Lohan Ratwatte replaces Jayantha Samaraweera as State Minister

Jailed Saudi blogger Raif Badawi freed, but hurdles remain to join family in Quebec “These individuals, totalling 81, were convicted of various crimes including murdering innocent men, women and children,” the statement read.“Crimes committed by these individuals also include pledging allegiance to foreign terrorist organizations, such as ISIS (Islamic State), al-Qaeda and the Houthis,” it added.The ministry did not say how the executions were carried out.The men included 37 Saudi nationals who were found guilty in a single case for attempting to assassinate security officers and targeting police stations and convoys, the statement added.The mass execution is likely to bring back attention to Saudi Arabia’s human rights record at a time when world powers have been focused on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Rights groups have accused Saudi Arabia of enforcing restrictive laws on political and religious expression, and criticized it for using the death penalty, including for defendants arrested when they were minors.Read full story“There are prisoners of conscience on Saudi death row, and others arrested as children or charged with non-violent crimes,” Soraya Bauwens, deputy director of anti-death penalty charity Reprieve, said in a statement.Saudi women can now get a passport without male consent“We fear for every one of them following this brutal display of impunity,” she added.Saudi Arabia denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.The state SPA news agency said the accused were provided with the right to an attorney and were guaranteed their full rights under Saudi law during the judicial process.The kingdom executed 63 people in one day in 1980, a year after

daylight time.Yukon and most of Saskatchewan observe permanent daylight time and the premiers of Ontario, B.C. and Quebec have said they’re receptive to ditching the time change.

Police tape surrounded Ertale Lounge on 118 Avenue Saturday as Edmonton police investigated a shooting that left six people injured and one man dead. As Chris Chacon explains, the homicide unit has taken over the case.

After 10 years in a Saudi prison, blogger and activist Raif Badawi has been released, says his wife Ensaf Haidar. But as Gloria Henriquez reports, hurdles remain for Badawi to be reunited with his wife and three children now living in Quebec.

Costco members have to shell out even more money to gain access to coveted items like its in-house rotisserie chicken, Kirkland bacon and big cheese wheels. That five-year mark is coming up this June, according to Costco Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti, who hinted to investors that another fee increase could hit this summer. "On average, they [membership fee increases] were done about every five — a little over every five and a half years, about five years and seven months," Galanti told investors during the last earnings call. "So five years from the anniversary of the June of '17 would be this June." Galanti did not offer further specifics. In 2017, the company's annual membership fee increase impacted around 35 million members, half of whom were executive members, according to its March 2017 earnings report. At the time, fees increased by $5 for all personal and business memberships in North America.

OCALA, Fla. - Lines of severe storms with damaging winds and tornadoes moved through the Southeast during the early morning Saturday toppling trees and damaging homes.Damage reports stretched from North Carolina to Florida with strong winds being the main culprit for the damage.One of the hardest hit areas was Ocala, Florida where emergency management said at least one tornado moved through.Photos show snapped trees, roof damage to homes and at least on 18-wheeler that was knocked over by a severe storm.Multiple buildings and vehicles near the 3900 block of State Route 200 are damaged due to a tornado, the Ocala, Florida, Police Department said Saturday morning. No injuries reported at this time.

BUCKS COUNTY, Pa - Girls wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in Pennsylvania and a Bucks County high school is finishing its first season competing. Kristin Swartley and Jamie Harner are volunteer wrestling coaches for the girls wrestling team at Exeter Township High School. "Did you ever see yourself being a wrestling coach?" FOX 29 photojournalist Bill Roher asked the coaches. "No, never," Swartley said. "I am a wrestling mom and now I'm a wrestling coach." Last August, Exeter became the 14th school in Pennsylvania to begin a girls' wrestling team and Swartley and Harner are the first coaches. "I think in the beginning, Jamie and I were like ‘It’s going to be just us'" Swartley said. The coaches posted messages on Facebook asking athletes from other sports to join.

More than 70 cars were involved in a crash on Rt. 581 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, state police say.  (FOX 43)CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. - More than 70 cars were involved in a crash in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, during Saturday afternoon's winter storm, state police say. RELATED: Winter storm will blast East Coast as powerful ‘bomb cyclone’ after bringing snow to Midwest, SouthAccording to State Trooper Megan Ammerman, 73 cars were involved in the crash. Multiple people were injured, but none of the injuries are life-threatening, police say. The road is expected to be closed for several more hours. Drivers trapped on the highway were transported to the New Cumberland Borough Fire Department by buses, according to police. AdvertisementThis is a developing story.

