- “Experts” of the UN express alarm at the security-driven approach of SL’s drug response: call on authorities to suspend & review “Operation Yukthiya” and focus on health & human rights policies: say “drug users have human rights & deserve to live lives with dignity”: lament the repression against suspected drug offenders is deeply worrying.
- SJB National Organiser & MP Tissa Attanayake says the SJB would not legalise prostitution if they assume power: condemns NPP’s pledge to legalise prostitution under a future NPP administration: charge that such an inappropriate act would create cultural disputes & erode society.
- Electricity Board Engineers’ Union says Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara is attempting to generate public anger towards the CEB staff: condemns the Minister’s statement that two-thirds of the loan interest paid by CEB employees is being reimbursed by the public through their electricity bills.
- Dept of Census & Statistics says the overall rate of Inflation, as per the National Consumer Price Index (NCPI) increased to 4.2% in December’23, compared to 2.8% in November’23: Food inflation increased to 1.6% in December’23 compared to -2.2% in November’23.
- Death toll from the daring day-light shooting incident in Beliatta increases to 5: several Police teams deployed to investigate the shooting: Leader of the “Ape Janabala Party” (AJP) Saman Perera among the 5 persons shot dead: Ven Athureliye Rathana Thera is the MP nominated by the AJP.
- SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara files petition against the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill which the party claims is being introduced in an election year to repress opposition parties.
- SL welcomes 142,162 tourists in the first 21 days of January’24: the country received 1,682 tourists in Jan’21 while the number rose to 82,327 in Jan’22.
- Health Minister Ramesh Pathirana admits more doctors are leaving the country despite the so-called “recovery in the economy with higher tax revenue”: data shows that many professionals in health & education sectors leave the country in search of better remuneration mainly after the tax hikes.
- Secretary General of Parliament Ms Kushani Rohanadeera says reports that there is constant sexual harassment towards female staff members and female MPs in Parliament and that proper investigations and measures are not being taken, are completely false.
- ICC names SL Women’s Cricket Team Captain Chamari Athapaththu as the Captain of the “ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year” for 2023.
