COMMENTARY: Coast to coast, the coronavirus pandemic is hammering municipal budgets

France will deploy thousands of police in and around Paris and set up checkpoints at toll stations on major roads leading into the capital to keep so-called "Freedom Convoy" motorists out, the city's police force said.

₹9.57 lakh crore for the economy was far sharper than ₹2.12 lakh crore in GDP growth that was lost in 2008-09 global financial crises, yet the government was able to contain consumer price inflation (CPI) to within 6.2% as opposed to CPI ballooning to 9.1% during the global financial crisis.

Britain without taking any coronavirus tests starting Friday after the government scrapped one of the final restrictions imposed over the past two years in response to Covid-19.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Thousands of Sri Lankan health workers continued their strike action for the fifth consecutive day on Friday (11), despite a court issuing an order against a nurses trade union that is also taking part in the strike.Health workers in Sri Lanka have been staging demonstrations and strikes since November 2021 to draw attention to the issue of salary anomalies.Their major demands include the rectification of salary anomalies, higher allowances, and an increase in overtime rates.Supplementary and paramedical services, nursing services, and professionals from 16 health services including medical laboratory technologists, pharmacists, radiologists, public health inspectors, and family health officers are participating in the indefinite strike.Thousands of poor patients who visited government hospitals were turned away, as a result.A Sri Lankan court on Thursday (10) issued two enjoining orders preventing the strike action by the Government Nursing Officer’s Association from continuing.The Attorney General filed an action against the Government Nursing Officer’s Association and its president Saman Rathnapriya, seeking an enjoining order from the court to immediately suspend the trade union action of the said union.The Attorney General appraised the court of the present deplorable conditions in hospitals due to patient care being severely affected.District Court Judge of Colombo Aruna Aluthge issued two enjoining orders preventing the union from continuing the said trade union strike endangering the lives of the patients.As a result of the strike, over this week the activities at the Colombo General Hospital, Kandy General Hospital, 24 Teaching Hospitals, 26 General Hospitals, 46 Base Hospitals, 410 District

Prince Charles getting Covid again should be "ringing royal alarm bells," according to an expert who warns of some "regal whiplash". The 73-year-old is set to snatch an almost 200-year record by becoming the oldest person to be crowned monarch.

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Withdrawal of restrictions

Boris Johnson ending Covid isolation rules is a "distraction" from the PM's lockdown party scandal, according to a Scots health expert.

SYDNEY :

Charli XCX has said that the criticism she’s received on social media lately has taken a toll on her mental health.The singer-songwriter, who releases her fifth album ‘Crash’ on March 18, issued a statement on Twitter yesterday (February 10) to explain that she’s temporarily stepping back from the platform due to the “negativity” surrounding her current campaign.“I’ve always had a pretty open dialogue with you guys and so I just wanna mention a few things that have been on my mind recently,” Charli began.“I have been feeling like I can’t do anything right at the moment.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The new University of Vavuniya was declared open by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Friday (11).The University of Vavuniya is the 17th State University in Sri Lanka and was established with effect from the 1st of August 2021 via an Extraordinary Gazette on the 8th of June 2021 that elevated the Vavuniya Campus of the University of Jaffna, to a separate state university in Sri Lanka.The new state university was established for the purpose of providing, promoting, and developing higher education in the branches of learning of Business Studies, Applied Science, and Technology Studies.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of he World Health Organization (WHO), Buti Manamela, Deputy Dr Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology of South Africa, Dr Joe Phaahla, Minister of Health of South Africa and Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Urban Policy of Belgium today visit a number of public and private sector partners that are collaborating to develop and build WHO’s global mRNA vaccine technology transfer hub in South Africa.

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Protester numbers outside New Zealand's parliament have increased as police scaled back efforts to clear anti-vaccine demonstrators involved in violent clashes a day earlier.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Health Ministry has warned against the use of fake vaccination cards to avoid being vaccinated against COVID-19.Dr. Anwar Hamdani, attached to the Health Ministry said information on all those who have been vaccinated are with the Health Ministry, and it is a futile attempt to evade being vaccinated.“Getting vaccinated is a social responsibility and therefore everyone must get vaccinated against COVID-19,” he said.At the same time, the Deputy Director-General of Public Health Services Dr.

Despite key party figures expressing support and posing for pictures with protesters, the Conservative Party is joining pleas to end disruptive blockades against COVID restrictions.

Disruptive blockades protesting COVID-19 mandates are escalating in Ontario, prompting more calls for the province to take action. So why has Ontario Premier Doug Ford been mostly absent over the unrest? Eric Sorensen explains the possible strategy behind keeping a low-profile, as concerns grow over potentially politicizing pandemic strategy.

Ottawa police on Thursday provided an update on their ongoing enforcement measures against trucker protests demonstrating against COVID-19 vaccine mandates throughout parts of the city.

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a meeting with leaders of opposition parties Thursday evening, where he said he briefed them on the latest developments of the trucker convoy protests and blockades.

Unhappy Olympic athletes are calling out organizers of the Beijing Games with a litany of complaints about everything from COVID-19 protocols to inadequate catering.

