News

Public urged to apply for passports only for urgent reasons

Published

9 months ago

August 26, 2024

editor

The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration has said that the issuance of passports will be limited due to the limited availability of blank passports.

Issuing a special media release, the Controller General has therefore requested applicants to apply for passports only if their needs are urgent.

The announcement also mentioned that new electronic passports (E-Passports) are set to be introduced soon, with the tender already awarded to a foreign firm.

The Controller General stated that in order to bridge the gap until the E-Passports are launched, the department has arranged for an additional 50,000 standard passports, which are expected to arrive by the end of October.

The statement further noted that statistics from the department indicate that only about 23% of passports issued last year were used for international travel. Considering this, the public is kindly urged to postpone non-essential passport applications until the new stock arrives.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration has apologized for any inconvenience caused and assures the public that efforts are being made to resolve the issue promptly.

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News

COVID subvariants spreading in Asia detected in Sri Lanka

Published

9 hours ago

May 31, 2025

editor

The Medical Research Institute of Sri Lanka has confirmed that the COVID-19 variant currently spreading in the Asian region has also been identified in the country.

Dr. Jude Jayamaha, a specialist in viral diseases at the Medical Research Institute, stated that patients infected with the Omicron subvariants LF.7 and XFG are being reported locally.

Dr. Jayamaha explained that this finding was confirmed through research conducted on biological samples collected from several hospitals across the island.

However, he emphasized that there is no need for undue fear regarding these COVID-19 variants.

Health authorities have also stressed the importance of vulnerable groups—such as pregnant mothers, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses—following health guidelines, including wearing face masks and avoiding crowded places.

Dr. Jayamaha reiterated that new COVID-19 variants emerge periodically, and health authorities are continuously monitoring the situation, so the public should remain calm.

(newswire.lk)

(This story, originally published by newswire.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

Anudi misses out from Miss World Quarter-Finals

Published

9 hours ago

May 31, 2025

editor

The Miss World organization has announced its quarter-finalists, selecting 40 contestants from across Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas.

Sri Lanka’s Anudi Gunasekara, was not selected in the top 40, despite being recognized for her impressive performances in the Multimedia and Head-to-Head challenges.

The top 40 consisted of 10 contestants each from Asia & Oceania, Europe, Africa and the Americas.