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COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the IMF bailout package has opened a new avenue to create a better future for the youth of the country."We have received an opportunity to uplift our motherland," he told the Parliament on Wednesday (22) adding that the bailout of US $3 Billion will be provided across four years. The President said that an immediate disbursement of US $330 Million was received by Sri Lanka from the IMF, noting immediate facilities to the tune of US $7 Billion will be available from the World Bank and other creditor agencies.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe tabled the agreement reached with the IMF for a bailout package, in Parliament on Wednesday (22). The President also made a special statement to the house. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to make a special statement in Parliament on Wednesday (22).In addition, the President is expected to table the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund.In a special statement following the approval of the extended credit facility by the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday (21), President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that Sri Lanka is no longer deemed bankrupt by the world.The President further stated that the loan facility serves as an assurance from the international community that Sri Lanka has the capacity to restructure its debt and resume normal transactions.Additionally, the President noted that the government is working to gradually lift import restrictions on essential goods, medicines, and tourism-related goods, as the foreign exchange situation improves.

A Ugandan transgender woman who was recently attacked and currently being sheltered watches a TV screen showing the live broadcast of the session from the Parliament for the anti-gay bill, at a local charity supporting the LGBTQ Community near Kampal Ugandan lawmakers passed a bill prescribing jail terms of up to 10 years for offenses related to same-sex relations, responding to popular sentiment but piling more pressure on the East African country’s LGBTQ community.The bill was passed late Tuesday inside a packed parliamentary chamber, and after a roll call ordered by the House speaker, who had repeatedly warned it was necessary to identify those who might oppose the bill. It was supported by nearly all of the 389 legislators present."Congratulations," said Speaker Anita Among.

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden welcomed a high-wattage collection of singers, authors, artists and humanitarians to the White House on Tuesday to present them with medals — and then stole the show himself with a quip about seeking reelection.Bruce Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mindy Kaling and Gladys Knight were among the 22 people and organizations being honored. When author Colson Whitehead’s award was announced, Biden noted that the author of "The Underground Railroad" and "The Nickel Boys" has already won back-to-back Pulitzer Prizes.The president, who is expected to announce for reelection this spring, quickly picked up on that and joked that he was looking "for a back-to-back myself," drawing a laugh from the audience.It was a feel-good event in the East Room, as the honorees stepped forward to receive their awards one by one.

FILE - Hospital bed. ( Jeffrey Greenberg/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)A divided Oklahoma Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a portion of the state’s near total ban on abortion, ruling women have a right to abortion when pregnancy risks their health, not just in a medical emergency.It was a narrow win for abortion rights advocates since the U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - Temple University’s faculty-union said it will move forward with a vote of no-confidence in President Jason Wingard and two other school officials. The Temple Association of University Professionals (TAUP Local 4531) concluded its authorization to vote on Monday afternoon, according to a press release. The union said 84% of its over 900 members in the bargaining unit supported moving ahead with the vote of no confidence in senior leadership at Temple. 97% of those in support sought a no confidence vote in WIngard, while 86% sought a no confidence vote for Board of Trustees Chair Mitchell Morgan. Nearly 80% of those in support voted no-confidence in Provost Gregory Mandel, according to the union. The union's Executive Committee held an emergency meeting to discuss the results on Tuesday morning. A formal vote of no confidence is slate for the week of Apr.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 03: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Tom Hanks attends MusiCares Persons of the Year Honoring Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 03, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Fraze CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Two-time Academy Award winning actor Tom Hanks was named the principal speaker at Harvard's commencement on May 25, the Ivy League university announced Tuesday.Hanks, 66, has appeared in almost 100 films.

Pastor Moses Borjas of Por La Creación speaks as Castner Range activists deliver over 137,000 petitions calling on President Biden to designate Castner Range the next national monument at the Department of Interior on July 19, 2022 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON (AP) - President Joe Biden is establishing national monuments in Nevada and Texas and creating a marine sanctuary in U.S.

NEW YORK - A New York grand jury investigating Donald Trump over a hush money payment to a porn star appears poised to complete its work soon as law enforcement officials make preparations for possible unrest in the event of an indictment.Trump over the weekend claimed without any evidence that he would be arrested on Tuesday, with his representatives later saying he was citing media reports and leaks. There was no indication that prediction would come true, though the grand jury appeared to take an important step forward by hearing Monday from a witness favorable to Trump, presumably so prosecutors could ensure the panel had a chance to consider any testimony that could be remotely seen as exculpatory.The next steps in a grand jury process shrouded in secrecy remained unclear, and it was uncertain if additional witnesses might be summoned.

LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Thousands of service employees and teachers braved the rain and began picketing Tuesday at the Van Nuys Bus Yard, with more picket lines and rallies scheduled for Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools and the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters in Los Angeles, the start of a three-day planned walkout.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: LAUSD strike: What you need to know about school closures, resources availableWith labor talks at a standstill and no new negotiations scheduled, LAUSD campuses will be closed Tuesday and likely through Thursday as service workers begin a planned strike -- leaving more than 400,000 students without classes.The 30,000 workers represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 99 -- including cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, special education assistants and others -- started picketing at 4:30 a.m.

FILE - A sign hangs above the entrance of a Foot Locker store on Aug. 2, 2021, in Chicago, Illinois.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday (21) said that Sri Lanka will lift import restrictions gradually after the Executive Board of the IMF approved the country's bailout package."Yesterday, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund approved the Extended Fund Facility for Sri Lanka. That approval sends a signal that Sri Lanka has the strength to restructure its debt.

Jason Sudeikis is coming under fire for preaching about mental health less than a year after publicly humiliating his ex-fiancée Olivia Wilde by having his lawyers serve her custody papers while on stage in front of industry executives. Sudeikis, 47, along with other Ted Lasso cast members, were meeting with President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden to talk about how mental health contributes to overall well-being. The comedian said he wanted to encourage people, even in politically divided Washington DC, to make it a point to check in often with friends, family and co-workers to 'ask how they're doing, and listen, sincerely.

Former President Donald Trump arrives for an event at the Adler Theatre on March 13, 2023 in Davenport, Iowa. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) An ongoing investigation into former President Donald Trump’s alleged hush money payment to an ex-porn actress is his latest legal trouble as he prepares his presidential campaign for a White House run in 2024. Trump is currently under investigation to determine if he paid Stormy Daniels, a former porn actress, to keep quiet about a sexual affair she claimed she had with Trump before he ran for president in 2016. Lawyer Robert Costello arrived in court Monday afternoon after being invited to appear before the grand jury in New York, the Associated Press noted. RELATED: Stormy Daniels meets with prosecutors investigating Donald TrumpCostello was asked to appear by the Manhattan district attorney's office after he said he had information raising questions about the credibility of former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, a key witness in the investigation.Costello’s testimony came after Trump declared in a social media post over the weekend that he expects to be taken into custody on Tuesday and urged supporters to protest his possible arrest.

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan bill Monday that directs the federal government to declassify as much intelligence as possible about the origins of COVID-19 more than three years after the start of the pandemic.The legislation, which passed both the House and Senate without dissent, directs the Office of the Director of National Intelligence to declassify intelligence related to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology. It cites "potential links" between the research that was done there and the outbreak of COVID-19, which the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020.

'We need to get to the bottom of Covid-19's origins..., including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology,' Biden said in a statement US President Joe Biden on Monday signed into law a bill requiring the release of intelligence materials on potential links between the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and a laboratory in the Chinese city of Wuhan. "We need to get to the bottom of Covid-19's origins..., including potential links to the Wuhan Institute of Virology," Biden said in a statement. "In implementing this legislation, my administration will declassify and share as much of that information as possible," he added.

FILE-Bezalel Smotrich, Israels finance minister, greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, during a news conference to present a cost of living plan on Jan. 11.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The United States of America has welcomed the approval of Sri Lanka’s IMF package."Great news & an important step on the road toward economic recovery," tweeted US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung on Monday (20).She said that the Sri Lankan government will need to continue reforms and conclude debt restructuring agreements to ensure the program – and the economy – stay on track.She noted that structural & lasting reforms that address good governance & transparency are critical to ensure all citizens of Sri Lanka can prosper.IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva also noted that she was very pleased the Executive Board of the IMF had approved about $3 bn of IMF support for Sri Lanka’s economic policies & reforms. She said that it was an important milestone with International Creditors coming together to help to restore debt sustainability. "Crucial to unlock Sri Lanka's growth potential," she added.The International Monetary Fund said that it will enable an immediate disbursement equivalent to about US $ 333 million for Sri Lanka under EFF program, following Executive Board approval on Monday (20).The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved today a 48‑month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 percent of quota or about US$3 billion).Sri Lanka has been hit hard by a catastrophic economic and humanitarian crisis.

