Chinese Foreign Minister meets President; Both parties discuss debt restructuring possibility

There were 18,655 booster doses administered yesterday, taking the total to date to 1,605,815. Also, 1,502 paediatric doses were given yesterday, bringing the total to 200,562.

As we enter the third year of the pandemic next month — some exciting news — all signs are pointing to a more normal spring and summer. Many of Toronto ‘s most popular festivals are preparing to welcome people back to in-person celebrations.

resume non-urgent surgeries as of Monday due to ongoing pressures from the current COVID-19 wave fuelled by the Omicron variant.Hamilton Health Sciences president Rob MacIsaac didn’t alter the sentiment conveyed in a release last week that claimed high occupancy rates and patient transfers continue to plague the city and put strain on the system.“Hospitals in Hamilton will proceed cautiously with ramp up plans, although frankly I can’t see ramping up happening in a significant way for at least a few weeks,” MacIsaac said in city-led pandemic update on Feb. 7.“We need to be confident that we can maintain access to urgent and emergent services.” COVID-19: Acute care occupancy still ‘inordinately high’, says Hamilton hospital network The HHS boss revealed the network’s overall adult intensive care unit (ICU) occupancy rate was at 90 per cent as of Monday, which he says is “as good as it’s been for quite some time.”Over 200 COVID patients are in city hospitals with 29 in ICUs.

B.C. health officials release a written report Monday, Feb.

NEW YORK - A year after winning a major court battle against the opening of so-called safe injection sites -- safe havens for people to use heroin and other narcotics with protections against fatal overdoses — the Justice Department is signaling it might be open to allowing them.In response to questions from The Associated Press, the Justice Department said it is "evaluating" such facilities and talking to regulators about "appropriate guardrails."The position is a drastic change from its stance in the Trump administration, when prosecutors fought vigorously against a plan to open a safe consumption site in Philadelphia. The Justice Department won a lawsuit last year, when a federal appeals court in Pennsylvania ruled that opening such a facility would violate a 1980s-era drug law, aimed at "crackhouses," which bans operating a place for taking illegal drugs.

PHILADELPHIA - Authorities say a Philadelphia family was held captive over the weekend by a group of armed intruders who tortured one of the family members and forced withdraws from various banks.Philadelphia Police Captain Jack Ryan told reporters that the situation started Friday afternoon when a 45-year-old man was robbed and "abducted" by three suspects in front of his home on the 4600 block of Decatur Street in Holmesburg.Ryan said the "criminal gang" then entered the victim's home where they held his family of three, including a 10-month-old, captive throughout the weekend. The victim's 68-year-old father and a friend of the wife came to the house from Saturday to Sunday and were also held prisoner by the group. During the weekend, captors forced the man to withdraw a "significant amount of cash" from various banks as his family was being held hostage. Ryan said at one point in the weekend a family member was "tortured" and has since been treated and released from an area hospital. The family was released on Sunday night and immediately called the Philadelphia Police Department. "They're all okay, as well as you can be after undergoing an ordeal such as that," Ryan said. MORE LOCAL HEADLINES___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

DEL MAR, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 21: General view of an animatronic Megalodon shark during a press review of Jurassic Quest at Del Mar Fairgrounds on January 21, 2022 in Del Mar, California. (Photo by Daniel Knighton/Getty Images) RIVERSIDE, Calif. - A new study has left scientists again wondering what the megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, looked like after it was previously thought to have resembled the great white shark. The scientific research from the University of California, Riverside and DePaul University was recently published in the journal Historical Biology on Feb.

SUTHERLAND SPRINGS, TX - NOVEMBER 10: Visitors pay respects at a memorial where 26 crosses were placed to honor the 26 victims killed at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs on November 10, 2017 in Sutherland Springs, Texas. On November 5, The U.S.

LOS ANGELES - California will end its statewide indoor mask mandate on Feb. 15, the office of Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday.According to the governor's office, unvaccinated individuals will still be required to wear masks in indoor public settings.Local governments can continue their own indoor masking requirements and last week Los Angeles County’s health officials said they intend to keep theirs in place beyond the state deadline.Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.The state will also lift its requirement for guests to test negative for the virus prior to visiting nursing homes and hospitals, effective immediately. RELATED: California extends mask mandate through Feb.

