Unite to overcome economic crisis and promote reconciliation – President

Covid variants stated that India reported the highest number of XBB 1.16 variant cases, currently, the tally stands at 48. Singapore and the US detected 14 and 15 cases respectively, according to a report by The Times of India.  “Thee India states--Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra--are having a high prevalence of XBB 1.16 Covid variant," a top genome expert said.  Speaking to TOI, Dr Vipin M Vashishtha, a member of WHO’s Vaccine Safety Net who has been tracking new Covid variants, said the previous XBB.1 descendant, XBB.1.5, had become dominant across the globe but not in India.  “There is some worry about XBB.1.16 globally because it has certain mutations in the non-spike region of the virus: two ORF9b mutations.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Federation of University Teachers Associations said that its members will continue to strike against the conduct of the government.Activities across state universities were crippled on Thursday (16), and FUTA said it would refrain from taking part in evaluating the answer scripts of the G. C.

STARS Air Ambulance Lottery grand prize winner has seen firsthand how the life-saving organization’s funds are spent, after he went from supporter to patient earlier this year.Neil Lund and his wife Mona Cardinal have purchased STARS lottery tickets for 25 years and in 2014, they won a Calgary dream home worth $1.3 million.Lund says they never missed a year since 2008 when buying tickets, because someday he “might need” medical help from the organization.That day came on Jan. 26, 2023.“We just came back from uptown,” says Lund, “And I went in (to the garage) and sat down and (Mona) was out shoveling snow because I couldn’t, and about 10 minutes after I sat down, that’s when the heart problems started.”Cardinal says Lund started to yell for her.“He said ‘Mona, I don’t feel good,’ so I ran into the garage to see what was going on and by that time he had fallen over,” Cardinal said.

Trevor Pierce of Williams Lake, B.C., died following a freak accident while trying to load a snowmobile onto a truck for an upcoming trip.An outdoor enthusiast, the 33-year-old was riding up the ramp when it fell down and then snapped back up, hitting him in the head. Read more: Snowmobiler airlifted to hospital following crash in Algonquin Highlands: OPP Noting that the accident was akin to stepping on a rake, Shanelle said she was told Trevor was mortally injured.

PHILADELPHIA - Some neighbors and families in South Philadelphia want to get to the bottom of dog waste that is being left behind daily."Watch out for the dog poop! Watch out for the dog poop!" said one parent who wishes to remain anonymous. "Parents are always talking about how their kids are stepping in dog poop every day. It’s just hard to always dodge it.

It sounds like the stuff out of a horror film: a giant, blob-like blanket of seaweed that is so big it can be seen from outer space.

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security is warning about a significant vulnerability impacting Microsoft email users that allows threat actors to steal victims’ identities.

The woman who went on stage topless at the Juno Awards in Edmonton on Monday said she did it to bring attention to the loss of natural carbon-capturing areas across Canada.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Professionals Trade Union Collective says that the on-going strike will be called off at 8 AM on Thursday (16), as the President had noted that their demands will be taken into consideration. Spokesperson for the Government Medical Officers' Association Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe told reporters on Wednesday (15) that the strike will be temporarily called off at 8 AM on Thursday (16), and it does not mean the GMOA has withdrawn from the trade union action. The Professionals Trade Union Collective had declared a nation-wide day of strikes and protests with effect from midnight on Tuesday (14).Government, Semi-Government and Private Trade Unions supportrf the strikes.Government Medical Officers, Specialist Doctors, University Teachers, Faculty of Medicine Teachers, CEB Engineers, Bankers, Petroleum Workers, Water Supply Workers, Road Development Officers, Education Administrative Officers, Surveyors, Inland Revenue Officers are among the 40 Trade Unions that support this move.Their main demand is to amend the unjust tax policy implemented by the government.The PAYE tax between 6% to 36% imposed on monthly earnings over Rs.

Sri Lanka's economy shrank 7.8% in 2022 from the previous year, government data showed on Wednesday, as the country struggled with its worst financial crisis in more than seven decades.The island's fourth-quarter GDP contracted 12.4%, according to the figures.Sri Lanka's growth is expected to shrink by 3% this year, Moody's Investors Service said on Monday but growth is expected to rebound in 2024.Economic mismanagement coupled with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic left Sri Lanka severely short of dollars for essential imports at the start of last year tipping the country into the worst financial crisis since Independence from the British in 1948.Sri Lanka is waiting for a $2.9 billion bailout program from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to be finalised on March 20.“These numbers are broadly in line with expectations.