NEW YORK - Donald Trump announced over the weekend that he expects to be "arrested" this week as a New York grand jury gets close to wrapping up its look into hush money the former president paid during his 2016 campaign. Most experts agree any arrest won’t look like a traditional Hollywood-style takedown. Trump will likely be given a chance to turn himself in and then be quickly released.But that doesn't mean the event wouldn’t be drama-free.

NEW YORK - Former President Donald Trump claimed over the weekend that his arrest is imminent and issued an extraordinary call for his supporters to protest as a New York grand jury investigates hush money payments to women who alleged sexual encounters with him. In a post on his social media platform, Trump declared that he expected to be taken into custody on Tuesday – even though Trump's lawyer and spokesperson said there had been no communication from prosecutors.RELATED: Trump's call for protests amid anticipated indictment gets muted reaction by supportersManhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is thought to be eyeing charges in the hush money investigation, and recently offered Trump a chance to testify before the grand jury. Meanwhile, local law enforcement officials are bracing for the public safety ramifications of an unprecedented prosecution of a former American president.What is a grand jury, and what does an indictment mean? What’s the difference between being indicted, being charged, and arrested? Here’s a breakdown:Media cameras sit outside the Manhattan District Attorneys office in New York City on March 20, 2023.(Photo by LEONARDO MUNOZ/AFP via Getty Images) In New York, an indictment is a formal felony charge.Here’s how it works generally: After a prosecutor studies information from investigators in a case, a prosecutor decides whether to present the case to an impartial group of citizens called a grand jury, according to the U.S.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The IMF Executive Board approved Sri Lanka’s program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) that will enable Sri Lanka to access up to $7 billion in funding, reported the President's Media Division.President Ranil Wickremesinghe has expressed his gratitude for the support of the IMF and other international partners, said the PMD.It added that the President committed to full transparency in all discussions with financial institutions & creditors, & to achieve sustainable levels of debt through prudent fiscal management & an ambitious reform agenda.The IMF program is critical to achieving this vision & will help to improve Sri Lanka's standing in international capital markets, making it an attractive country for investors, talent, & tourists, said the President's Media Division.Earlier this month, Sri Lanka received IMF-compatible financing assurances from its official creditors, including Paris Club members, India and China, allowing the IMF to convene an Executive Board and consider Sri Lanka’s request for a loan.The program is expected to provide much-needed policy space to drive the economy out of the unprecedented challenges and instill confidence amongst all the stakeholders.President Ranil Wickremesinghe welcomed the announcement:“In the 75 years of Sri Lanka’s independence, there has never been a more critical period for ou economic future. Our official creditors have declared their support following continuous and positive engagements over the last few months, and we are pleased that the IMF Executive Board approved our program, enabling Sri Lanka to access up to US$ 7 billion in funding from the IMF and IFIs.

NEW DELHI : India aims to launch a global initiative on digital health as an institutional framework. This framework aims to converge the global efforts for digital health and scale up digital solutions with use of cutting-edge technologies, said Mansukh Mandaviya, union health minister on Monday.

NEW YORK - A lawyer allied with Donald Trump is expected to testify Monday before a New York grand jury, giving the former president an indirect opportunity to make a case that he shouldn't face criminal charges over hush money paid during his 2016 campaign.Robert Costello was asked to appear by the Manhattan district attorney's office after he said he had information raising questions about the credibility of Michael Cohen, a key witness in the investigation, according to a person familiar with the matter who insisted on anonymity to discuss secret legal proceedings.His testimony will come two days after Trump said he expected to face criminal charges and urged supporters to protest his possible arrest. In a series of social media posts through the weekend, the Republican former president criticized the New York investigation, directing particularly hostile rhetoric toward Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat.It was unclear whether Costello's testimony has any potential to change the course of a grand jury probe that seems close to concluding.The Manhattan District Attorney’s case claims Mr.

