The Latest: Afghanistan begins vaccination drive

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that the nature or extent of the challenges will not matter in fulfilling the promises made to the people.He noted that development activities continue in the country while taking necessary steps to control the COVID-19 pandemic.The President also pointed out that the economy, which had been collapsed for nearly two years, is gradually recovering.The President made these remarks participating in the first round of discussions in a series of sessions with professionals representing various fields, held at the President’s House on Friday (11).The professionals who participated in the discussion said that they are further committed to make the national programme a success by giving the necessary strength to achieve the goals desired by the President, said a statement.The professionals vehemently rejected the allegations spread by some sections with the objective of achieving narrow political agendas, the statement added.Experts in the field said that the new approach to agriculture initiated by the President is being continuously supported by the researchers and entrepreneurs who are engaged full time in these fields, further noted the statement.Representatives from a wide range of fields, including education, policy, sociology, agriculture, research, water and renewable energy, medical, engineering and innovation, were present at the discussion with the President.Ministers, State Ministers, Members of Parliament, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Secretary to the President, the Principal Advisor to the President and many others were also present.

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Ontario hospital on Saturday with COVID-19, as the province continues to battle the pandemic.New data released by the province on Feb. 12 suggests a drop in the number of people in hospital from the previous day.

Health Matters February 11: As the Alberta Diabetes Foundation’s 48 Hours to Stop Diabetes fundraiser continues, Su-Ling Goh explains how local researchers are aiming to find a pharmaceutical way to achieve Type 2 remission, by understanding the diabetes “dimmer switch.”

were discharged in the past twenty four hours taking the total to 10,31,304.

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GANDHINAGAR :

◾New cases in State: 3,202◾New cases in B'lore: 1,293◾Positivity rate: State - 2.95%; Blore - 2.49%◾Discharges: 8,988◾Active cases: State- 38,747; B'lore- 16k◾Deaths:38 (B'lore- 10)◾Tests: 1,08,534#COVID

has moved to bravely open up about an "embarrassing" chronic health problem. The reality TV star suffers from bronchiectasis, she has revealed in a new interview.

The Windsor Police have commenced enforcement near the Ambassador Bridge, Windsor, Ont.

Nurses in Canada say working during the COVID-19 Omicron wave has left them burnt out, physically and mentally, and an increase in abuse directed at health-care workers has pushed them to breaking point. According to a report from the Ontario Science Table, pre-pandemic, 20 to 40 per cent of health-care workers reported severe burnout. By spring 2021, rates had climbed to more than 60 per cent.

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COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga was sold to Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday (12) for Indian Rs. 10.75 crores after a closely fought bidding war.The Sri Lankan pair of Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera, joined RCB for the second part of IPL 2021.Hasaranga took a hat-trick at last year’s T20 World Cup.

@DrAbdiMahamud pic.twitter.com/hI5Blz64ec

Corrections & Amplifications

After two weeks of the protest convoy occupying Ottawa, questions are rising over whether a better security response could have averted all the disruption sooner.

Norway has lifted its final Covid restrictions, scrapping social distancing and masks in crowded spaces despite a surge in Omicron infections.

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Bob Saget died from an accidental blow to the head, likely from a backwards fall.Saget was found dead Jan. 9 in a Florida hotel room.

Squire Barnes speaks with Toronto-born musician Paul Shaffer while in Vancouver to perform with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

It’s a case of buyer beware: read the fine print. An Edmonton man is sharing his experience trying to sell his SUV, hoping it will help others.

coronavirus infections are still high.It follows the announcement by Boris Johnson on Monday which outlined his four-stage roadmap to end lockdown.The statement said: "Following advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and in the light of the most recent data, the four UK chief medical officers and NHS England national medical director agree that the UK alert level should move from level five to level four in all four nations."The health services across the four nations remain under significant pressure with a high number of patients in hospital, however thanks to the efforts of public we are now seeing numbers consistently declining, and the threat of the NHS and other health services being overwhelmed within 21 days has receded."We should

The UK coronavirus hospital death toll has risen by 364 - a sharp drop from one week ago.

We’re all looking forward to a summer of love after Boris Johnson unveiled his “crocus of hope” roadmap.

Boris Johnson has said he is “very optimistic” that he will be able to fully remove all of England’s coronavirus restrictions on June 21 but he added a note of warning as he said “nothing can be guaranteed”.

direct to your inboxBoris Johnson has expressed confidence that city centres such as Manchester will 'bounce back' from the coronavirus pandemic.At a Downing Street press conference tonight, the Prime Minister was asked about fears that cities are 'staring disaster in the face' due to restrictions that are likely to last until mid-summer and perhaps drive a more fundamental shift in living and working trends."I think there will be changes as a result of the pandemic, I think it will accelerate some trends," Mr Johnson said."It may be that there's more opportunity for accommodation in town centres, in high streets, which have been changing the way they work for a long time anyway."But I don't believe this is going to mean a fundamental

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday his government is considering the use of vaccine passports within the U.K., adding there “may be a role,” but his government would need conduct a review before any decision are made.

