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HARRISBURG, Pa. - The fired head of Lancaster County's drug task force was charged Tuesday with stealing more than $200,000 in money seized or forfeited by court orders during drug investigations over a six-year period.State prosecutors filed charges against John E. Burkhart, 56, of theft and tampering with evidence and government records, as a grand jury alleged he had been "secretly pocketing money and diverting it to his own use."He was arraigned before a district judge in Lancaster on Tuesday afternoon, with bail set at $25,000, unsecured.

Ontario government plans to provide $673 million to long-term care homes this year to help “hire and retain staff” across the province.The government issued a press release on Tuesday, saying the money would help to hire and retain up to 10,000 staff members across the province and will lead to “more direct care for residents.”“This is part of the province’s $4.9 billion commitment to hire more than 27,000 long-term care staff over four years and ensure that residents receive on average four hours of direct care per day by 2024-25.” Many Ontario long-term care homes keeping COVID vaccine mandates as province lifts policy According to the release, before the provincial investments, residents were receiving “an average of only two hours and 45 minutes of direct care from nurses and personal support workers.”The government says the next funding increase will push the daily average in the province to three hours and 15 minutes per resident, every day by the end of the 2022-23 fiscal year.Included in the funding is also $106.76 million for homes to increase the direct care provided by allied health care professionals who the government says are “key to ensuring quality care for residents (such as physiotherapists and social workers) by 10 per cent by the end of the fiscal year.”The provincial government said the $4.9 billion will be delivered over four years:According to the release, the province’s plan to provide residents with four hours of direct care will be enshrined into law via the Fixing Long Term Care Act 2021, which received royal assent in Dec. 2021.

Covid-19 vaccination for the 12-14 age group. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa leading a protest opposite the President’s Office in Colombo on Tuesday (15) said that the government that promised relief, has only brought about the burden to the people.Sajith Premadasa was clear in his message to the government “Go home or allow the people to decide at a Presidential Election.”“The government led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa must leave if they cannot do what they were elected to do, and let us carry on with governance,” he told the protestors.“We cannot bear this suffering anymore,” Premadasa told a gathering of thousands of protestors in Colombo, adding that the Rajapaksa Government, the Rajapaksa Family are responsible for the suffering and the time is now to send them home.“We are here to tell the government that ruined this country, to go home,” he said.Heavy security was experienced around the President’s Office when the protest was taking place, with protestors also making attempts to break through the police cordon to make their way into the premises.He said the Samagi Jana Balavegaya led government will bring back the Sri Lankan identity that was lost as a result of the actions of the present government.Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told the protestors that it is time to be prepared to save the country from the brink of destruction.“Thousands have come here with no fear of bullets, tear gas, bombs, water cannons, and even baton charges,” he said in a message aimed at the government.Commenting on the fuel crisis, Premadasa said that three middle-eastern governments have promised to supply fuel for two years with no up-front payment to a Samagi Jana Balavegaya led government.He said

Covovax in the national vaccination programme, reported PTI.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s main opposition faction, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya blocked the road opposite the Presidential Secretariat venting their anger against the government that has increased the prices of many goods.The SJB says that the government has increased the cost of living to an unbearable level..Protestors from many parts of the country marched to Colombo and stationed themselves opposite the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (15) evening demanding the President bring down the prices of goods.The protest movement was led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.

Covid-19 vaccination for adolescents in the age group of 12-14 years is scheduled to begin Wednesday.

Covid-19 related restrictions are removed with immediate effect," a notice issued by the Department of Home Affairs and Justice of Punjab read. The Punjab government has decided to remove all ongoing restrictions to curb the spread of the virus with immediate effect. 

Washington state for two nights and a day, unable to find a rapid test for COVID-19.April Lewis and her partner Martin Clingwall were returning from a seven-week stay in Palm Springs and hoping to cross the border into B.C. on Saturday.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Samagi Jana Balaweagaya is due to stage a protest in Colombo today (15) under the theme ‘Let’s save the country from destruction’.The protest is scheduled to begin at 2.00 pm, and a group including the Samagi Sevaka Sangamaya, Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya, civil society organizations and university lecturers are expected to participate in the protest.SJB MP Harin Fernando stated that one protest will commence from Opposite the Colombo Public Library at 01:00 p.m. while the other will take off from Opposite Maligawatte Police Station at the same time.SJB MP S.M.

