- Standard Chartered Bank expresses concern over the delay in wrapping up SL’s External Debt Restructuring: says an agreement with bilateral and commercial creditors in 2Q2024 is crucial, ahead of SL’s election period beginning 3Q2024.
- Dept of Immigration and Emigration announces that the fees for normal passport services will be increased to Rs.10,000, representing an increase of Rs.5,000.
- SJB Chairman Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka MP claims the SJB protest did not turn out to be successful: says if he had organised it, he would have done it more skillfully: asserts that it was neither a protest nor a rally, although some 8,000 people participated.
- Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene endorses the Online Safety Bill: the new Act to come into effect from 1st February’24.
- Fort Magistrate’s Court grants bail to the 10 persons who were arrested while engaging in a Satyagraha in front of the CID headquarters demanding that former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella be arrested: Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court orders former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to appear before the CID & also imposes an overseas travel ban on him.
- Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court further remands former Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Chandragupta & 5 others till 15th February’24, over the case of importing substandard Human Immunoglobulin.
- Health sector workers decide to continue their strike today as there has been no favourable response from the Govt: Defence Ministry says steps being taken to deploy tri-forces personnel depending on the requirements in hospitals due to the ongoing strike by health sector workers.
- State Foreign Minister Tharaka Balasuriya defends the President’s recent foreign trips: stresses SL can’t afford to be isolated on the global stage: emphasizes the importance of the trips in strengthening SL’s foreign relations & securing new partnerships: argues that the President’s visits are essential for building bridges.
- Cathay Pacific Airlines resumes direct flights between Hong Kong and Colombo after 4 years: due to fly thrice a week.
- New Test Cricket Captain Dhananjaya de Silva says SL needs more on-field aggression to re-establish its Test prowess: SL is currently last on the World Test Championship rankings.
