01. President Ranil Wickremesinghe during his official visit to Singapore meets with Singapore’s President Halimah Yacob, Defence Minister Dr. Ng Eng Hen and Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace FU Hai Yien: holds bilateral talks with the Singaporean authorities involving food security, renewable energy, regional economic cooperation, and security and defence collaboration between the two nations. 02. The Disaster Management Centre says it has taken proactive measures to intensify the distribution of water amidst the growing water scarcity triggered by the ongoing arid weather conditions: Director Maj. Gen. Sudantha Ranasinghe says the Centre has deployed nearly 100 bowsers to distribute water across the country, with a primary focus on hospitals and social service institutions in need: asserts around 202,500 people across 15 districts affected by dry weather have already benefited from this initiative so far. 03. Sri Lanka settles the first tranche of $50 million of a $200 million debt obtained from Bangladesh in September, 2021: Executive Director and Spokesperson for the Bangladesh Bank Md Mezbaul Haque says the first instalment from Sri Lanka was received on August 17: adds Sri Lanka is expected to settle another instalment by August 30 and the BB foresees the repayment of the entire $200 million loan by September, 2023. 04. The overall inflation rate measured by the NCPI drops to 4.6% in July, 2023: The figure appears to have declined in comparison to the 10.8% recorded in June, 2023: Food inflation decreases to (-2.5)% from the 2.5% recorded in the month before: Non-food inflation drops to 10.9% from the 18.3% recorded in the month before. 05. The Sri Lankan Rupee further depreciates against the US Dollar as of Monday in comparison to last week: The buying price increases to Rs. 316.72 from last week’s Friday’s Rs. 316.28, and the selling price to Rs. 329.59 from Rs. 329.49. 06. The PSC appointed to look into and identify the mechanisms to be implemented to control and eradicate the drug menace chaired by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles discusses measures taken to control the crisis: The Sri Lanka Police, National Dangerous Drugs Control Board and the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol summoned: Alles notes a special committee has been appointed headed by SDIG Deshbandu Tennakoon, to control the drug menace in this country. 07. Two inmates of the Galle Prison have reportedly died with five others being hospitalised due to what it was described as an ‘unidentified illness’: The Prison Spokesperson says investigations are currently underway to identify the nature of the infection, and as a safety precaution, face masks are being worn by all individuals inside the premises. 08. Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara instructs the CEB regarding the obtaining of the Ministry’s approval for the promotions of senior management at the Board, following reports that the CEB had promoted a woman official at the Board one day prior to her retirement: adds the reform process of the CEB, power generation plans, assets management, reducing administrative and operating costs and related issues were also discussed. 09. Estate Infrastructure Development Minister Jeevan Thondaman responds to a video footage circulating on social media of him using abusive language and threatening an official at an estate in Matale, saying that he as the Minister responsible demanded swift action against the mistreatment of a poor plantation worker family who together with its two-months old infant was violently and illegally evicted by an assistant estate manager. 10. Mumbai Indians announces the signing of eight cricket players, including two Sri Lankan players, taking their squad size up to 20, ahead of the second edition of ILT20, that is set to begin on 13th January 2024: Kusal Perera and Vijayakanth Viyaskanth join the squad ‘OneFamily.’