Government 'will have to raise taxes and freeze wages to cover £300bn coronavirus bill'

Purported veterans and supporters of the so-called “Freedom convoy” removed fencing protecting the National War Memorial in Ottawa on Saturday. A police officer can be seen telling the demonstrators they would be responsible for taking care of the memorial, according to Global News’ Abigail Bimman, who was on the ground at the time.

#FreedomConvoy #vancouver#military pic.twitter.com/XhnXUyDUaY— WaiverHunter (@WaiverHunter) February 12, 2022RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Elenore Sturko said late Saturday afternoon a group of vehicles, including a large truck with a military-style paint job, broke through a police blockade and over a median heading the wrong way on the northbound side of the road.It appears to be some type of, maybe military surplus … it’s not anything with the government of Canada, it’s a vehicle that is painted and lifted and looks to be a military type style, and that was one of the first vehicles to break over the median and past police barriers,” Sturko said.UPDATE #BCHwy15 – CLOSED in both directions between 8th Ave and 1st Ave due to a public demonstration.

The sharp increase in new cases today is another reminder that, as expected, the highly transmissible Omicron variant is now spreading in our communities as we have seen in other countries.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police announced that the movement of traffic will be restrict along the Colombo – Horana Road as a result of the development of the Bokundara Bridge in Piliyandala.From the 13th of February 2022 until further notice, two lanes will be open for vehicles to travel to Colombo from 6 AM to 3 PM daily, and one lane to travel to Horana during that time.Further, from 3 PM to 6 PM, two lanes will be open to travel to Horana while one lane will be open to travel to Colombo.In addition, from 6 AM to 9 AM and 4 PM to 8 PM, all heavy vehicles, excluding passenger transport buses, will not be allowed to enter these roads.Sri Lanka Police requested the general public to use the following alternatives to avoid inconveniences.* Horana to Colombo : Proceed to Galle Road from Piliyandala and then move to Colombo.* Horana to Werahera : Proceed to Ratmalana via Galle Road and then use Borupana Road to access Werahera* Colombo to Horana : Proceed to Maharagama from Boralesgamuwa and use the Maharagama Piliyandala Road.

Protesters supporting the trucker convoy movement that has occupied Ottawa and Windsor demonstrated in Toronto for a second consecutive weekend. It comes after the province declared a state of emergency in relation to the ongoing blockades.

protesters fighting the Canadian government’s pandemic measures, a bank spokesperson said on Saturday.The demonstrations, dubbed the “Freedom Convoy” by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccination  mandate for cross-border drivers as well as other pandemic restrictions, are now in their third week. They have gridlocked the capital Ottawa and blocked U.S.-Canada border crossings, damaging trade between the two countries.Early on Saturday, Canadian police began clearing protesters blocking a key bridge linking Canada and the United States.

In this photo illustration, the social medias applications logos, Twitter, Google, Google+, Gmail, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat are displayed on the screen of an Apple iPhone. (Photo Illustration by Chesnot/Getty Images) Two U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - Philadelphia’s first gun buyback of 2022 kicked off on Saturday.The event was led by Bilal Qayyum with Fathers Day Rally Committee along with leaders from the Philadelphia City Council.For every gun that was turned in, no questions asked, the person was given a $100 gift certificate to a local grocer.One person turned in ten guns alone. In total, 28 guns were turned in Saturday – 24 handguns and 4 long guns. "A lot of guns and the police would tell you this, that are on the streets today, ended up legal guns in someone house, someone broke in and took that gun.

TRENTON, N.J. - Gas prices continue to rise sharply in New Jersey as crude oil prices increase amid ongoing global tensions related to uncertainty over Russia’s intentions toward Ukraine. AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of a gallon of regular gas in New Jersey on Friday was $3.56, up 12 cents from last week. Drivers were paying an average of $2.64 a gallon a year ago at this time. The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $3.48, up six cents from last week. ___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

NEW CASTLE, Del. - Police in Delaware are investigating the shooting of a teen in New Castle County. New Castle Police say they received a report of a shooting Friday afternoon in the community of Sophia’s Place West. Officers arrived and found a 16-year-old boy with gunshot wounds to his upper and lower extremities. A good Samaritan had been rendering aid before police arrived. The boy was taken to the hospital and reported in stable condition. Police are investigating and asking the public to contact them if they have relevant information.___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

PHILADELPHIA - Police are investigating after four men broke into a home and assaulted a man in Northeast Philadelphia. The incident happened at approximately 2:30 a.m. on the 6900 block of Horrocks Street. Police say four unknown men, two of which were armed, forced entry through the basement door. They then assaulted a 41-year-old man and took approximately $28,000 ($10,000 in coins, $10,000 in checks, and $8,000 in cash) in various currency from the man.

