Latest statistics on the outbreak of Coronavirus / COVID-19 in Sri Lanka for the day 09 July 2020, according to the Health Promotion Bureau.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a 25% concessionary reduction of the total value of electricity bills issued for the months of March, April and May, during which the country was in lockdown to prevent the unhindered spread of COVID-19.

The Welikada prison inmates who were subjected to PCR tests have tested negative for COVID-19, army commander Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva said.

The movie “The Newspaper” received a Commendation award at the IndieFEST Film festival, California, USA.

The UNP has complained to the Election Commission (EC) against its off-shoot, Samagi Jana Balavegaya, using the green colour in its election campaigns and sought the commission’s immediate intervention to stop it.

A new development programme has been prepared to be implemented soon after the General Election to create more job opportunities for unemployed youth, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

A suspect who sustained serious burn injuries in an explosion at a house in Iyakachchi, in the Palai, Kilinochchi Police division has succumbed to injuries.

Investigations have revealed the racket of selling narcotics in the custody of the Police Narcotics Bureau was operated by a Police constable.

Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday pledged to grant public servants all benefits slashed by the government since the outbreak of COVID-19.

Leader of the Ape Jana Bala Party Ven. Aturaliye Rathana Thera, yesterday, asked the government to ban madrasas, burka and Kathi courts within one week. Otherwise, he said, his party would launch a nationwide campaign to boycott Muslim businesses.

The Court of Appeal today issued an interim order preventing the enforcement of a warrant issued for the arrest of Former Minister Ravi Karunanayake and six others by the Colombo Fort Magistrate.

Police STF personnel have arrested Krishan Nilanga Dabare alias ‘Baboon’ who is a member of an organized criminal gang.

M.A.H.P. Marasinghe, an 84-year old retired female teacher had handed Rs. 200,000 to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who was in Puttalam yesterday as a contribution to COVID Fund.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday expressed his readiness to carry forward President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s programme for the country with even more vigour. The Prime Minister said he will support a programme that would make the country free from various foreign shackles.

National Cricketer Kusal Mendis who was arrested in relation to a fatal motor accident has been released on bail by the Panadura Magistrate’s Court.

The farmers in Polonnaruwa made a strong plea to the President not to allow the intermediaries to create an artificial rice shortage. They pointed out that there was a bumper harvest in the previous seasons. ‘Hence, the Government should not allow the attempts to create a rice shortage to succeed,” the farmers said.