pandemic: Latest News

A team at South Lanarkshire College has been recognised for its talent and innovation in times of uncertainty at the National College Development Network (CDN) awards.

Social Work staff from justice services and representatives from Police Scotland, NHS, Education, Housing and third sector gathered at Motherwell Concert Hall recently for the first in-person Justice Conference since 2019.

A new study has revealed that teenagers had a tremendous impact on their mental health due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The findings claimed that pandemic-related stressors have physically aged the brains of adolescents.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The State Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government says that from next week, every public servant should report to duty in official attire based on the respective institution's policies.State Minister Janaka Wakkumbura says that the relevant circular will be issued next week.He said the government aims to encourage all public servants to return to the pre-COVID pandemic dress code. During the pandemic, a circular was issued relaxing the rules imposed on those working in the public sector.

With discerning cinema audiences having moved online for entertainment, niche films in international languages are struggling to find takers in cinemas. With discerning cinema audiences having moved online for entertainment during covid pandemic, smaller, niche films in several international languages are struggling to find takers in cinemas. These include small scale Hollywood films or movies from Korea and Iran that were originally popular in the big metros like Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru and could make up to Rs.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.

It was a match made in heaven for a pair of keyworkers who tied the knot after winning their £10,000 dream wedding thanks to their hard work during the pandemic.

₹40,000. This happened because of the pandemic as rents were lower as people working remotely had still not returned to the city. Post-pandemic, rents have surged and this very apartment now commands a monthly rent of ₹50,000-55,000," she said.

The Scottish Parliament's COVID-19 Recovery Committee will meet with employees and service users of two Lanarkshire employment support organisations next week.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The National Council Sub-Committee for Identifying Short- and Medium-Term Programs related to Economic Stabilization said that proposals for the reform of laws related to the economic stabilization of the country will be presented to the country at the end of December.MP Patali Champika Ranawaka, who is also the Chairman of the Sub-Committee said that it is important to discuss whether there are shortcomings in the law among the reasons that led to the country's economic bankruptcy and to discuss the next steps to be taken.The experts who participated in the committee expressed their views on the reforms that should be made in the country's legal system to obtain local and international support to create economic stability in the country, said the Parliament Media Division.The role of the Central Bank, the role and accountability of the Treasury, the role and accountability of the government, and the accountability of government officials, politicians and the business community dealing with them were discussed at the committee. Also, proposals were presented on the need for a large-scale anti-corruption process and the importance of implementing the law on assets and liabilities.Officials of the Ministry of Justice said that 55 new laws and amendments to existing laws are currently underway.The senior lawyers pointed out that due to the Covid pandemic situation, the number of cases pending in the courts is high, so the trials should be managed efficiently.

A Scottish woman ended up with 28 cats after being unable to get her pets neutered during the coronavirus pandemic.

The owner of an equine training centre in Highland Perthshire – who spent 20 years leading mountain expeditions across the world – says her enterprise is starting to kick on after she bought the land for her business just days before the first Covid pandemic lockdown.

A rogue property dealer pocketed £100,000 from a house sale after buying it with a government Covid loan his companies weren’t eligible for.

Lanarkshire charity EK Dementia Carers Group has revealed it is under intense pressure post-pandemic as it fights to continue to provide a much-needed service to the local community amid the current cost of living crisis.

up by double digits since July when optimism was waning amid rising cases.With weekly COVID-19 cases now lower than in July, the 65% of U.S. adults who believe the pandemic is improving is up 24 percentage points and on par with readings in February and April. In addition, 24% of Americans say the situation is staying about the same and 11% think it is getting worse.Gallup began measuring public perceptions of the coronavirus situation once per quarter this year after tracking it monthly in 2021 and weekly for much of 2020.Though markedly improved, the current assessment, from an Oct.

Two investment experts talk about where growth will come from, Amazon vs. TikTok and more How the Pandemic Changed E-Commerce—and Where It Goes Now

Humza Yousaf has admitted it could take five years for the NHS in Scotland to recover from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The SNP health secretary spoke candidly today about the huge pressures facing the country's hospitals ahead of a challenging winter period.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – ‘Sri Lanka Leopard Dynasty’ by Thivanka Rukshan Perera will become the first ever Sri Lanka documentary to be aired on National Geographic – WILD.News 1st's Senitha Senanayake reports, that ‘Sri Lanka Leopard Dynasty’ produced by ‘Thivanka Rukshan Perera and Aegle Creations PVT Ltd – Sri Lanka’ will air on National Geographic – WILD from November 13th to 30th this year. It will initially make its premiere on German Television (on November 13th, 2022) thereafter there will be a global release on Nat Geo WILD, where it will be dubbed and shown in different languages. The director, writer and editor of the film – ‘Thivanka Rukshan Perera’ – is an alumni of Academy of Art University in San Francisco, USA and a BFA (Hon) – in Motion Picture and Television.According to Thivanka, this documentary was produced with much difficulty, as it faced numerous obstacles including the COVID pandemic that restricted travel for many months.However, “Sri Lanka – Leopard Dynasty” was successfully completed by 2021 and acquired by National Geographic the following year. Currently, it is being dubbed to be shown in different languages worldwide later this year.

