Proposed National Assembly is one without essence: AKD

BURLINGTON CITY, N.J. - Firefighters in Burlington County are investigating the cause of a fatal fire in Burlington.According to officials, crews were called to the J. Frank Budd Building, a senior citizen living development, on the 200 block of East Pearl Street Saturday morning, just after 11:30, for a fire alarm.When firefighters arrived, they were met with heavy smoke emanating from the third floor.MORE HEADLINES:Firefighters narrowed the fire search to one third floor apartment and subsequently extinguished the fire in minutes.The resident of the apartment where the fire originated was found inside the apartment and was pronounced dead at the scene.Residents in other apartments were safely evacuated while fire crews were extinguishing the fire.

A before and after example of a photo restored by Fort Myers photographer Krista Kowalczyk after Hurricane Ian. (Image credit: Impressions Photography) A Fort Myers photographer is putting her talents to use helping families salvage photos damaged by Hurricane Ian storm surge and debris.Photographer Krista Kowalczyk and owner of Impressions Photography has helped dozens of families recover photos damaged by Hurricane Ian in Southwest Florida and has tips for others who hope to save their photographs. It started when Kowalczyk went to help her friend's 98-year-old father, who experienced flooding at his home.

LARGO, MARYLAND - "That was my soul mate, my life partner, my best friend, my lover," Craig Winn said. Winn was talking about his wife, Verna, who passed away inside of Jasper's earlier this week. Mr. Winn said they've been together for more than 40 years. The Odenton couple was out having lunch at Jasper's in Largo with family and friends on Wednesday."Once we finished, we all got our check and everyone decided to go to the restroom," Winn recalled. He noticed everyone had returned from the restroom except for Verna.

Courtesy: Nolan Ross DALLAS - A plane landed on a Dallas roadway after experiencing engine problems Saturday afternoon.Few details have been released at this time, but the aircraft landed on Kiest Boulevard, between Loop 12 and Spur 408 in Dallas.According to the FAA, this happened at about 3 p.m., when a multi-engine DA-62 landed about two miles northwest of Dallas Executive Airport, which is where it was set to land. The plane left from Winston Field in Snyder, Texas.Investigators said the pilot experienced engine problems, struck a power line and a speed limit sign, before landing on the roadway.A Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson said there were two people on board, a husband and wife, and neither were injured.No vehicles were damaged.

Chick-fil-A dressings available at retail stores (Chick-fil-A Inc.) ATLANTA - Chick-fil-A is once again making the venture from the drive-thru to the grocery isle.The Atlanta-based restaurant chain says customers will be able to purchase 12-ounce bottles of Chick-fil-A's most popular salad dressings starting this month.So which dressings will be available?: They include Avocado Lime Ranch, Garden Herb Ranch, Creamy Salsa, and Zesty Apple Cider Vinaigrette.There is a slight catch. For now, the dressings will only be sold at select retail stores in Cincinatti and Tennessee.

Four men have gone missing from Okmulgee, Oklahoma. (Credit: Okmulgee Police Department) Police in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, found "multiple objects in the water that appear to be human remains" in the Deep Fork River Friday amid a days-long search for four missing cyclists, authorities said.Mark Chastain, 32, Billy Chastain, 30, Mike Sparks, 32, and Alex Stevens, 29, of Okmulgee, were reported missing Monday evening.

Plant-based Beyond Meat products seen in a Target superstore. (Photo by Alex Tai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) The Beyond Meat executive charged with biting a man's nose during a fight last month left the plant-based meat company Friday amid a larger round of job cuts as the company seeks tries to offset a decline in sales.Doug Ramsey, a former Tyson Foods executive who joined Beyond Meat as its chief operating officer late last year, was charged with felony battery and making a terroristic threat after a Sept.

Kayla Shanee McNeal (Credit: Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office) SPENCER, Okla. - Authorities in Oklahoma have charged a woman in the fatal stabbing of her neighbor after their young daughters were involved in a fight. The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to a home in the Spencer neighborhood Thursday for a report of a stabbing. They found 29-year-old Vaneesa Wade in critical condition, and she later died after being taken to a local hospital. RELATED: Bristol Police Shooting: Wounded officer shot, killed suspect who killed 2 colleaguesAuthorities identified and arrested the suspect, Kayla Shanee McNeal, 31. They said she lived across the street from Wade. Investigators said McNeal's 10-year-old daughter was involved in a fight with her 17-year-old daughter.McNeal told authorities that she intervened and both of the daughters returned to their homes.

