EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY

Colombo (News 1st)

Your Friday Morning Brief

1. Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera states that Sri Lanka is indebted to pay US$ 4200 mn for the year 2019, which is considered to be the largest debt repayment in the history of the country along with another US$ 3463 mn to be paid the following year. 2. Cabinet approval has been granted to name the Palali airport as the Jaffna International airport with effect from the 17th of this month. This new addition will be followed by international airports located in Batticoloa and Ratmalana as well. 3. General Secretary of the UPFA, Mahinda Amaraweera says that the new alliance between the SLFP and the SLPP will put forward Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Ministerial candidate. He further adds that President Maithripala Sirisena will continue to remain in politics. 4. Leader of the Janasetha Peramuna, Venerable Battaramulle Seelarathana Thero placed bonds for the presidential election yesterday (October 3) thus, marking his entry to the Presidential race. 5. Former Mayor of Galle, filed a petition at the Supreme Court yesterday (October 03), seeking an order to prevent the presidential election from being held on November 16th stating that the tenure of the current president who was elected in 2015 for a period of six years has not yet come to an end. 6. The process of accepting applications for postal votes for the Presidential elections ends at midnight today (October 4). 7. As the strike action launched by the non-academic trade unions of state universities enters the 25th day, the union representatives state that the government has yet failed to provide effective solutions for their issues. 8. Railway trade unions firmly claim that their trade union actions will continue the strike for the ninth day as well despite a gazette notification issued calling for the railway service to be made an essential service. 9. The consideration of the petition at the Court of Appeal regarding Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s citizenship will be taken up for the third day today (October 4). 10. The National Building Research Organization (NBRO) has requested the general public to be vigilant about earth slips due to the prevailing wet weather.  

Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right'.