01. Police Spokesman SSP Nihal Thalduwa says security was tightened in Colombo based on “information received by intelligence agencies that a group comprising of about 750 people within the UOC was planning to behave in a rebellious manner”: Concerned parties allege the action was a bogus move and was promoted as a ‘planted news’ by state-backing media, as part of ‘a bigger sinister plan’.
02. Two more people succumb to Covid-19, pushing the total Covid-related fatalities to 16,853: 10 more positive cases reported within the last 48 hours.
03. CBSL says foreign remittances received in the country in April was US$ 454 million; asserts the total amount of remittances received in the 1Q23 was US$ 1,867.2 million.
04. Wholesale cement traders say the price of a 50kg cement bag reduced by Rs. 150: New price reduced to Rs. 2,600 from Rs. 2,750.
05. SLFP Secretary General Dayasiri Jayasekara responds to Party MP Duminda Dissanayake’s criticism over his conduct, saying that the MP’s comment is part of a systematic procedure conspired to weaken the Party; laments similar actions were evident on a number of occasions in which the SLFP was being strengthened.
06. Seven personnel belonging to Sri Lanka’s Tri-Forces have reportedly gone missing in France while participating in the 2023 World Military Triathlon Championship: Four Army officers, one Naval personnel and two Air Force officers are believed to have stolen their passports from the Chief of the 13-member delegation that departed to France and fled the accommodation in which they were.
07. Sri Lankan herbal drink ‘Samahan’ becomes a hot topic recently on popular Indian TV show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati,’ the Hindi adaptation of popular reality show ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?’ as its host, Bollywood royalty Amitabh Bachchan lends a helping hand to a participant who had cold symptoms during the show saying that he had “just the right drink for her cough called Samahan”.
08. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says the ‘Aragalaya’ people’s struggle made it possible for the youth to being involved in the government’s policy making platform in the backdrop where no such participation was evident before the uprising; asserts he endorses the youth’s involvement in policy making.
09. Child rights advocate group ‘Child Protection Alliance’ together with 45 signatories write to the Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Ministry and the National Child Protection Authority to take immediate action to end child abuse in religious institutions; discloses that from July 2020 to July 2022, seventeen children have been physically/sexually abused and murdered and nothing meaningful has been taken to resolve the crisis to date.
10. Foreign Minister Ali Sabry attending the first round table discussion at the 2nd European Union – Indo Pacific Ministerial Forum in Sweden says peaceful co-existence is essential and it was almost unanimous within the forum that peace is a goal all countries must work towards in order to ensure a prosperous nation.