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.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Election Commission will meet on Thursday (16) for talks on the upcoming Local Government Election.Chairman of the Election Commission Attorney Nimal Punchihewa said the meeting is scheduled for 10:30 AM at the Election Secretariat. It is reported that the meeting will focus on the delay in releasing funds for the Local Government Election on the part of the Ministry of Finance, and the relevant measures that need to be taken on the matter.The Government Printer said that a second letter was sent to the Treasury seeking funds for the printing process related to the Local Government Election.In the meantime, the Collective of Election Monitoring Organizations has decided to inform international agencies including the International Monetary Fund over the delay in securing funds for the Local Government Election, and the obstacles put forth by the government in delaying the election.Executive Director of PAFFREL Rohana Hettiarachchi said that all international missions in the country would also be informed of the same in the coming days. 

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - A Camden County boy made an emotional plea for help at a recent school board meeting after he and his family claimed constant bullying and torment on the school bus has gone unaddressed.Ayden, a 12-year-old student at Beck Middle School in Cherry Hill, said the ridicule from students has included questions about his sexuality and gender identity. "I feel upset, angry, sad," Ayden told FOX 29's Dawn Timmeny. He claims one of his tormenters lunged at him when he used his cell phone to record the incessant bullying during a bus ride to school. "I mean, I'm very proud of myself, I think it's very important if any other kids are going through this," Ayden said. "I also hope this ends, like, I don't want to go through this." MORE LOCAL HEADLINESAyden, who is in 6th grade, spoke at a recent school board meeting and detailed the torment that he and his parents claim has since gone unaddressed. His parents say they reported everything to school administrators and filed a ‘Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying’ report.

UPPER MORELAND, Pa. - Authorities in Montgomery County are searching for an armed robbery suspect who they believe could be behind a rash of similar crimes. The Upper Moreland Police Department shared video of a masked man entering the Sunoco on Easton Road in Willow Grove around 1 p.m. Thursday. Investigators say the man used a handgun to force the store clerk to hand over $400 in cash and fled the gas station in a Nissan Rouge with tinted windows and a roof rack. Police in Upper Moreland and neighboring townships are investigating if the suspect is responsible for other recent gunpoint robberies. "Our concern is that somebody is going to get hurt before we can catch him," Lt.

PHILADELPHIA - A young man is expected to recover after police say he was shot inside a Philadelphia KFC restaurant on Wednesday night. Investigators say the 20-year-old man was shot once in the arm while in the dining area of the popular fried chicken chain on the 300 block of North Broad Street. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department brought the victim to Temple University Hospital where he was placed in stable condition. Police have not said if there were any other customers in the dining area when the shooting happened. No arrests have been reported.

COVID-19 pandemic is a window into how entrenched people have become over their views of the pandemic and resulting public health measures.“Early on, I think we saw that most people thought the government was doing about the right thing. Some thought it was too fast, some thought it was too slow.

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

BELLMAWR, N.J. - New Jersey State Police Colonel Patrick J. Callahan says building and maintaining the public's trust means policing isn’t cut and dried.Situations like the recent police killing of Tyre Nichol in Memphis, where shocking body camera footage caused nationwide outrage, sets all departments back."That impacts us everywhere," Callahan said.

Asbestos forced Simon Gratz High School and Prep Middle School to close on Wednesday. PHILADELPHIA - Simon Gratz High School in Strawberry Mansion will reopen to students on Thursday, after it abruptly closed due to asbestos. In a letter to families, Mastery Charter Schools CEO Scott Gordon said "all findings that needed to be remediated in order for the school to reopen are now complete" and added that air quality samples came back negative for asbestos. Officials closed the school closed over a week ago when inspectors from the School District of Philadelphia found damaged asbestos on the campus of Simon Gratz High School, which also houses Simon Gratz Preparatory Middle School. Officials say the three-year reinspection of the district-owned building was in accordance with the Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act.

ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 20: Rapper Hurricane Chris attends the MP3waxx.com Deejays & Producers Honors Luncheon at Vibes Lounge on September 20, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Ben Rose/Getty Images for MP3Waxx.com) SHREVEPORT, La. - A Louisiana jury has acquitted rapper Hurricane Chris, known for the hit "A Bay Bay," in the 2020 death of a man shot several times at a gas station in Shreveport.The panel late Tuesday found the 34-year-old artist, whose real name is Christopher Dooley, not guilty of second-degree murder in the slaying of Danzeria Farris Jr., 32, and illegal possession of stolen things, news outlets reported.A Caddo Parish Grand Jury indicted Dooley in October 2020 in connection with the June 19, 2020 slaying of Farris who was shot several times at a Texaco station. He was pronounced dead at an area hospital.Dooley had been on trial in state district court for more than a week before Tuesday's verdict.

