- University Grants Commission Chairman Professor Sampath Amarathunga says 45,000 students will be enrolled to the state universities for the academic year 2022/23, and that applications will be accepted from 14 September.
- Annual Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights states SL suffers from an extraordinary accountability deficit in relation to war crime atrocities, post-war emblematic cases, torture & deaths in police custody, excesses in crowd control, corruption and abuse of power: asserts those will drag the country further behind, unless addressed.
- National Freedom Front leader & MP Wimal Weerawansa says the present CB Governor is an obedient stooge of the IMF and therefore some Western organisations are calling him the world’s best Central Bank Governor: alleges the present CB Governor declared the country bankrupt after only consulting the President, without exploring alternatives: asserts Pakistan didn’t fall into the same trap that SL fell into, by hurriedly declaring bankruptcy.
- NPP MP Vijitha Herath urges the Govt to immediately remove Director of the State Intelligence Service, Suresh Salley and conduct an inquiry against him and S Chandrakanthan (alias Pillayan) over the allegations re. the Easter Sunday attacks: also says it’s absurd to conduct an inquiry while Salley is still the Director of the State Intelligence Service.
- President Ranil Wickremasinghe says a proposal to tax primary bond dealers will be included in the 2024 budget: Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa alleges the Govt is putting EPF holders in jeopardy by charging a 30% tax if the EPF does not opt to participate in the “debt optimization process”.
- Cathay Pacific, the award-winning Hong Kong-based airline, announces the resumption of flights to and from Colombo beginning 2February’24.
- Police use tear gas to disperse a protest staged by the Students’ Union of the Peradeniya University in the Peradeniya area.
- Chamber of Mineral Exporters Vice Chairman F A M Farook says SL’s mineral industry is seeking investors to develop the required technology for mineral processing as the country currently lacks such technology due to lack of funding: also says the Chamber has urged the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau to take the lead in this regard.
- SLFP General Secretary MP Dayasiri Jayasekera says he has received a letter from the Party Chairman stating that he has been removed: SLFP chairman Maithripala Sirisena says Jayasekera hasn’t been removed, but that his duties have temporarily been suspended: Sirisena also says he is facing a court case over the SLFP chairmanship.
- Sri Lanka Women’s Cricket team secures their 1st-ever T20I series victory against the English women, winning the 3rd T20I by 7 wickets and sealing the series 2-1: ENG W – 116 all out (19): SL W – 117/3 (17).
