- Census and Statistics Department data shows the electricity bill of a household in Colombo increased by Rs.10,192 YoY and living expenses rose by Rs.46,169 YOY in April’23: food increased by a further Rs.12,929 YOY, with milk powder increasing by Rs.1,887, fresh fruit by Rs.1,371, sea fish by Rs.1,367, chicken by Rs.1,058, bread by Rs.569, and rice by Rs.552.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe says he would work to create the political and economic changes called for by the youth in the country: also says 5 youth would be appointed to the Parliament Select Committees and the Sectoral Oversight Committees in May: asserts he expects to reach an agreement this year to solve the country’s long-drawn ethnic issue.
- Investigators who are probing the claim of Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe that a bribe of USD 250mn had been deposited at a UK bank over the MV X-Press Pearl disaster, directed to the conclusion that the so-called account holder is a fake and the whole drama is a distractor: Investigators also suspect that this was a tactic used by those who allegedly acted to deny the damages for Sri Lanka.
- Two of the foreign companies that are planning to enter SL’s retail fuel market, China’s state-owned Sinopec & US-based RM Parks-Shell propose to set up all-purpose fuel stations complete with car wash, service areas, shops and motels: also to be entitled to provide fuel without QR code systems.
- Former Consumer Affairs Authority Executive Director Thushan Gunawardena alleges that the Ministry of Trade has informed the Lanka Sathosa to sell canned fish unfit for human consumption through its outlets in 2021.
- Chairman of China Merchants Group, China’s largest diversified conglomerate, Miao Jianmin says the Group intends to increase its accumulated investments in Sri Lanka to nearly USD 2 bn: participates at signing ceremony held at the Hambantota International Port for 15 projects, including an investment of USD 400mn to build a modern logistics centre.
- SriLankan Airlines says it has recorded a net profit of USD 3 mn for the financial year 2022-23, the first time the airline has made a net profit after Emirates left the management in 2008: admits however that the airline recorded a loss in Rupee terms of Rs.69bn, mainly due to exchange losses.
- Police arrest 3 youth between ages 18 & 20, who allegedly released a Tiktok video showing them stealing pigeons kept in a cage as pets at a house in Aluthgama and killing and eating the meat after barbequing them.
- President Ranil Wickremesinghe suggests the blocking of share transfers of privatized plantations companies, without the consent of the Govt as they have been given land by the Govt: critics say the move may undermine private property rights and curtail the benefits of private ownership.
- Mass Media Ministry and ITN initiate formal inquiries into allegations by a popular woman news caster of ITN Ishara Devendra who claimed via social media that she was subjected to sexual harassment by a senior (journalist) official.
