- State Finance Minister Ranjith Siambalapitiya says Sri Lanka has fallen on the path of prosperity: also says the country is now receiving good international recognition: asserts the country has entered a fertile valley even though it is not fertile.
- Environmentalist Dr. Jagath Gunawardena says there are no legal provisions under the Flora and Fauna Ordinance to export the endemic “toque monkeys” without special circumstances mentioned in the Ordinance: asserts the existing legal provisions only allow animal export for conservation purposes.
- Indian PM’s intelligence services said to be concerned over attempts to revive the LTTE by several ‘sleeper units’ of the terrorist outfit: proof of their suspicions found during several raids conducted by the Indian National Investigation Agency on a tip-off received from the Indian Central Intelligence Bureau.
- Analysts express concern over IMF comments that Sri Lanka’s weakened banking and financial sector due to massive increase in NPLs, impairment of FX assets due to the ISB hair-cut, and further asset impairment due to the local debt re-structuring, would pose a highly dangerous situation that the authorities and banks are not ready to deal with.
- Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder says his Bank will extend the repayment period of Sri Lanka’s USD 200 mn SWAP by 6 more months: also says Sri Lanka’s CB Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe has confirmed that Sri Lanka would need no further extension.
- Digital payment technology specialist Visa tips tourism in SL to grow as a major economic category: expresses confidence that the sector can be a pivot to the country’s recovery.
- Sri Lanka Tourism kicks off its 1st series of post- Covid road shows in selected cities of China (Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou) to woo more visitors and fast-track revival of the industry battered by multiple crises since 2019.
- Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says his Ministry will distribute 70,000 goats to young people in the rural sector who do not work but want to go in for goat farming.
- Amnesty International Asia Advocacy Director Carolyn Nash says the draft Anti-Terrorism Act categorically fails on every human rights bench-mark: calls on the Biden administration of USA to send a message to President Ranil Wickremesinghe that this proposed law must be overhauled entirely or scrapped altogether.
- Dr Deepal Perera, consultant paediatrician at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital says parents must ensure that their children are well hydrated in view of high temperatures being reported from many parts of the country: adds the high temperature and profuse sweating could also cause skin rashes and trigger eczema.