House prices in Edinburgh and Glasgow have boomed as workers returned to the office.

Jenna Ortega had to "shower in cold water" during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 20-year-old actress was shooting the title role in Netflix series 'Wednesday' in Romania when the pandemic broke out and explained that the entire cast was left without hot water in their accommodation because there were no repair workers available to fix a faulty boiler. She said: " I mean, we were out there for seven, eight months in Romania.

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA - Streeteries are here to stay. After first popping up during the pandemic, Philadelphia is making them permanent. The city is unveiling its new outdoor dining program, meant to address concerns about allowing streeteries to take up public space.Good Dog Bar, on South 15th Street in Center City, has an expansive streetery.

reported vehicle sales that rose 35% for the July-September period compared to the second quarter as the company’s huge factory in China got past supply chain issues and pandemic restrictions.The company sold 343,830 cars and SUVs in the third quarter compared with 254,695 deliveries made from April through June. Tesla said it produced 365,923 vehicles in the July-September period.Analysts have questioned whether Tesla is experiencing waning demand for its vehicles, which in the U.S.

Two new studies uncover the profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global life expectancy (LE), one showing substantial and sustained LE losses in the United States and Eastern Europe, and the other finding a link between LE at 60 years of age before the pandemic and excess deaths amid COVID-19 only in countries with older populations.

return to work, and companies stand ready to hire them, according to the AARP.AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins said the reasons for early retirement varied in 2020: some people retired to avoid COVID-19 exposure, while others were laid off because of massive job cuts. Others may have retired early because the pandemic was a reminder of our own mortality — leaving the workforce was a way to "seize the day," financial planner Liz Weston said in 2021.More than two years later, many of those early retirees "are bored to death and looking to do something that has meaning and purpose," Jenkins said at a recent event hosted by the social impact nonprofit Concordia.The pace of retirements among baby boomers, those born from 1946 to 1964, accelerated during the pandemic, a Pew Research Center analysis of monthly labor force data found.

New research from the American Psychological Association (APA) shows that various state restrictions and lockdowns imposed during the first 6 months of the pandemic were not related to worsening mental health. The study is published in Health Psychology.The research was based on data collected from a survey of

Falkirk district saw deliberate fire-setting increase by 31 per cent last year with grass fires and wheelie bins the main targets for anti-social behaviour.

NEW YORK (AP) - Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $84.5 million to Girl Scouts of the USA and 29 of its local branches, the 110-year-old organization said Tuesday, calling it a vote of confidence."Her support of our organization means honestly just as much as the donation," Sofia Chang, CEO of GSUSA, said in an interview.It's the largest donation the Girl Scouts have received from an individual since their founding in 1912, she said. The funds will help the organization recover from the impact of the pandemic, which drove down membership.

coronavirus pandemic – and has "no regrets".Jodi Cross had been trying to fall pregnant with her husband Rob for a year.And as life slowed down for the furloughed hairdresser during the pandemic, she had more time to focus on planning for a baby. READ MORE: Mum banned from Halloween bash by 'Karens' after planning Jeffrey Dahmer costume for baby The couple, from Wixams, Bedfordshire, were delighted to find out they were expecting their first daughter during the second lockdown.She they decided to call her baby Lockie – short for lockdown.Jodi, 36, said: "We had been trying for a year to get pregnant and lockdown meant I was furloughed and Rob was working less."I think we just relaxed a bit because we had so much more time than we normally would, and then we found out I was pregnant."When she was born there was the new strain of Covid coming about – Omicron – so we knew she'd be a lockdown baby."So we named her Lockie for lockdown – we really liked the name, and lockdown was a good time in our lives because it was so relaxing."If it wasn't for the pandemic, the pair may not have fallen pregnant so quickly.Rob, 36, moved in with Jodi as the nationwide lockdown began in March 2020.Jodi recalled: "I ended up taking over a little salon during lockdown because I had been on furlough a long time."By this point we had been trying for a year and thought pregnancy wasn't going to happen so started to focus on work instead."A week later I found out I was pregnant."The couple were overjoyed – and got hitched in secret when Jodi was seven months pregnant.Their baby was born last November and they decided to celebrate her conception by calling her Lockie.Jodi said: "We know lots of people didn't enjoy lockdown but for us, it was a

FILE-Economic stimulus checks are prepared for printing at the Philadelphia Financial Center in 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Jeff Fusco/Getty Images) Millions of Americans are still eligible to receive a COVID-19 stimulus payment, with some households in store for a possibly massive payment.

