- President Ranil Wickremesinghe announces plans to establish a new investment company that will manage state assets, protecting people’s rights and enabling structured retirement planning: adds new laws will support this initiative, which aims to generate assets through investments: The President made these remarks at a Colombo event yesterday, introducing a new retirement insurance system by the SANASA Movement.
- Former Kilinochchi District MP Murugesu Chandrakumar, General Secretary of the Samaththuva Kadchi, announces he endorsed Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s presidential candidate, for the upcoming election: Chandrakumar, who served as an MP from 1994 to 2000 and 2010 to 2015, was also the Deputy Chairman of Committees in Parliament for over a decade.
- National People’s Power (NPP) Leader and Presidential candidate MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake alleges the camps of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa are discussing strategies to hinder the NPP’s success in the 2024 Presidential Election: claims that these discussions are focused on collaboration to reverse NPP’s electoral gains, despite apparent conflicts between the two leaders.
- The Cabinet of Ministers approves visa-free entry for citizens of 38 countries, adopting Singapore’s efficient ‘one-chop’ system: The move aims to reduce congestion at visa counters: The policy, effective from 1 October 2024, will last six months and includes countries like the UK, US, Canada, Germany, Australia, China, India, and Russia.
- The Registrar General’s Department launches an Online Authentication Portal for Birth, Marriage, and Death certificates via the Consular Affairs Division: Foreign Minister Ali Sabry highlights that this initiative, following online appointments, alleviates public inconvenience: The system now certifies 50-55% of documents online, with the aim to eventually enable complete online certification, enhancing public service efficiency.
- The Examinations Department schedules the 2024 Grade 5 scholarship examination for September 15, from 09:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: The exam will be conducted at 2,849 centres across Sri Lanka.
- The Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) will begin protests today against a disciplinary inquiry targeting its Assistant Secretary, Dr. Palitha Rajapaksha, of Badulla Teaching Hospital: claims the inquiry, launched by the Health Ministry, is biased and politically influenced, following Dr. Rajapaksha’s exposure of a critical drug shortage in 2022: The protests aim to defend trade union rights and demand inquiry fairness.
- A Commonwealth Observer Group, led by former Seychelles President Danny Faure, will monitor Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election on 21 September 2024: Deployed by Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland, the 15-member group will assess the election’s credibility, including pre-election conditions, voting procedures, and post-election processes: Their findings will be presented in a final report to strengthen future elections in Sri Lanka.
- The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) enlists the assistance of the Chinese Special Criminal Investigation Unit to combat a rise in online financial frauds involving foreign nationals, particularly Chinese citizens: Investigations face challenges due to language barriers in analysing suspects’ electronic devices: Ten Chinese officers are now collaborating with Sri Lankan authorities to advance these investigations.
- The Sri Lankan diving team triumphs as overall champions at the 14th Singapore National Diving Championship, winning 26 medals, including seven golds: Notable performers included Raphail Jayaweera and Ruel Wickramaratne, who each secured multiple golds: Sri Lanka outperformed competitors from six nations, with strong showings across various events, including synchronised and individual dives, showcasing the team’s exceptional talent.
