Category: Special Reports
Work from home period extended
Mar 26, 2020 (LBO) – In order to strengthen the efforts of the Government to prevent the spread of COVID – 19 virus in the country, the duration from March 30th to April 03rd had been declared as a work from home period. This will apply to all State, semi-government and private sector entities except […]
WB, IMF call on bilateral creditors to suspend debt payments from IDA countries
Mar 25, 2020 (LBO) – World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund call on all official bilateral creditors to suspend debt payments from IDA countries that request forbearance. 76 countries are currently eligible to receive IDA resources.Bolivia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam graduated from IDA at the end of FY17, but will receive transitional support […]
Colombo, Gampaha, Kaluthara identified as high-risk zones
Mar 24, 2020 (LBO) – Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, and Kaluthara have been identified as high-risk zones in view of the spread of COVID-19. Large crowds in shops had been observed after curfew was lifted this morning in three districts. Health officials fear that this, in turn, could lead to a wider and faster spread […]
Curfew in North extended till Tuesday morning
Mar 22, 2020 (LBO) – The ongoing curfew in the districts of Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Jaffna in the Northern Province has been extended till 6.00 am on Tuesday (24). President’s Media Division said the curfew in these districts will be re-imposed at 2.00 pm on the same day. People living in the 5 […]
Government indefinitely extends closure of Airport arrival terminal
Mar 22, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Government has decided to indefinitely extend the closure of the arrival terminal at the Airport in order to prevent new cases of the Corona virus into the country. Issuing a statement, the President’s Media Division, however, said that the departure terminal will continue to be operational and flights […]
Ongoing curfew in Colombo & Gampaha districts extended till 6 am on Tuesday
Mar 21, 2020 (LBO) – The ongoing curfew in districts of Colombo, Gampaha, and Puttalam has been extended till 6.00 am on Tuesday (24). In these districts, curfew will be re-imposed at 2.00 pm on the same day (24), President’s Media Division said in a statement. Curfew in other districts will be lifted at 6.00 […]
Sri Lanka urges foreign states to extend visas of visiting Sri Lankans
Mar 18, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka requests foreign governments to facilitate the appropriate extension of visas for Sri Lankans currently visiting their countries and facing difficulty to return to Sri Lanka on account of the travel bans that have and will become applicable as part of the control measures on COVID- 19. Full statement […]
Imported masks & disinfectants exempted from taxes
Mar 18, 2020 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government has decided to exempt imported face masks and disinfectants from taxes with effect from midnight today. Accordingly, these items have now been subjected to the Special Commodity Levy Act. The Finance Minister has taken this decision in view of the high demand for the products due to […]
WHO officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic
Mar 10, 2020 (LBO) – The World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a pandemic. As cases of the coronavirus surge in Italy, Iran, South Korea, the U.S. and elsewhere, many scientists say it’s plain that the world is in the grips of a pandemic — a serious global outbreak. Until now, the World Health Organization […]
Easter Sunday attacks: Second interim report handed over to President
Mar 03, 2020 (LBO) – The second interim report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe Easter Sunday attacks was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat, Monday. The first interim report was handed over on December 20th, 2019. The Commission was appointed by the former President Maithripala Sirisena on […]
Foreign Ministry succeeds in evacuating two Sri Lankans on board Diamond Princess
Feb 27, 2020 (LBO) – The two Sri Lankan crew members who were on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan, were evacuated last night (26 February) by a charter flight organised by the Indian Government to New Delhi upon a request made by the Sri Lankan Government. The two Sri Lankan crew […]
Foreign Ministry ensures welfare of Lankans following COVID-19 concerns in S Korea
Feb 22, 2020 (LBO) – The Ministry of Foreign Relations in coordination with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Seoul has been closely monitoring and coordinating efforts to ensure the safety of Sri Lankans residing in South Korea, following the recent rise of COVID-19 cases, particularly, in the city of Daegu. According to the Sri Lanka […]