CAMDEN, N.J. - Two construction workers were struck and killed by a train on a bridge between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, authorities said.The Delaware River Port Authority said the two were struck by a PATCO Speedline train at about 9:20 p.m. Friday on the Ben Franklin Bridge between Philadelphia and Camden, New Jersey.MORE HEADLINES:Authority spokesperson Mike Williams said the accident occurred near the center of the bridge but on the New Jersey side.

Will Mellor had Strictly Come Dancing fans worried on Saturday night as he took to the dancefloor again on the BBC dance contest. The Coronation Street star, who has had fans of the BBC dance contest hot under the collar with his 'snake hips' still dazzled with his moves on Saturday night, but viewers were concerned that he wasn't well.

Monmouth University shows the majority of Americans, about 61%, would get rid of the twice yearly time change, while about a third want to keep the practice in place.Most people who want a single time year-round would rather have a later sunrise and a later sunset, which would make daylight saving time permanent. Only 13% of people polled favor keeping standard time, the period from November to March.Lawmakers are catching up to the notion of eliminating the time change.

Will Mellor choked back tears after an emotional rumba on Strictly Come Dancing with his professional dance partner Nancy Xu.It comes as Strictly fans have been left worried for the actor's health as he's been left bed-bound all week after contracting a virus, which threw his training into chaos.Will and Nancy performed a touching rumba routine to The Joker and the Queen by Ed Sheeran and taylor Swift on Saturday night (October 15).READ MORE: Strictly Will Mellor's life - Sheridan Smith snub, tragic death and Jeremy Clarkson threatThe dance aimed to shed a light on the importance of men's mental health and Will dedicated it to those who "put on a brave face" amid their mental health struggles.Will broke down in tears on the dancefloor after the music stopped, which prompted Nancy to hug him tightly in a bid to console him.The former Corrie star, 46, seemed to fight back tears when talking to host Claudia Winkleman about the routine.He said: "It's the story of men who don't speak out when they're not facing their problems, and you know, it's okay not to be okay.

PHILADELPHIA - A domestic dispute turned deadly Saturday afternoon at home in Philadelphia's Fox Chase section.Police say a 43-year-old man was stabbed in the neck inside a home on the 900 block of Hartel Avenue around 11:43 a.m. He was pronounced dead on the scene just minutes later.MORE HEADLINES:The man's death stemmed from a domestic dispute, according to police.An arrest has been made, and a weapon recovered.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - As school safety takes center stages across the Delaware Valley, police say a male juvenile brought a loaded firearm to a football game for a Pennsylvania high school.Police spotted the reported runaway juvenile at the Bethlehem Area School District Stadium around 8:20 p.m. for a Friday night game.When officers attempted to check on his wellbeing, he became uncooperative and tried to flee on foot.

Police patrol car with sirens off during a traffic control. via Getty Images Two men are facing attempted murder charges after an apparent road rage incident ended with a shootout.The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office in Florida said William Hale, 35, and Frank Allison, 43, have both been charged after the road rage incident on Saturday, Oct.

An art project to commemorate the thousands of people who died from Covid-19 has opened in Dublin.

Danielle Brooks celebrated the opening night of her Broadway show The Piano Lesson just days ago and she sadly has to take a break from performing as she just tested positive for COVID-19.

PHILADELPHIA - Several investigations are underway after Philadelphia police say three separate shootings leave four people injured, two critically, as the weekend begins.The first shooting unfolded just minutes after midnight Saturday on the 2000 block of South 9th Street in South Philadelphia. Police say a 34-year-old man was shot twice and transported to a local hospital in critical condition.Less than two hours later, a 61-year-old man was shot in the leg on the 2700 block of Bonsall Street around 1:40 a.m.

Covid-19 which is slowly rising. In its health bulletin, the health department informed that now total cases of the Covid-19 virus in the city stand at 20,04,787, while the death toll is 26,506. The city saw 112 cases on Friday with a test positivity rate of 1.75% while on Thursday, the number of cases was 130, with a positivity rate of 1.84%.

