PM Modi to chair high-level meeting today on Covid situation

Lieutenant Sean Williamson, a 27-year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department, was killed after a portion of a building collapsed during a fire officials say was intentionally set.  PHILADELPHIA - Two men have been indicted in connection with the fire and collapse of a Fairhill pizza shop that claimed the life of a veteran member of the Philadelphia Fire Department in June 2022.United States Attorney Jacqueline Romero announced Wednesday that 29-year-old Al-Ashraf Khalil and 29-year-old Issam Jaghama were indicted with one count of conspiracy to commit malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce and one count of malicious damage by means of fire of a building used in interstate commerce.Khalil was also charged with wire fraud and one count of using fire in advancement of the commission of the wire fraud.RELATED COVERAGE:According to authorities, the charges stem from the June 2022 arson at a pizza shop at 300 West Indiana Avenue, in Philadelphia’s Fairhill neighborhood, which ultimately resulted in the death of Lt. Sean Williamson, a 27-year veteran of the Philadelphia Fire Department.

FAIRMOUNT - The School District of Philadelphia and other city departments are gearing up for summer and they want to get the word out on programs that will be available for kids and teens.The drum line at West Philadelphia High School played Wednesday morning to welcome school district officials, as Superintendent Tony Watlington, and others, rolled out their summer learning program.The district said it would offer 15,000 students places to learn and play this summer in over 100 school buildings. The district urges parents to act quickly as the slots are expected fill rapidly.

The Saucy Secret is Out: Big Mac Sauce Dip Cups Are Coming to McDonald’s USA (PRNewsfoto/McDonald's USA) CHICAGO - McDonald's continues to beef up its menu with its latest addition: Big Mac sauce made exclusively for dipping. The fast-food chain said fans have always asked for an extra side of the famous sauce for years, and now the extra sauce will already come prepared in a sauce dip cup. The Big Mac sauce dip will become available April 27 for a limited time at participating U.S. restaurants. However, the only way to order it is through the restaurant's app.

PHILADELPHIA - Police say a 15-year-old boy is in stable condition after he was shot in broad daylight at a North Philadelphia recreation center. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the area of 10th and Jefferson streets around 4 p.m. for reports of a shooting. Police found a 15-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound to the right side.

EastEnders star Michelle Collins has given fans an update after she was rushed to hospital earlier this week. Michelle, 60, who played iconic character Cindy Beale on EastEnders from 1988 to 1998, was rushed to hospital on Monday for an unknown, but "worrying" health issue.

New details have been revealed in the shooting death of 20-year-old Kaylin Gillis that provide a clearer picture of what transpired that Saturday night in rural upstate New York.

CORALVILLE, Iowa - An Iowa State trooper and a car driver escaped serious injury after a truck slammed into them during a traffic stop. The trooper had originally pulled over the car on Highway 218 in Coralville, Iowa, on Tuesday. Dashcam video showed the moment a speeding truck striking the stopped car just as the officer was leaning over and talking to the stopped driver. RELATED: 71-year-old critically punched to the ground over parking spot; Delaware man turns himself inThe Iowa State Patrol called it "a very avoidable crash."This story was reported from Los Angeles.  

NEWARK, Del. - A home invasion turned deadly when a homeowner decided to take matters into his own hands, and fight back against a trio of intruders.Police arrived to find a 25-year-old suspect dead on the second floor of house on Clipper Court Tuesday night.The suspect was shot several times by the homeowner after ransacking his house with another suspect, 20-year-old Nadir Everett, according to authorities.After the suspects threatened the homeowner, and started stealing items, police say the homeowner grabbed his firearm and opened fire.MORE HEADLINES:The 25-year-old suffered fatal injuries, while Everett fled the scene with a third suspect, identified as 24-year-old Malik Dennison.Everett, who also suffered multiple gunshot wounds, was taken into custody with Dennison at a local hospital.The homeowner did suffer a gunshot fired by one of the suspects, police say.