Crews with the Wilmington Fire Department responded to a fire at a two-story home in Wilmington, Delaware.  WILMINGTON, Del. - Units with the Wilmington Fire Department responded to a fatal fire Saturday morning. According to the department, the incident happened just after midnight on Saturday on E. 17th Street. Crews said the fire spread through the walls to the second floor.  When crews arrived, there was heavy fire and smoke on the first floor of a two-story single-family home, fire officials say. One person was found inside as crews began searching inside, according to the fire department.

daylight saving time is observed in the early morning hours of Sunday, March 13. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends testing your smoke alarms once a month using the test button and changing the batteries twice a year, which can conveniently be done when we change our clocks for daylight saving time in the spring and fall. In today’s day and age, not all smoke alarms are designed the same, so ensuring your smoke alarm works properly may take more than replacing a battery. The following is information from the NFPA to ensure all smoke alarms have working batteries: Kidde smoke and carbon monoxide detector on light wooden surface, Lafayette, California, February 23, 2022. Photo courtesy Tech Trends.

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will intensify into a powerful "bomb cyclone" as it blasts the East Coast with heavy snow and high winds on Saturday.As a strong upper-level jet stream plunges out of the West, it will spawn the development of a surface low-pressure system along a cold front in the lower Mississippi Valley. That low will then rapidly strengthen as it tracks into the Northeast by Saturday and Atlantic Canada on Sunday.Meteorologists use the term bomb cyclone to describe a low-pressure system that undergoes "bombogenesis" – defined as a rapid pressure drop of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours or less – indicative of a very intense storm system.

The sun rises behind the Empire State Building in New York City on March 2, 2022, as seen from Hoboken, New Jersey. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images) Every year, renewed calls to permanently get rid of the more-than-100-year-old practice surface in the weeks leading up to the change. Here is a look at daylight saving time’s history:The "Spring Forward" clock shift occurs each year at 2 a.m.

(Courtesy: WSVN) WILTON MANORS, Fla. - Four West Point cadets on spring break in South Florida overdosed on cocaine laced with fentanyl, with two other cadets becoming exposed to the drug after they began performing CPR on their friends. All had to be hospitalized, with at least one person in critical condition, rescue officials said.In the front yard of the vacation rental home, multiple people were found in cardiac arrest Thursday when emergency crews responded to the 911 call, Fort Lauderdale Fire Department Battalion Chief Steve Gollan told news outlets."We are being told that four of those people had taken a substance that was believed to be cocaine laced with fentanyl when they went down into cardiac arrest," Gollan told WSVN.That’s when first responders said two friends of the victims began performing mouth-to-mouth CPR, which then exposed them to the dangerous drug as well and caused them to overdose.RELATED: 5 Florida children face hate crime charges for attacking white students"We were able to get some of those individuals back, so their heart was beating again, with a Narcan.

PHILADELPHIA - The Delaware Valley is bracing for a weekend winter storm that will bring rain and snow along with freezing cold temperatures and whipping winds. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for areas along the I-95 corridor and Philadelphia's north and west suburbs. Parts of the Lehigh Valley will be under a Winter Storm Warning, including the Poconos where forecasters expect around half a foot of snow. FOX 29's Scott Williams says the storm will start with widespread rain showers that could include a rumble of thunder. As temperatures start to fall towards the freezing point, forecasters expect the rain to change over to wet snow during the late-morning. The slushy snow will persist for the first half of the afternoon and begin to lessen around 2 p.m.

Covid mortality in 12 Indian states using data from the civil registration system, the report found that India had an estimated 152.5 excess deaths per 100,000 people over the two years.

COATESVILLE, Pa. - Authorities say a Pennsylvania man had a brief shootout with a burglar who stole two guns and a video game console from the victim's apartment Friday morning.Officers from the City of Coatesville Police Department were called to a property on East Lincoln Highway for reports of a shooting. According to investigators, the victim returned home to find a man armed with an AR-15 standing in his doorway. After a brief struggle, police say the suspect fired at least 7 shots and the victim returned fire with his legally-owned firearm. No one was struck during the brief shootout, according to police.The AR-15 used in the shooting was stolen from the victim's home along with another gun and a Playstation 5, police said. Authorities did not provide a description of the suspect.