With a litany of medical problems, it's astounding that Bret Michaels feels and looks as good as he does at 60. "I feel more passionate and just as excited as ever," he explained of hitting the milestone birthday.  "I feel more energetic and grateful. " "With all of the crazy diabetes and the brain hemorrhage, I’ve been through a lot of adversity and I’m still here," the Poison rocker shared to USA Today.

Canada’s housing market showed signs of life in February following a year of cooling off, but experts are watching the typically busy spring season to determine whether the correction has hit its bottom.

In her new memoir, Paris Hilton is dishing dirt and contemplating her past, both the good and bad.

DEPTFORD, N.J. - Answering the call. Friends, fellow law enforcement, local residents and beyond have rallied behind a hero police officer injured in the line-of-duty last week.A GoFundMe has surpassed its $100,000 goal in just four days to raise donations for Deptford Township Officer Bobby Shisler.

LONDON - U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his family were spoken to by a police officer after letting their dog off the leash in London’s Hyde Park, police said Tuesday.It comes after a video was shared on TikTok appearing to show the prime minister and his family allowing their Labrador, Nova, to roam freely in an area where rules say dogs must be kept on a leash.It was unclear when the video was filmed."We are aware of a video showing a dog being walked off the lead in Hyde Park," the Metropolitan Police force said in a statement.

Dio Garcia of Philadelphia was arrested in Bensalem.  BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, Pa. - The Bensalem Township Police Department is touting the success of what they call proactive police work after an armed robbery suspect wanted in Philadelphia was arrested during a traffic stop in the Bucks County town. Authorities say on Tuesday, just before 10 a.m., patrol officers saw a 2013 Ford Edge commit a violation while going south on Route 1. According to police, the officers initiated a traffic stop and made contact with 40-year-old Dio Garcia from Philadelphia. A check of the crime system revealed the car Garcia was driving was listed as a felony vehicle with an occupant wanted for a point-of-gun robbery, officials say. Police say Garcia was also wanted out of Florida on a warrant for a probation violation. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESGarcia was taken into police custody and the Ford Edge was towed by police, authorities say. After a search warrant was obtained for the vehicle, a search led to the finding of a container of suspected marijuana and a loaded .40 caliber Beretta handgun, officials say. The gun, which was reported stolen out of Delaware, matched the description of the weapon used in the armed robbery in Philadelphia, per police. Police say Garcia faces several charges in Bensalem and Philadelphia Police are obtaining an arrest warrant for the gunpoint robbery. 

MONTGOMERY COUNTY - Officials say two men are now wanted for the murder of a 25-year-old man who was found dead near the Schuylkill River Trail in Montgomery County last week.Arrest warrants have been issued for Cody Reed, 23, of Norristown, and Marquise Johnson, 23, of Philadelphia, for first-degree murder, robbery and related charges.The murder suspects are accused of killing Daquan Tucker, of Audubon, whose body was found by a bicyclist in a wooded area about 100 feet from the trail down a steep embankment. MORE HEADLINES:Officials say all three men knew each other, and met at Reed's home before walking the trail where the shooting took place. The victim suffered multiple gunshots wounds to the body.A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the suspects' arrest.

Insurer Vs web aggregator: All buyers should necessarily compare the discounts offered by insurers on their respective websites and that provided by a web aggregator. In some cases, the aggregator offers a lower premium for the same policy and coverage. Yet, an aggregator may not necessarily give discounts on every policy.

FILE - Produce is stacked neatly inside a Whole Foods Market in Commack, New York on April 2, 2019. (Photo by Steve Pfost/Newsday RM via Getty Images) Blueberries and green beans have joined the likes of strawberries, spinach and other nonorganic produce with the most pesticides, a newly published report states.In fact, nearly 75% of nonorganic fruits and vegetables sold in the U.S.

Singer/songwriter Bobby Caldwell performs onstage at the Soul Train Awards 2013 at the Orleans Arena on November 8, 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/BET/Getty Images for BET) Singer-songwriter Bobby Caldwell died at the age of 71. According to TMZ, Caldwell died in his sleep Tuesday night at his New Jersey home. The outlet further reported that Caldwell had difficulty walking for the past five years and suffered from neuropathy after a bad reaction from a prescription drug to treat a torn tendon in his ankle. Caldwell was behind classic hits as "What You Won't Do for Love," released in 1978.RELATED: Kobe Bryant's prints to be unveiled in heart of Hollywood outside TCL Chinese Theatre"Bobby passed away here at home," his wife, Mary, tweeted on his Twitter account.