FILE - Cropped image showing Moonbin of ASTRO during MBC music program 'Show Champion' at MBC Dream Center on May 25, 2022 in Goyang, South Korea. (The Chosunilbo JNS/Imazins via Getty Images)Moonbin, a member of the popular Korean pop group ASTRO, was found dead Wednesday, according to multiple reports. The 25-year-old artist was found in his apartment located in the Gangnam district of Seoul, South Korea, by his manager, according to Soompi, an online media outlet that covers Korean entertainment and pop culture. "It appears that Moonbin took his own life," police reportedly said, adding, "We are currently discussing the possibility of an autopsy to determine the precise cause of death." Moonbin debuted with the group ASTRO in 2016, alongside members Jinjin, MJ, Cha Eun-woo, Sanha, and Rocky, according to ABS-CBN News. FILE - Musical Group Astro, including members JinJin, MJ, Cha Eunwoo, Moonbin, Rocky and Yoon Sanha attend the Red Carpet Photo Op at KCON 2017 at LA Conventtion Center on August 20, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

Kinetic Content is speaking out against allegations they disregarded “Love is Blind” contestants’ mental health.

Koller auction house director Cyril Koller gestures next to the skull of 'Trinity' prior to the sale of the skeleton of the Tyrannosaurus-Rex (T-Rex) by Koller auction house in Zurich, on April 18, 2023. -8.7 million). (Photo by Fabrice Coffrini/AFP One of the most spectacular Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons in existence sold for millions of dollars Tuesday at a Switzerland auction.The well-preserved and brilliantly restored fossil fetched 5.5 million Swiss francs ($6.18 million), including the "buyer’s premium" and fees, Koller Auctions’ marketing director, Karl Green, told FOX Weather.

Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) is billing as “one of the largest strikes in Canada’s history,” more than 155,000 federal workers have walked off the job with many now on the picket lines.The strike kicked off Wednesday 12.01 a.m. Eastern, with nearly a third of the country’s public servants halting work after the union representing them failed to reach an agreement with the government.Picket lines are being set up in more than 250 locations across the country, according to PSAC.

pioneering experiment with legalized magic mushrooms took a step closer to reality as the first "facilitators" who will accompany clients as they experience the drug received their state licenses, authorities said Tuesday.Voters approved the regulated use of psilocybin in a 2020 ballot measure, and anticipation has been building over the past 2 1/2 years for the day — expected to come later this year — when people can gain access to the drug that studies indicate has therapeutic value.Hundreds of people have invested thousands of dollars apiece in this budding industry, and some worry that the rollout is proceeding too slowly."We thank you for your dedication to client safety and access as we move closer to opening service centers," Oregon Psilocybin Services Manager Angie Allbee said in a statement Tuesday to three people who received the state's first facilitator licenses.But to date, no service centers — where customers would access psilocybin in controlled, calm environments with music, eye masks and mats — have been licensed. Nor has any laboratory where the products must be tested for potency.

NEWARK, Del. - Delaware State Police say a teenager has been arrested and charged in connection with a violent shooting that sent shoppers running for safety at the Christiana Mall earlier this month. Authorities say the incident occurred on April 8 at 6:43 p.m. at the food court entrance to the mall. Troopers say an investigation revealed three male suspects began physically assaulting an 18-year-old as he was leaving the food court.

Nasyrova is shown on an Interpol alert before her arrest. FOREST HILLS, N.Y. - Back in 2016, Olga Tsvyk was found unconscious and surrounded by pills in her bed.

Aaron Carter accidentally drowned in his bathtub after taking prescription pills and inhaling gas used in spray cleaners, a coroner’s report revealed on Tuesday.The Los Angeles County medical examiner-coroner said Carter, 34, had recently taken alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax, and inhaled difluoroethane, a gas commonly used in cans of compressed air, before his death. Difluoroethane was identified by the coroner as a substance that “can induce feelings of euphoria when inhaled.” Read more: Morgan Freeman — ‘Black History Month,’ ‘African American’ are insulting terms As per TMZ, the first outlet to report the news, Carter reportedly became “incapacitated while in the bathtub due to the effects” of drugs and inhaled gas.

