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A gazette notification has been issued today (5), setting a maximum retail price of Rs. 3,000 per oximeter.

The recent demand for oximeters had increased with the rise of COVID-19 cases in the country.

The Minister of Health, Keheliya Rambukwella has issued the relevant gazette notification under the Section 142 of the National Drug Regulatory Authority Act No. 5 of 2015.

For the first time in the history of the country, twin baby elephants were born at the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage today.

A spokesman from the Pinnawala Orphanage said the female elephant 'Surangi' had given birth to twin baby elephants.

He said both baby elephants are male elephants and the first was born at 4.00a.m and the second was born at 12.00 p.m.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the Wild life Department said this twin elephant birth was the first birth in Sri Lankan history among registered domesticated elephants.

In 2020, Sri Lanka for the first time recorded the birth of twin elephant calves in the country’s Minneriya National Park.

Vaccination rollout for people aged between 20 and 29 is to commence in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Galle Districts from tomorrow, Head of the National Operation Centre for Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak (NOCPCO) Army Chief General Shavendra Silva said today.

He said vaccination of those above 20 in these Districts would take place at the same vaccination centres operating at present.

He said vaccination of those aged between 20 and 29 would take place at Viharamahadevi Park, Diyatha Uyana, Panagoda Army Camp and Werahera Army Camp in Colombo District apart from the current vaccination centres.

He said People only in Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara and Galle Districts would be vaccinated under the vaccination drive initiated tomorrow.

Joint-Cabinet Spokesperson & Minister (Dr) Ramesh Pathirana says that Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa has urged the Cabinet to limit government spending and cut down on unnecessary expenses.

The Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa has clarified the economic situation of the country at the Cabinet meeting yesterday (30).

Accordingly, the Minister of Finance has instructed to review the progress of projects that have not already commenced and to take a decision on them, and to stop non-essential recruitments and unnecessary allowances if they are given.

Minister (Dr) Ramesh Pathirana said that the Finance Minister had instructed that strict financial discipline should be maintained.

145 COVID deaths were confirmed for Friday (3), Total fatalities increased to 9,951.

According to the Government Information Department, 68 females and 77 males are among the deceased.

A total of 117 people who are above 60 years of age are among the deceased while 24 of them are between 30 and 59 years of age.

Four deaths have been reported below 30 years of age.

Dr. Jayaruwan Bandara, the Former Health Ministry Spokesperson has been summoned to appear at the Criminal Investigations Department on Tuesday (31).

Police Spokesperson SSP Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that he is being summoned with regard to an investigation on misleading the general public by stating false information during an interview with a journalist.

The Chairmen of the State Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Corporation and the State Pharmaceutical Corporation had recently filed complaints over the comments made by Dr. Bandara.

The Sri Lankan government has decided to further extend the quarantine curfew orders, currently enforced across the island, by another week.

Accordingly, the restrictions will be in effect until 4.00 a.m. on September 13 (Monday).

The decision to further extend the quarantine curfew was taken during the virtual meeting of the Special Committee on COVID-19 Control convened under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this morning (September 03).

Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Priyantha won the first Gold Medal for Sri Lanka at the Tokyo Paralympics after he set a new World Record in the Men’s F46 Javelin Throw with a distance of 67.79m.

Sergeant Dinesh Priyantha Herath sustained injuries in enemy fire on 16 December 2008 when he was fighting against LTTE terrorists in Kilinochchi area.

He enlisted to the Army on 18 March 2004 as a recruit and completed basic training at Gajaba Regiment at Saliyapura. After his injuries, he actively took part in Army-organized Para Athletic training events at the GR Regimental HQ.

In 2012, he won Gold in Javelin Throw (52 m) in Army Para Athletic Meet, First place in Malaysia’s Para Athletic Meet (52.95 m) in 2012, Second Place in Germany’s Para Athletic (Qualifying) Meet (53.09m) in 2017 and again the Second Place in London Para Athletic Meet-2017 recording 59.90m in the same Javelin Throw event.

215 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed for Tuesday (31), said the Director-General of Health Services and the total number of COVID-19 fatalities in Sri Lanka increased to 9,400.

