01. President Ranil Wickremesinghe together with a Sri Lankan delegation leaves the country to attend an international conference in Singapore and Japan: The President accompanied by first lady Maithri Wickremesinghe, Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayake, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva, the President’s Private Secretary Sandra Perera and others; set to attend the “Future of Asia-28” conference in Tokyo from May 25 to 26.
02. The NCPI reveals the overall headline inflation drops to 33.6% in April 2023: The inflation recorded for April 2023 dropped in comparison to the 49.2% recorded in March 2023: Food inflation drops to 27.1% in April from the 42.3% recorded in March.
03. Kushani Rohanadheera assumes duties as the new Secretary General of Parliament, following the retirement of predecessor Dhammika Dasanayake.
04. Executive Director of the People’s action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Rohana Hettiarachchi appointed as the new Chairperson of the Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL): The appointment taken place at the 8th General Assembly of the ANFREL in Bangkok.
05. The prices of laboratory tests for dengue, including dengue antigen testing and full blood count soar: The price of a dengue antigen test soars up to about Rs. 1,200, and the price of a full blood count test, Rs. 400: Health officials warn the situation may end up in people being reluctant to go for blood tests amidst the growing dengue crisis in the country.
06. Tourism Minister Harin Fernando issues a gazette notification soaring the entrance fees to Botanical gardens, effective from July 2023: The entrance fee for local visitors will rise to Rs. 200 from Rs. 100, and for foreign visitors, to Rs. 3,000 from Rs. 2,000, per head.
07. Sri Lanka inks a contract agreement with Sinopec, a leading petroleum company, for the importation, storage and sale of petroleum products in Sri Lanka: The signing of the agreement takes place at the President’s Office: The move said to be marking a crucial step in ensuring a steady and uninterrupted fuel supply for the nation.
08. Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Lak Kumar Fernando warns Sri Lanka is heading to a hyper or major epidemic wreaking havoc with the dengue outbreak; adds the epidemic can be the “the worst since 2017 and 2019”; stresses if preventive measures are not in place, the current situation may end up in “a more devastating state reaching the number of cases in 2017.”
09. Cabinet approval and permission was granted to publish a Gazette notification mentioning the ‘Kompanna Veediya’ Grama Niladhari division in all three languages: The Prime Minister on a previous occasion had stated that the English name ‘Slave Island’ should be changed to ‘Kompanna Veediya’ immediately.
10. The Examinations Department announces that tuition classes for the GCE OL Examination 2022 will be prohibited from midnight today: The conduction of tuition classes, seminars, lectures and workshops targeting the candidates will be prohibited: Commissioner General Amith Jayasundara says it would be a violation to print and distribute model question papers, as well as to promote such action via banners, handbills, or by electronic or print media.
