- Presidential Election 2024 hots up with UNP expressing confidence of continuity, amidst reports of business leader & MP Dhammika Perera being the SLPP candidate: Perera is a businessman with significant domestic & international investments, who has also held Govt positions as Secretary of Ministry of Transport and as Minister of Investment Promotion.
- Economic “expert” & Govt Advisor Dr Shantha Devarajan who was one of the chief advocates of the “debt default” & IMF programme, says the property of the rich is largely untaxed and therefore a “property tax” would serve to raise tax revenues without hurting the poor.
- Reports emerge that SLPP Founder Basil Rajapaksa has left for Los Angeles, USA: SLPP has so far not made a reappointment for the position of National Organizer.
- Last rites of Captain Ranish Hewage who was killed in Ukraine, performed in Milithon, Ukraine, amidst the salutes of the Ukrainian military & tributes of Ukrainian people: Ranish named as a hero who gave his life to protect Ukraine: Ukrainians get down from vehicles & pay respects, even while snow was falling on the path when the body was being carried.
- Urban Development & Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga directs the National Housing Development Authority to initiate an investigation into the housing projects conducted by SJB leader Sajith Premadasa during his tenure as the Housing Minister of the Yahapalana Govt (2015-2019): alleges the then Deputy Leader of the UNP had distributed housing loans, etc., in violation of proper procedures.
- Kilmisha Yaazhisai from Jaffna emerges the Winner in the Grand Finale of Indian TV channel Zee Tamil’s “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa” – Little Champs (Season 3) in India: “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa” is a popular song show in the Tamil TV industry, with a dedicated fan base.
- Sectoral Oversight Committee on Children, Women & Gender Relations recommends re-enforcing the law that prevents mothers with children under the age of 5 years, from leaving for foreign employment.
- Public Security Minister Tiran Alles says certain lawyers who opposed the appointment of Deshabandu Tennakoon as the Acting IGP, are appearing on behalf of notorious drug traffickers against whom cases have been filed in Court: also says these lawyers are earning billions of rupees from such cases: asserts he & the Acting IGP are committed to cracking down on narcotic drugs & the underworld, irrespective of objections & pressures.
- Anuradha Tennakoon, President of the National Agrarian Unity says the adverse impact of VAT from 1st Jan’24 will be felt in a range of industries as well as the people: laments the price of a 50kg bag of chemical fertiliser would increase from Rs.8,500 to Rs.10,000 while the cost of a “Bhoothaya machine” would increase from Rs.7.8mn to Rs.8.5mn.
- Program Manager, World University Services of Canada Michelle Joseph says Internet penetration in SL has accelerated from 30% in 2022 to 66% now: also says that as a result of this access, the female workforce could increase by over 8% by 2028.