General view of campus life at Temple University, in Philadelphia, PA, on a frisk early spring day of March 27, 2019. (Photo by Bastiaan Slabbers/NurPhoto via Getty Images) PHILADELPHIA - The results of an audit examining public safety at Temple University have been released, revealing a need for improved community relations, assertive leadership and city-wide collaboration. According to the university's Public Safety Department, 21CP Solutions conducted an "external, independent review" of campus safety services from the Temple University Police Department.

NEWARK, Del. - What began as a simple hunt for a parking spot, ended with an elderly man being sent to the hospital, and another man in police custody.The violent incident unfolded in the parking lot of a medical complex at 700 Prides Crossing in Newark, Delaware, Tuesday morning.Both the 71-year-old and suspect, identified as 39-year-old Dimitri Taylor, tried to pull into the same parking spot, sparking an argument.As the victim tried to find another spot, police say the suspect chased him around the lot punching his window.MORE HEADLINES:Pleading with Taylor to stop, the victim parked his car and called the police.Taylor then punched the 71-year-old causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground, according to authorities.He was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.Police say Taylor later turned himself in, and has since been charged with assault.

DADEVILLE, Ala. - Law enforcement officials have arrested two teenagers and charged them with murder for the mass shooting during a Sweet 16 birthday party in eastern Alabama that killed four and injured more than 30 people.Members of the press from all over the country gathered on the steps of the Tallapoosa County Courthouse nearly 84 hours after the shots were fired at the Mahogany Masterpiece dance studio, located just one block away. Investigators say 18-year-old Phil Dowdell, 23-year-old Corbin Holston, 19-year-old Marsiah Collins, and 17-year-old KeKe Smith were killed in the gunfire.

This car landed on the roof of a home in Placer County. Photo: Cal Fire CAPE HORN, Calif. - The internet was brimming with questions after a white Subaru Outback landed on the second-story roof of a home in Northern California. "How does this even happen?" Amy White wrote on Cal Fire's Facebook page.According to the Cal Fire Placer County unit, firefighters and the California Highway Patrol responded Sunday to a home on Robbers Ravine. Crews worked to rescue the driver of the car, which had somehow launched itself up on the roof of the home.

A Nevada-based developer has submitted plans and applications for a 50-story mixed used structure in San Franciscos Outer Sunset District. (Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB))SAN FRANCISCO - A Nevada-based developer has submitted plans for a 50-story ocean view high rise in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset District, in what's shaping up to be a heated battle with the city's planning department. The plans and applications were submitted to the city last week by developer CH Planning LLC.The mixed-use structure, near Ocean Beach, calls for 712 apartments, including 115 affordable units.

Australia has been found.Ines Zepcan was only 8 years old when she and her siblings sent the bottle off a pier in Portland, Victoria.Her message was simple and sweet, "Whoever finds this bottle will have good luck for life, from me and my family."Rosalind Evans, a beachcomber with Warrnambool's Beach Patrol 3280, was excited after she found the intact yet battered plastic bottle at Fitzroy River estuary during a March 25th cleanup. The group searched for Zepcan on social media and sent her a message.BOTTLE FULL OF MESSAGES WASHES ASHORE ON A FLORIDA BEACHRosalind Evans, a beachcomber with Warrnambool's Beach Patrol 3280, was excited after she found the intact yet battered plastic bottle at Fitzroy River estuary during a March 25th cleanup.

PHILADELPHIA - A man is in critical condition after several shots were fired in a morning shooting on a North Philadelphia street Tuesday.Police responded to the shooting on the 2900 block of North Stillman Street around 8 a.m.The victim, a 43-year-old man, was found shot twice in the neck, once to the back and multiple times in the lower body.MORE HEADLINES:He was transported to a local hospital, and placed in critical condition.No arrests have been made, and no weapons recovered.

