- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with the South African High Commissioner, Sandile Edwin Schalk, at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. During the meeting, the Ambassador presented a greeting message from the President of South Africa and reaffirmed South Africa’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with Sri Lanka. He also expressed continued support for applying South Africa’s peace and national reconciliation model in Sri Lanka.
- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake criticized former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent comments about provisions for increasing salaries of public sector employees. Wickremesinghe had claimed that funds had been allocated for a salary increase for public servants before the presidential election. Dissanayake disputed this, stating that no such allocations were made by Wickremesinghe’s administration. “There were no funds allocated for a salary increase for state employees by the previous administration.
- Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, engaged in separate discussions with the representatives of the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) and the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS), focusing on the challenges facing Sri Lanka’s healthcare sector. In the first meeting, the GMOA delegation, led by President Dr. Sanjeeva Tennakoon and Secretary Mr. Prabhath Sugathadasa, presented the association’s future plans aimed at sustaining quality health services in the country.
- The Election Commission has made public the document detailing the expenses incurred by candidates who contested the last presidential election. Accordingly, the presidential candidate of the ‘Samagi Jana Balavegaya’ (SJB), Sajith Premadasa’s expenses are the highest in the 2024 presidential election, with the figure exceeding Rs. 1.12 billion.
- Police have obtained detention orders to question three suspects arrested in connection with alleged security threats to Israeli nationals in Sri Lanka, according to Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa. The three suspects had been arrested by the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID)
- The All Share Price Index (ASPI) of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has crossed the 12,500 points mark, for the first time since 10 May 2024. Accordingly, the ASPI increase by 44.08 points today to close at 12,517.58. Meanwhile, the market turnover was recorded at Rs.4.75 billion today.
- President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with the European Union (EU) Delegation, led by EU Ambassador H.E. Carmen Moreno, at the Presidential Secretariat. The Delegation held a fruitful & cordial meeting with a wide overview on trade and investment relations, tourism, remittances, education, reconciliation, governance and public sector reform, among others
- A petition was filed with the Supreme Court requesting an order to reject the nomination of former Member of Parliament Ranjan Ramanayake, who is contesting for the Gampaha District under the United Democratic Voice in the upcoming general election. The petition seeks a ruling that Ranjan Ramanayake is not entitled to sit in Parliament or to cast a vote.
- The Ministry of Trade has announced the initiation of an investigation to determine whether rice is being released to the market at controlled prices. According to the ministry’s secretary, M.M. Naimudeen, officials from the Consumer Affairs Authority have begun district-level inspections to ensure compliance.
- Sri Lanka, having clinched the ODI series 2-0 against the West Indies, will aim for a clean sweep in the third match today at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, commencing at 2:30 pm. In the first match, Sri Lanka emerged victorious by five wickets via the DLS method, while in the second game, they once again recorded a five-wicket win, chasing 190 runs in 38.2 overs in a 44-over game due to rain interruption.