A deserted beach at the edge on an old Mauna Loa lava flow is viewed on December 16, 2016, in this aerial photo taken along the Kona Kohala Coast, Hawaii. (Photo by George Rose/Getty Images) A magnitude 5.0 earthquake was the strongest of a series of temblors that struck Friday on Hawaii's Mauna Loa, the largest active volcano on the planet that scientists say is in a "state of heightened unrest."Smaller aftershocks followed, according to the U.S.

Fourth arrest made in H2O car rally in Wildwood. WILDWOOD, N.J. - A 19-year-old has been arrested and charged after the chaos of an unsanctioned car rally erupted on the streets of Wildwood and claimed the lives of two innocent people last month.Joshua Bocchino, 19, was wanted for assaulting a police officer during the H2Oi car rally that gathered in Wildwood on September 24.The unsanctioned car rally created chaotic scenes throughout the popular shore town, causing car crash, injuries, property damage and bridge closures.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the International Monetary Fund, Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf has said that Sri Lanka will remain a middle-income country despite the decline in GDP.Speaking at an IMF press conference on the Asia and Pacific Region’s Economic Outlook, the Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the IMF responded to questions raised about Sri Lanka's progress toward debt restructuring negotiation, the IMF's program timeline, and whether Sri Lanka could be downgraded to low-income status.She pointed out that it is difficult to predict a timeline because the process of debt negotiations takes time, and mentioned that timelines differ depending on who the creditors are and what is involved. "We certainly are supporting the process as much as we can. And we hope that everybody can work expeditiously to get a process underway, and discussions have started, including with support of all bilateral creditors that are involved," she said. Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf further speaking noted that with regard to the other multilateral lenders, the IMF is working very closely with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Investment Bank, on programs for Sri Lanka, which would assist in closing the financing gap. "But I want to say also very importantly that the policies under the other multilateral lenders in their areas of expertise will be important to resolve Sri Lanka's longer term growth problems," Anne-Marie Gulde-Wolf emphasized.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that all should join together to solve the people’s food issues, casting traditional party politics aside.The President made this observation addressing the public officers at an awareness program on the multi-sector mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centers to ensure food security and nutrition at Hardy Advanced Technological Institute Auditorium in Ampara this morning (15).The President further noted that no one would be allowed to starve despite the fact that the country is going through a very difficult time and pointed out the importance of successfully implementing the national food production program to prepare for a possible global food crisis in 2023.The president also said that the agriculture modernization program would be implemented from next year concurrent to the food security program.The implementation of the multi-sector mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centers to ensure food security and nutrition in transforming the Ampara District also into a prosperous one with a blooming community was also discussed at length.The Ampara district contributes 22 percent to the national paddy harvest and discussions were also focused on making the paddy cultivation in the Yala and Maha seasons a success.It was also special feature that the President paid special attention to the issues faced by the government officials during the field work. The president was made aware of issues related to the agriculture and fisheries industry in the Ampara district and he directed the officials to address those issues.

The gasps in room 43 of the National Gallery in London capture the raw emotion of a shocking moment.

BELOVED Harry Potter star Robbie Coltrane had been struggling with osteoarthritis for some time before his death on Friday. Fans became increasingly concerned about the star after he was pictured using a wheelchair that year, but in September 2020 Robbie revealed to the Daily Express that he was struggling with osteoarthritis. "I was fighting pain 24 hours a day when I was in National Treasure and Great Expectations.

