- IMF’s Senior Mission Chief Peter Breuer says the IMF has not been informed of a deal between the Exim Bank of China and SL: asserts the IMF will have to “look at all credit agreements to decide on their adequacy to reach targets”: Asst Director of IMF Fiscal Affairs Era Dabla-Norris reiterates that “burden sharing is one that is negotiated between countries & creditors, and whatever the outcomes are, they have to be consistent with IMF program targets”.
- Terrorism expert Dr Rohan Gunaratna contradicts the Catholic Bishops’ Conference: observes that reports by various international agencies & secret services of countries like India, China, Australia and Pakistan on 2019 Easter Sunday attacks are classified, and thus, cannot be made public.
- Catholic Church in SL send a fresh letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe calling for a “local probe” to clear certain shortcomings that are visible in the previous probes into the Easter Sunday attacks: letter signed by several Bishops, including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith.
- Think-tank advisor Rohan Samarajiva says SL should speed up the divestment of state enterprises “to reduce the burden on the people”, before the momentum for reform recedes: also says it is not the opportune time for this kind of reforms, since it is likely that 2024 will be an election year.
- SL assumes the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association at the 23rd IORA Council of Ministers: SL is a founding member of IORA, established in 1997, & previously served as its Chair from 2003 to 2004.
- Top Opposition spokesperson Professor G L Pieris says the Opposition is agreeable for the abolition of the executive presidency if parliamentary election could be held instead.
- Ministry of Health officials say the rapid spread of an eye infection called Conjunctivitis has been reported from several parts of the country: asks the public not to have undue fears, but outlines safety measures to minimize the infection: further confirms that the eye infection poses no health threat.
- President Ranil Wickremasinghe says there’s more to SL’s parliament than what’s seen by the public, with much work being done in Committee rooms: also says some MPs have a tendency to “perform” in the lobby for the cameras, and go beyond the limit when it comes to “acting”.
- Elections Commission issues gazette announcing the appointment of Ali Zahir Moulana Seiyad of the SLMC to the vacant MP slot in the Batticoloa district, following the judicial disqualification of the Parliamentary seat of former Minister Ahamed Zainulabdeen Nazeer.
- Australia’s Womens Big-Bash League side “Sydney Thunder” announces the signing of SL Women’s Cricket skipper Chamari Athapaththu, 33, for the WBBL 2023–24 season: previously, she had represented “Perth Scorchers”.