Global’s Keith Baldrey has more on when the federal government could ease some of the cross border travel requirements like rapid antigen testing.

will now ensure they get life-saving care in safety. Hugely grateful to everyone involved in helping get these children and their families here," Javid wrote on Twitter. Nine medical personnel from Southampton Children’s Hospital flew to Poland to retrieve the children, according to the BBC. "The families were so incredibly grateful and the stories they told were horrific," the hospital told the BBC. "I am proud that the UK is offering lifesaving medical care to these Ukrainian children, who have been forced out of their home country by the Russian invasion while undergoing medical treatment.

amid Russia’s invasion, according to multiple reports. "It is a really shocking time to be a European two and a half hours flight away from Ukraine, and it's something that hangs over us," Cumberbatch told Sky News, according to Reuters. "We all need ... to do more than wear a badge.

gas prices continue to reach record highs, many drivers have been feeling the pinch at the pump, while electric car owners have been reveling in their purchases. The national average for a gallon of gas hit $4.35 Friday, up from $3.92 a week ago, and it is expected to continue to rise amid Russia's ongoing war on Ukraine.This has led many car owners to question whether buying an electric vehicle is a smart move or a better option in the long run.U.S. electricity prices, which are heavily regulated in most states, have remained stable.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lankan Twitter-sphere is abuzz with two new #hashtags that have started to trend among pro & anti-government activists.The two hashtags are #WeAreWithGota and #GoHomeGota.According to the local newswire website, several Government officials have extended their support to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa amidst the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka.President Gotabaya Rajapaksa can resolve the current economic crisis of Sri Lanka, the Additional Director General of the Government Information Department Milinda Rajapaksa assured on Monday (14).

₹10 lakh is given to travel and tourism stakeholders and up to ₹1 lakh to tourist guides.

Apple supplier Foxconn has suspended its operations in the tech hub, the company said Monday.

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electric vehicle charging stations to encourage greener living are aiming to neutralize the other homes, buildings and communities that emit their share of greenhouse gases. Going net-zero at home and in your general daily activities will help reduce your carbon footprint, experts say. In theory, if large companies and individuals are able to reduce their greenhouse emissions by at least 50% by 2050, it will greatly improve our chances to fight climate change. But for now, let’s talk about what we can do in our own homes. FILE - Solar panels on a net-zero home. Net-zero means that the greenhouse gas emissions produced by a country, state, city, company, or even a building are counterbalanced by an equal amount of emissions that are reduced.This is not the same as zero emissions, which means that no carbon or other greenhouse gases are released at all, or carbon negative, which means that more carbon is removed than is emitted.

COLOMBO (News 1st): Rajagiriya, a swanky suburb of Colombo is generally not associated with street protests amongst its fair share of ‘well-to-do’ residents. But the town known more for its high-risers that overlook lakes and marsh and for being a few minutes away from Sri Lanka’s parliament, has seen sustained street protests over the past few days.The activists in Rajagiriya, like several others in Colombo’s suburbs, are protesting against what they call is a government that has failed the people.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s Former Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila has called on the government to slash the taxes imposed on fuel and provide relief to the People.He told reporters on Monday (14) that the reason for the recent fuel price hike in Sri Lanka was not prompted by the rise in global oil prices.Gammanpila said that mismanagement of Sri Lanka’s reserves, as well as the forced controls on the rupee, was instrumental in causing the present crisis, including a fuel price hike.He further slammed the General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, MP Sagara Kariyawasam for calling for his resignation when prices were increased earlier, but is mum when fuel prices were increased in a record hike.“During my tenure as the Energy Minister, I increased the prices of diesel by Rs. 7 as per the recommendations of the Prime Minister and President.

Neil Gray is urging older people in Lanarkshire to take part in a new government consultation on the health and social care.

could be on its last legs if the majority of Americans have their way.On Sunday, time in most of the U.S. advanced by one hour to begin daylight saving time, a tradition regulated by the Uniform Time Act of 1966.Under federal law, DST begins on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.Within the last few years, several states have either passed legislation or resolutions calling on the federal government to lift the limitations on required time changes.Some Congress members have taken notice and the National Conference of State Legislatures is monitoring several bipartisan bills that would do away with the time change."There are bills in both houses of Congress that would make daylight saving time permanent year-round," Jim Reed, NCSL’s director of the Environment, Energy & and Transportation program, said.A woman rides a bicycle during sunset in Santa Monica on February 06, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.

Ontario’s next budget will set a roadmap for recovering from COVID-19, perhaps doubling as the Progressive Conservatives’ election platform, and many stakeholders are asking the government to shore up the health system by looking beyond hospitals.From hospitals, to long-term care, to laboratories, the health sector bore much of the brunt of the pandemic’s impact.The government pumped more than $5 billion into hospitals to add 3,100 beds since the start of the pandemic and the Ontario Hospital Association said those were welcome investments. Ontario COVID-19 numbers: Province reports 228 people in intensive care Now, to maintain financial stability for hospitals as they restart surgeries and procedures delayed by the pandemic and continue to manage other COVID-19 pressures, they require a 3.5 per cent increase in base operating funding, or $735 million, the OHA said in its pre-budget submission.In addition, the hospital association is seeking dedicated funding for reducing the surgery backlog, and continuing funding for additional beds that was committed over the past two years.The Progressive Conservative government is extending its own deadline for delivering the next budget to April 30, which is around when the campaign for the June 2 election will begin.A spokeswoman for Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said he “understands the importance of investing in health care to create a more sustainable system in Ontario.”Contributing to the pressures in hospitals is the need for greater funding elsewhere, the OHA noted.