Ontario College of Teachers says it has launched a review of its professional standards amid controversy surrounding an Oakville, Ont., teacher’s attire.The college confirmed to Global News on Friday that it has been reviewing its professional standards in response to a request by the province’s education minister.Images went viral online and in the media last month, appearing to show a teacher at Oakville Trafalgar High School wearing large prosthetic breasts in class.In response, Education Minister Stephen Lecce said he asked the Ontario College of Teachers to review its standards. Ontario College of Teachers asked to review professional standards “In this province, in our schools, we celebrate our differences and we also believe that there must be the highest standards of professionalism in front of our kids,” Education Minister Stephen Lecce said on Sept.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Navy as of now has kept 36 relief teams ready to extend relief measures to people, in the backdrop of inclement weather conditions reported in several areas of the island.Following the directives of Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, the Western Naval Command has sent 02 relief and rescue teams to Rathnapura and 04 teams to Kalutara, on standby.In addition, 21 more relief and rescue teams in the Western Naval Command and 09 similar teams in the Southern Naval Command have been kept on their toes for swift deployment, if need be.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) called for critical amendments and public consultation on the proposed Anti-Corruption Law, which enables the creation of an independent commission that is empowered to carry out arrests without a warrant or a magisterial order.The controversial bill was introduced by the Ministry of Justice, and oversees the creation of an independent commission that is empowered to carry out arrests without a warrant or a magesterial order, for officials who are suspected to have carried out an offence under the proposed anti-corruption act. This law seeks to replace the Bribery Act, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption Act and the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities law. According to the bill, any authorized officer of the Commission may without an order from a Magistrate and without a warrant arrest any person suspected of committing an offence under the provisions of this Act. Moreover, the section (58)1 of the proposed bill highlights that "an authorised officer of the Commission may apply in writing to the High Court for a warrant authorizing the covert monitoring of any conduct and recording of any communication if such officer has reasonable grounds to suspect or believe that a person has committed, is committing or is about to commit an offence under this Act."TISL notes that Sri Lanka does not lack laws to deal with bribery and corruption even at present, however the enforcement of the said laws remain inadequate. While the country is struggling to apply even the existing anti-corruption laws, the TISL seriously notes that the independence of any proposed anti-corruption body from the Executive could only be assured, if any

PHILADELPHIA - A massive police scene developed on the Ben Franklin Bridge after a train accident Friday night.The Delaware River Port Authority confirms that at least one person was struck by a train on the bridge around 9:30 p.m.SkyFOX was live over the scene as emergency crews lined the bridge to respond to the accident.MORE HEADLINES:The identity of the person has not been released, and their condition is still unknown at this time.Officials have also not said if anyone else was injured during the incident.

Dublin, CA - October 07: A recent social media trend has caused some children to vomit, sweat profusely and their tongues turn blue after participating in the One Chip Challenge. After several students conducted the challenge at Bay Area schools, mul EDINA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Several students at a middle school in Edina, Minnesota had to be treated by school staff and paramedics Friday after attempting the "One Chip Challenge," a social media trend in which participants film their reactions after eating an extremely spicy tortilla chip. School officials at South View Middle School called an ambulance after several students complained of having difficulty breathing, while others had eye pain from exposure to the chip dust, according to an email sent by the school to parents. The email said the paramedics who treated the students found no indication that any of them had any severe allergic reaction or injuries.

Rescue works continue for the coal miners, who are trapped under the rubbles, at the explosion site of a coal mine in Turkiye's northern Bartin province on October 15, 2022. (Photo by Kahraman Bekcili/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Funerals for miners killed in a coal mine explosion in northern Turkey began Saturday as officials raised the death toll to at least 40 people.Desperate relatives had waited all night in the cold outside the state-owned Turkish Hard Coal Enterprise's (TTK) mine in the town of Amasra, in the Black Sea coastal province of Bartin, hoping for news.

PHILADELPHIA - It's about to be a beautiful day at the ballpark!A chilly 40-degree start to the morning will quickly climb into the 70s Saturday afternoon reaching a high of 74 degrees.If you're head to the Phillies game today, get ready for some sun and perfect fall weather! Temperatures are set to reach 71 degree by first pitch at 2:07 p.m. and stay steady for most of the game.Sunday temperatures remain around the same with a high or 69 degrees.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has extended the landslide warning issued to several places.Accordingly, level 3 (Red) notices have been issued to Walallawita, Ingiriya, Palindanuwara and Bulathsinhala Divisional Secretariat Division(s) (DSD) of the Kalutara District, the Ambagamuwa Divisional Secretariat of the Nuwara Eliya District, and the Kalawana and Eheliyagoda Divisional Secretariat Divisions and its surrounding areas.Level 2 (Amber) warnings have been issued to Dodangoda, Horana, Bandaragama, Millaniya, Mathugama and Agalawatta Divisional Secretariats of Kalutara, Ruwanwella, Warakapola and Dehiowita Divisional Secretariats of the Kegalle District, and the Kuruwita, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Elapatha, Ratnapura, Kiriella and Pelmadulla Divisional Secretariats of the Ratnapura District.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Disaster Management Center says that three people have died, while over 55,000 have been displaced due to the continuing inclement weather conditions.Moreover, the DMC warned to expect more severe weather on Sunday (16).Meanwhile, an amber advisory has been issued for Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces and Galle and Matara Districts by the Meteorological Department.According to the Meteorological Department, the current heavy rains are expected to continue, due to the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ – The region where the Northern Hemispheric wind and the Southern Hemispheric wind converge) located in the vicinity of the island.Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.Heavy showers above 100 mm can be expected at some places in Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.Showers or thundershowers will occur elsewhere over the Island during the afternoon or night.

