House rescue package includes $25 billion for Postal Service

COLOMBO (News 1st); Although the country is being ruled by the Government in a manner which ensures the freedom of the people, that freedom is being misused by many, says President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Speaking at the event of distribution of 100,000 Mahaweli Ranbima deeds at the Mahaweli Stadium in Embilipitiya today (26), the President stated that especially today, himself and the present Government is ruling the country in a way which democracy is ensured.President Rajapaksa also said that the cause of the foreign exchange crisis is not his own fault or the fault of the government.The 100,000 Mahaweli Ranbima deed program is being implemented in line with the Government’s policy statement, “Vision of Prosperity”. Under this program, the Government plans to complete the distribution of 100,000 land deeds to farmers in the Mahaweli areas before the end of next year.35,000 deeds settled under the first phase will be handed over to farmers in 10 Mahaweli zones, and deeds were symbolically awarded to 30 persons today.The President further went onto state that although there are many complaints about the lack of power and electricity in the country, the previous Government did not take any action to implement a single power plant in the country after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa established the Norochcholai power plant.President reiterated that he has been able to reaffirm the security of the country.Citing the promises made to implement a green agriculture in the policy statement, the President said that unfortunately the intent was not able to be communicated to the farmers in the correct manner, and many remained misinformed.

Queen’s battle with Covid has now made her able to “relate” with Brits after going through symptoms and sacrificing time with family, according to an expert.Her Majesty, 95, tested positive for the virus last Sunday and has since postponed virtual engagements while she recovers from mild cold-like symptoms. However, the Queen was able to have a telephone audience with Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday.

Mainland China reported 249 new confirmed coronavirus infections for yesterday, health officials said, up from 224 a day earlier, with a record number of imported cases including dozens among arrivals from Hong Kong, where infections are surging.

An Ayrshire man who survived two car crashes, a coma, losing his leg and even Covid-19 has been selected to represent Team GB at the upcoming Paralympics.

John Mayer has tested positive for COVID-19 a second time, leading to the next four shows on his ‘Sob Rock’ tour being pushed back to May.The songster shared his diagnosis overnight (February 25), confirming that alongside himself, several members in his band have also wound up with the virus. It comes just days after Mayer’s touring drummer tested positive, with Questlove stepping in to fill his role at the band’s New York City gig.Whelp.

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A FedEx driver is caught on video cruising around Detroit with an alleged prostitute in his truck. The driver makes some curious stops, and even some deliveries -- before dropping her off.Peter Anderson thought he’d seen it all until Wednesday.

The first Jollibee restaurant in the province helps generate some excitement for a part of the city that’s been struggling to overcome the impacts of the pandemic. Emad Agahi reports.

Check if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, including approved vaccines.If you’re travelling to England from within the Common Travel Area (England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) and haven’t been anywhere else within the 10 days before you arrive, there are no entry requirements for coming into England.If you’ve been to a country or territory outside the Common Travel Area within the 10 days before you arrive in England, you must follow the rules for entering England from that country.

Despite seemingly impossible odds of resisting Russia’s vast military, many Ukrainians are still unwilling to yield in the face of an overwhelming invasion. Dawna Friesen looks at how civilians and soldiers alike are standing their ground.

Some of the hundreds of dogs brought to B.C. from Afghanistan have come full circle and are training to help B.C.’s military veterans cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. Kylie Stanton reports.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country’s fate is being decided right now, as Russian forces close in on Kyiv. Journalist Joe Federman of the Associated Press reports from Ukraine’s capital on the escalating anxiety and chaos, and the resistance among Ukrainians.

As Russian soldiers converge on Kyiv, they have been slowed by a determined defense from Ukrainian armed forces and a growing number of civilians who are taking up arms against the invasion.While Moscow has made it clear its goal is to topple the Ukrainian government it’s facing dogged opposition both in the country and from the international community.

A 35-year-old man has been charged with one count of open murder and two counts of first-degree kidnapping after the body of a four-year-old boy in Las Vegas was found in a freezer. According to police, the boy’s body was found after his sibling passed a note to her teacher from her mother that she was being held against her will by her boyfriend and didn’t know the whereabouts of her son.

Perhaps one of the most surprising aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic was how long it lasted here and then the speed at which most restrictions were lifted.

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COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan Police launched an investigation on Friday (25) after the carcass of a Sri Lankan Leopard (Panthera pardus kotiya) was discovered from an estate in Norton Bridge.Police received information that a dead Leopard was sighted inside a tea estate in Vidulipura in Wimalasurendra Gama located within the Norton Bridge Police jurisdiction.Initial investigations revealed that the leopard was injured in two areas on the back and another serious wound on its forward right leg.The leopard is believed to be around 6 years of age, and is a species native to Sri Lanka.Officers from the Nallatanniya Wildlife Office had visited the site and taken away the carcass for further investigations.

Canada’s automotive sector and other industries gearing up for an end to the chip shortages of the past year might be waiting longer for relief as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine threatens key supply chains in semiconductor production.

