The Police is to conduct special operations in the Colombo City and suburbs in the Western Province from today to trace underage children who are working as domestic helpers, Police Spokesman SDIG Ajith Rohana said.

Eight persons died of COVID pneumonia at the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital in Galle on Sunday (25), the respective post-mortems carried out on the deaths revealed.

Approval has been granted at the Cabinet meeting for the state sector to purchase products of the Saline Factory from 1 September.

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today ordered to remand MP Rishad Bathiudeen’s wife, father-in-law, brother-in-law and the broker until August 09 in connection with the suspicious death of a teenage domestic worker who had been employed at MP Bathiudeen’s home.

Sri Lanka’s Education Minister Professor G. L. Peiris has announced that the 2021 G. C. E. Ordinary Level Examination has been postponed by a month.

Former MP and actress Upeksha Swarnamali has been arrested by the Katugastota police in connection with an accident.

Another batch of 90,000 doses of “Pfizer” vaccines were brought to the country this morning (26), the Airport Duty Manager said.

The Consumer Affairs Authority via Extraordinary Gazette introduced a District-based Maximum Retail Price for Gas Cylinders of 18 litres (9.6 Kg) with effect from Sunday (25).

SJB MP Patali Champika Ranawaka last week presented a private members bill to Parliament aimed at codifying a contempt of court law for the country.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa pledged that under an SJB-led government, free education would not be restricted to certain individuals and that no amendments would be made that would disrupt free education.

Mr. R. Rajamahendran, the Chairman of The Capital Maharaja Group, has passed away this morning (July 25).

The gazette on the reduction of the price of an 18-litre hybrid domestic cooking gas cylinder by Rs. 245, as announced by Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena, has been withheld by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) after it was discovered that the Cabinet has so far not made any recommendation on re-adjusting the existing pricing, a senior official said.

As reports come in of outlets running out of Liquefied Petroleum (LP Gas) cylinders, arrangements are being made to ensure that there will be no gas shortages in the country from tomorrow (26), the Government said yesterday.

Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga said arrangements are underway to remove Sri Lanka from the COVID-19 red list countries. This is due to be done subsequent to discussions with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the upcoming weeks.

Sri Lanka’s health authorities have warned that new COVID-19 clusters could emerge if wedding ceremonies and other events are conducted in violation of the COVID-19 health guidelines.

As much as 86 percent of the government’s revenue had been spent for the payment of salaries and remunerations in 2020 triggering public finance concerns for the country, and therefore this was not an appropriate time to grant a pay hike for teachers, trade Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.