discipline," the letter reads, adding that those individuals had gone against the cartel's rules, which include "respecting the life and well-being of the innocent."The white van four Americans were traveling in when they were kidnapped by a Mexican cartel.  A photograph of five men face down on the pavement and bound accompanied the letter, which was shared with The Associated Press by the source on condition that they remain anonymous because they were not authorized to share the document.State officials did not immediately publicly confirm having new suspects in custody.A separate state security official said that five men had been found tied up inside one of the vehicles that authorities had been searching for, along with the letter.

John Butler won a $100,000 lottery prize claiming it days before it was going to expire. (Massachusetts State Lottery) A Massachusetts man is $100,000 richer now thanks to the help of his significant other. John Butler bought lottery tickets before traveling to Florida last year.  He put them in a drawer but never checked them. RELATED: Massachusetts man wins $25K for life lottery prize — six timesLast week, Butler’s wife told him about a news story she watched about a lottery prize, and this prompted him to look around his home for the winning ticket, which he found, according to the Massachusetts State Lottery. RELATED: 18-year-old wins $48 million with her very first lottery ticketButler won the state’s $100,000 cash prize claiming his winnings 11 days before it was about to expire.

road in Willamette National Forest.The forest road in western Oregon is not typically maintained for winter travel, according to the Lane County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue. So when the motorist tried to traverse the remote road, his vehicle became stuck in the snow.The Lane County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team at Willamette National Forest.

A Hong Kong runner has completed Sri Lanka’s 22-day Pekoe Trail in just 58 hours.Sri Lanka holds a special place in Hyun Chang Chung’s heart and with an emotional connection in mind the decided to run the newly minted 300-kilometre Pekoe Trail.When he heard an old acquaintance had designed a multi-day trail route to help promote tourism in Sri Lanka, Chung’s ears pricked up.The trail is split into 22 stages, each designed to take one day. But Hong Kong-based Chung, just 49 year-old, finished it in just 58 hours.The Pekoe Trail is a 300km hiking route that connects tea plantations across the country.

EAST GERMANTOWN - Students at Imhotep Charter High School are changing lives through their stem program. Through the use of 3D printers, they are bringing clean water everywhere from Mississippi to Ghana."I am one of the first people in my family to be doing something this big," student JaNiece Watters said.Five months ago, STEM ambassadors from Imhotep Institute Charter High School traveled to Jackson, Mississippi to aid in the city’s water crisis.RELATED COVERAGE:Student Musa Wilson stated, "Knowing that we changed lives down in Jackson, Mississippi is really monumental for us, especially as young, Black kids."Now the students will be taking 3D printed water filters overseas to a town in Ghana, called Kheta, where the water can’t even be used to wash hands."We’re going to be helping over 3,000 students across 10 different schools in Ghana," Watters continued.From water filter design and 3D printing, to product testing and research, each of the students has a fundamental role in the life-changing project."We’re trying to produce 200 and it probably takes around seven to eight hours to make one, so we’re getting ahead early," student Cyril Woodland said.Shirley Posey is the director of STEM at Imhotep and says being proud is an understatement."We’re trying to cultivate our scholars to be critical thinkers, to be problem solvers.

NASA officials Tuesday provided post-flight updates on Artemis I mission’s technical performance, along with any impacts the mission may have on the timeline of Artemis II.Artemis I launched on Nov. 16, 2022 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center near Orlando, Florida and then returned on Dec.

MaeDell Taylor Hawkins, 98, got to hold her 7-week-old great-great-great-granddaughter Zhavia Whitaker on Feb. 18, 2023.

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico - A road trip to Mexico for cosmetic surgery veered violently off course when four Americans were caught in a drug cartel shootout, leaving two dead and two held captive for days in a remote region of the Gulf coast before they were rescued from a wood shack, officials said Tuesday.Their minivan crashed and was fired on shortly after they crossed into the border city of Matamoros on Friday as drug cartel factions tore through the streets, the region’s governor said. A stray bullet also killed a Mexican woman about a block and a half away.RELATED: FBI says not to travel to parts of Mexico for spring break after 4 Americans are reportedly kidnappedThe four Americans were hauled off in a pickup truck, and Mexican authorities frantically searched as the cartel moved them around — even taking them to a medical clinic — "to create confusion and avoid efforts to rescue them," Tamaulipas Gov.

travellers from China from 5 January 2023 due to surge of infections. It had stated that all travellers to the US from China will be required to take a COVID-19 test no more than two days before travel and provide a negative test before boarding their flight.  China was battered with a surge in cases after it abruptly abandoned its zero-COVID policy in early December, unleashing the virus on its 1.4 billion population.

