A 31-year-old man died after falling from the Pannai bridge on the Thiwangal road in Jaffna while attempting to take a selfie, the Jaffna police said.

A postman came face-to-face with a huge shark while snorkelling off the coast of Cornwall.

Saudi Arabia will begin accepting vaccinated foreign pilgrims seeking to visit the Islamic holy city of Mecca, state media reported Sunday, around 18 months after a border closure prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.

After marking the number of daily COVID-19 cases as high as 2,961 yesterday, the Colombo District recorded the highest number of positive cases that stood at 852, the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID -19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) said.

Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera instructed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to submit a report on all unauthorized construction in the Gannoruwa area in Kandy and within the boundaries of the Mahaweli River in the Kandy city suburbs.

The Teachers and Principals Unions today said that they will continue with their trade union action, if they do not receive solutions to their demands following today’s cabinet meeting, Ceylon Teachers’ Union General Secretary Joseph Stalin said.

The checking of official workplace identity cards of people using public transport will commence from today, Transport State Minister Dilum Amunugama said.

Treatment for COVID infected people who do not have complications will be given at home from today (9), the health ministry said.

A consignment of 100,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine vials have been flown in to the country from the United States of America and freighted by Qatar Airways, the airport duty manager said.

Four suspects including two members of Sri Lanka Air Force and the Navy have been arrested over the theft of explosives from the Welisara Air Force explosive storage.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana said 20 out 37 bodies kept at the refrigerated cabinets of the mortuary of Kalubowila Hospital (Colombo-south Hospital) were non-

Sri Lanka’s war against the Delta variant which has exhausted the country’s health system and overburdened hospitals is still in its formative stages and is only expected to worsen in the coming three weeks, doctors have warned.

The authorities in Ragama have begun cremating the bodies of 42 people who died from the coronavirus. The bodies were piled up at the Ragama Teaching Hospital morgue.

The cases, pending or filed before 2016 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), will be concluded before the end of this year, Justice Minister Ali Sabry said.

A probe is underway after a Hindu religious gathering was held in a temple in Batticaloa today after pictures of the commemoration circulated online sparking anger as to why it was held amidst a rapidly spreading COVID-19 pandemic.

Around 30 percent of the reported COVID 19 patients within Colombo City have been infected with the Delta variant, Chief Medical Officer Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni said today.

A medical team has performed a successful Liver Transplant surgery for the first time in the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, its Director Dr. Rathnasiri A. Hewage said.

Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called for the dissolution of the COVID 19 taskforce and assign decision making powers to institutions which are constitutionally empowered to handle them.

Seen here a medical team of the Sri Jayewardenepura and Colombo National Hospital performing a successful Liver Transplant at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital. It is the first Liver Transplant performed at the Jayewardenepura Hospital.

A total of 94 more COVID-19 related deaths that occurred yesterday (07) were confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services today pushing the death toll to 5,111.

People over 60 years of age and those with cronic illnesses in the Western Province who have not received the first dose of the Covid vaccine will be vaccinated for three days beginning next Tuesday (10), the Government Information Department said.

The Environment Ministry has instructed the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) to mark the protected boundaries of all the rivers as a measure to protect them from environmental pollution associated with river water and dumping of pollutants into

People are seen queuing up at the Viharamahadevi Park to get their COVID vaccine. Pix by Nisal Baduge

A total of 2,563 more COVID-19 patients recovered and were discharged from hospital increasing the total number of recoveries in Sri Lanka to 293,357, the Health Ministry said.

The close contacts of COVID-19 patients should get themselves tested 3-5 days after exposure whereas earlier recommendation was 5-7 days, a local medical expert said.

A large number of gemstones including the world’s largest star sapphire cluster found recently from the Pelmadulla area in Ratnapura will be put up for auction in Shanghai, China, Gems and Jewellery State Minister Lohan Ratwatte said.

Examinations performed on the cadavers brought to the Colombo Judicial Medical and Toxicology Institute on previous days whether they carry COVID virus before handing over to relatives. Pix by Kithsiri de Mel

The Medical experts have highlighted the importance of prohibiting large indoor gatherings in order to contain the spread of the COVID-19 in the country.

The 29th commemoration day of late Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa and nine other war heroes was held with the participation of Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army General Shavendra Silva. Opening of the Denzil Kobbekaduwa Memorial

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga refuted media reports that her son Vimukthi was planning to enter into active politics.