- President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized the importance of teachers being present in schools during school hours for the education of the nation’s children. He warned that if this commitment is not upheld in the future and school children are deprived of their education as a result, necessary measures will be taken to designate the teaching profession as an essential service.
- Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has left for China on a four-day official visit, during which he is expected to engage in discussions with several Chinese State officials, it was reported. According to media reports, Mahinda Rajapaksa embarked on the journey this morning on an invitation extended by Foreign Minister Wang Yi and is set to return on July 01.
- The strike started by university non-academic employees continues on Friday (28) for the 58th day. Co-Chairman of the University Trade Union Joint Committee Dhammika S. Priyantha said the government is yet to respond to the strike which was launched in protest against the 15% salary cut and the non-increase of the monthly allowance.
- The Supreme Court has decided to expedite and take up on 25 July the case on which it previously issued an interim stay order on the President and the Constitutional Council preventing them from nominating judges to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. On April 30, the Supreme Court had issued an interim stay order on the President and the Constitutional Council, preventing them from nominating judges to the Supreme Court, except for the position of Chief Justice.
- Sri Lanka’s agreements with China and other creditor nations to restructure about $10 billion in bilateral debt brought it a step closer towards restoring debt sustainability, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said on Thursday. The island nation signed deals with China and other creditor nations to restructure about $10 billion in bilateral debt on Wednesday, helping it approach the end of a restructuring process that began in September 2022 after its reserves hit record lows and forced it to default on foreign debt for the first time.
- The Official Creditor Committee (OCC) of Sri Lanka’s bilateral lenders has commended island nation’s efforts in implementing necessary reforms to ensure a sustainable economic path. The Official Creditor Committee says it now looks forward to receiving from Sri Lanka all information necessary for the OCC to ensure comparability of treatment.
- Sri Lanka has proposed to establish a joint working committee comprising Sri Lankan and Russian officials to address issues concerning Sri Lankans deployed in the Russian war. The proposal was tabled when State Minister of Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya met with his Russian counterpart Deputy Minister Andrey Rudenko and Deputy Defence Minister Colonel General A. V. Fomin in Russia
- Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera, announced that a national week for the implementation of the Youth Agri-Entrepreneurship Village Program will be held from July 01st to 07th. He also stated that the government has decided to provide free MOP fertilizer for paddy cultivation to farmers for the next two seasons.
- Sanjay Rajaratnam announced that he has now retired from the position of Attorney General. The President’s recommendation to extend his service by six months was not approved by the Constitutional Council on two occasions.
- The 2024 Lanka Premier League (LPL) will introduce an exciting new feature with the addition of a special power play towards the latter part of each innings. According to tournament organizers, this new innovation, named ‘Power Blast Overs,’ will provide each team with a two-over power play during the 16th and 17th overs of their innings.
