- Central Bank “burns” a massive 19% of its usable Forex Reserves of USD 2,465 mn as at end-July’23 by selling USD 467 mn to the Forex market to “defend” the LKR during August’23: IMF warns “Reserve accumulation has slowed in recent months”: analysts expect the CB’s LKR defence to be stopped soon, leading to a significant depreciation of the LKR in the coming months.
- Chinese Ambassador in SL Qi Zhenhong says China will continue to firmly support Sri Lanka in pursuing a development path that suits its own national conditions while getting rid of the poverty & non-development trap, and safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity & national dignity.
- National Cancer Control Programme Director Dr Ishani Fernando says 26% of cancer patients detected in SL are those with breast cancers: notes that 5,329 new patients with breast cancer were detected in 2020 out of 37,648 new cancer patients: also says 15,599 patients had died of cancer in 2019.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe orders a probe into the resignation of Mullaitivu District Judge and Magistrate T Saravanarajah, who heard the controversial Kurundimale Temple case: the Judge has cited “receiving death threats” as the reason for his resignation.
- Electricity Users’ Assn Secretary Sanjeewa Dhammika claims factories would collapse with the increase in electricity tariffs: says the EUA rejects the proposal to increase the electricity tariffs: warns the country is running to the tune of the IMF.
- Lady Ridgeway Hospital Director Dr G Wijesuriya says SL has not reported any cases of Nipah virus so far: emphasizes that people should not panic as a result of false reports circulating in the social media.
- Sri Lanka Medical Assn representative Professor Samath Dharmaratne says lives of 400 children were lost in 2022 due to road accidents: laments if appropriate measures are not put in place, many more innocent lives will be lost in the future in a similar manner.
- Govt to introduce a new system of issuing vehicle licences called “eRL2.0” in 5 provinces, excluding the Western Province, from 3 October onwards: the new system to be an important step in the “digitalisation” of SL.
- Sources say there is a rise in the number of videos featuring Sri Lankan couples in leading porn websites, over the past couple of years: also express fears that most of the content has been filmed and uploaded or sold to porn websites, without the consent of both or one of the partners.
- Govt to unveil a new “Standard Operating Procedure” for visits by foreign ships or aircraft, including military assets, as a part of its effort to address India’s concerns over port calls by Chinese vessels: SOP to include guidelines and details about the type of vessels to be allowed into Sri Lanka’s ports and territorial waters, and the duration of docking.