PHILADELPHIA - A young man was shot and killed Monday night in Philadelphia's Crescentville neighborhood, according to police. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 5900 block of Bennington Street for reports of gunfire. Police found a 21-year-old man was a gunshot wound to the head and drove the victim to Penn Presbyterian Hospital where he died. No arrests were reported immediately following the deadly shooting. MORE LOCAL HEADLINES___DOWNLOAD: FOX 29 NEWS APP | FOX 29 WEATHER AUTHORITY APPSUBSCRIBE: Good Day Digest Newsletter | FOX 29 Philly on YouTubeAdvertisementFOLLOW: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

NEW YORK - Drug testing in Major League Baseball has stopped, a casualty of the sport’s lockout that started Dec. 2.Testing for steroids was halted for the first time in nearly 20 years due to the expiration of the sport’s drug agreement between management and the players' association, two people familiar with the sport’s Joint Drug Program told The Associated Press.

COVID-19 in the province’s wastewater continues to rise and the total amount remains very high.The latest numbers from the University of Saskatchewan’s Global Institute for Water Security show the average amount of virus RNA rose 19.3 per cent in Saskatoon, 28.4 per cent in Prince Albert and 29.5 per cent in North Battleford, respectively, over the week prior.But toxicologist and member of the wastewater surveillance team John Giesy told Global News the slight increases bely a substantial amount of the COVID-19 in the cities. Interactive: Inside COVID’s rehabilitation hospitals We’re still one-and-a-half to two times higher than we’ve ever been before,” he said.Saskatoon likely has passed the peak amount of the virus, Giesy said.

Ottawa says the officers sent from the province have been appreciated, but more help is needed and the support so far has been inadequate. Meanwhile, the leader of Ontario’s Liberals is calling on the province to turn up the heat further.

Sign stands outside the IRS headquarters building in Washington, D.C., U.S. (Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images) WASHINGTON - The IRS announced that they will end the use of facial recognition for identity verification. The agency said Monday that the transition away from the facial recognition practice will happen over the coming weeks to avoid disruptions to people filing their taxes this year. According to the IRS, the new plan is to develop and implement an extra authentication process that doesn’t use facial recognition. In January, the IRS required users of its online tax payment system to provide a selfie to a third-party company called ID.me, to access their accounts.The agency said taxpayers would not be required to go through ID.me or use facial recognition software to submit their taxes.

Jason Kenney promised last week the government’s COVID-19 cabinet committee would vote to remove the province’s vaccine passport — the Restrictions Exemption Program — early this week, despite the numbers of cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the province. Further word has yet to come.“We can — and must — get on with our lives, restore our freedoms, and live with joy, not fear,” the premier tweeted Friday.Kenney reinforced his message on the Roy Green Show on Saturday, saying a plan will be released early this week to lift nearly all public health measures.“It will be data-based.

Speaking to the media on Monday, Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly said police have targeted both the “funding” – in the form of the GoFundMe crowdsourcing effort, which was halted in part due to police action – as well as the “fuel” in a literal sense, banning any fuel from going into the demonstration site.

WEST MOUNT AIRY - Lincoln Drive is said to be one of the most dangerous roads in Philadelphia and a man who lives along it says three crashes have happened on his property in the last year alone."You don’t hear it, consciously, but the sound is horrendous. As soon as you hear it, you wake up instantly and jump out of bed. I look for taillights and see where they’re at," homeowner Paden Amsden stated.Amsden is done with the rude awakenings, but cars keep barreling into the property he bought a year ago.

Kate Middleton will be reading a CBeebies Bedtime Story to mark the programme's 20th anniversary, which coincides with Children's Mental Health Week. Kate, who is said to be "worried" for Prince Louis’ future, will be reading Jill Tomlinson's The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark, which links with this year's Mental Health Week theme of "growing together".The Duchess, 40, is set to have a crucial part in Children’s Mental Health Week by narrating the children's story as organisers aim to raise the importance of prioritising children’s mental health.This year, children and adults are being encouraged to consider how they have grown emotionally.The national week also aims to help people understand the benefits of trying new things and moving beyond their comfort zones.

FILE - A general view of the U.S. Supreme Court on Jan.

Some locations in Asia affected later by the Omicron variant are reporting more daily record highs, even in places like Hong Kong that have taken a more aggressive "zero COVID" approach to battling the virus.

