- Constitutional Council decides to call applications from interested and qualified persons to be appointed as Members of the Independent Commissions.
- State Minister of Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya says discussion with Dr Krishnamurthy Subramanian, IMF Executive Director for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan, was successful: adds Sri Lanka will receive the 1st tranche of the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility soon.
- Japanese Vice Finance Minister for International Affairs says Japan is coordinating with Paris Club and IMF to ensure participation of non-Paris Club members such as China & India to address SL’s debt crisis: UK also reiterates it is ready to consider financing assurances for SL to secure the facility from the IMF.
- Colombo High Court acquits MP Dr Nalaka Godahewa and 2 others over a public property case.
- Human Rights Commission says Ministry of Power, PUC, CEB & CPC agreed to provide uninterrupted power supply during the GCE A/L exam period: PUC says it has not given approval to the CEB to implement power cuts from 26Jan to 17Feb: CEB says it is struggling to find funds for that purpose.
- Police Computer Crimes Division says an activist of the struggle (Aragalaya) was arrested for posting a comment on Facebook that would create public unrest.
- US investor Hindenburg Research alleges Indian billionaire Gautam Adani (worth USD 125 bn) who has his businesses in several countries including investments in Sri Lanka’s wind and renewable energy sector, controls a web of offshore shell accounts to carry out corruption, money laundering and taxpayer theft: Adani Group denies the claims and expresses shock.
- Finance State Minister Ranjith Siambalapitiya says USD 2,500 mn has been saved after imports of certain goods were restricted: also says there is now no shortage of essentials such as fuel, medicines and fertilizer, as a result.
- Japanese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mizukoshi Hideaki says the Sri Lankan govt should implement reforms to curb corruption: also says major creditors to Sri Lanka, such as China, India, & Japan have spelt out positive sentiments towards debt re-structuring: asserts Sri Lanka should speed up program to reform SOEs.
- Convenor of the Federation of National Organisations, Dr Gunadasa Amarasekara asks US Ambassador Julie Chung not to create an anti-China frenzy by claiming that China is behind the delay in Sri Lanka’s debt structuring process: says Chung is trying to mislead people and create animosity between Sri Lanka and China: also says the US has meddled in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs in the past.
