The Pfizer vaccine has now been made available for anyone above 20 years of age and it could be obtained from respective MOH offices, the Health Ministry said today.

President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is scheduled to address the nation on Wednesday, President’s Media Division said.

The Parliament media unit said today that the COPE has instructed the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) to expedite recovery of Rs. 3,480 million due from the MT New Diamond shipwreck, which has not been received so far.

Sixty students, the Principal and two teachers of a school in Ethimale, Moneragala have been injured after they were stung by a swarm of wasps during the school assembly this morning, the Police said.

Retired medical practitioner Dr. Shirley Herath (75) and two others arrested over the hand grenade incident at All Saints’ Church in Borella were today ordered to be further remanded till March 29 by Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

The Environment Ministry instructed the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) to suspend issuing inland sand mining permits.

A 54-year-old Buddhist monk, who was residing in a jungle monastery, died due to a wild elephant attack in Madugasthalawa, Police area in Balangoda this morning.

Minister of Water Supply Vasudeva Nanayakkara handed over his official residence and vehicles to the Ministry Secretary today, Sources said.

All citizens in the country are presently facing the economic crisis and the burdens of the rising cost of living, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said over the weekend.

The National Tsunami Early Warning Centre stated that there is no tsunami threat to Sri Lanka as a result of the 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck south of Sumatra.

A senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) official will be visiting Sri Lanka on Monday and Tuesday to brief President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on the fund’s assessment of the crisis-hit economy, Sri Lanka mission chief Masahiro Nozaki told Reuters.

Through a circular issued last Friday (11), the Education Ministry advised the relevant officials to call all children to school as usual from today (14).

The Examinations Department has released the cut-off marks for the 2021 (2022) grade five scholarship examination to select students for schools and to award scholarships.

Saudi Arabia Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud arrived at the Katunayake International Airport this morning for a one day official visit.

The All Island School Van Operators Association (AISVOA) today requested their members to go for a school van fare hike after talking to the parents.

The results of the Grade Five Scholarship Examination was released a short while ago, the Examinations Department Commissioner General L.M.D Dharmasena said.

While expressing the country’s economy could not be regulated by the orders of the President or the Finance Minister, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said today the actions of the government have intensified the country’s economic crisis.

The United Kingdom, in its latest travel advisory on Sri Lanka has warned its citizens saying the economic situation was deteriorating in the country with shortages of basic necessities including medicines, fuel and food.

The price of a 50kg cement bag has been increased to Rs.1,850.

There is a possibility of announcing the bus fare revision from Monday night (14) onwards, Transport Minister Dilum Amunugama said.

Immediate steps will be taken to bring at least 1000 MW of renewable energy capacity onto the national grid this year in order to ensure uninterrupted power supply, Power Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi said.

The Sri Lanka Petroleum Private Tanker Owners’ Association (SLPPTOA) said that they need to revise the fuel transport formula within two days and said if not, they will refrain from carrying out their services.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) said today that it will go for an Arab Spring after giving an ultimatum for the government to resolve the present economic crisis.

Five suspects have been arrested by the STF with 560 kilograms of Kerala cannabis which was smuggled from Rameswaran in India.

At least another seven months will take to end the current fuel and gas queues, Energy Minister Gamini Lokuge said.

The decision on fuel subsidy or a bus fare revision will be announced on Tuesday (15) morning after the cabinet decision, Transport Minister Dilum Amunugama said.

SJB MP Harin Fernando who has denied defaulting an electricity Bill said yesterday that he never owned a house in Colombo and he never occupied his official residence when he was a Minister in the previous government after 2019.

Two children have died after being caught in an unauthorized power line at Naikadu in Samanthurai yesterday.

Around 1,300 Ukrainian troops have been killed since the start of the Russian invasion, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena said that the people are preparing to revolt as they cannot bear the burden of the cost of living.