- Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized the importance of maintaining the current momentum in the nation’s economic programs. Speaking to a gathering of supporters outside the Election Commission in Rajagiriya, after submitting his nomination paper, the President urged the citizens to support the ongoing initiatives for at least another two to three years to ensure the creation of a robust economy.
- The All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC), led by MP Rishad Bathiudeen, has signed an agreement with the ‘Samagi Jana Sandhanaya’ to support Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in the upcoming Presidential Election.
- The Chairman and the Secretary of the “United Lanka Podujana Party” (Eksath Lanka Podujana Pakshaya), who were arrested for allegedly soliciting a bribe from the party’s presidential candidate, former PUCSL chairman Janaka Ratnayake, have been ordered to be remanded until August 27. Meanwhile, six other suspects arrested in connection with the incident have been ordered released on personal bails of Rs. 2 million each.
- The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has released its second Monetary Policy Report for 2024 in keeping with the requirements of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka Act, No. 16 of 2023. According to the CBSL, the content of this Report is based on information that the Monetary Policy Board of the Central Bank considered in formulating the monetary policy decision during the July 2024 review.
- The Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Open and Accountable Government, Member of Parliament Jagath Kumara Sumitraarachchi, recently informed the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration to take immediate action to issue passports in a way that does not inconvenience the public.
- The Consumer Affairs Authority has managed to reveal the details of a sugar smuggling business known as Indian brown sugar. Accordingly, it has been revealed that brown sugar produced in Sri Lanka is mixed with white sugar imported from India and released to the Sri Lankan market.
- Following an invitation by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, the European Union has decided to deploy an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to Sri Lanka to observe the Presidential Election scheduled for 21 September 2024. The EU has a long history of accompanying electoral processes in Sri Lanka and has deployed EOMs on six occasions, the last in 2019, reflecting the EU’s commitment and partnership with the country.
- Twenty (20) Sri Lankans, who were trafficked for forced criminal activities in cyber scamming compounds in Myanmar, have been rescued, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Issuing a statement, the Foreign Ministry said following repeated appeals to the Government of Myanmar and neighbouring countries, 20 Sri Lankans who were victims of human trafficking and stranded in Myanmar had been rescued and had safely arrived in Mae Sot, Thailand
- The holding of election processions has been banned until the conclusion of the presidential election. The police have instructed all stations to enforce this law strictly to ensure compliance. Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Asanka Karavita announced that the removal of illegally displayed posters, banners, and cutouts used for presidential election campaigns will also begin today.
- WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has determined that the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and a growing number of countries in Africa constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR).