Matt Goss, 54, has opened up about his rare muscle condition in order to give children growing up with the syndrome more confidence.The star also praised Strictly Come Dancing for the way they have handled his condition, adding that the BBC show has helped him both physically and mentally.Matt has revealed just how much Strictly has done for his self-esteem after being born with a “very rare” condition. The musician was born with Poland syndrome, which is a condition characterised by webbing of the fingers and of underdevelopment of chest muscle, according to the NHS.Matt has shared that he has “one pectoral muscle on the right side instead of two.The lower one is missing, but the upper one is fine and strong.”When Matt was the frontman of Bros, he used to “pose covering that side of his chest”.However, he now has plans to reshoot campaigns thanks to the newfound confidence Strictly Come Dancing has given him. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Matt said: “My posture has improved since being on Strictly. I want to say to the judges, you’ve made me want to improve this and be proud of my posture. “I want to thank them.This is a journey for me – every week I am getting stronger.”He went on to praise Strictly’s costume team, who had been “kind and discreet” when it came to outfit fittings.Matt explained: “It has been one of my favourite things about the Strictly experience.The costume team were relative strangers at the beginning, but from the start, they’ve always been very kind and discreet – it has really touched me.“If I get a jacket made it will pull on the right side more.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Police say that 1,620 people have been displaced in many areas due to the Kelani river overflowing.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The former Chairman of the COPE Prof. Charitha Herath today hit back at the former Minister of Justice and the current Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry against his remarks that the Cabinet of Ministers was clueless with regard to the economic crisis. Taking to twitter, the former COPE Chair released a document which included a Notice to the Cabinet by the former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa with regard to the country's foreign currency outflows and the distribution of responsibility on foreign currency inflow. The annexure attached to the document, which included the expected outflows and inflows during 2022, underlined the debt servicing payments, maturing sovereign bonds and expenses with regard to goods imports. Minister Ali Sabry on Friday (14) said that the Cabinet of Ministers "thought everything was ok" and failed to recognise the depth of the economic crisis, and were more invested in their own subjects and portfolios. The former COPE Chairman shared the documents and pointed out that such is evidence that the financial issue was discussed at the Cabinet though no solution was found. "True, first culprit of this disaster is the Cabinet of which Ali Sabry was a part." he tweeted. The incident also sparked more discourse, with several notable figures commenting on the matter, with some pointing out that a his resignation is the alternative to this issue.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – A USD 100 million Line of Credit has been extended by the Government of India to install rooftop solar panels at select institutions.A progress review meeting was recently held at the Ministry of Power on the project recently, and according to the Minister Kanchana Wijesekara,  rooftop solar will be used to equip government institutions, schools, hospitals, universities, educational and vocational training institutions, military and police stations, district secretariats, regional secretariats and places of religious worship. In addition to the Minister and State Minister of Power and Energy, officials from the High Commission of India, Sustainable Energy Authority and Ceylon Electricity Board participated in the event.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The subjects and functions of four State Ministries – State Ministry of Power and Energy, Media, Transport and Highways and Health have been gazetted.A number of institutes including the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation/Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited, Trinco Petroleum Terminal (Pvt) Ltd, and Petroleum Development Authority of Sri Lanka will be under the purview of the State Ministry of Power and Energy.Sri Lanka Post, the Department Of Government Printing and the Sri Lanka Institute of Printing will be under the purview of the State Ministry of Media.Four institutes including the Department of Motor Traffic, National Council For Road Safety and National Transport Medical Institute will be under the purview of the State Ministry of Transport and HighwaysUnder this, institutes controlled by the Road Development Authority and 'Sahasya Investments Limited' will be included.The Private Health Services Regulatory Council, 1990 Suwa Seriya Foundation and the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol will be under the purview of the State Ministry of Health.In addition, the State Ministry of  Indigenous Medicine announced that it will control the subjects and functions of several institutes including the Department of Ayurveda, Sri Lanka Ayurvedic Drugs Corporation and the Ayurvedic Medical Council.