An American Airlines jet is seen in the air preparing to land September 3, 2004 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in Rosemont, Illinois. American Airlines announced December 10, 2004 that they will be raising domestic airfares $10 for round-t WASHINGTON - The Department of Transportation has announced a new online dashboard that will allow travelers to identify which airlines in the United States will seat children under 14 years old next to an accompanying adult at no additional cost. According to the department, a parent who purchases airline tickets for a family should receive a guarantee from the airline that it will seat the parent and child together "without fees or a last-minute scramble at the gate or having to ask other passengers to give up their seat to allow the parent and child to sit together." Currently American, Alaska and Frontier are the only airlines that offer fee-free family seating.United Airlines also announced in February that it changed its policy, which takes effect this month, to allow families to be seated together more easily and free of charge.

PHOENIX - As spring break travel gets underway, U.S. authorities are warning against traveling to parts of Mexico after news came down that four Americans went missing in the country – leaving two dead.The FBI office in San Antonio, Texas sounded the alarm, saying the Americans were fired upon, held at gunpoint, and appeared to be the victims of a kidnapping.Two of four Americans abducted in Mexico are dead.

THE KELLY CLARKSON SHOW -- Episode 1151 -- Pictured: Mike Epps -- (Photo by: Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images) INDIANAPOLIS - Actor and comedian Mike Epps could be in legal trouble after he was found bringing a loaded handgun into the Indianapolis International Airport over the weekend. According to a report obtained by FOX Television Stations, on March 5, an officer responded to a firearms claim at one of the airport's checkpoints after a screening showed a gun inside a backpack. 52-year-old Epps was the owner of the bag and told the officer he was in town from Los Angeles for a show at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

block JetBlue Airways' $3.8 billion purchase of Spirit Airlines, saying Tuesday that the deal would reduce competition and drive up air fares for consumers.The Justice Department said the tie-up would especially hurt cost-conscious travelers who depend on Spirit to find cheaper options than they can find on JetBlue and other airlines.Attorney General Merrick Garland held a news conference to announce the antitrust lawsuit — a sign of the importance that the administration places on stopping further consolidation in the airline industry."If allowed to proceed, this merger will limit choices and drive up ticket prices for passengers across the country" and "eliminate Spirit's unique and disruptive role in the industry," he said.The Justice Department lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Boston, stressed that the deal would mean the end of the nation's biggest "ultra-low-cost carrier." Those are airlines that generally provide the cheapest fares but also tend to charge more fees.The Justice Department lawyers said Spirit's demise would eliminate about half of all ultra-low-cost seats in the market.New York, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia joined the lawsuit. JetBlue and Spirit vowed to continue fighting to salvage their agreement.JetBlue and Spirit have anticipated a legal challenge for weeks.

In Niger, a COVID-19 vaccination team heads out into the countryside to reach people outside their clinic. ©WHO

CIUDAD VICTORIA, Mexico - Four Americans who traveled to Mexico last week to seek health care got caught in a deadly shootout and were kidnapped by heavily armed men who threw them in the back of a pickup truck, officials from both countries said Monday.The four were traveling Friday in a white minivan with North Carolina license plates. They came under fire shortly after entering the city of Matamoros from Brownsville, at the southernmost tip of Texas near the Gulf coast, the FBI said in a statement Sunday."All four Americans were placed in a vehicle and taken from the scene by armed men," the FBI said.

File: Malcolm Smith of the Cleveland Browns reacts after finishing a drill during a joint practice with the New York Giants on August 19, 2021 in Berea, Ohio. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) INDIANAPOLIS - The Minnesota Vikings treat their players best, according to a new NFL Players Association survey.The Washington Commanders have a long way to go.The report, released Wednesday during the league's annual scouting combine, rated teams in eight categories — everything from meals and nutrition to training and travel — based on anonymous responses from about 1,300 players.