On Friday's Global Focus, we're discussing Sri Lankan politics.

People's Liberation Front leader and Marxist-leaning politician Anura Kumara Dissanayake was sworn as Sri Lanka's new President, at a time when the debt-ridden country recovers from the economic collapse and political turmoil of 2022.


From balancing the country's relations with regional superpowers to renegotiating deals with lenders, Mr Dissanayanke's new role will be anything but plain-sailing.


So is the country's socio-economic landscape headed towards change? We'll find out.


After 9:30, we speak to a Japan-based commentator and an academic, as Parliament is expected to elect a new Prime Minister from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.


9:05am-9:30am: Sri Lanka's new President


9:05am-9:30am:Kithmina Hewage, Senior Economic and Foreign Policy Advisor

9:05am-9:30am: MK Bhadrakumar, former Indian Ambassador to Turkey and Uzbekistan; author and analyst

9:05am-9:30am: Ruchir Desai, Fund Manager at Asia Frontier Capital


9:30am-10:00am: Japan PM elections


9:30am-10:00am: William Pesek, Tokyo-based journalist and author 


9:30am-10:00am: Masato Kamikubo, Professor at the Graduate School of Policy Science, Ritsumeikan University (Kyoto)