UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene called on the Chief Sanghanayaka for Japan and South East Asia Ven. Pelpola Vipassi Thera and Ulapane Sumangala Thera in Colombo yesterday. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

A tense situation was reported at the State Engineering Corporation office today after its Chairman was held hostage in his office by employees over salary issue

Emergency PCR tests were conducted at the Dedicated Economic Centre at Welisara yesterday considering the prevailing pandemic situation at Dambulla and Thambuththegama. The vendors were seen in long queues to undergo PCR tests. Pix by Nimalsiri Ediri

Officers of the Customs Revenue Supervision Division seized more than Rs.9 million worth of cosmetics and women’s and children’s footwear to the value of Rs.12 million while attempting to smuggle into the country.

Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe called on President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat this morning.

The second dose rollout of Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine for frontline workers commenced today from the Community Centre in Maradana. Pix by Nisal Baduge

People in the vicinity of Colombo Fort have flocked in numbers to the shops in the face of the rising new corona situation in the country. Pix Damith Wickramasnghe

Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe arrived in Sri Lanka last night on a two-day official visit.

UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene called on the Mahanayaka of Asgiriya Chapter Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayake Thera at Asgiriya temple in Kandy yesterday. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana

A health team of the Colombo Municipal Council carried out PCR tests on residents of Dr Lester James Peries Mawatha, Colombo as a precautionary measure to fully contain the COVID-19 virus in the country. Pix by Waruna Wanniarachchi

Devotees are seen engaged in religious observances at Gangaramaya Temple and Bellanwila Raja Maha Viharaya today to mark the ’Bak’ Full Moon Poya Day. The significance of Bak Poya was historical since it marks Buddha’s second visit to Sri Lanka

Alcazaba, the Queen of Little England, proved her worth as she, together with Jockey J. Chinoy, claimed the RTC Magic Million Cup, the headliner of the day, at the RTC Magic Million Cup Raceday 2021 worked off at the Nuwara Eliya racecourse on Saturd

Roshan Abeysundara, the Sri Lanka Air Force swimmer who swam from Mannar to Danushkodi, India and returned to Mannar had been appointed as an Environmental Ambassador by the Ministry of Environment. Pix by Damith Wickramasinghe

A group of people staged a protest in Colombo urging the authorities to address their unresolved issues. Pix by Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

A public awareness programme on the importance of wearing face mask to safeguard from Covid spread conducted by police today in various parts of the country. Picture shows a police officer of the Kirulapona Police is engaged in checking the passenger

UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene yesterday called on the Mahanayaka of Ramanya Chapter Most Venerable Makullewe Wimala Thera at Mirigama Vidyawansa Maha Pirieena and the Chief Incumbent of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara Ven. Kollupitiye Mahin

A large number of people seen in Nuwara Eliya today despite repeated instructions issued by the authorities to restrict traveling due to Covid-19, Pix by Ranjith Rajapaksa

The opening ceremony of the Bride and Groom Wedding Fair 2021 was held at the BMICH yesterday under the patronage of Mayor of Colombo Rosy Senanayake. The exhibition would be held until Sunday (25).

Badiwawa Diyasena Thero commenced fast unto death outside the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs today against Migettuwatte Sumitta Thero being elected as the Secretary of the Kalpitiya Shasanarakshaka Balamandalaya. Pix by Nima

Several roads in Colombo city are seen affected with minor floods due to torrential rain showers this afternoon.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Manusha Nanayakkara today visited SJB MP Harin Fernando who is currently under treatment at a private hospital in Colombo for a minor illness.

Sri Lanka’s first ’Sandalwood Garden’ consisting of 1000 sandalwood trees would be built on a nine-acre land near the Parliament Complex, adjacent to ’Ape Gama’ (our village) premises in Sri Jayawardenapura, Battaramulla and will be opened

Centre for Environment Nature Studies (CENS) carried out a leaflet distribution campaign in Colombo yesterday to educate people about diminishing forest cover in Sri Lanka. Pix by Nisal Baduge

The Joint Centre for Unemployed Graduates staged a protest outside the Presidential Secretariat yesterday urging the authorities to provide them with jobs that were earlier promised. A tense situation also erupted between the protestors and police of

A health team of the Colombo Municipal Council carried out random PCR tests on residents of Wellawatte as a precautionary measure to fully contain the COVID-19 virus in the country. Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana

Two little girls at the cemetery in Negombo yesterday touch the pictures of their loved ones who died in the Easter Sunday attacks two years ago. Pix by Pradeep Pathirana and Nimalsiri Edirisinghe

The second anniversary of the Easter Sunday terror attacks was commemorated by observing a two-minute silence this morning at the St. Anthony’s Shrine at Kochchikade to remember all the victims who died in the suicide attack. Pix by Waruna Wanniara

Dan Priyasad of our People’s Party lodged a complaint with the CID in Colombo today regarding a statement made by MP Harin Fernando in Parliament.

The JVP had lodged a complaint with the IGP today alleging that the posters displayed by the JVP about the Easter Sunday attack had been removed by the police. The complaint was filed by JVP Western Provincial Councilor Attorney-at-Law Sunil Watagala

After detecting a considerable number of COVID-19 positive persons yesterday from the Pamunuwa shopping complex in Maharagama, several shops remained closed this morning. Pix by Damith Wickramasinghe