₹5 crore worth of sales as the industry struggled greatly during the pandemic, and artisans went through severe suffering Following two muted years, the India Craft Week, a platform that brings artisans, designers and luxury brands together, is expecting a revival in business with its upcoming edition. In its fourth edition, about 150 artisans, makers, craft brands, museums, organizations will attend its week in Delhi towards the end of the month. This, the organisation said, is the second largest craft week in the world after its international counterpart, London Craft Week.“The entire crafts industry is rising from the ashes and we too must have a new beginning.

On national television, Biden administration spokesperson John Kirby mounted a feeble attempt to explain the president’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for the military. Kirby, a retired Navy admiral, had no acceptable answers when pressed about the administration’s "folly" and the perilous impact the mandate is already having on our national security. Remarkably, Kirby perpetuated the narrative that the military’s mandate must remain in place while admitting with a straight face that he was quarantined for 10 days due to his current bout with COVID-19, despite being vaccinated and double boosted.

The U.S. extended the public health emergency status for the COVID-19 pandemic Thursday, weeks after President Biden's controversial remarks declaring the pandemic was "over."  The move extends the order through Jan.

Also Read: Do you have COVID cough? Here’s how to find out US Health Secretary Xavier Becerra announced on October 13 that the extension would be valid until January 11, 2023. Becerra’s statement says that “a public health emergency exists and has existed since January 27, 2020, nationwide". As better care, drugs, and vaccines have been more readily accessible, the COVID-19 pandemic's toll in the United States has dramatically decreased from early in Biden's term when more than 3,000 Americans were dying every day.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena requested the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to assist the government’s initiative to establish a digital database of the labor workforce in Sri Lanka. He pointed out that the Ministry of Labour has taken steps to establish a comprehensive digitalized database of the workforce and urged the ILO to assist in expediting the process.This was discussed when ILO Country Director Simrin C Singh and Senior Employment Specialist of ILO Headquarters, Sher Verick called on him at the prime Minister’s Office yesterday (13).The Prime Minister briefed them on the impact of the Covid pandemic and economic crisis on the labor workforce and the short-term and long-term steps taken by the government to recover the economy and to help the workers, especially the low-income labor force.Simrin Singh said despite some signs of positive trends, most developing countries including Sri Lanka are faced with difficulties due to the global recession, limited fiscal space, debt sustainability challenges, and rising inflation. She pointed out that these issues have resulted in a labor market crisis.Prime Minister Gunawardena stressed that the government was very keen to make the labor workforce upwardly mobile and explained the multitude of training programs launched for skill development. Increasing the quality and quantity of jobs is the surest way of moving people out of poverty, he said. Employment Specialist Sher Verick said that the founding principles of the ILO are concerned not only with ensuring sources of income, but also as a means for people to live a self-determined life, and for participating fully as citizens in their communities.Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment

Nearly three of four US high school students report one or more adverse experiences contributing to poor mental health and suicidal behaviors amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) researchers an

Many of us have experienced how dedicated and caring Scotland’s healthcare professionals are – and there’s still time to show your appreciation for those who have gone the extra mile.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Supreme Court Justice Yasantha Kodagoda PC said that Sri Lanka must transform into a state where the people can enjoy the fruits of sovereignty, democracy, and fundamental freedoms. "At a time when Sri Lanka is facing the devastating consequences of an unprecedented economic disaster, in the immediate aftermath of having succumbed to and thereafter risen from a global pandemic indeed we as concerned professionals and as leaders of our respective organizations, are concerned about how we should transform," he told a gathering on Wednesday (12)."We need to reflect introspectively as well as in an outward direction as to how we too can contribute towards the development of a united, peaceful, economically viable and proud nation," he added.Through transformation we must ensure that our people can live in peace and harmony, enjoy the fruits of sovereignty, representative democracy, the rule of law, fundamental freedoms, and of free media, said the Supreme Court Justice."Our people must be able to lead a free, healthy, comfortable, and safe life. They must also be able to realize their reasonable aspiration.

A conceptual illustration depicting housing in the United States. via Getty Images Rapidly rising mortgage rates have more than doubled this year.

One of New York’s most popular attractions has reopened to the public. The National Park Service began allowing visitors to go up into the Statue of Liberty’s crown on Tuesday, more than two and a half years since it closed during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Other parts of the statue including the observation deck had reopened previously.