WASHINGTON - Former President Donald Trump’s calls for protests ahead of his anticipated indictment in New York have generated mostly muted reactions from supporters, with even some of his most ardent loyalists dismissing the idea as a waste of time or a law enforcement trap.The ambivalence raises questions about whether Trump, though a leading Republican contender in the 2024 presidential race who retains a devoted following, still has the power to mobilize far-right supporters the way he did more than two years ago before the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S.

FILE IMAGE - Chinas President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin pose during a meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) leaders summit in Samarkand on Sept. 15, 2022.

COLOMBO (News 1st); University activities have been crippled due to the strike action launched by the Federation of University Teachers' Associations against the new tax policy of the government.The strike is on for the 12th consecutive day.Chairman of the Federation of University Teachers' Association Professor Shyama Banneheka told News 1st that the strike will go ahead until solutions are provided to their issues.In addition, the Trade Unions attached to the Ceylon Electricity Board and the National Water Supply and Drainage Board also launched a continuous strike against the government's new tag regime.The Professionals Trade Union Collective said that they hope to discuss their demands with the President this week.Dr.

PMD: President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that the Royal College cricket team’s effective captaincy ultimately led to the team’s victory at a time when all of the matches were being lost and that his effort is to lift the defeated country to the path of victory similar to what the captain of the Royal College cricket team did.The President recalled that when he assumed office last July, the country was experiencing numerous crises such as shortage of fuel, food, and fertilizer. He compared this to the Royal team, which had suffered a string of defeats, and claimed that many people believed the country would not be able to recover.However, President Ranil Wickremesinghe stressed that his team was able to change that situation and create economic stability in the country in the last seven months and emphasized that Sri Lanka is no longer a bankrupt state.President Ranil Wickremesinghe made this statement while addressing the 32nd Interact District Conference held at Temple Trees on Sunday morning (19).He said that everyone would be able to witness a developing country in the next two years, and to make Sri Lanka the most prosperous country in the region, it is necessary to build the economy in addition to stabilizing it today.The President added that the 25-year plan to make Sri Lanka a successful nation by 2048 has already been implemented and it can only be achieved with the commitment of the current youth.This conference was organized by St.

Adam Sandler attends the 29th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Fairmont Century Plaza on February 26, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images) WASHINGTON (AP) - Actor-comedian Adam Sandler will be honored by comedic and entertainment royalty when he receives the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Sunday night.Sandler, 56, first came to national attention as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live." After being fired from the cast following a five-year stint, Sandler launched a wildly successful movie career that has spanned more than 30 films, grossing over $3 billion worldwide."Adam Sandler has entertained audiences for over three decades with his films, music, and his tenure as a fan favorite cast member on ‘SNL,’" Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter said in a statement when Sandler’s prize was announced in December.

Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that his arrest was imminent and issued an extraordinary call for his supporters to protest as a New York grand jury investigates hush money payments to women who alleged sexual encounters with the former president.Despite no evidence that Manhattan prosecutors have given any official notice to him or his lawyers, Trump declared in a post on his social media platform that he expected to be taken into custody on Tuesday. The message seemed designed to preempt a formal announcement from prosecutors and to galvanize outrage from his base of supporters in advance of widely anticipated charges.

View of a destroyed car after the cornice and terrace of a building located in Cuencas historic center fell, leaving one dead and one person injured, after an earthquake in Cuenca, Ecuador on March 18, 2023. (Photo by FERNANDO MACHADO/AFP via Getty I A strong earthquake shook southern Ecuador and northern Peru on Saturday, killing at least four people, trapping others under rubble, and sending rescue teams out into streets littered with debris and fallen power lines.The U.S.