Jamie Lee Curtis says social media is bad for people's mental health. The ‘Halloween Ends’ star says having smartphones constantly showing us “tragedies” - such as the ongoing conflict in Ukraine - via apps is ultimately not good for humanity. Appearing on SiriusXM’s ‘The Jess Cagle Podcast with Julia Cunningham’, she said: “We have these devices in our hands.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Forty-two people have been injured in a road accident along the A9 road in the Muhamalei area in Palai.Police said that the accident occurred when a bus traveling from Kilinochchi to Jaffna collided with a tipper truck.Police said that the injured are currently receiving treatment at Kilinochchi, Jaffna and Palai hospitals.

ROBBIE Coltrane has died age 72 after a long health battle that left him wheelchair-bound and "in pain 24 hours a day". Coltrane, who is best known for playing the beloved Hogwarts gamekeeper Hagrid in Harry Potter, died in hospital in Scotland. The 72-year-old had osteoarthritis, which saw him bound to a wheelchair in his later years and in "constant pain".

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka Police arrested three people linked to the drug ring of notorious underworld drug trafficker 'Kimbula-Ele Guna'.They were arrested during a raid carried out in Grandpass, Sedawatta and Wellampitiya.Police seized 26.1 grams of a controlled substance called 'ICE' from one of the suspects, a 40 year old resident of Modara.26.15 grams of ICE was also seized from the second suspect, a 38 year old resident of Wellampitiya.The third suspect was a 29 year old resident of Madampitiya. He was arrested for aiding and abetting illegal drug trafficking.The ICE recovered from the suspects is worth around Rs.

The country’s active caseload currently stands at 26,618 which constitutes 0.06% of the country’s total positive cases, the ministry said. New Delhi: India recorded 2,430 new cases of the novel coronavirus in the past 24 hours, according to the union health ministry. According to the data shared by the health ministry, the total recovery rate reached around 98.76% and total recoveries reached 4,40,70,935.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Several roads have been inundated due to the prevailing showery condition across Sri Lanka.Assistant Director of the Disaster Management Centre (Kalutara district) said water levels, in a section along the Aluthgama – Mathugama road near the Welipenna Interchange of the Southern Expressway, measured up to 1.5 feet.

Russia’s war in Ukraine is proving to be “one of the biggest threats” to the world economy at the moment, according to Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.Freeland, who also serves as Canada’s finance minister, made the comments to reporters in Washington, D.C., on Friday following the annual meetings of the World Bank Group and International Monetary Fund (IMF), which put out a stark world economic outlook earlier this week.“One of the biggest threats, not only to the lives of Ukrainians right now, not only to the sanctity of the international rules-based order, but also to the world economy today is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Freeland said.“There’s one simple thing that could happen that would make the global economy much more secure, and that is for Russia to get out of Ukraine.” As IMF warns of economic slowdown, Canada’s labour market could be critical buffer The IMF cited the war in Ukraine on Tuesday as one of the drivers for cutting its global growth forecast for 2023. High energy and food prices, inflation and sharply higher interest rates, also factored in to the IMF’s report, which indicated a third of the world economy will likely contract by next year.Russia’s war in Ukraine has been raging for close to eight months since the wide-scale invasion began on Feb.

Covid-19 has been with us for almost three years now.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Members of Parliament have been nominated by the respective political parties to serve in the National Council.However, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya, National People's Power, and the Dullas Alahapperuma faction did not nominate members to the National Council.National Council will consist of the Speaker of Parliament as the Chair, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the House of Parliament, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, the Chief Government Whip and not more than thirty-five Members of Parliament representing the Ninth Parliament from recognised Political Parties in Sri Lanka as determined by the Leaders of the Political Parties.The resolution proposed by the Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to constitute the Parliament Committee called the “National Council” was passed in parliament without objection.The National Council will have the jurisdiction and general responsibilities in order to,(i) determine the general priorities of Parliament to guide the formulation of short, medium and long-term national policies(ii) agree on short and medium-term common minimum programs in respect of the stabilisation of the economy(iii) arrange special meetings with the Ministers of the Cabinet of Ministers, the National Council, the Chairpersons of the Special Committees and Youth observers of Youth OrganisationsThe National Council will be empowered to request reports from Sectoral Oversight Committees, Committee on Public Finance, Committee on Public Accounts, Committee on Public Enterprises, Committee on Banking and Financial Services, Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Economic Stabilisation; and any committee controlling the public finance.