CHERRY HILL, N.J. - A woman's shopping trip could have ended in a carjacking, but luckily she was able to safely drive away.Police say three teen suspects approached the woman as she sat in her car in the Walmart parking lot on Route 38 Monday night.They opened her door, demanded she get out, and displayed a handgun, according to authorities.She drove away and immediately notified police.MORE HEADLINES:All three suspects were still at the Walmart when officers arrived and took them into custody.

NEW DELHI : The 3rd day of the 2nd Health Working Group meeting under India’s G20 Presidency being organised in Goa witness series of technical sessions on digital health innovations, healthcare technology and Digital Public Goods (DPGs) to emphasie India’s commitment to “healthcare for all" through vibrant global and local collaborations.  The first session focused on “Innovations in Healthcare" during which health experts pushed for a lifecycle-care framework where open-source software can enable data innovations.  “Suggestions such as a central organization or coalition in the world to guide national governments, along with regional implementation hubs, paradigm shift towards Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and AGI-enabled Digital public goods were put forward.

NEW DELHI : In view of the rise in the number of covid-19 cases across India, Dr. P.K.

booster doses can still reduce the severity of the disease, experts are of the opinion that it may be time for governments to start thinking about second-generation vaccines. I think a booster dose is not really going to hurt while as such. Again, you know, it can still reduce the severity of the disease.

Once upon a time, Chrystia Freeland attempted to relate to Canadians’ cost-of-living concerns with a personal anecdote – and it didn’t produce a fairy-tale ending.

Americans seeking messenger RNA vaccines for Covid-19 for the first time will get one, updated shot targeting both the Omicron variant and the original strain of the virus under new moves rolled out Tuesday by federal health officials. The Food and Drug Administration also authorized a second booster of the updated shots for people at high risk of Covid-19, specifically people 65 years and older or people who have weak immune systems. The agency’s actions mark the latest tweaks to Covid-19 vaccines, and could be followed up by further efforts to simplify the complicated vaccination regimen, perhaps by enshrining plans for a once-a-year shot for most people.

FILE - Netflix sign-in page is seen displayed on a laptop screen in this illustration photo taken in Krakow, Poland, on June 1, 2022. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) SAN FRANCISCO - Netflix has revealed a new timeline to crack down on password-sharing among customers in the United States as streaming platforms proliferate and more people share services.The streaming giant previously indicated in January that tougher password restrictions would be imposed by the end of March for customers, but that didn’t happen in several key markets, including the U.S. In a shareholder letter released Tuesday with its first-quarter performance, Netflix said it was "pleased with the results" of a paid password-sharing program it launched in four countries and said it plans to introduce a "broad rollout" – including the U.S.

7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes want customers to "BYOC" and get a Slurpee drink for just $1.99 on April 29, 2023. (Credit: 7-Eleven) IRVING, Texas - 7-Eleven is ushering in the warm weather months with its "Bring Your Own Cup Day" returning to stores this month. The day, happening on Saturday, April 29, encourages customers to "tap into their creativity" and bring in their favorite cup, helmet, beer stein, watering can, or any other unconventional container and fill it with a Slurpee drink for just $1.99.The deal is at all participating U.S.

People walk through the Sadar Bazaar in New Delhi, India, on Tuesday, April 18, 2023. Photo: Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg via Getty Images NEW DELHI - India is on track to become the world's most populous nation, surpassing China by 2.9 million people by mid-2023, according to data released by the United Nations on Wednesday.The South Asian country will have an estimated 1.4286 billion people against China's 1.4257 billion by the middle of the year, according to U.N.

SAN FRANCISCO - Netflix is poised to shut down the DVD-by-mail rental service that set the stage for its trailblazing video streaming service, ending an era that began a quarter-century ago when delivering discs through the mail was considered a revolutionary concept.The DVD service, which still delivers films and TV shows in the red-and-white envelopes that once served as Netflix's emblem, plans to mail its final discs on Sept. 29.RELATED: 'Incredibly sorry': Netflix keeps 'Love Is Blind' fans waiting for live reunionNetflix ended March with 232.5 million worldwide subscribers to its video streaming service, but it stopped disclosing how many people still pay for DVD-by-mail delivery years ago as that part of its business steadily shrank.

WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court is deciding whether women will face restrictions in getting a drug used in the most common method of abortion in the United States, while a lawsuit continues.The justices are expected to issue an order on Wednesday in a fast-moving case from Texas in which abortion opponents are seeking to roll back Food and Drug Administration approval of the drug, mifepristone.The drug first won FDA approval in 2000, and conditions on its use have been loosened in recent years, including making it available by mail in states that allow access.The Biden administration and New York-based Danco Laboratories, the maker of the drug, want the nation’s highest court to reject limits on mifepristone’s use imposed by lower courts, at least as long as the legal case makes it way through the courts. They say women who want the drug and providers who dispense it will face chaos if limits on the drug take effect.

LEONIA, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 17: The sun set behind EV charging stations on June 17, 2022 in Leonia, New Jersey. The Biden administration is revealing a new set of standards to help accelerate the installation of 500,000 electric vehicle chargers across TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey residents looking to buy or lease an electric vehicle won’t be able to get a government rebate — at least temporarily — because the state program is so popular that it's already running out of money, officials said.The Charge Up New Jersey program has disbursed an estimated $35 million for the fiscal year ending this July, according to the state's Board of Public Utilities.

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department is investigating an incident that began at FDR Park and ended with lane closures on I-76 West. Authorities say police responded to a report of a shooting on Pattison Avenue in the area of FDR Park in the South Philadelphia section of the city just before 3 a.m. Officers who responded to the scene did not find anything initially, according to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small. Small told reporters officers found a scene on the westbound lanes of I-76, where a Ford SUV and Infiniti Sedan were involved in a crash. According to authorities, the Ford had eight bullet holes and a 27-year-old victim in the back seat with a gunshot wound to the neck. Small says the shooting victim, who was unable to move due to the gunshot injury, was transported to Presbyterian Hospital, where he is in critical condition. Police say a 32-year-old woman was the driver of the Ford SUV. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESA 22-year-old man was driving the Infiniti and a gun was found on the vehicle's floorboard, authorities say. Investigators say a preliminary investigation revealed the drivers of both vehicles got into an altercation on the 1900 block of Pattison Avenue. According to Small, that's where crime scene technicians found 19 spent shell casings from the shooting. Officials say a PennDOT driver witnessed the incident and told authorities the two cars then drove at a high rate of speed the wrong way on I-76 West. The two vehicles eventually crashed on I-76 as police responded to the scene, police say. The 22-year-old driver of the Infiniti was taken into custody, according to Small. Lanes on I-76 West were closed for several hours but have since reopened. Police respond to lanes on I-76

airport, railway stations and the Churaibari check gate," the official said. Wearing masks in hospitals has been made a must, he said.

Ajay Banga's New Delhi visit on 23-24 March is the final stop on his three-week global tour that began in Africa before progressing to Europe, Latin America and Asia. World Bank presidential nominee Ajay Banga has tested positive for COVID-19 during a routine testing in New Delhi. Banga was travelling on the last leg of his world tour, and is currently quarantining in isolation, the Department of Treasury said on Thursday.

XBB 1.16 variant could be behind it. However, the country has started taking precautionary measures to prevent a further increase in Covid-19 cases. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held a meeting to review the situation.  Former AIIMS director Dr.

Covid-19 recovery rate has been recorded at 98.79 per cent, the ministry said. A total 92.06 crore tests for detection of Covid has been conducted so far with 89,078 tests being conducted in the last 24 hours.

NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday emphasized on the need to monitor the Covid-19 situation in the country on a regular basis and enhance testing of all severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) cases along with ramping up genome sequencing. During a high-level meeting to assess the Covid-19 and Influenza situation in the country in terms of preparedness of health infrastructure, logistics, status of the vaccination campaign, emergence of new Covid-19 variants, Influenza types and their public health implications for the country, Modi advised following respiratory hygiene & adherence to Covid appropriate behaviour.