India plans to ship off doses of Covid vaccine to its neighbours as part of its vaccine diplomacy in a couple of weeks, the Times of India reported.

Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to permit MP Ranjan Ramanayake, sentenced by the Supreme Court to four years rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court, to attend Parliament sittings.

Education Minister Professor G.L. Peiris yesterday said the Government is going to create a mechanism to reopen all schools in the Western Province within two weeks.

Six more COVID-19 related deaths have been reported in Sri Lanka, the Department of Government Information confirmed a short while ago.

Eight individuals have tested positive for COVID-19 at the office of the Ministry of Health.

State Minister Piyal Nishantha has tested positive for COVID-19.

Minister of Public Security Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara is to table a proposal in parliament to make way for military training for citizens above 18 years of age.

The Colombo High Court served indictments on Minister Rajitha Senaratne and two others over the case allegedly causing a loss to the government when leasing out the Modara Fisheries harbour to a private company while he was Fisheries Minister in 2014.

Fifty-four persons including 13 young girls have been arrested by the police at a hotel in Medirigiriya town yesterday for organising a party illegally, violating quarantine  regulations.

Police say several special operations will be conducted from today onwards, including subjecting persons leaving the Western Province to Rapid Antigen tests at random.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Saturday that the government was begging money from businessmen to import the COVID-19 vaccine.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said permission will be granted to farmers to engage in their traditional cultivation activities continuously without any disruption until related issues are resolved.

Eight more COVID-19 related deaths have been reported in Sri Lanka, the Department of Government Information confirmed a short while ago.

Two Grama Niladhari Divisions in Minuwangoda Police and three Grama Niladhari Divisions in Matale police area have been declared as isolated areas with immediate effect, Army Commander Shavendra Silva said.