SPALDING COUNTY, Ga. - When a Spalding County girl celebrated her eighth birthday, she got a present no one ever imagined. Her parents said someone had taken a toy out of a box and replaced it with marijuana.The girl's dad said from the outside, it looked like a regular box with a toy in it.

PHILADELPHIA - The Delaware Valley will enjoy a pleasant weather day Friday before conditions take a turn Saturday as rain and snow are expected to fall throughout the day. Friday’s high temperatures are expected to reach about 60 degrees with mostly sunny skies. The script will flip in a big way on Saturday as the outskirts of a large winter storm stretching from the Midwest to New England will impact the Delaware Valley. As the storm approaches temperatures will plunge back into the 30s and 40s Saturday morning. Philadelphia and the surrounding areas will begin to see rain in the morning before another drop in temperatures changes precipitation to snow for most.The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Carbon and Monroe counties through 7 p.m.

Portland police officers at the scene where a woman gave birth and allegedly walked away and left the child on a sidewalk. (Portland Police Bureau) An Oregon woman gave birth to a baby girl on a sidewalk and then walked away and left the child, authorities said Thursday. The Portland Police Bureau said officers and first responders received a report Wednesday of a woman who had given birth just before 11 a.m. They were dispatched when it was reported the mother allegedly walked away. Officers arrived on bicycle and checked on the newborn, who was being cared for by paramedics, police said. "They said the mother, the woman, was stumbling away eastbound on Market with a lot of blood and amniotic fluid all over her," officer Kirby-Glatkowski told KOIN-TV. The mother was not cooperative and was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation, police said. "My partner and I went to try and engage her, contact her, talk to her see what was going on.

NEW YORK - An 83-year-old ex-con who did two stints in prison — each time for killing a woman — is now charged with murder once again after police found human body parts in and near her apartment and obtained video of her riding a motorized wheelchair with a severed human leg in the seat.A grand jury has indicted Harvey Marcelin, who identifies as a transgender woman, on charges of second-degree murder, evidence tampering, and concealing a dead body in connection with the death of Susan Leyden, 68, of Brooklyn.Leyden's torso was found in a shopping cart on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Atlantic Avenue in the Cypress Hills section on March 3. Police said the body was in a large plastic bag inside the cart.

NORTH PORT, Fla. - Gabby Petito's family has filed a civil lawsuit against Brian Laundrie's parents, accusing them of knowing that Brian had murdered their daughter and attempting to help him flee the country. The lawsuit seeks over $100,000 in damages for causing the Petitos pain and suffering along with mental anguish.The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Sarasota County by Gabby's mother, Nichole Schmidt, and father, Joseph Petito, listing Brian's parents Chris and Roberta Laundrie as defendants.The complaint gives a brief timeline of Gabby Petito's disappearance and death, before revealing new accusations not previously released by the FBI."It is believed, and therefore averred that on or about August 28, 2021, Brian Laundrie advised his parents, Christopher Laundrie and Roberta Laundrie, that he had murdered Gabrielle Petito," the lawsuit states.

PHILADELPHIA - A man is fighting for his life after police say he was shot in the head Friday afternoon in Philadelphia's East Mount Airy neighborhood. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 1900 block of Washington Lane just after 2 p.m. for reports of a shooting. Police found a 28-year-old man shot once in the head and hand, and a 21-year-old man who was hit multiple times in the leg. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESBoth victims were taken by ambulance to Albert Einstein Medical Center. The 28-year-old was placed in critical condition and the younger victim is expected to recover, police said. No arrests were reported immediately following the shooting.

ratified a new contract after a 99-day stalemate on Thursday, paving the way for the season to finally begin, albeit it a little later than originally scheduled.But players are expected to report to their team's facilities to begin spring training by Sunday, and it looks like the weather couldn't be any better.In Arizona, the weather looks sunny and near 80 in Phoenix and its surrounding suburbs where the Cactus League teams play.In Florida, while thunderstorms and possible severe weather is in the forecast for the northern third of the state on Friday and Saturday, conditions improve for Sunday as the Grapefruit League gets under way. Highs will reach around 70 for the east coast sites like Jupiter, Port St.

