By Idris Ali A low-pressure area in the Bay of Bengal, located southeast of Sri Lanka, is likely to intensify into a depression within the next 24 hours and move west-northwestwards towards the island’s east coast, the Department of Meteorology said. With the development of the system, showery conditions across the country, particularly in the […]
Read MoreCOLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s parliament will interrupt its recess to fast-track financial aid needed for rebuilding after Cyclone Ditwah, which killed nearly 650 people, officials said Sunday. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had said last week that the island nation would need at least $1.66 billion in 2026 — in addition to the $166 million he said […]
Read MoreBy Poojathmi Rivithma The United Nations and humanitarian partners have launched a Humanitarian Priorities Plan (HPP), seeking USD 35.3 million (LKR 10.9 billion) to scale up life-saving assistance for communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka. UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Marc-André Franche, said the plan aims to support 658,000 of the most […]
Read MoreSri Lanka’s fragile economic recovery will be delayed as Cyclone Ditwah’s devastation of homes, roads and vital crops pushes more families into poverty, with officials warning the bill to rebuild could soar to $7 billion. The worst economic crisis in decades, which peaked in 2022, had already doubled Sri Lanka’s poverty rate to nearly 25% […]
Read MoreRuwanthi Delpitiya, the newly appointed Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Nepal, presented her Letters of Credence to President Ramchandra Paudel at a formal ceremony held at Rastrapati Bhavan in Kathmandu yesterday. During their meeting, Ambassador Delpitiya conveyed the warm greetings of Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka and expressed appreciation for the longstanding friendship between […]
Read MoreCOOMBO: Sri Lanka’s immigration chief was sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday, the latest top official jailed under the government’s anti-corruption drive. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has revived corruption cases against members of the former administrations of the two Rajapaksa brothers – Mahinda and Gotabaya, and purged several top officials. In the latest case, […]
Read MoreFormer Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Friday in connection with allegations of misuse of state funds, local television channel Ada Derana reported. Wickremesinghe, 76, was taken into custody after arriving at the CID office in the capital, Colombo, to record a statement in an investigation into […]
Read MoreThe U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has not officially informed the govenment on any aid cut to date, Deputy Minister of Finance Harshana Sooriyaperuma told Parliament today. He said the USAID is bound to officially inform the Sri Lankan government of any aid cuts as per the agreements it has reached with Sri Lanka.
Read MoreWelcoming the latest budget in Sri Lanka, the Joint Apparel Association Forum (JAAF) recently expressed serious concern over the potential impact of a premature removal of the simplified value-added tax (SVAT) without a clear, well-tested alternative. Ensuring a smooth and transparent transition from SVAT is crucial to maintaining the apparel industry’s competitiveness and sustaining investor […]
Read MoreSri Lanka has clarified that it is not looking to renegotiate the controversial power deal with Indian energy giant Adani Group, despite rising concerns over the terms of the agreement. A senior official from Sri Lanka’s Energy Ministry made the statement, reaffirming the government’s stance on the deal, which has been a topic of heated […]
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