Road blocks have been set up in several places where vehicles and individuals are checked by the security forces. Pictures show a road block near the Southern border of Western Province. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

Transport State Minister Dilum Amunugama today visited the Fort Railway station to observe how the trains are operated to transport the employees of essential services. Pix by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

The Pakistan Cricket Board is confident that the political upheaval in Afghanistan will not affect their ODI series and, in fact, the Taliban authorities have given green light to the national team to play the matches in Sri Lanka as scheduled.

Forty tons of liquid medical Oxygen is now being loaded into the Sri Lanka Navy vessel ‘Shakthi’ in the Chennai port and will be freighted to Sri Lanka, the Indian High Commission tweeted.

In a situation where patients infected with COVID-19 are detected every part of the country with no origin, Deputy Director General of Health Services Dr. Hemantha Herath said there is no community transmission yet in the country.

A total of 186 more COVID-19 related deaths that occurred yesterday (18) were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services today pushing the death toll to 6,790.

Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today urged the government not to recognise the Taliban administration and to shut down the Sri Lankan mission in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Former JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa today urged the Health Ministry Secretary, Director General of Health Services and Chief Epidemiologist not to become a cat’s paw of the Government by issuing manipulated data and statistics of the Covid mortalit

Vatican is expected to make a statement on Easter Sunday attacks soon, a prominent Catholic priest said today.

The Maha Nayaka Theras of the Asgiriya and Malwatta Chapters have sent a letter to the President requesting to close the country for at least a week to control the rapid spread of COVID-19 virus.

Sri Lanka College of Psychiatrists urges the authorities to decriminalize homosexuality in Sri Lanka after bringing amendments to Section 365 of the Penal Code which states homosexuality is a criminal act.

The Bar Association of Mount Lavinia unanimously passed a resolution to refrain from court work except urgent matters from 19th of August to 27th of August 2021.

Prices of all bakery products including bread will be increased from next Monday (23), Bakery Owners’ Association said.

A health team of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) carried out PCR tests on residents along Marine drive in Kollupitiya today.Pix by Pradeep Dilrusksana

The Leaders of ten political parties that are affiliated with the Government have appealed to the President in writing about the importance of imposing a three-week lockdown in order to prevent a major havoc in future in terms of COVID-19 spread.

In a dreadful situation where lockdowns are not on the cards, people must ensure that they strictly abide by the health guidelines and practices when they are outdoors. However, people still don’t seem to have realised the gravity of the pandemic t

The Southern Expressway was seen deserted today as the government imposed heavy travel restrictions to curb the COVID 19 pandemic. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana.

Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani has taken refuge in the United Arab Emirates, the Gulf nation says.

New process of directing COVID-19 patients to hospital or treating them at home, based on their conditions, will start from today in Western Province, the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) said.

The Kuwait Cabinet yesterday decided to resume direct commercial flights with Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, whose nationals make up some 70 percent of residents in Kuwait, after months of suspension because of the coronavir

Sri Lanka Naval Ship (SLNS) Shakthi which left for India will depart from Chennai Port this morning carrying 35 tonnes of oxygen to Sri Lanka.

Government should follow the trade associations and go for a lockdown as a self-lockdown could destabilize the nation, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said yesterday.

An organisation called Hela Bodhu Saviya has offered to conduct the final rites of Buddhist Covid victims through Zoom technology.

Colombo Fort looked deserted with some shop owners going for a self-lockdown closing their shops. Pix by Pradeep Dilruckshana

Several trade unions attached to the heath sector staged a protest opposite the Colombo National Hospital today demanding a scientific lockdown in order to contain the further spread of COVID-19. Pix by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

Mayoress of Colombo Rosy Senanayake today requested for the closure of all business establishments in Colombo city as a precaution to contain  COVID 19 pandemic. 

A vaccination centre has been set up at the New Moor Street, Colombo 12 by the Jinthupitiya and Modara MOH offices together with Wellaweediya Police to administer vaccines for those who have not yet taken a single dose of a vaccine in the Colombo cit

A total of 170 more COVID-19 related deaths that occurred yesterday (17) were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services today pushing the death toll to 6,604.

A new research carried out by a team of world renowned scientists including two local scientists and researchers from Ministry of Health has determined that the single dose of Sputnik-V is highly immunogenic.

The Health Ministry today issued a set of new health guidelines to be followed by the general public until August 31.