Budget session, beginning on 14 March at 11 am.

Another deadly day in Ukraine on Saturday, as Russian forces inched closer to the capital of Kyiv and claimed new territory in the south. U.S.

It was another deadly day in Ukraine on Saturday, as Russian forces inched closer to the capital of Kyiv and claimed new territory in the south. Ukraine’s president says some 1,300 Ukrainian troops have died.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Despite Government officials claiming that there will be no power outages after the 5th of March, the Public Utilities Commission has given its approval to cut off power over the weekend at the request of the Ceylon Electricity Board in the face of the current crisis.Accordingly, the power outages for Sunday (13) will be as follows;Groups PQRSTUVW:1 hour from 5 PM to 9 PMGroups ABCDEFGHIJKL:2 hours from 9 AM to 5 PM1 hour & 15 min from 5 PM to 10 PM

A B.C. woman trying to get family members out of Poland says despite government assurances that Ukrainian refugees will be expedited, the process is still complicated and cumbersome. Rumina Daya reports.

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.

Two school boards in the GTHA have indicated they want to keep masking rules in place past March 21. The Ford government is telling them to get in line, but some experts say the timeline doesn’t make scientific sense. Matthew Bingley reports.

our health care system, serving millions of children, pregnant women, seniors, those living with disabilities and other adults, and its enrollment only skyrocketed over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.However, millions of Medicaid enrollees risk losing their coverage once the official public health emergency ends in the United States. One analysis by the Urban Institute, an economic and policy think tank, projects this could be as many as 15.8 million people, depending on its end date. The analysis, co-authored by senior fellow Matthew Buettgens, aims to highlight the massive scale of coverage transition that awaits — and what happens to those losing coverage.

UKRAINE - According to the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin is "preparing a terrorist attack on the Chernobyl nuclear power plant," the government agency claimed Friday. According to a social media post on Twitter, the department said that a "man-made catastrophe" is planned at the plant and will be manipulated to appear as if Ukraine was responsible for it."Putin is preparing a terrorist attack on the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. A man-made catastrophe is planed [sic] at the CNPP controlled by Russian forces, for which the occupiers will try to shift responsibility to Ukraine," the department wrote.These claims come just days after Ukraine closed the Chernobyl nuclear power plant that was disconnected from the nation’s power grid by Russian forces, potentially jeopardizing the cooling of nuclear material at the site.

(Reuters) – Sri Lanka will begin talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next month on a plan to help the crisis-hit country, including assistance with debt restructuring and managing its foreign exchange shortage, three sources said on Friday.Sri Lanka is facing its worst financial crisis in years. With foreign exchange reserves standing at a paltry $2.31 billion, the country is struggling to pay for critical imports including fuel, food and medicines.The move to approach the IMF for help comes after months of resistance from Sri Lanka’s government and central bank, despite calls from opposition leaders and experts to seek a bailout package.Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa will travel to Washington D.C.

COVID-19 pandemic in Quebec, Premier François Legault says the government did what it could to save as many lives as possible.“This day is dedicated to their memory and to their loved ones who continue to suffer from their absence,” Legault wrote in an open letter published in various media on Friday to mark the national day of remembrance for the victims of COVID-19.“It is for them that Quebecers will remember on March 11.”Unlike last year, the Legault government will not hold a ceremony to honour the memory of Quebecers who’ve succumbed to the disease since 2020. As of Thursday, 14,141 residents have died as a result of the novel coronavirus.Last year’s inaugural event brought together several dignitaries and representatives of bereaved families as part of an elaborate ceremony.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The price of multiple goods in Sri Lanka were increased with effect on Friday (10), after the government allowed the currency to float.Here’s a list of what was increased on #PriceHikeFriday:1. Fuel Prices:Lanka IOC raised petrol and diesel prices by Rs. 50/- and Rs.

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.

The Ford Government continues to face demands that it show evidence to back up its decision to drop masking rules on March 21. Matthew Bingley reports.