Ukraine says it will posthumously honour a group of Ukrainian border guards who were killed after they reportedly told an officer on board a Russian navy warship to “go f— yourself” when asked to surrender.

WASHINGTON - Huggy Wuggy, a popular character from an online video game, is raising concerns among some parents of elementary school aged children.According to Parents.com – the name sounds cute and cuddly – but the character is quite the opposite.Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and WeatherHere's what they say you should now about the new social media trend:SUBSCRIBE TO FOX 5 DC ON YOUTUBEWhat is Huggy Wuggy?The character is an evil villain in a 2021 horror PC game called Poppy Playtime. It's a survival horror game set in an abandoned toy factory and the Huggy Wuggy character tries to hunt down the players while singing them creepy songs.HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF ONLINEWhat are kids doing?Some schools are warning parents that kids are offering classmates hugs while recreating the songs sung by the Huggy Wuggy character.Where are kids finding Huggy Wuggy?Parents.com says kids may have access to the game or may be able to watch the videos on YouTube or TikTok.

KYIV, Ukraine - Russian troops stormed toward Ukraine’s capital early Saturday as explosions reverberated through the city and the president urged the country to "stand firm" against the siege that could determine its future. He refused American help to evacuate, saying: "The fight is here."Hundreds of casualties were reported in the fighting, which included shelling that sliced through a Kyiv apartment building and pummeled bridges and schools.

PHILADELPHIA - Ukraine immigrants were among a crowd of Philadelphians who gathered near City Hall on Friday to rally support for Ukraine as it continues to fight a Russian invasion from Russia. Russian troops bore down on Ukraine’s capital Friday while the president grimly predicted that the conflict would soon intensify, and fears of wider war in Europe triggered new international efforts to make Moscow stop, including direct sanctions on President Vladimir Putin.Amid reports of hundreds of casualties — including shelling that sliced through a Kyiv apartment building and pummeled bridges and schools — there also were growing signs that Russia may be seeking to overthrow Ukraine’s government, which U.S. officials have described as Putin’s ultimate objective.

coronavirus infections, taking the total tally of COVID-19 cases to 42,905,844 while the active cases declined to 1,21,881, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Saturday. The death toll climbed to 5,13,481 with 255 fresh fatalities, the data updated at 8 am stated.

MILWAUKEE - A suspect was shot by Milwaukee police after he allegedly opened fire inside the District 5 lobby on Friday, Feb. 25.Police Chief Jeffrey Norman said the suspect, identified as a 23-year-old Milwaukee man, walked in around 3 p.m.

Legislative bureau chief Keith Baldrey has an update on B.C.’s rapid testing rollout and why the program is expected to be accelerated.

British Columbia’s Liberal opposition called for Russian products to be pulled from BC Liquor Stores.“I’m calling on the NDP to immediately pull Russian spirits from @bcliquorstores and cease all imports of such products by the BCLDB,” Kevin Falcon wrote on Twitter. Ukraine’s president warns of ‘difficult’ night as Russia closes in on Kyiv “We should do all we can to support the people of Ukraine and not benefit Putin’s regime while this unprovoked aggression continues.”Asked about the proposal earlier Friday, B.C.

Bianco is a baseball coach for Cherry Hill National Athletic League and employs minors in his business, Bianco Landscaping Maintenance, LLC. CHERRY HILL, N.J. - A former New Jersey baseball coach and landscaping business owner accused of sexually assaulting a preteen is facing additional charges after four more victims came forward.Thomas Bianco, 20, was charged Wednesday with sexual assault and child endangerment of a 12-year-old, according to the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. The victim was allegedly assaulted on multiple occasions in Bianco's car, prosecutors said. Over the next two days, Bianco was charged with more than a dozen counts of third degree endangering the welfare of a child, as well as invasion of privacy and promoting obscene material to a minor after four 13-year-old victims came forward.Bianco had been a baseball coach for Cherry Hill National Athletic League.

Ukrainian military has released a statement thanking a marine for allegedly sacrificing himself in order to demolish a bridge that would allow Russian tanks to advance.The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine released the statement Friday via social media, reporting that Vitaliy Volodymyrovych Skakun, a battalion engineer, had voluntarily undertaken a mission to mine out the support structure of the Genichesky Bridge near the Kyiv before Russian forces could cross it. Shakun did not have time to flee the blast zone before detonating the explosives, and informed his battalion that he would be blowing it up regardless.The Armed Forces reported that the subsequent explosion was immediate and thwarted Russian efforts to mobilize their tank column over the bridge.Ukraine forces blew up the bridge about 30 miles north of Kyiv on Thursday in order to thwart the advance of Russian tanks toward the capital city, according to reports.The nation’s airborne assault troops targeted the bridge, which crosses the Teteriv River at Ivankiv, helping ground forces stop a Russian tank convoy, Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said, according to Newsweek.The invasion efforts reportedly included Russian troops commandeering Ukrainian military vehicles and donning Ukrainian military uniforms in order to ease their way into the city, reports said.Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, noted that the last time foreigners attacked Kyiv took place in 1941.RELATED: Ukraine crisis: How you can helpA Ukrainian military tank is seen near Potemkin Stairs in the centre of Odessa after Russia's military operation in Ukraine on Feb.