KENOSHA, Wis. - Kenosha police released video and pictures of the Kyle Rittenhouse rifle on Friday, March 11 – which was destroyed at the Wisconsin State Crime Lab in Milwaukee on Feb. 25.The Wisconsin State Crime Lab shredded the Kyle Rittenhouse rifle on Feb.

COCOA BEACH, Fla. - A Florida elementary school teacher has been arrested after police say she is accused of hitting a female student with autism in the face. Cocoa Beach police arrested Candice Williamson Bartell, 53, on Tuesday at Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School.According to the arrest affidavit, the incident was caught on video, but Bartell told detectives it was a ‘playful tap’ to show affection when a student was happy.MORE NEWS: Police say suspect confessed to stabbing death of Daytona Beach coupleThe report states that Bartell is seen on video trying to open a door to a classroom with the student close behind her. Detectives say Bartell is seen using her left hand to strike the student in the face near her nose.

OLYMPIA, Wash. - Washington and Oregon will drop masking requirements for schools and most public places on March 12, the states jointly announced."With declining case rates and hospitalizations across the West, California, Oregon and Washington are moving together to update their masking guidance," the governors said in a statement. There are more than 7.5 million school-age children across the three states.The new guidance will make face coverings a recommendation rather than a requirement at most indoor places in California starting March 1 and at schools on March 12, regardless of vaccination status.

Ruby the K9, courtesy RISP There’s a K-9 dog in Rhode Island that has such a remarkable storied past, she’s inspired a Netflix movie.Ruby, an Australian shepherd and border collie mix, was adopted by Cpl. Daniel O'Neil in 2011, who was in need of a search-and-rescue dog for work, according to the Associated Press.At the time, the rambunctious eight-month-old pup had been adopted and returned to the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals shelter by five families before she found her place with O'Neil.DEAF SHEEPDOG LEARNS SIGN LANGUAGE TO ROUND UP SHEEPShelter volunteer and dog trainer Patricia Inman recalls Ruby was full of energy and needed an advocate to reassure staff that euthanasia was not the right choice."[Ruby] was a total knucklehead," Inman told the Associated Press.

WASHINGTON - Authorities say at least 10 people were hurt after a vehicle crashed into the outdoor seating area of a Northwest D.C. restaurant Friday.Officials described the situation as a 'mass casualty incident.' At this time the crash appears to be accidental.DC Fire and EMS/ @dcfireems The incident happened around noon in the 5500 block of Connecticut Avenue.Download the FOX 5 DC News App for Local Breaking News and WeatherImages show firefighters on the scene near an SUV that appears to be on the sidewalk.Officials say no structural damage was reported.This is a developing story.

Children and adolescents diagnosed as having asthma are at similar risk for COVID-19 infection as those without asthma, according to a study today in Pediatrics that controlled for factors tied to SARS-CoV-2 testing.

FILE - Official photo of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey. (Office of the Governor of the state of Alabama) (Office of the Governor of the state of Alabama)MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Alabama will become the latest state to allow people to carry concealed handguns without first undergoing a background check and getting a state permit.Alabama Gov.

CHENNAI :

winter storm will bring snow from parts of the Plains and Midwest into the South through Friday night, then intensify into a powerful "bomb cyclone" as it blasts the East Coast with heavy snow and high winds on Saturday.As a strong upper-level jet stream plunges out of the West, it will spawn the development of a surface low-pressure system along a cold front in the lower Mississippi Valley. That low will then rapidly strengthen as it tracks into the Northeast by Saturday and Atlantic Canada on Sunday.Meteorologists use the term bomb cyclone to describe a low-pressure system that undergoes "bombogenesis" – defined as a rapid pressure drop of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours or less – indicative of a very intense storm system.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.Never miss a story! Stay connected and informed with Mint. Download our App Now!!

The Trader Joe’s salad label for "Crunchy Slaw with Chicken, Crispy Noodles & Peanut Dressing" is pictured in a provided image. (Photo credit: Provided / Trader Joe’s) A salad sold at Trader Joe’s and shipped to grocery stores in the western U.S.

Dua Lipa has been sued twice for copyright infringement in regard to her 2020 single, Levitating. The first complaint was filed last week by the Florida reggae band Artikal Sound System and it claims Dua Lipa plagiarized their 2017 song Live Your Life.A second complaint was filed on Friday by songwriters L. Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer.

