The Cabinet of Ministers has granted approval to award the construction of the expressway on pillars that connect the Athurugiriya Interchange and the New Kelani Bridge to the China Harbor Engineering Cooperation.

The Cabinet of Ministers has granted the approval to purchase 14 million doses of Sinopharm vaccine and one million doses of Astrazeneca vaccine immediately.

A 34-year-old suspect who robbed a house in Pelawatta in Talangama, Battaramulla on May 08 and stole Rs. 30.6 million worth cash, jewellery was arrested from Belihuloya area.

An explosion was reported on board the burning Singapore-flag ship ‘X-PRESS PEARL’ in the seas off Colombo Port.

The U.S. State Department on Monday urged against travel to Japan and Sri Lanka due to a new wave of COVID-19 infections, saying those two nations will now fall under the department’s “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisory.

Leader of the UNP and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said the Government should first follow medical advice and control the spread of the virus, adding that all the citizens will not be able to receive the vaccine this year.

Seven Police Officers, who had contracted the COVID-19 virus, had died and 900 others are undergoing treatment, sources said.

The COVID-19 death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 1,243 with 33 more deaths being confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services today (24), the Government Information Department said.

The Bangladesh Bank (BB) board on Sunday approved in principle a draft $200 million currency swap deal with Sri Lanka, which is struggling to maintain a moderate foreign exchange reserve.

The Government today (24) introduced a new hotline 1965 for the public to inquire about essential services that are in operation during the travel restrictions currently in effect in the country.

Bahrain is suspending entry of travelers from countries on its “Red List”, which includes India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, from today (May 24), state news agency BNA reported.

Sri Lanka government has decided to extend the travel restrictions imposed in the country owing to the COVID-19 till the 7th of June, Minister Johnston Fernando said.

One of Sri Lanka’s biggest fears, the presence of the “black fungus” in the island which has stirred quite a storm in India, was allayed today.

Warning of the rapid rise of the COVID-19 situation, Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday said the decision to lockdown or not must be made by health professionals and not politicians.

There is a need to formulate a new programme to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to bring down more vaccines into the country, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday (23).

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, on Friday, monitored steps being taken for the construction of the new Kurunegala Hospital.