EastEnders star has been getting close with her fellow co-stars, including Dragons Den star Sara Davies, Gordon Ramsay's daughter Tilly, and fellow actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who made history last year as the show's first ever deaf contestant. Today (12 February) she shared a video of her spending time with CBBC TV presenter Rhys Stephenson in the dressing room before a show at London's 02 arena.

PHILADELPHIA - A man has lost his life after a shooting in Southwest Philadelphia. The shooting happened around 11:30 p.m. Friday on the 6000 block of Woodland Avenue. Police say the 29-year-old man was shot once in the left armpit inside a Nissan Altima.

CDC officials said."We began to hear how the guidelines were being misused and misapplied" said the CDC's Christopher Jones, a co-author of the draft guidance.The proposed changes, contained in a 229-page draft update in the Federal Register, would roll back some suggested limits on the drugs. Their publication opens a 60-day public comment period.

Protesters from the so-called “freedom convoy” in Ottawa have torn down a fence that had been put around the National War Memorial to protect it from further desecration.

According to TMZ, rapper Kodak Black was among those who were shot. The gunfire erupted outside The Nice Guy restaurant, hitting four men ages 60, 19, 20 and 22, LAPD Officer Lizeth Lomeli said. Their names were not released.When officers arrived on the scene, they located three people who had been shot.

as she shares a fresh update with fans. The update from Rylan comes on social media a day after he was rushed to hospital.

The number of coronavirus infections is continuing to plummet in all 10 boroughs in Greater Manchester, latest figures show.

Late Friday afternoon, a judge granted an injunction which prevents protesters from stopping the flow of traffic across the Ambassador Bridge. Sean O’Shea reports.

“Freedom Convoy” originally meant to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates and quarantine rules for cross-border truck drivers has entered its 16th day on Saturday.Police in Windsor, Ont. say they’ve begun enforcement actions against protesters who blocked access to the Ambassador Bridge for days.They say they’ve told protesters at the scene to head home, and several have begun packing up tents.

COVID-19 today as virus-related hospitalizations continue to decline across the province.The Health Department says 2,143 people are in hospital with the disease, after 144 patients were admitted in the past 24 hours and 215 were discharged.#COVID19 – En date du 11 février, voici la situation au Québec: https://t.co/pwoUoaBgaF pic.twitter.com/aR2nlnEvXO— Santé Québec (@sante_qc) February 12, 2022It says the number of overall virus-related hospitalizations are down by 71.Officials say 153 patients are listed in intensive care, a drop of 11.The province is also reporting 2,359 new cases confirmed by molecular testing, which is limited to certain higher-risk groups.They say 33,661 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine were administered on Friday.

A robot dog operating alongside ATVs in the southwest U.S. Photo: Courtesy Ghost Robotics.

Police in Windsor, Ont., commenced their enforcement Saturday of an injunction granted on Friday by an Ontario judge to allow for protesters at the Ambassador Bridge to be cleared out. Sean O’Shea has more details on how the enforcement proceeded, with protesters closest to the bridge seen moving back peacefully, while others drove their vehicles away from the area.

COVID-19 in Nova Scotia declined slightly since Friday, the province announced on Saturday.In an abbreviated weekend news release, the province said there were 79 people in hospital who were admitted due to COVID-19 and were receiving specialized care in a designated unit. That’s down by three since Friday.However, another three people were in intensive care, for a total of 14.

Wendy Williams is speaking out.

SALT LAKE CITY - Traffic deaths decreased in Utah after the state enacted the strictest drunken driving laws in the nation five years ago, new research published Friday by a U.S. government agency shows.The findings, which pertain to fatalities involving and not involving alcohol, provide initial validation for conservative lawmakers who passed the law over concerns from restaurant and tourism industry lobbyists.In the study published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, researchers wrote that, in the years after Utah changed the drunken driving threshold from .08% to .05% blood-alcohol content, the number of crashes and fatalities fell even though drivers logged more miles."Changing the law to .05% in Utah saved lives and motivated more drivers to take steps to avoid driving impaired," said Dr.