Residents queue to undergo tests for the Covid-19 in a residential area in Changchun in China's northeastern Jilin province on March 11, 2022. (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images) BEIJING - China on Friday ordered a lockdown of the 9 million residents of the northeastern city of Changchun amid a new spike in COVID-19 cases in the area attributed to the highly contagious omicron variant.Residents are required to remain home, with one family member permitted to venture out to buy food and other necessities every two days.

LOS ANGELES - Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher said their campaign has raised more than $20 million in less than a week for Kunis’ native country of Ukraine in response to the Russian invasion. "But we’re not done," Kutcher said in an update posted Thursday to Instagram. "Our goal is $30 [million] and we’re gonna get there."The couple and "That '70s Show" stars announced their intent last week to raise donations via GoFundMe and vowed to match another $3 million.

IQ of more than half the United States population has been negatively affected by the presence of lead in gasoline, a new study estimates.The peer-reviewed study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) journal discovered childhood exposure to leaded gasoline cost the U.S. a deficit of at least 824 million IQ points, or approximately 2.6 points per American.Researchers at Florida State University and Duke University focused on U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - The United States Labor Department on Thursday reported its highest consumer inflation jump in nearly four decades propelled by surging costs for gas, food and housing. A gallon of regular gas in Pennsylvania will cost motorists $4.43 on average, according to AAA. And neighboring New Jersey and Delaware will only save drivers pennies.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - One person is in custody Thursday after crashing a stolen yacht in Newport Beach.Authorities say they were originally called to the 1200 block of W. Pacific Coast Highway for a vandalism call around 10:30 a.m.

Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from Indian Wells and the Miami Open, the first two Masters Series events of the year due to US Covid-19 regulations, the world number two men's tennis player confirmed on Wednesday. The unvaccinated Serbian player was listed in the draw of the Masters 1000 tournament in the Californian desert.

PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia teenager has made a miraculous recovery after he was hit in the head by a stray bullet that came within ‘centimeters’ of striking his brain stem. Last October, 16-year-old Ivan was near Jean’s Pizzeria and Grill at Rowland and Ryan avenues with some friends after dismissal from Abraham Lincoln High School.According to the Philadelphia Police Department, a fight broke out and 21-year-old Aaron Scott opened fire. One of the bullets struck and killed 66-year-old Jeffery Carter who happened to be driving through the intersection. Ivan was struck in the head by the indiscriminate gunfire as he was trying to run away.

Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the seventh inning in Game Six of the World Series at Minute Maid Park on November 02, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Image It's been three months since Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Max Scherzer found new homes amid an unprecedented free agent spending spree.Three long months of nothing, at least for fans used to filling their winters with updates off the hot stove.That's about to change, and fast.

PERKASIE, Pa. - Federal investigators said an ill-fated plane was performing maneuvers when it entered a tailspin and crashed into a Bucks County neighborhood last month killing both aboard.The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Thursday shared its preliminary report on the Feb. 24 crash of a Beech 35-C33 in Hilltown, Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Garner attends 2019 Baby2Baby Gala Presented By Paul Mitchell at 3LABS on November 09, 2019 in Culver City, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) LOS ANGELES - Jennifer Garner is in the spotlight for sharing a simple way to give back to those in need. On Wednesday, the actress posted a video on social media explaining an easy way to show a "random act of kindness" using Ziploc bags. In the post, Garner fills up a bag with essential items, including socks, handwipes and money. She is shown giving out the bags to people experiencing homelessness in the community. From small acts of kindness to awe-inspiring events, there were a lot of feel-good moments in 2021.The 49-year-old said she was inspired by her friend to create the bags. "Random act of kindness: gather these essentials in a quart sized ziploc bag and keep them in your car to give away when you see someone in need.

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - One person is in custody Thursday after leading Newport Beach Police on a boat chase that ended with the suspect crashing into a marina.Authorities say they were originally called to the 1200 block of W. Pacific Coast Highway for a vandalism call around 10:30 a.m.

While Medicare beneficiary hospitalizations for non–COVID-19 diagnoses fell sharply in March and April 2020 and stayed low through September 2021, death rates after hospitalization rose substantially—particularly for Black and Hispanic patients, finds a study yesterday in JAMA Network Open.University of Texas and Johns Hopkins researchers analyzed