Scores on the ACT college admissions test by this year's high school graduates hit their lowest point in more than 30 years — the latest evidence of the enormity of learning disruption during the pandemic. The class of 2022's average ACT composite score was 19.8 out of 36, marking the first time since 1991 that the average score was below 20.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The 2022 Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index, a report released by OXFAM highlights that the pandemic alone has increased Sri Lanka's poverty by 27%.The report, which is the first detailed analysis looking at Governments' policies and actions to fight inequality during the first two years of the pandemic, presents an analysis of spending, tax and labour policies and actions of 161 governments during 2020–2022.In comparison with neighbouring countries, Sri Lanka has placed 111th in the report, while other countries include Nepal (112th), Bhutan (116th), India (123rd), Pakistan (126th), and Afghanistan (138th) out of the total 161.Two years ago, Sri Lanka ranked in 94th position among 158 countries in the 2020 Commitment to Reducing Inequality (CRI) Index, and in comparison with this year, has gone down 17 places.The report highlights that Sri Lanka is the sixth lowest public services spender out of 161 countries and has been cutting the already low health and education budget shares by one-fifth each since 2019, due to a growing debt crisis which is absorbing 60% of the country's budget.The other countries that have ranked as low as Sri Lanka in public spending includes South Sudan, Timor Leste, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Uganda, Nepal and Yemen.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka's State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe had attended the G24 Ministerial Meeting during the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.The meeting discussed a variety of new fiscal and economic issues emerged since the Covid 19 pandemic, along with renewed risks and financing burdens on many developing countries.At a time when Sri Lanka together with many other developing nations are facing multiple crises including high food inflation, debt problems and balance of payments issues and it is important to work together with the international community to raise the common voice of developing nations and secure necessary assistance from global financial institutions.The Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four on International Monetary Affairs and Development (G-24) coordinates the position of developing countries on monetary and development issues in the deliberations and decisions of the IMF and the World Bank.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Cascading global crises have left 54 countries including Sri Lanka – home to more than half of the world's poorest people — in dire need of debt relief, the UN said Tuesday (11).In a new report, the United Nations Development Programme warned that dozens of developing nations were facing a rapidly deepening debt crisis and that "the risks of inaction are dire".UNDP said without immediate relief, at least 54 countries would see rising poverty levels, and "desperately needed investments in climate adaptation and mitigation will not happen".That was worrisome since the affected countries were "among the most climate-vulnerable in the world".The agency's report, published ahead of meetings of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and also of G20 finance ministers in Washington, highlighted the need for swift action.But despite repeated warnings, "little has happened so far, and the risks have been growing," UNDP chief Achim Steiner told reporters in Geneva."That crisis is intensifying and threatening to spill over into an entrenched development crisis across dozens of countries across the world."The poor, indebted countries are facing converging economic pressures and many find it impossible to pay back their debt or access new financing.'Volatility'"Market conditions are shifting rapidly as a synchronised fiscal and monetary contraction and low growth are fuelling volatility around the globe," UNDP said.The UN agency said debt troubles had been brewing in many of the affected countries long before the Covid-19 pandemic hit."The rapid build-up in debt over the past decade has been consistently underestimated," it said.The freeze on debt repayment during the Covid crisis to lighten their burden

NEW DELHI : Establishing a new milestone in the field of mental health on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative of Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare was launched virtually by Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Monday. Acknowledging the mental health crisis in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and an urgent need to establish a digital mental health network that will withstand the challenges amplified by the pandemic, Government of India announced National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP) in the Union Budget 2022-23.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Today is Day six of the 6th Edition of the Gammadda Door to Door Program, and the Gammadda teams were deployed across three districts today (10) as well.The Gammadda teams engaged in the Door to Door program are currently based in the Ratnapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kilinochchi Districts.The Gammadda Door to Door program is joined by the University of Peradeniya as well. Gammadda is well known among all Sri Lankans, young and old, as the people's force that brings about a new beginning for the villages and towns of Sri Lanka.Gammadda implements these projects by identifying the real needs of the local population.The needs of the people were identified following an extensive and streamlined study of the findings in the Gammadda Door to Door program that was implemented five times before along with the University of Peradeniya.The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Economic Crisis have forced the people of Sri Lanka to undergo various hardships.

Andy Grammer reflected on his journey to discovering self-worth over recent years.

Also Read: Viruses ‘watch’ us to decide when to attack Fauci was speaking at an event with the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism.There is always a risk of upsurge in the winter, he warned, so people shouldn't let their guard down. Although things appear to be going well, it would be premature to declare that the pandemic is finally finished, he added.

The extended school closures during the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on US high school athletes, who showed significant decreases in both mental and physical health when sports were cancelled.