This image shows the gray Toyota pickup truck connected to a fatal hit-and-run on Feb. 5, 2022.  PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Police Department has released video of a truck wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that took place on Saturday, Feb.

YEADON, Pa. - Yeadon Borough's Police Chief tells FOX 29's Steve Keeley that he will be fired at the next borough council meeting days after he addressed controversial rumors about his future.Chief Anthony ‘Chachi’ Paparo said he turned down a severance offer in a meeting with Yeadon Mayor Rohan K. Hepkins and Borough Council President Sharon Council-Harris, Keeley reports. Paparo expects the council to reconvene for a voting session in the coming days to make the decision official. Paparo has led the Yeadon Borough Police Department for the past three years and his crime-fighting strategies have garnered praise from the community and the borough leadership."If you could clone him that's who people would want - chiefs, mayors, chief executives - would want around the country because he has decreased crime while being under budget," Mayor Hepkins said.Still, Paparo said he started hearing rumblings that the borough council was going to fire him in January after his contract expired. Paparo originally scoffed at the idea that he would be dismissed from his post, then he was met with a stirring accusation."Residents were coming to me, various people were coming to me, and say they're going to fire me in January.

Tyrese Gibson is asking for prayers after revealing that his mother, Pricilla Murray, is in a coma and in ICU after a COVID-19 and pneumonia diagnosis. On Saturday, the actor shared an emotional post, along with a plea to his followers for prayers.  “My mother is in a coma, in ICU, with Pneumonia and she caught Covid they got her so sedated she can’t breathe or even eat on her own…….

Middlesex-London Health Unit reported 105 COVID-19 cases on Monday, compared with 222 cases Friday.Over the weekend, 169 cases and one death was reported on Saturday, 93 cases and one death was reported Sunday.As noted, LHSC is caring for 119 COVID-19 inpatients, with 25 inpatients in adult critical care. This is a drop from the 138 COVID-19 inpatients on Friday, with 26 in critical care.Of the 119, there are five or fewer in Children’s Hospital with five or fewer in pediatric critical care.

Footage shared by a resident of a downtown Ottawa residential apartment building showed two men entering the lobby on Sunday, taping the front doors shut, and attempting to set fire to the building using firestarters after residents of the building had argued with trucker convoy protesters earlier in the day. According to a resident of the building also seen in the video, one of the men said they were part of the trucker protests when asked.

Coronavirus infection rates have fallen across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester, data has revealed.

WASHINGTON - A Temple University physics professor who was charged with sharing scientific technology with China only for the case to collapse before trial and be dismissed by the Justice Department asked a federal appeals court on Monday to reinstate his clams for damages against the U.S. government.Lawyers for Xiaoxing Xi and his wife say in a brief filed Monday with a Philadelphia-based appeals court that a judge erred last year when he dismissed most of the claims in their federal lawsuit.

Tobias Wayne Carr, Johnny Shane Brown and Timothy Allen Sarver (Credit: Sullivan County Sheriff's Office) BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn - Two Tennessee inmates are dead and one is still wanted by authorities after escaping through the jail’s air vent, according to local reports. The Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office said inmates Tobias Carr and Timothy Sarver were confirmed dead by authorities in Wilmington, North Carolina Monday. Investigators said the men were involved in a robbery at a convenience store in another part of town and led authorities on a chase before the vehicle was "disabled."The sheriff’s office didn’t give any additional details about what happened. Police are still looking for inmate Johnny Shane Brown. RELATED: Southern California man gets life for meat cleaver slayingsThe trio escaped from the local jail last week. According to WCYB, the men accessed the air vent through the ceiling of their cell.

RICHLAND, Wash. - Authorities are searching for a man who they say opened fire Monday a Fred Meyer grocery store in Washington state, killing one person and injuring another.The suspect in the shooting at a Fred Meyer store in Richland was a white man with a handgun, police said. He is believed to have fled the store after the 11:04 a.m.