LOS ANGELES - Cities in the United States and across the globe are displaying blue and yellow lights, the colors of the Ukrainian flag, in a show of solidarity with the European nation as it grapples with a full-on invasion from neighboring Russia.The Empire State Building was illuminated with blue and yellow lights in a display of support for Ukraine currently under siege by Russian forces."Tonight, the Empire State Building will shine its tower lights in the colors of the Ukrainian flag," wrote the official Twitter account for the Empire State Building. In Dallas, the Ukrainian flag’s colors could be seen shining throughout the Texas city’s skyline. In Cincinnati, Ohio, a sister city to Kharkiv, Ukraine, the Duke Energy Convention Center was also lit up as a hat tip to Ukraine.Roughly 200 miles to the north, in Sandusky, Ohio, a tribute to Ukraine could also be found.Tributes to Ukraine could also be seen in Paris, London, Melbourne, Berlin and Rome, Reuters reported. Berlin, which stood as the front line during the Cold War until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, sent a clear signal to the Kremlin when it lit up the iconic Brandenburg Gate, the city’s most famous landmark, in blue and yellow."We are showing our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, the many Berliners with Ukrainian roots but also with the many Russians who want peace in Russia and Ukraine," Berlin Mayor Franziska Giffey said in a statement."They all want nothing more than an end to the escalation and a peaceful settlement to this threatening conflict," she added.A day after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered military action in the breakaway regions of Ukraine, Russian forces appear to be closing in on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.Explosions

Russian forces continue to invade Ukraine. Vancouver Pastor Mykhailo Ozorovych tells Paul Haysom that about his family who are living in one of the towns that have been bombed.

COVID-19 struck, bringing back new restrictions and keeping people away.Now, another effort is underway.The Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal has released a new study called Relaunching Downtown Montreal with 29 recommendations to bring back office workers and visitors.The CEO of the Chamber and the Quebec Minister Responsible for Montreal held a joint discussion Friday morning talking about the plans.“The government is very aware of the situation of downtown Montreal,” Chantal Rouleau, the Minister Responsible for Montreal, said. Montrealers returning to work after city takes hit amid COVID-19 Experts say elected officials, employers and business owners shouldn’t expect a return overnight.

WASHINGTON: The US House of Representatives on Friday narrowly approved a $3 trillion bill crafted by Democrats to provide more aid for battling the coronavirus and stimulating a faltering economy rocked by the pandemic.

The Abbott Laboratories test is used daily at the White House to test Trump and key members of his staff.

JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY - APRIL 27: A NJ Transit bus driver is seen wearing a mask on April 27, 2020 in Jersey City, New Jersey. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has cut New Jersey public transit service by 50% and requires riders and NJ Transit perso

Washington: US President Donald Trump has threatened to slap new taxes on American companies like Apple to dissuade them from moving their manufacturing bases from China to countries like India and Ireland instead of the US amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A new coronavirus aid package released Tuesday by House Democrats includes $25 billion for the cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service, which could run out of money by the end of September without a taxpayer bailout. Mail volume is down by more than 30% from last year because of the pandemic, and the Postal Service says losses will increase by more than $22 billion over the next 18 months.

Asked about President Donald Trump urging states earlier this week to reopen their economies, despite Dr. Anthony Fauci stressing doing so without following guidelines could lead to more outbreaks, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Trump is advising people to follow the guidelines.

When discussing possible future vaccines for COVID-19 on Tuesday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany would not commit to whether President Donald Trump would ensure people will get the vaccine regardless of income, but said he would push pharmaceutical companies to make vaccines affordable.

WASHINGTON – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is poised to unveil the next coronavirus aid package, encouraging Congress to “go big” on aid to help cash-strapped states and struggling Americans. Voting is possible as soon as Friday.

Efforts are underway to trace contacts after two White House staffers tested positive for COVID-19. As Jackson Proskow reports, this is complicating U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to reopen the economy.

U.S.

White House staff have been ordered to wear a mask or facial covering to enter the West Wing, as Donald Trump confronts cases of the coronavirus at the heart of his administration.

WASHINGTON – The White House is increasingly looking like an imperfect microcosm of the challenges that all Americans face in keeping the coronavirus at bay as huge swaths of the nation move to reopen.

Wearing face masks and not sharing personal items are key to maintaining strong health.

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration’s leading health experts on safely dealing with the novel coronavirus will be testifying in a Senate hearing by a videoconference this week after three of them and the committee's chairman were exposed to people who tested positive for COVID-19.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence is not in quarantine and plans to be at the White House on Monday, a spokesman said on Sunday, despite media reports that Pence was self-isolating after a staffer tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence listens as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with industry executives in the Cabinet Room of the White House April 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump met with the executives to discuss ongoing

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence listens as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with industry executives in the Cabinet Room of the White House April 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump met with the executives to discuss ongoing

WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 27: U.S. Vice President Mike Pence listens as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with industry executives in the Cabinet Room of the White House April 27, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump met with the executives to discuss ongoing