- Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says the primary purpose of his visit is to express India’s solidarity with Sri Lanka during difficult times: also says India will extend financing assurances to IMF to clear the way for Sri Lanka to move forward.
- Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says full implementation of the 13th Amendment and early conduct of Provincial Elections are critical for political devolution.
- An official for the Tibetan govt-in-exile says the Dalai Lama has no plans to visit Sri Lanka: previously, a top Chinese embassy official had met the powerful Buddhist prelates in Kandy to express opposition to such a possible visit.
- Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Chairman and Foreign Minister Ali Sabry’s brother Uvais Mohamed says the QR code fuel quota provided to candidates of the Local Govt election cannot be increased due to the prevailing situation.
- Chief Govt Whip Prasanna Ranatunga says the Cabinet Ministers had requested President Ranil Wickremesinghe to reveal the inquiry report on the 9th May attacks on Galle Face protesters and subsequent countrywide violence against Govt politicians.
- Indian External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar says Trincomalee has the capacity to emerge as an “Energy Hub”: also says India is prepared to be a reliable partner for such initiatives.
- SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman informs Parliament that he will resign from his MP post in order to contest the post of Mayor of the Colombo Muncipal Council in the forthcoming Local Government Election.
- Jeevan Thondaman, 28, becomes Sri Lanka’s youngest ever Cabinet Minister after being sworn in before President Ranil Wickremesinghe: previously, Ranil Wickremasinghe was the youngest to hold a cabinet portfolio as Minister of Youth Affairs, when 29.
- National Building Research Organization says air pollution doubled due to the MV X-Press Pearl disaster.
- Analysts say many inconsistencies are observed in Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardene’s affidavit on the “Election postponement case”: point out the Treasury raises hundreds of billions of Rupees weekly and therefore it can easily raise a further Rs.10 bn for the election: also say the Central Bank has advanced Rs.450 bn to banks on a long-term basis during the past 10 days alone, which confirms there are funds available.