Twitter CEO Elon Musk on Saturday predicted that former President Donald Trump will be re-elected in a "landslide" if he is indicted — or possibly arrested and potentially "handcuffed" — next week."If this happens, Trump will be re-elected in a landslide victory," Musk tweeted.US entrepreneur and business magnate Elon Musk gestures during a visit at the Tesla Gigafactory plant under construction, on August 13, 2021 in Gruenheide near Berlin, eastern Germany. (Photo by Patrick Pleul/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Musk was reacting to a Fox News segment which detailed how the Manhattan District Attorney's office has asked for a meeting with law enforcement ahead of a possible Trump indictment of next week.According to a court source, the meeting was requested Thursday and hasn't been set.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Bills were filed, hearings were planned and blame was cast as Congress reacted this past week to the abrupt failure of two banks. A look at what lawmakers are saying and planning as the fallout continues from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank.While President Joe Biden called Monday on Congress to strengthen the rules for banks to prevent future failures, lawmakers are divided on whether any legislation is needed.Some congressional leaders are skeptical that a closely divided Congress will act at all."There’s people who are going to choose bills, but I cannot imagine that, with the hold banks have on Republican members of Congress, that we can pass anything significant," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.Republicans say the laws already in place were sufficient to prevent the bank failures, if only regulators had done their job by spotting obvious problems and directing the banks to take steps that would reduce their risk."If there are ideas out there that people have, you know, at some point, we would be willing to entertain those, but I think it would be premature to start talking about solutions before we fully define the problem and ultimately get answers from the regulators about why they were asleep at the job," said Sen.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) - Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Crimea to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine on Saturday, the day after the International Criminal Court’ issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader accusing him of war crimes.Putin visited an art school and a children’s center, locations that appeared to have been chosen in response to the court's action on Friday.The court specifically accused him Friday of bearing personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine during Russia's full-scale invasion of the neighboring country that started almost 13 months ago.Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that most of the world denounced as illegal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has demanded that Russia withdraw from the peninsula as well as the areas it has occupied since last year.Putin has shown no intention of relinquishing the Kremlin’s gains.

Colombo (News 1st) – It is of "utmost importance" that the next Inspector General of Police of Sri Lanka "should be an officer whose service in the police force is exemplary and free of any blemish and able to restore public confidence in the Sri Lanka Police," stated the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in a letter addressed to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.The BASL letter has been issued in response to news that the office of the IGP is due to fall vacant on the 23rd of March, 2023."It is of utmost importance that the best possible appointment be made to that office" the BASL urged the President."During the last few decades there has been a serious erosion of public confidence in the Sri Lanka Police. The lack of independence, politicisation, police brutality, custodial deaths, lack of professionalism have all contributed to the erosion of public confidence in the Police.

GettyImages-1266078450 "There is a lot of disintegration of families, there is a lot of individualism, there is a lack of love, of brotherhood, of hugs and embraces," López Obrador said of the U.S. crisis. "That is why they (U.S.

NEW YORK - The Manhattan District Attorney's office has asked for a meeting with law enforcement ahead of a possible indictment of former President Donald Trump next week, according to a court source.According to the source, the meeting was requested Thursday and hasn't been set. The meeting is to "discuss logistics for some time next week, which would mean that they are anticipating an indictment next week," the source familiar with the planning said.Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung reacted to the news by ripping district attorney Alvin Bragg in a statement to Fox News Digital, calling his investigation a "witch hunt" and accusing him of being in the pocket of President Biden and "radical Democrats."NEW YORK PROSECUTORS SIGNAL TRUMP MAY FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES FROM STORMY DANIELS SCANDALFormer President Donald Trump greets guests following an event at the Adler Theatre on March 13, 2023 in Davenport, Iowa.

THE HAGUE - The International Criminal Court said on Friday it issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes because of his alleged involvement in abductions of children from Ukraine.The court said in a statement that Putin "is allegedly responsible for the war crime of unlawful deportation of population (children) and that of unlawful transfer of population (children) from occupied areas of Ukraine to the Russian Federation."It also issued a warrant Friday for the arrest of Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova, the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Office of the President of the Russian Federation, on similar allegations.Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures during the congress of Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs (RSPP), March,16,2023, in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Contributor/Getty Images) The court’s president, Piotr Hofmanski, said in a video statement that while the ICC’s judges have issued the warrants, it will be up to the international community to enforce them.

The “Satarawa Deepani” Felicitation Ceremony was held on Thursday (16) and it was held under the auspices of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.The “Satarawa Deepani” Felicitation Ceremony, was organized as per a concept of Minister Bandula Gunawardena.During the event, tributes were paid to a group of artists who had contributed to the artwork created by Bandula Gunawardena. Veteran artists such as Dharmasiri Bandaranaike, Parakrama Niriella, and Cyril Wickramage were presented with awards by the President in recognition of their contributions.Veteran artists such as Professor Ariyaratne Athugala, Kumara Thirimadura and Sarath Kothalawala were also appreciated during this event.The book “Subandhu Cinema Watha,” which chronicles the cinematic career of Bandula Gunawardena, was launched at the event. During the event,  “Pragna Bandhu” scholarships were awarded to students who are currently pursuing the G.C.E.