COVID-19-related deaths on Monday, raising the death toll in the area to 377.“Today we are reporting 5 deaths in our community related to COVID-19: a male in his 90s, a male in his 80s, a female in her 80s, a female in her 60s, and a male in his 60s,” Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, medical officer of health, stated.“I wish to express my deep sympathy to the families of these individuals.” Ontario taking cautious approach to long-term care restrictions as COVID trends improve There have now been 18 victims reported in the area over the first seven days of February.Area hospitals also remain relatively crowded with COVID-19 patients as they are currently housing 84, including 19 who are in need of intensive care.Waterloo Public Health also reported another 264 positive tests for the coronavirus on Monday, lifting the total number of cases in the area to 39,119.This drops the rolling seven-day average number of new daily cases to 112.4.

COVID restrictions.De Nacht staat op (“the night rises”) is a campaign led by venue owners who will purposefully break the nation’s current restrictions by re-opening up their establishments to show objection to continued closures.Dutch news outlet NU.nl reports that the protest will kick off from 9pm. Dozens of Dutch clubs including Amsterdam’s Melkweg, Radio Radio, Shelter, as well as Utrecht’s Ekko, are taking part.The OAC (Council of Amsterdam Clubs) and Nachtbelang are jointly spearheading the campaign.

announced on Jan. 19 it is in urgent need of donated breast milk. "In efforts to meet the increasing demand for donor milk, coupled with a decline in milk donations, the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) and its member milk banks across the United States and Canada are urging healthy, lactating people to consider donating to their local milk bank today," according to a news release. The HMBANA points to the ongoing pandemic, winter storms and short staffing for the depleted supply of breast milk which is essential to "saving the most vulnerable babies’ lives." People are encouraged to find a local milk bank and donate today. FILE - A donor delivers breast milk to the women's milk bank.

RICHLAND, Wash. - Police from several agencies and special agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to a Fred Meyer store in Richland, Washington on Monday after reports of a possible active shooter. The incident happened at about 11:15 a.m. and police were asking people to avoid the area of Wellsian Way.  The Kennewick Police Department is asking the public's help in identifying and locating a suspect and the suspect's car in connection with the Richland shooting.Police said the suspect could be armed and dangerous.

Nonhospitalized COVID-19 patients at highest risk for severe outcomes are often the least likely to receive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), finds a study of more than 1.9 million Medicare beneficiaries published late last week in JAMA.A team led by a Harvard Medical School researcher examined a sample of

Speaking to the media on Monday, Ottawa police chief Peter Sloly said 20 criminal arrests and charges as well as 500 tickets or citations had been issued thus far as part of the force’s “surge and contain” strategy in response to the ongoing protests in the nation’s capital.

Ottawa from honking their horns incessantly.McLean said Monday the injunction is temporary because he needs to hear more evidence, but that he has heard enough to make this ruling as a protest against COVID-19 pandemic measures continues to paralyze the national capital around Parliament Hill.

The topic of COVID-19 vaccine mandates took centre stage during Monday’s session of question period in Ottawa’s House of Commons amid ongoing anti-mandate demonstrations. Interim Conservative Party Leader Candice Bergen demanded answers on when Canadians could see vaccine mandates and other public health guidelines removed.

battled COVID-19 in late 2020. His case was very severe, landing him in the ICU and leaving him with long-term side effects. Jeremih spent a good portion of the last year getting himself back to peak health in the wake of the illness“That was life-changing for me last year.

According to USAToday, ad inventory was sold out last year with some companies paying $6.5 million to run a commercial during the big game.But companies aren’t waiting for Sunday to release their ads. Some are rolling them out right now.Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost once made comedy skits together on "Saturday Night Live," but now the married couple will reunite onscreen to dodge a mind-reading Alexa device in a new Super Bowl commercial.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa delivered the Government’s Policy Statement, after declaring open the 2nd session of the 9th Parliament on Tuesday (18).The President said that while successfully encountering short-term problems, the primary responsibility is to continue to implement the long-term development program presented by the government to the people and endorsed by a majority.“The sustainable future of the country is built on it,” said the President.Here’s are some of the key takeaways from the President’s speech:National Security:“Our Government has secured national security and the people have no fear of terrorism today,” said the President in his statement.He said the government has been able to change the situation concerning the underworld that terrorized people, during the past two years.The President further stated that Sri Lanka was becoming a hub for international drug traffickers and the situation today is largely under control due to the action taken by the security & intelligence services in the country.Human Rights:The President in his statement said Sri Lanka needs to correct the misconceptions that have been taken to the international community in the past with regard to Human Rights in the country.“During my tenure, the government did not support any form of human rights violations. We do not condone such actions in any manner,” he said.Electricity:“We will not approve the construction of coal power plants in the future for any reason,” said the President adding that “Our goal is to achieve the carbon-neutral target by 2050.

