Vaccination program to open up in north from tomorrow

The national vaccination program will open up in Jaffna from tomorrow, as the Jaffna district has been one of the worst affected districts from the COVID-19 pandemic, the government’s special resettlement facilitation officer for the North and East, Geethanath Kassilingam said.

Another MP contracts COVID-19

Trincomalee District Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) parliamentarian Kapila Nuwan Athukorala has contracted COVID-19 and is receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

CBSL grants concessions for COVID-19 affected businesses & individuals

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has taken steps to grant certain concessions with a view to meeting the challenges faced by businesses and individuals due to the third wave of COVID-19.

India to conduct remainder of IPL 2021 in UAE

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced that it will conduct the remainder of the 2021 IPL in the UAE. The decision was taken at a special general body meeting on Saturday.

Cop in a soup; transferred for halting top rank officer’s wife from jogging

A policeman, who was on duty at a checkpoint near the Ananda College in Maradana, reported to have not allowed the wife of a top ranked police officer-in-charge in the Colombo area to pass the checkpoint for jogging, has been transferred to another checkpoint within minutes, according to police sources.

China says it saw about 0.01% adverse events from Covid-19 vaccines

China says it saw only 119 cases of adverse events for every million doses of Covid-19 vaccines administered - a rate that is much lower than that reported for some Western vaccines, although there is little information on how the incidents were tracked, categorised and collated in the Asian country

Sri Lanka nominated for Future Policy Award 2021

Sri Lanka’s Control of Pesticides Act No. 33 (1980, amended in 1994, 2011, 2020) and National Policy and Action Plan on Prevention of Suicide (1997) has been nominated for the Future Policy Award 2021 organised by the World Future Council.

Germany to pay Namibia $1.3bn as it formally recognizes colonial-era genocide

More than 100 years after the crimes committed by the German colonial power in what is now Namibia, Germany has formally recognized the atrocities committed against the Herero and Nama ethnic groups as genocide.

Police seek public assistance to trace COVID-19 escapee

A 28-year-old youth, who had tested positive with COVID-19, has escaped his home at Magazine Road, Borella, Police said.

Remains of 215 children found at former indigenous school site in Canada

The remains of 215 children, some as young as three years old, were found at the site of a former residential school for indigenous children, a discovery Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau described as heartbreaking on Friday.

SL Global Forum requests Canadian Govt to repeal Tamil Genocide Act

Global Sri Lankan Forum, a movement of Sri Lankans domiciled abroad, has requested Canadian High Commissioner David Mckinnon to take steps through his government to repeal the Tamil Genocide Education Week Act, 2021 (Ontario-bill 104) .

39 more die of COVID-19: Death toll surges to 1363

A total of 39 more COVID-19 related deaths has been reported taking the death toll in the country to 1,363, the Government Information Department said.

MV X-press Pearl: Catholic clergy express disappointment over fishermen’s lost livelihood

Catholic priests who are in charge of parishes in the coastal area which are affected by the fire in the ship MV-Express Pearl today expressed displeasure over the attitude of relevent persons who are keeping mum about the fate which the fishermen have suffered as a result of the tragedy.

One million Sinopharm doses expected on June 6

A dispatch of one million doses of Sinopharm vaccines will be released for delivery to Sri Lanka on June 6 under a commercial arrangement, a Minister said.

IGP instructs police not to harass public violating quarantine laws

IGP C.D. Wickramaratne has directed police officers not to harass or embarrass the public during inspections and during implementation of quarantine law and said diciplinery action will be taken against superior officers, if such incident was reported in the future, a senior police officer told the Daily Mirror.

No registration for vaccination: Don’t rely on WhatsApp, SMS messages: Dr. Herath

While claiming that there was no procedure adopted by the Health Ministry for the people to get registered for vaccination roll out, Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath today requested people not to act upon WhatsApp or SMS messages they receive with regards to the vaccination drive.

Over 2,500 COVID patients discharged from hospitals within 24 hours

A total of 2,573 more COVID-19 patients recovered and were discharged from hospitals increasing the total number of recoveries in Sri Lanka to 146,362, the Health Ministry said.

Namal apologizes to President over misconduct of Moratuwa Mayor

Referring to the incident where Moratuwa Mayor Samanlal Fernando allegedly threatened a female doctor at a vaccination centre, Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, Namal Rajapaksa extended his apology to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and said it was an isolated incident.

Give second jab at same place where first jab given: Prez

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today advised the medical sector to administer the second dose of Sinopharm vaccine after a month (June 8) at the same location where the people received their first jabs on May 8.

Essential service employees should possess verification letter, service ID

Employees who engage in essential services during the period of travel restrictions, required to possess a letter or any other document from their head of the institutions in addition to their service ID calling for their service to travel trough checkpoints, Police said

Don’t panic to consume fish: Govt.

While saying that the fishing activities in the adjoining sea areas where the X-Press Pearl vessel caught fire had been suspended since last Sunday (23), Kanchana Wijesekara, State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish & Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multiday Fishing Activities and Fish Exports said there is no fear in consuming fish from the market.

MEPA hoping to have an interim claim to cover the damages: Chairperson

Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) is hoping to have an interim claim from the relevant companies to which the X-Press Pearl ship belongs, to cover the damages, MEPA Chairperson Dharshani Lahandapura said.

Vaccination drive to be extended to more districts

The vaccination rollout will commence in the Jaffna and Rathnapura districts as well in near future, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said

Govt. to provide Rs.5000 allowance from June 2

The Government has decided to give Rs. 5000 allowancqe to a selected group of people affected due to the prevailing COVID-19 situation, State Minister Shehan Semasinghe said.

Moratuwa Mayor remanded till June 11

Moratuwa Mayor Samanlal Fernando who was arrested this morning for allegedly threatening a female doctor and obstructing duties of officials, has been remanded till June 11 by the Moratuwa Magistrate today

No Diesel, thermal powerplants operational; sufficient rainfall to generate hydropower: CEB Chairman

Due to abundant rainfall in the hydro catchment areas, including mini-hydro plants during the past few days to generate 200 million units of electricity, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has decided to stop operating all diesel powerplants, CEB Chairman Vijitha Herath said.

Opp. Leader never made formal request to postpone sessions: Speaker

While refuting claims made by the opposition, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane said neither the Prime Minister nor the Opposition Leader had made any written request to postpone Parliamentary sessions during the previous week.

Travel restrictions to continue till June 7: No relaxation

The ongoing travel restrictions will continue until June 7 and will not be relaxed on May 31st and June 4, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva said

Sri Lanka, UK discuss friendly cricket match between MPs of two Parliaments

The Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Saroja Sirisena and Speaker of the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle recently discussed the possibility of a friendly cricket match between the Parliament members of the two countries.

No bar for courier services during travel restrictions: MP Withanage

No restrictions were made to operate courier services in the country which is categorised under the essential services, despite travel restrictions, Special COVID-19 Committee member MP Madhura Withanage said.