Extending his wishes to the Muslim community which celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr at the end of Ramadan fasting today (14), President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said he believes the true Muslims who follow the Holy Quran would collectively commit themselves with added determination to further strengthen peace and harmony.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday called on the Government to put an end to extrajudicial killings and to launch an independent investigation into them.

The Heated Humidified Oxygen Therapy Unit manufactured by the Sri Lanka Air Force for patients with respiratory difficulties was officially handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (12).

The COVID-19 death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 892 with 24 more deaths being confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services on yesterday (13), the Government Information Department said.

Isolation orders have been issued on 42 more areas in Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Kurunegala districts, says the Commander of Sri Lanka Army General Shavenra Silva.

The COVID-19 death toll in Sri Lanka climbed to 868 with 18 more deaths being confirmed by the Director-General of Health Services on yesterday (12), the Government Information Department said.

All shops must remain closed from 11 pm tonight till 4 am on Monday, the 17th of May, due to the imposition of island wide travel restrictions, Police Spokesman DIG Ajith Rohana said.

Notorious underworld figure “Kosgoda Tharaka”, who was under detention order with Peliyagoda Special Crimes Division, has been shot dead early this morning at Meerigama when he tried to attack police while recovering some weapons, police said.

Eleven Grama Niladhari divisions and a town area have been isolated with immediate effect in Gampaha, Galle and Ratnapura districts, the Army Commander General Shavenra Silva announced.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said the decision to start using organic fertilizer was taken towards endowing a healthy future generation to the country.

The public can travel for non-essential purposes from tomorrow (13) till 31st May based only on the approved last digits of the National Identity Card (NIC), the Police said.

A decision has been taken to impose an island-wide travel restriction from 11.00 pm tomorrow (May 13) until 04.00 am Monday (May 17), Army Commander General Shavendra Silva stated.

An island-wide travel restriction will be imposed daily between 11.00 pm and 04.00 am until 31st of May, 2021, Army Commander General Shavendra Silva stated.

All travellers arriving from overseas including Sri Lankans should be mandatorily quarantined at a Quarantine facility until completion of 14 days, the Health Ministry said.

Thirteen more areas in Colombo, Gampaha, Galle, Ratnapura, Hambantota and Kegalle districts have been isolated with immediate effect, Commander of Army General Shavendra Silva announced.

The Association of Medical Specialists (AMS) has urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to impose ‘lockdowns’ at district level with immediate effect to bring the raging COVID-19 pandemic under control.