Lecce defends end date for Ontario school mask mandate amid calls for more time That resolution for all students was passed by the board just days after the province announced it would only require students from grades 4 to 12 to wear masks.The province then extended the order to include grades 1 through 3 in August 2021.On Wednesday, the Ontario government announced masking would no longer be required in schools as of March 21.In a statement on Thursday, Upper Grand said it “consulted with several parties to determine next steps and receive clarity” on whether it could still mandate masks in school.“Those consultations concluded that once the province lifts its masking requirements, the school board does not have the independent authority to prescribe public health measures in response to an infectious disease, such as COVID-19,” the board said.“Further, boards of trustees do not have the authority to impose restrictions that the Ministry has directed must be revoked.”Changes to the masking protocol will be on the agenda during a board meeting that had already been scheduled for March 22. Guelph’s top doc to lift own mask mandate put in place months before provincewide policy The board of trustees will have to follow the direction of the government and bring forward a motion to officially rescind the board resolution from August 2022.“We know that the topic of masks can be a divisive one,” director of education Peter Sovran and chair of the board of trustees Linda Busuttil said in a joint statement.“We want to stress that students, staff and visitors are still welcome to wear masks in our schools, and this is their choice.

federal government to remove the pre-departure COVID-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated international travellers, arguing that the measure is no longer necessary at this point in the pandemic.Representatives from several organizations held a press conference in Toronto Thursday morning, saying that removing the restriction is necessary to allow the tourism and business sectors to fully recover.“Businesses are becoming more confident that we are past the need to rely on restrictive measures like lockdowns to manage the virus,” said Lindsay Broadhead, the senior vice-president of communications and public affairs at the Toronto Region Board of Trade. Feds scrapping pre-arrival COVID PCR test requirement for fully vaccinated travellers “To realize the full opportunity, we must, where it is safe to do so, remove restrictions that are no longer needed.

time may stand still for Geddy Lee and his bandmates, the rest of us will have to rush to our clocks to turn them an hour ahead on Sunday morning.It will mark the shortest day of the year as many Canadians will set their clocks ahead by an hour as most of the country moves to daylight time.The clocks will then fall back on Nov. 6 as we return to standard time.It is a rite of passage that began in Canada in 1908 in two small Ontario towns, Port Arthur and Fort William, which have since merged to form the city of Thunder Bay.

The Saskatchewan government has now dropped all restrictions, but what does living with COVID-19 really mean?

Ottawa argued in court Wednesday that GiveSendGo may be in breach of a freezing order on funds raised for the convoy on the website.Monique Jilesen, a lawyer representing the proposed class and who obtained an injunction that froze convoy funds, said the order is meant to secure funds so the legal issue of how they should be used can be dealt with in court.Parties in the case have agreed to move some donated funds and cryptocurrency into escrow, which could be redistributed to affected Ottawa residents and business owners should the class action succeed.Jacob Wells, co-founder of American crowdfunding site GiveSendGo, told an Ontario Superior Court judge that the platform’s terms of service give it discretion to return funds to donors. ‘Freedom convoy’ forums find new focus: disinformation about Russia-Ukraine war Police cleared the convoy protest last month.

The rules around visiting loved ones in long-term care have changed many times throughout the pandemic. The provincial government made the most recent change in February and announced every resident would be allowed two approved visitors.

WASHINGTON (AP) - With gas prices at record highs across the U.S., an increasing number of governors and state lawmakers are calling for the suspension of gas taxes to provide relief to motorists who are facing the prospect of even higher pump prices as the country cuts off Russian oil imports.Proposals for a "gas tax holiday" to counter inflation had been moving slowly in Congress and state capitols before Russia invaded Ukraine, but they have gained momentum this week amid surging prices that averaged $4.25 a gallon on Wednesday, according to AAA.Republican legislative leaders in Michigan and Pennsylvania announced proposals Wednesday to suspend or reduce state gas taxes. That came after the Republican governor of Georgia and Democratic governor of California both called for relief from state gas taxes Tuesday, when President Joe Biden ordered a ban on Russian oil imports.Meanwhile, the Democratic governors of Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin sent a joint letter to congressional leaders urging them to support legislation suspending the federal government's 18.4-cent-a-gallon gas tax through 2022.Critics of the proposals say there is no guarantee the savings would get passed on to consumers and worry that suspending gas taxes could hurt funding for road projects.

New York (News 1st); New Fortress Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NFE) issued a statement following a favorable ruling on Friday, March 4, by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka.Having considered the merits of all the fundamental rights petitions filed seeking to halt NFE’s development of natural gas power solutions in Sri Lanka, the Court fully dismissed the petitions without further hearing.NFE and The Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (“GOSL”) executed a definitive agreement in September 2021 whereby NFE will invest in energy infrastructure in Sri Lanka and develop a new LNG Terminal off the coast of Colombo.NFE will have gas supply rights to the Kerawalapitya Power Complex and will initially provide GOSL an estimated 1.2 million gallons per day of LNG (~ 35,000 MMBtu) to supply both the currently operational 310 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant and an additional 350 MW (the Sobadanavi Power Plant) which is expected to commence operations in 2023.

The Ontario government said on Wednesday that it will be lifting the mask mandate in many indoor public settings on March 21. Dr.

Speaking in Brantford, Ont. on Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford discussed the upcoming announcement from Ontario’s top doctor, Dr.