HARPER, Kan. - Rain on a wedding day can be upsetting for any couple, but a tornado can be downright frightening during the vows.In some cultures, rain is viewed as good luck, symbolizing various things from fertility to unity. It can also represent that your marriage will last a lifetime. Candra and Caleb Pence would agree.It was May 19, 2012, and the 21-year-old bride was ready to marry the man of her dreams.

MOSCOW - With the risk of war looming larger, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden held a high-stakes telephone call Saturday as a tense world watched and worried that an invasion of Ukraine could begin within days.Before talking to Biden, Putin had a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War. A Kremlin summary of the call suggested that little progress was made toward cooling down the tensions.The closely watched call between Biden and Putin began shortly after 11 a.m.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Demonstrators in Afghanistan’s capital Saturday condemned President Joe Biden’s order freeing up $3.5 billion in Afghan assets held in the U.S. for families of America’s 9/11 victims — saying the money belongs to Afghans.Protesters who gathered outside Kabul's grand Eid Gah mosque asked America for financial compensation for the tens of thousands of Afghans killed during the last 20 years of war in Afghanistan.Biden's order, signed Friday, allocates another $3.5 billion in Afghan assets for humanitarian aid to a trust fund to be managed by the U.N.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM :

COVID-19 on Saturday.According to the provincial COVID-19 dashboard, the deaths involve a person in their 70s and two people in their 80s in Zone 1 and one person in their 90s in Zone 4.A total of 286 people with COVID-19 have now died in New Brunswick. Anti-mandate demonstration in Fredericton enters Day 2 Since Friday, hospitalizations have dropped by 13, for a total of 122 people in hospital.

Ottawa is seeing another influx of people in the downtown as the demonstrations against COVID-19 public health measures and vaccine mandates enters its third weekend. Reports say there was some sort of party or additional protest late Friday night.

WILLINGBORO, Pa. - Officials in Burlington County announced Saturday that a man was shot and killed in a parking lot in a Willingboro shopping center. The investigation began after officers were called to the Kennedy Plaza in the 400 block of John F. Kennedy Way just after 7:30 p.m.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that the nature or extent of the challenges will not matter in fulfilling the promises made to the people.He noted that development activities continue in the country while taking necessary steps to control the COVID-19 pandemic.The President also pointed out that the economy, which had been collapsed for nearly two years, is gradually recovering.The President made these remarks participating in the first round of discussions in a series of sessions with professionals representing various fields, held at the President’s House on Friday (11).The professionals who participated in the discussion said that they are further committed to make the national programme a success by giving the necessary strength to achieve the goals desired by the President, said a statement.The professionals vehemently rejected the allegations spread by some sections with the objective of achieving narrow political agendas, the statement added.Experts in the field said that the new approach to agriculture initiated by the President is being continuously supported by the researchers and entrepreneurs who are engaged full time in these fields, further noted the statement.Representatives from a wide range of fields, including education, policy, sociology, agriculture, research, water and renewable energy, medical, engineering and innovation, were present at the discussion with the President.Ministers, State Ministers, Members of Parliament, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Secretary to the President, the Principal Advisor to the President and many others were also present.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned of a “severe recession the likes of which we haven’t seem” as the coronavirus lockdown ravages the economy.

Thousands of jobs are set to be axed over the next three months, despite the Government's furlough extension, industry insiders have warned.

Ministers must come up with a bailout for pubs or 19,000 will have to shut due to lockdown, MPs warn.

More than one in three small firms with furloughed workers fear they’ll never reopen, according to new figures for the North West.

At least 20 British billionaires have benefited from the government's furlough scheme since it was launched in March, it has been reported.

An advisor to the Scottish Government on coronavirus has backed a 70 per cent tax rate to cope with the pandemic.

NHS staff and key workers risking their lives in the coronavirus battle may face a two-year pay freeze as recession hits Britain.

The UK Government’s furlough scheme, currently supporting 7.5 million jobs, will be extended until the end of October, although employers will be expected to pick up a share of the bill from August as the economy hopefully reopens.

Campaigners who fell through loopholes in the UK’s emergency job retention scheme claim desperate people are being forced to go without food.

It was announced on Tuesday that the government is to extend its the furlough scheme for another four months.

The scheme pays 80% of wages for affected employees

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is expected to announce an extension to the furlough scheme this afternoon.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak is reportedly considering options for extending the UK Government’s furlough scheme that include reducing cover of workers wages from 80 per cent to 60 per cent.