New Minister of Mass Media Dullas Alahapperuma says TV channels will be launched in two weeks for children who are missing out on school education owing to the COVID-19 crisis.

State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Prof. Channa Jayasumana yesterday said that more than 300,000 adults aged 60 and over of the country’s population have not received even a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Sri Lanka yesterday recorded the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day.

Senior DIG Ajith Rohana has been removed from the post of Police Media Spokesman and Senior Superintendent of Police Nihal Thalduwa has been appointed as the new Police Media Spokesman with immediate effect.

Seven Ministers were handed new portfolios today (16) in a cabinet reshuffle which got underway at the Presidential Secretariat a short while ago.

Former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s brother-in-law, Mohamed Ziyabdeen was released on a personal bail of Rs. 500,000/- by Colombo Chief Magistrate Buddhika Sri Ragala today (16).

The Government is prepared to go for a lockdown if health and other experts recommend, Pharmaceutical Production, Supply and Regulation State Minister Prof.Channa Jayasumana said yesterday.

The blood reserves at the National Blood Transfusion Service appear to have depleted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Director of the National Blood Centre (NBC) Dr. Lakshman Edirisinghe, who also said that 950 to 1,000 units of blood are required daily.

The JVP yesterday called on people to adopt all possible measures to ensure their protection without waiting till the government to impose lockdowns.

Sri Lanka yesterday recorded the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day.

Island-wide curfew will be imposed from 10.00 pm to 4.00 am every day from tomorrow (August 16) until further notice, says Army Commander, General Shavendra Silva.

Sri Lanka has decided not to allow weddings to take place at homes or reception halls with effect from midnight on Tuesday (17).

There is a major discrepancy in the COVID-19 case numbers being issued by two units of the Health Ministry.

Archbishop of Colombo Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith requested all Catholics in the archdiocese and others to raise black flags on August 21 in protest against the failure to mete out justice to Easter Sunday victims by the authorities.

Sri Lanka yesterday recorded the highest number of COVID-19 deaths in a single day.