According to the Government Information Department, 100 females and 115 males are among the deceased.

A total of 167 people who are above 60 years of age are among the deceased while 46 of them are between 30 and 59 years of age.

Two deaths have been reported below 30 years of age.

192 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed for Saturday (28), said the Director General of Health Services on Sunday (29).

The total number of COVID-19 deaths in Sri Lanka increased to 8,775.

The COVID-19 Death Toll in Sri Lanka passed the 9,000 mark on Tuesday (31) with 194 confirmed deaths for Monday (30).

The total fatalities in Sri Lanka increased to 9,185.

According to the figures reported by the Department of Government Information today (31), the victims include 100 males and 94 females while three of the deceased are below the age of 30.

Forty-five of the Covid-19 deaths are individuals between the ages of 30-59 and the remaining 146 are persons aged 60 and above.

Mangala was loved by many, but disliked by some. There were many who disagreed with his liberal views, but he welcomed a conversation instead of striking fear.

He was not one to let populist demands dictate his worldview. Instead, he questioned what was accepted as the social norm.

Mangala was a reformer in the truest sense. He was committed to building institutions in Sri Lanka that would outlast governments, and help people live a life of dignity.

Mangala governed not through threats or the use of his position, but through consultation. He listened to experts, evaluated their advice against his judgement, and finalised his decision. He always took ownership of the decisions he took and reflected on their outcomes over time.

There are numerous lasting achievements that Mangala made over his 30-year long political career.

One place where Mangala had an outsized impact was in the liberalization of the telecom sector of Sri Lanka. Today, of all of Sri Lanka’s SOEs, SLT is one of the few that is profit-making. Mangala led its modernization in the 1990s, when he worked with the trade unions, brought in new technology, and invited foreign investors to develop SLT.

I had the great honour of working closely with Mangala at the Finance Ministry from 2017-2019. Having such a powerful portfolio can corrupt many men. But Mangala used this opportunity to rebuild the Treasury, and reduce the power and discretion of the Finance Minister. We passed the Inland Revenue Act of 2017 to widen the tax base. We both shared the same philosophy that people who make money should pay their fair share of taxes to the state. But in turn, we would reduce barriers to get their businesses going, so that everyone had a fair shot.

One of achievements was the primary balance in 2017 and 2018 – a repeat of 1954 and 1955, that improved our credibility in the eyes of international investors and reduced Sri Lanka’s borrowing costs. Our interaction with the Central Bank was robust, argumentative and professional. As the then Governor Dr Indrajit Coomaraswamy, then Secretary Dr Samaratunga and senior Central Bankers will affirm - always respectful of the independence of the Central Bank. Mangala did not turn away from the unpopular but sound macroeconomic advice. A man of great inner strength.

Mangala fought to reform Sri Lanka’s political environment. Many have commented on the key role he played in 1994, 2005 and the regime change in 2015. He had the unique ability to marry both civil society and political forces, by building trust between the two.

Mangala led the original efforts to beautify Colombo. One day, while Mangala and I were driving past Galle Face, he noticed that the palmyras they had planted when the UDA was under his purview were being uprooted. Mangala turned to me and said they had chosen to plant palmyras as Galle Face was a sun scorched area, an environment that palmyras would thrive in. He reflected that the trees were probably being replaced as they were a symbol of the Jaffna Peninsula. “We speak about territorial integrity and that we are one country. Yet we desperately still disown the Northern part of our country”.

Mangala was always an advocate for a united Sri Lanka. He strove to build a country where one could live in peace and dignity, regardless of ethnicity, caste or creed. He was also driven to make decisions based on evidence and rationality, not optics or mystics.

My relationship with Mangala began as a professional relationship. But over time, it grew into a bigger friendship, based on our shared vision for Sri Lanka.

With Mangala’s departure from parliament our friendship and dialogue continued by the Bolgoda lakeside. He kept briefing me on his initiatives and on the future. He had a joyous spirit, evident in his open house where he loved to entertain.

Mangala was honest, respected every individual and the most courageous politician of the modern era.

Mangala, I will miss your straightforward manner, your vision, and your friendship.

You have inspired many on your journey, and will continue to have an impact on Sri Lanka.