Honda is recalling nearly a half-million vehicles in the U.S. and 52,000 in Canada because the front seat belts may not latch properly.

PHILADELPHIA - The identity of a suspect police have been searching for in connection to the killing of a transgender victim last year is expected Wednesday.Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner is holding a press conference to announce "the identification of an individual wanted for arrest in the murder of Mar’Quis "MJ" Jackson last December."MORE HEADLINES:Jackson was found dead from blunt force trauma to the head in a backyard in the city's Nicetown neighborhood.The Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death as homicide.Family members of Jackson, as well as transgender murder victim Shahere "Diamond" Jackson-McDonald, are also expected speak during the presser.

Mifepristone, the abortion pill known as RU 486. (Photo by James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images) AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge in Texas will hear arguments Wednesday in a high-stakes court case that could threaten access to abortion medication and blunt the authority of U.S.

The Last of Us reached its heart-wrenching conclusion, leaving viewers in awe of the show’s acting, storyline and special effects.And while Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey’s characters, Joel and Ellie, steal the spotlight in each episode while trying to evade deadly fungus-ridden creatures, cannibals and rogue gangs, there’s been a lot of attention given to the stunning Alberta backdrops, which fill in as post-apocalyptic U.S. cities and states.The show was shot exclusively in Alberta starting in 2021 and used an astonishing 180 locations around the province, from Edmonton all the way down to Waterton Lakes National Park.

Kate Garraway has shared a heartbreaking update on her husband Derek Draper’s ongoing health issues, stating he is still suffering ‘damage’ from being struck down by Covid.  Former political lobbyist Derek, 55, tested positive for Covid in March 2020 and was placed in an induced coma to help fight off the virus. He was eventually declared Covid-free and emerged from the coma, but has fought one of the most severe cases of long Covid in the country with his body wrecked from the effects of the infectious disease.

A picture taken on February 27, 2019 shows the Colosseum in Rome, Italy.

PHILADELPHIA - A man has been hospitalized after he was shot on Tuesday night. Authorities say officers responded to the 4700 block of Bingham Street in the Crescentville section of the city just before 9 p.m.According to police, three armed suspects pulled a 42-year-old man from his car in a driveway. The man was shot in the neck before the suspects fled north from the driveway in a dark-colored vehicle, officials say. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESPolice transported the victim to Temple University Hospital, where he was placed in critical condition, according to authorities. Officials say the scene was held and no arrests have been made.

COVID-19 has taken a minimal toll on most people’s mental health globally, according to a recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ). But a separate study shows that finding may not hold true for children.In fact, the pandemic increased mental distress for kids, a newly-published study led by the University of Calgary shows, leading to a sharp increase in emergency department visits for attempted suicide and suicide ideation among children and adolescents under the age of 19 years old.Nicole Racine, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, said she believes children were forgotten about during the pandemic and they are one of the vulnerable groups that suffered the most from lockdowns.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating a shooting that left a man critically injured. Police say officers responded to Pennsylvania Hospital for a 19-year-old gunshot victim who was dropped off by a private vehicle early Wednesday morning just before 3 a.m. According to authorities, two suspects were inside the vehicle, believed to be a Nissan, with the victim. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESOfficials say the suspects fired multiple times, hitting the victim throughout his body on the 3200 block of Wharton Street in the South Philadelphia section of the city. The man has been placed in critical condition, authorities say. The investigation is ongoing and active, according to police. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe signed a Gazette notification on Monday (27) night declaring transportation services as essential services.Accordingly, public transport services for passengers or goods, discharge, carriage, landing, storage, delivery & removal of articles of food or drink, or coal, oil, fuel from vessels within any port as defined for the purposes of the Customs Ordinance (Chapter 235), the provision and maintenance of facilities for transport services by road, rail or air, including roads, bridges, culverts, airports, ports & railway lines, have been declared as essential services with immediate effect.   