Protesters hold placards reading "Power is in the streets" and "No." during a demonstration a day after the French government pushed a pensions reform through parliament without a vote on March 17, 2023. (JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images) PARIS - Protesters disrupted traffic in Paris on Friday as angry critics, political opponents and labor unions around France blasted President Emmanuel Macron's decision to force a bill raising the retirement age from 62 to 64 through parliament without a vote.Opposition parties were expected to start procedures later Friday for a no-confidence vote on the government led by Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

FILE-Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose during their meeting in Beijing, on February 4, 2022. (ALEXEI DRUZHININ/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images) BEIJING - Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to visit Russia from Monday to Wednesday, in an apparent show of support for Russian President Vladimir Putin amid sharpening East-West tensions over the war in Ukraine.Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine is expected to dominate Putin and Xi's discussions.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Professionals Trade Union Collective will meet with the President's Secretary on Friday (17) morning. The PTCU is a collective of over forty trade unions that is against the government's new tax regime.Friday's (17) meeting is to be held ahead of the meeting the Professionals Trade Union Collective will have with the President.Spokesperson for the Government Medical Officers Association Dr.

Whale washes up in Cape May County. (Grassy Sound Marina)WILDWOOD, N.J. - Republican congressmen called Thursday for a halt to all offshore wind power projects amid a spate of whale deaths on the U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - A volunteer discovered vandalism at the African American History Trail at Iron Hill in Newark, Delaware earlier this week."We had tremendous vandalism over the weekend. We had someone destroy all of the signage that we had along the trail," said Robin Broomall, President of the Board of Directors for the Delaware Academy of Science.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kari Lake and Rep.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Professionals Trade Union Collective says that the on-going strike will be called off at 8 AM on Thursday (16), as the President had noted that their demands will be taken into consideration. Spokesperson for the Government Medical Officers' Association Dr. Chamil Wijesinghe told reporters on Wednesday (15) that the strike will be temporarily called off at 8 AM on Thursday (16), and it does not mean the GMOA has withdrawn from the trade union action. The Professionals Trade Union Collective had declared a nation-wide day of strikes and protests with effect from midnight on Tuesday (14).Government, Semi-Government and Private Trade Unions supportrf the strikes.Government Medical Officers, Specialist Doctors, University Teachers, Faculty of Medicine Teachers, CEB Engineers, Bankers, Petroleum Workers, Water Supply Workers, Road Development Officers, Education Administrative Officers, Surveyors, Inland Revenue Officers are among the 40 Trade Unions that support this move.Their main demand is to amend the unjust tax policy implemented by the government.The PAYE tax between 6% to 36% imposed on monthly earnings over Rs.

Mifepristone, the abortion pill known as RU 486. (Photo by James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images) AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge in Texas will hear arguments Wednesday in a high-stakes court case that could threaten access to abortion medication and blunt the authority of U.S.

PHILADELPHIA - A devastating fire claimed the lives of 12 people, including nine children, in Philadelphia last year; and now the victims' families are taking legal action.The families of five people killed in the Fairmount rowhome fire are suing building owner the Philadelphia Housing Authority, the city’s public housing agency and the state’s biggest landlord."This terrible tragedy resulting in precious loss of life could and should have been avoided… we are now prepared to move forward, seeking not only compensation, but accountability," Tom Kline, of Kline & Specter, announced in a statement Tuesday.The lawsuit claims the Housing Authority knew the 4-bedroom apartment was overcrowded with 14 people, and that the building had no fire escape or hardwired smoke detectors.RELATED COVERAGE: Philadelphia fire: Lighter, Christmas tree started fire that killed 12 in FairmountNine children were among the 12 people who died in the January 2022 blaze, which officials later said was caused by a Christmas tree ignited by a lighter."We believe with certainty - so 99 to 100% confidence - that the first item ignited in this blaze was a Christmas tree," Philadelphia Fire Commissioner Adam Thiel said after an investigation last year. "We believe with near certainty, based on the evidence, the ignition source for this tree was a lighter that was located nearby."Fourteen people were authorized to live in the four-bedroom upper apartment that "suffered the tragedy," Kelvin Jeremiah, the housing authority's president and CEO, said last year.