COLOMBO (News 1st): President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will ceremonially declare open the 2nd Session of the 9th Parliament on the 18th January 2022.The President will present the Government Policy Statement on Tuesday (18) at 10:00 AM in accordance with the powers vested in him by Article 33 (2) of the Constitution.Prior to this, the second session of the Ninth Parliament will be ceremonially opened under the patronage of the President, Parliamentary Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake said.On the instructions of the President, arrangements have been made to hold the ceremony in a very simple manner thus that there will be no gun salutes or car parades.Instead, the President will be received in front of Parliament with a cultural salute with the participation of the Police Cultural Division.Following the presentation of the Government Policy Statement by the President, the House will be adjourned. Afterward, a tea party is organized for the members of Parliament and invited guests.Foreign diplomats, former Presidents, Prime Ministers, Chief Justice, Supreme Court Justices, and the Attorney General have been invited to the ceremonial opening of the second session of the Ninth Parliament, Secretary-General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake said.He also stressed that the second session of the Ninth Parliament will be ceremonially opened following all health guidelines.

Construction work on the East Container Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo Port commenced on Wednesday (12) under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.With the planned construction beginning today, the length of the Eastern Terminal will increase to 1,320 meters and has been scheduled to be completed in July 2024.Secretary to the Ministry of Ports, U. D.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The party leaders of Sri Lanka have decided to debate the President’s Policy Statement for the Second Session of Parliament on the 19th and 20th of January 2022.The second session of the 9th Parliament will open on the 18th of January 2022, with the President expected to deliver the Policy Statement of the Government.President Gotabaya Rajapaksa prorogued the Parliament in accordance with the powers vested in him by Article 70 of the Constitution with effect from midnight on the 12th December 2021, and announced that the Second Session of the Ninth Parliament will commence on the 18th of January at 10.00 am.According to Article 33 of the Constitution, the President has the opportunity to ceremonially open the Parliament and preside over the presentation of the Policy Statement of the Government at the commencement of a new session.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday (10) issued an Extraordinary Gazette revising the institution that are placed under several ministries.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa emphasizes that solutions for the electricity crisis should be sought without hindering the people’s daily life.In a backdrop where the island nation is facing an imminent power shortage, the Head of State spoke to the heads of the Power and Energy sectors at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday (10), said the President’s Media Division in a press release.Officials pointed out that the root cause of the current crisis is the issues prevalent in generating electricity through coal and fossil fuel.Sri Lanka’s coal reserves are sufficient as well as in good maintenance and if the fossil fuel power generating sector is managed well, the country can survive an impending power cut, said the officials.The Subject Ministers noted that all measures have been taken to manage the daily life of the general public during the current situation of the country.Ministers Gamini Lokuge, Udaya Gammanpila, Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal, State Minister Duminda Dissanayake, Secretary to the President P. B.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Sri Lanka on Saturday (8) on 2-day visit to mark the 65th anniversary of Diplomatic Ties between the twi countries.During his visit, the Chinese Foreign Minister will meet with the country’s top leadership.His visit marks the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations and the 70th anniversary of theLanka-China Rubber Rice Pact. Signed in 1952, the Rubber-Rice Pact was a trade agreement between Lanka andChina under which Colombo supplied rubber to Beijing in exchange for rice, leading to the establishment ofdiplomatic relations and expansion of trade between the two nations.Profile:Wang Yi, a native of Beijing, was born in October 1953.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said that he will limit his cabinet to 30 ministers as per the constitution, and will not break the promise by adding additional members to the cabinet.The President was speaking at the event organized to launch the program to convert 1000 schools in Sri Lanka to National Schools.At the event, the President had stressed the need for MPs and ministers to work together as one group, adding that it is a collective responsibility to address all setbacks as a group as well.The President had pointed out that if one is only criticizing the shortcomings, it depicts the inefficiency of the said individual.Further, the President said that it is also the duty of the MPs representing the opposition to support the decisions made on behalf of the people.