Camilla Parker-Bowles has broken her silence after she was handed the future title of 'Queen Consort' by the Queen on the eve of the Platinum Jubilee last weekend.The Duchess of Cornwall, 74, said she was "very, very honoured" and "very touched" to be bestowed the honour by Her Majesty while on a royal visit to Nourish Hub community food centre in West London.She went ahead with the public appearance after testing negative for Covid despite spending the previous evening with husband Prince Charles, who remained in self-isolation after contracting the virus for the second time yesterday (February 10).Charles, who is said not to be experiencing any symptoms of the virus, was forced on Thursday to cancel his visit the Great Hall at Winchester Castle and the unveiling of a statue of Jewish-British historical figure Licoricia of Winchester.It was also revealed that he had seen his mum the Queen two days before testing positive.Describing the situation, Camilla told Willie Hartley Russell, high sheriff for Berkshire: "He’s diagnosed now. Luckily (she’s negative).

Simon Cowell has been forced to pull out of Britain's Got Talent auditions after testing positive for Covid.The ITV entertainment show is back this year after being cancelled in 2021 because of the pandemic and auditions have been under way at the London Palladium.Due to his positive test result, the 62-year-old TV personality could not take his seat at the judge's table. Simon's spokesperson exclusively told Mail Online that the star is currently isolating at his London home after contracting the virus.His spokesperson said: "Simon was unable to attend filming today as he was isolating at home after testing positive for Covid-19." Simon was scheduled to be on the set of the talent competition on Thursday alongside his fellow judges Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon and David Walliams.A week before testing positive and withdrawing from the audition process, Simon was rushed to hospital after being caught in a horrific e-bike accident near his home in West London.The incident which happened last Thursday night saw Simon fall off his e-bike while reaching speeds of 20mph.This is the second e-bike accident the father-of-one experienced, just 18 months after breaking his back on an e-bike in Los Angeles.

PHILADELPHIA - Bob Saget's shocking cause of death has caused many to wonder how likely it is that an accidental blow to the head can turn fatal.The 65-year-old entertainer and Philadelphia native was found on his hotel bed at the Ritz Carlton in Orlando on Jan. 9.

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Toronto officials revealed they are looking toward the city’s “recovery” phase in its battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, announcing the launch of the recovery and rebuild office.

Toronto health and public officials provided an update to the city’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday.

Toronto Mayor John Tory said on Thursday that he and other “big city” mayors in Canada had put in a request of $10 billion, up to possibly $15 billion, with the federal government for emergency funding due to revenue decreases.

Mayor John Tory commemorated the second anniversary of the Yonge Street van attack virtually on Thursday on behalf of the City of Toronto amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, announcing a virtual vigil to remember the victims of the tragedy that will be held later tonight.

Toronto Mayor John Tory spoke Wednesday about the eventual reopening of the city’s economy as COVID-19 restrictions ease, adding that the city was not able to set a date at the moment and that any planning would be “very complex.”

Toronto Mayor John Tory announced Wednesday that the city’s iconic High Park would be temporarily closed to the public in anticipation of crowds gathering to catch a glimpse of the cherry blossoms in bloom, an annual Toronto tradition.

City of Toronto officials say High Park will be temporarily closed in anticipation of crowds flocking to see the cherry blossoms in bloom, marking another parks-related closure in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Urban studies theorist Richard Florida believes Canadian cities should start planning out what a staggered reopening of urban centres would look like — potentially by including wider bike lanes and sidewalks to ease congestion and moving some indoor businesses outside.

Toronto Mayor John Tory announced on Tuesday that he and the mayors of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) have agreed to share information on the cities’ financial positions and explore measures that could be advocated to other governments to ensure the financial stability of local and regional governments in the GTHA area.

Toronto’s mayor says he has begun mapping out how to ease coronavirus-related restrictions, adding that there will be a “phased approach” once COVID-19 cases subside.

Toronto Mayor John Tory says the coronavirus pandemic could cost the City between $1.5 and $2.76 billion, depending on the needed duration of public health measures.

The City of Toronto announced Thursday the expansion of a tool to help businesses move online to help them throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Mayor of Toronto John Tory said on Thursday that the Prime Minister’s announcement on providing help for small businesses in the form of the Canadian Emergency Commercial Rent Assistance Program, is very welcome news for the small business community in Toronto. Tory said he has spoken about this specific issue directly with deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland and the minister of finance Bill Morneau, and said he believed if it was rolled out quickly and in cooperation with the province of Ontario it will make a real difference in saving many of the small businesses in Toronto.

The City of Toronto says it will continue yard waste collection from April 20 to May 1 to accommodate residents.

Toronto mayor John Tory says there was an increase in the number of calls made to mental health supports over the Easter long weekend. Erica Vella takes a look at some of the numbers.

Toronto has seen a 200 per cent increase in stunt driving as people are being told to stay home amid the coronavirus pandemic, City officials say.

A website has been launched aimed at administering donations for Toronto businesses closed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Toronto Mayor John Tory announced on Tuesday that city staff were working with partners in the community to ensure they don’t lose small businesses. He said a new site called distantly.ca had launched, and would be a crowdfunding tool to allow Torontonians to help businesses that are struggling due to COVID-19.

Toronto Mayor John Tory announced Monday the city had opened a fifth licensed childcare centre for the children of essential workers and that a sixth centre was scheduled to open on Danforth Avenue later in the week.

Here is a roundup of the latest developments on the novel coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Monday:

Here is a roundup of the latest developments on the coronavirus pandemic in the Greater Toronto Area for Saturday:

Toronto Mayor John Tory is calling for stricter enforcement of physical distancing rules amid the coronavirus pandemic.