- Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa denounces reports that SJB and UNP will merge soon and that he would be PM under Ranil Wickremesinghe if the latter wins the next Presidential election: asserts he raises questions in Parliament on behalf of people who suffer from hunger & thirst: also says he doesn’t want to be like those Opposition MPs who get a monthly payment from the President.
- Visiting US Senator Chris Van Hollen stresses the need to set up a single window to facilitate investments: also says US companies will be looking at whether or not the SL government is making progress on political reform and reconciliation as those are important contributing factors.
- Former Chairperson of the Marine Environment Protection Authority Dharshani Lahandapura asks whether the govt has accepted the USD 878,000 (Rs 285 mn) offer made by the insurers of the sunken MV X-Press Pearl: says AG Sanjay Rajaratnam PC owes an explanation regarding the declaration by Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakse PC that the insurers had made such offer, plus Rs.16 mn: points out that the insurer’s offer should be compared with Sri Lanka’s claim of USD 6.2 bn.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasises the Govt’s dedication to protect religious shrines & historical sites: announces the establishment of committees headed by religious leaders from their respective provinces aimed at addressing religious matters in the North & East.
- Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says the Govt will refund the 5% withholding tax levied on the interest and taxable income of senior citizens after Sept 10, if the interest income is less than Rs.100,000 per month.
- National Aquatic Resources Research & Development Agency says all data collected by the Chinese geophysical and seismic survey vessel “Shi Yan 6” will be in the possession of NARA and that such data will be the property of the SL Govt.
- Members of the Committee on Public Enterprises discuss a proposal with Officials of the University Grants Commission to introduce a procedure under which university dons will have to pay a bond fee when going overseas for studies and research, in order to prevent them from remaining in those countries.
- Sri Lanka’s only privately-owned low-cost airline FitsAir adjudged Asia’s most punctual Airline in the month of July 2023: the airline presently operates flights to Chennai, Dubai, and Maldives.
- Peradeniya University Deputy Vice Chancellor Professor Terrence Madujith says about 1.5 mn lunch sheets are being added daily to the country’s soil, although policy decisions had been made to avoid using polythene in order to safeguard the environment.
- SL Cricket announces the squad for the Asia Cup as follows: Dasun Shanaka (C), Pathum Nissanka, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Janith Perera, Kusal Mendis (VC), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya De Silva, Samara Samarawickrama, Maheesh Theeksana, Dunith Wellalage, Matheesa Pathirana, Kasun Rajitha, Dushan Hemantha, Binura Fernando, & Pramod Madushan.