Boris Johnson confirmed a study will be carried out into introducing "Covid status certification" as he unveiled his roadmap out of lockdown. It would involve using testing or vaccination data to confirm people have a lower risk of spreading coronavirus.

Boris Johnson has today boldly claimed that all adults in the UK will receive their first Covid vaccine jab by July.

LONDON – U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is setting out a road map on Monday for lifting one of Europe’s strictest national lockdowns — but the millions of Britons longing for a haircut or an evening out still face a long wait.

Boris Johnson will unveil his long-awaited plan to ease lockdown rules in England this afternoon.

Boris Johnson will unveil his long-awaited plan to ease lockdown rules in England tomorrow.

British government announced Sunday that it aims to give every adult in the country a first dose of coronavirus vaccine by July 31, a month earlier than its previous target.The new target also aims for everyone over 50 or with an underlying health condition to get a vaccine shot by April 15, rather than the previous target of May 1. Canada tops up COVAX funding by $75M as G7 leaders renew global vaccine efforts The makers of the two vaccines that Britain is using, Pfizer and AstraZeneca, have both experienced supply problems in Europe.

One in three adults has had a coronavirus jab, as Boris Johnson announced an accelerated target to offer first doses to all adults by July 31.

LONDON — The British government says it aims to give every adult in the country a first dose of coronavirus vaccine by July 31, a month earlier than its previous target.

The war against Covid got a huge boost tonight with the news all adults in the UK should be vaccinated by July 31.

Boris Johnson has pledged – as hopes rise that lockdown lifting will begin imminently across the country. The Prime Minister said the accelerated rollout would help protect the most vulnerable from coronavirus sooner and, in news that will be music to all our ears, enable the easing of some restrictions.

vaccine roll-out. Ministers had set a target to offer vaccines to all adults by September, with an aim to reach all those aged 50 and over in the first nine priority groups by May.

Britain’s success at vaccinating faster than anywhere else in Europe is putting pressure on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to figure out what comes next.While Israel is emerging as the global test case for a country’s ability to inoculate its way out of Covid, the UK is a pilot for whether nations can do enough to end damaging lockdowns and essentially learn to live with the disease. The key, Johnson believes, lies with mass testing in workplaces, schools, shopping centers and theaters to make sure that employees, pupils and customers are Covid-free.

LONDON – The British government announced a small step out of the nation's lockdown on Saturday — allowing nursing home residents to have a single friend or family member visit them indoors.

Boris Johnson is set to reveal the country's recovery roadmap on Monday.He has promised no10 will be guided by "data and not dates" as he looks to get the country back on its feet.The PM is to spend the weekend finalising his plan for easing coronavirus measures in England whilst opening up the economy.But there is a growing concern that a fall in Covid rates have stalled for first time in six weeks.Prof Tim Spector, who leads the Zoe Covid symptom study app at King's College London, has been speaking this afternoon.He said: "Although daily new cases have fallen steadily for six consecutive weeks in the UK, in the last few days the rate of decrease has plateaued."This is mainly true in places like Scotland, Wales and the Midlands compared

LONDON – Some of the world’s wealthiest countries are promising to share coronavirus vaccines with the poorest, but details of when and how many remain scarce as leaders of the Group of Seven economic powers hold their first meeting of 2021 on Friday.

Crucial Covid vaccine data that will chart the UK's path out of lockdown reportedly shows that the jabs cut infections by two-thirds.

Covid-19 vaccines are appearing to be working as new data suggests the jabs cut infections by two thirds.The first "real world data" has been released which will be key in finalising the roadmap to easing lockdown.

Almost one in five people aged 80 and over in London were still waiting for their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine at the start of this week, new figures suggest.

Coronavirus cases continue to rise in 13 areas across England as Boris Johnson gets ready to reveal his lockdown exit plan.

coronavirus lockdown can only end when cases drop by another 93%, an NHS chief claims.Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging him to "resist pressure to loosen restrictions" before it is safe to do so.He said cases need to fall below 50,000 before lockdown can be eased at all.Earlier this week Mr Johnson sounded a note of caution as he set out the hope that this lockdown will be the last, but admitted he cannot offer "an absolute cast iron guarantee".There are currently 695,400 active Covid-19 cases in England, meaning by Mr Hopson's estimation that figure needs to fall by a staggering 93%.He said: "I think there is a pretty clear view that number needs to come down to around