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's Election Commission will meet on Friday (23) to reach a final decision on the 2023 Local Government Election due to the lack of financing and support from state agencies.Earlier, the Election Commission decided to conduct the Local Government Election on the 9th of March 2023.However, the Government Printer had refused to deliver the ballot papers owing to a payment issues, and this led to the National Election Commission to postpone the postal voting process that was scheduled for this wekk.The Chairman of the National Election Attorney Nimal Punchihewa said the Local Government Election was called for legally as per the country's constitutions and the election law.He told News 1st on Thursday (23) that all members of the National Election Commission consented to the Local Government Election Process.He said that given that funds were not being provided to continue with the election process, the National Election Commission will meet on Friday (24) to reach a final decision on the Local Government Election 2023. The statement came from the Elections Chief after Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament on Thursday (23) that the country's National Election Commission has not legally called for an election, and there are no funds to conduct an election.Commenting on the debate requested by the opposition on postponing the election, the President said there is no election for one to be postponed.The President said the proposed Parliament Select Committee must be appointed to inquire into the Election Commission and the Local Government Election.In the meantime, the petition filed by Retired Sri Lanka Army Colonel W. M.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Chairman of the National Election Attorney Nimal Punchihewa said the Local Government Election was called for legally as per the country's constitutions and the election law.He told News 1st on Thursday (23) that all members of the National Election Commission consented to the Local Government Election Process.He said that given that funds were not being provided to continue with the election process, the National Election Commission will meet on Friday (24) to reach a final decision on the Local Government Election 2023. The statement came from the Elections Chief after Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament on Thursday (23) that the country's National Election Commission has not legally called for an election, and there are no funds to conduct an election.Commenting on the debate requested by the opposition on postponing the election, the President said there is no election for one to be postponed.The President said the proposed Parliament Select Committee must be appointed to inquire into the Election Commission and the Local Government Election.In the meantime, the petition filed by Retired Sri Lanka Army Colonel W. M.

In a bid to maximize the use of government funds and ensure that resources are utilized efficiently, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake has issued a directive on the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, requiring officials purchasing airline for official travel abroad to be on Economy Class.This directive will take effect from March 1, 2023, and supersedes all previous circulars and instructions related to this subject.According to the new directive, officials such as the Hon. Chief Justice, Hon.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament on Thursday (23) that the country's National Election Commission has not legally called for an election, and there are no funds to conduct an election.Commenting on the debate requested by the opposition on postponing the election, the President said there is no election for one to be postponed."The Election Commission had gone to court and said that it cannot conduct an election. However, an affidavit was provided. It states that the Commission has been informed by the Secretary of the Treasury that he is unable to provide the necessary funds to conduct the election.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka and Japan singed Exchange Notes for a humanitatrian grant of USD 46 Million.Mahinda Siriwardena, the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, and Mizukoshi Hideaki, the Ambassador of Japan, signed an Exchange of Notes to secure a humanitarian grant of USD 46 million. The purpose of the grant is to provide diesel fuel to public hospitals throughout Sri Lanka. The signing ceremony took place at the President's Office, with President Ranil Wickremesinghe in attendance.Under this agreement, the Government of Japan has committed to supplying 20 million litres of diesel fuel.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has emphasized the importance of having a proper plan to strengthen the country’s economy, during a meeting with businessmen and lawyers in the Kandy district.According to the President's Media Division. the President had noted that the primary issue facing the country is its economic problem, and addressing it should be a top priority.The President has also noted that the upcoming election is not a means to change the government.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that an Economic Commission will be formed as early as possible replacing the Board of Investment and the Board of Exports.President Ranil Wickremesinghe made these remarks at the opening of the country’s first migratory bird park and eco-tourism zone in Hanthane, Kandy (20).He stated that an Economic Commission will be formed as early as possible to approve investment opportunity in order to provide more opportunities to local and foreign investors.The President also stated that it has the potential to significantly boost the country’s economy."More investment opportunities are necessary for Sri Lanka to embark on a new economic path. It takes ten years to approve a firm after an investor arrives in Sri Lanka. This situation should be changed.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the officials to speed up the Minipe Left Bank Canal Rehabilitation Project (MLBCRP), which has been delayed for over three years owing to various reasons, and to provide its benefits to the farmers before the next Maha Season.The President provided these instructions on Sunday (19) while joining an observation tour of the Minipe Anicut construction site.President Wickremesinghe, after inspecting the plan of the project, also inquired from the engineers about the operation of the project.The President also pointed out the possibility of obtaining the support of the students of engineering faculties in Sri Lanka for the future work of the project.The existing anicut is not sufficient to release water to the left and right bank canals when water is released twice a day from the Rantambe Hydro Power Plant during peak demand for electricity. Due to this, in order to provide more reliable and continuous water supply to Minipe agricultural lands, the Minipe Dam was raised by 3.5 meters and the renovation of the 74 kilometers-long main canal on the left bank of Minipe, was commenced.After the reconstruction of the Minipe Anicut, constant water supply to farmers will be ensured and the cultivation land on both sides of the left bank of Minipe could be cultivated without obstruction in the Yala-Maha Seasons while providing benefits to 15,000 farmer families.The cost of the project is Rs. 3,000 million and the construction work is carried out by China Gexhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC).Minipe Anicut, which was built in 1948, was last renovated in 1980.