- Parliament passes the “Online Safety Bill” with amendments: 108 MPs vote for, and 62 against: majority 46.
- State Minister Sanath Nishantha and one other die in a vehicle accident on the Katunayake highway: another person injured & admitted to hospital.
- Maldivian Govt grants permission for Chinese research vessel “Xiang Yang Hong 3” to make a re-supply call: assures the vessel will not undertake any research: the vessel had previously been reportedly turned down port entry by SL authorities.
- Former President Maithripala Sirisena refutes reports that there was a “gold-plated camel” in his daughter’s house: asserts the official gift he received from the Emir of Qatar is at the Polonnaruwa museum: discloses that some of his staff members received wrist watches worth more than Rs.1 million from the Emir: also admits he received a personal gift from the Emir & kept it at his daughter’s house.
- Former IRD Deputy Commissioner N M M Mifly says the complexity of SL’s tax system is due to the lack of a national tax policy: alleges tax policies change as and when Ministers change: also says the basic principles of taxation are. Einb violated: fairness, simplicity, consistency & efficiency.
- Planters’ Association Spokesperson Dr Roshan Rajadurai says the hard blow of VAT has accelerated costs of inputs to tea production such as fuel, machinery, energy, chemicals & materials, despite the reduction of fertiliser price by 50%: asserts the tea industry has very wafer-thin margins.
- SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardane claims “Rattaran” was a nickname given to him in childhood: asserts he would resign if anyone proved that a Police complaint had been made against him for snatching necklaces: laments that social media is circulating false news to get “hits” and earn money.
- All Ceylon Egg Producers’ Assn decides to increase the price of locally produced eggs by Rs.3 each after the increase of VAT from 15% to 18%: accordingly, the price of an egg directly from the farm increases to Rs.48, thereby leading to the retail price of an egg increasing to Rs.54.55.
- Police arrest a 54-year old suspect and recover the jeep used for the shooting at Beliatta where 5 persons including ‘Ape Janabala Party” leader Saman Perera were killed: investigations reveal that the suspect identified as “Saman Kumara” had planned the shooting on the orders of underworld figure “Kosgoda Sujee” and had driven the jeep involved in the shooting.
- SL record a 77-run win over Namibia in the ongoing Under-19 World Cricket Cup at Diamond Oval, Kimberly, South Africa: SL 133 all out (37.5 overs): Supun Waduge 56*, Rusanda Gamage 17: Namibia: 56 all out (27 overs): Vishwa Lahiru 3-19, Ruvishan Perera 3-3.
