ADB meets Sri Lanka President to discuss areas of support

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Tourist Fuel Pass, Pre Paid Card system was launched yesterday (5).This will enable the tourist to use a USD Pre Paid Card to Purchase Fuel at 300+ Fuel Stations across the country. The card will be available at Airport Dialog & Sampath Bank Counters & can be topped up at Sampath Bank Branches.Further, Minister of Subject Kanchana Wijesekara thanked the development partners, CPC, LIOC & Ministry of Tourism & Lands, and several other IT institutions for assisting in implementing the Tourist Fuel Pass Pre Paid Card System.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The prices of smartphones in Sri Lanka have increased by 70% to 100% over the past few months.In January this year, an android smartphone was priced from Rs. 20,000/- updates, however, the prices have now increased."The lowest original phone is around Rs.

PHILADELPHIA - A young man is fighting for his life after police say he was gunned down at a Philadelphia recreation center late Wednesday night. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 4500 block of North 17th Street around 9:30 p.m.

LOS ANGELES - New details have been released in the stabbing of a Fashion District store owner in downtown Los Angeles – who possibly may have been murdered over a wig.Tommy Lee immigrated to the United States from South Korea and owned a wig shop in the Fashion District for about 20 years.On Saturday, around 1:15 p.m. near the intersection of Wall Street and Olympic Boulevard, two 17-year-olds approached Lee and tried to rob him. The robbery ended with the store owner being stabbed to death.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Deadly stabbing in Fashion DistrictBoth suspects were eventually arrested following the incident.

PHILADELPHIA - A former Pennsylvania elementary school principal is facing charges after police say he peered into the windows of several South Jersey homes and even tried to force a woman into her bedroom.Danny McEaddy was arrested in August after investigators believe he spent 7 months looking into windows of homes around Sicklerville. The Upper Darby School District confirmed to FOX 29 that McEaddy was the principal at Hillcrest Elementary school. Investigators from the Winslow Township Police Department say in February McEaddy entered a woman's home and tried to force her into her bedroom, but got away before police arrived. In May, police say he returned to the home and peered into the window. McEaddy was arrested in August when police say he was caught peering into a home in Pitman Borough.

NORTH PHILADELPHIA - North Philadelphia glowing bright Wednesday night, with the lights of police cars lining the street outside Shriners Hospital for Children, just to put a smile on the young patients’ faces. The Wednesday evening event also holds special meaning for both the children and officers.Philadelphia police from every district rushed to North Philly, while Broad Street completely shut down. A tactical helicopter flew overhead.But, the police presence had nothing to do with crime.Scores of Philly cops of all ranks stopped by to say good night and give a friendly wave to the patients recovering inside the hospital."Giving them a glimmer of hope, if you will and an opportunity to see that people care for them and care about them," Philadelphia Police Deputy Commissioner John Stanford said.From the street the smiles, waves and blinking smartphone lights coming right back from patients and staff inside were plainly visible."Just to brighten one day, out of everything these children go through," Philadelphia Police Sgt.

FILE - Southwest Airlines plane. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - A Southwest Airlines pilot is suing the company, her union and a former colleague who pleaded guilty last year to dead-bolting the cockpit door during a flight and stripping naked in front of her.Christine Janning alleges that Southwest retaliated by grounding her after she reported Michael Haak to the company and the FBI, that it kept him employed despite an alleged history of sexual misconduct and that managers disparaged her in memos.She also alleges that the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association conspired with the airline and refused to support her.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, at its meeting held on 05 October 2022, decided to maintain the Standing Deposit Facility Rate (SDFR) and the Standing Lending Facility Rate (SLFR) of the Central Bank at their current levels of 14.50 percent and 15.50 percent, respectively. In arriving at this decision, the Board considered the latest macroeconomic conditions, expected developments, and macroeconomic projections. The Board noted the tight monetary conditions prevailing at present, the decelerating pace of inflation, and the envisaged disinflation path in the near term supported by both domestic and global factors. The Board was of the view that the monetary conditions remain sufficiently tight to achieve the envisaged disinflation path in the period ahead. The contractionary fiscal policies would complement the effects of tight monetary policy measures already in place, helping to mitigate any build-up of aggregate demand pressures, thereby anchoring inflation expectations and bringing down headline inflation to the targeted level of 4-6 percent over the medium term.-Domestic economic activity is expected to remain subdued during 2022, before recovering in 2023 As per the GDP estimates published by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS), the real economy is estimated to have contracted by 4.8 percent in the first half of 2022, on a year-on-year basis. The economy is expected to contract in the second half of 2022 as well, impacted by tighter monetary and fiscal conditions, along with the continuation of supply-side constraints and uncertainty surrounding the business environment amidst shortages of foreign exchange in the domestic foreign exchange market, among

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Department of Meteorology says several spells of showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa, and North-Western provinces and Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle, and Matara districts.Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in Uva, Eastern, and Northern provinces during the evening or night.The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.Condition of Rain:Showers will occur at several places in the sea area off the coast extending from Puttalam to Matara via Colombo.Winds:Winds will be south-westerly and wind speed will be (20-30) kmph.Wind speed may increase up to 50 kmph at times in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Galle via Colombo. Wind speed may increase up to (50-60) kmph from Galle to Pottuvil via Hambantota.State of Sea:The sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Hambantota via Colombo and Galle will be rough at times. The sea areas off the coast extending from Hambantota to Pottuvil will be rough and very rough at times.There is a possibility to increase swell waves by about (2.0 m – 2.5 m) in the sea areas off the coast extending from Puttalam to Pottuvil via Colombo, Galle, and Hambantota.Therefore, it is advised to be vigilant in fishing and naval activities in the sea areas off the coast extending from Hambanthota to Pottuvil.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Jaffna District MP G. G.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Today is day two of the 6th edition of the Gammadda Door to Door program, which was launched to gather scientific data on the issues faced by average Sri Lankans, analyse them and propose sustainable solutions thereafter. On Thursday (6) Gammadda teams will visit rural Sri Lankan villages in Jaffna, Matale, and the Kalutara District.The University of Peradeniya has joined hands with Gammadda similar to previous years to make this initiative a success. The primary task of this year's campaign is to comprehend the ground reality faced by Sri Lankans across the island owing to the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis that ensued thereafter. 

FILE - A tv screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage, is seen at a railway station in Seoul. North Korea fired a mid-range ballistic missile on Oct.

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 17: People ride their bikes outside of a closed John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston on April 17, 2020.

A hand moves a piece across the chess board during the Werner Ott Open of the Kreuzberg Summer at the Berlin Kreuzberg Chess Club. Photo: Andreas Gora/dpa (Photo by Andreas Gora/picture alliance via Getty Images) The American teen chess sensation at the forefront of a cheating scandal in the sport was accused of cheating dozens of more times than he previously admitted.Hans Niemann had been accused in recent weeks of cheating during matches.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in Alberta jump to nearly 1,000 The clinician added people of any age taking medication for medical conditions, the very young and the under-vaccinated are at risk of severe disease.Less than a month into the new school year, dozens of schools have been placed on respiratory illness outbreaks and 2022 has seen children hospitalized by COVID at a higher rate than the two previous years of the ongoing pandemic.Saxinger said recent exposure to the virus via booster shot or infection reduces the likelihood of severe disease, hospitalization or death.“But of course, that doesn’t mean that a non-severe illness is a walk in the park,” she said, adding getting a booster shot days before attending a dinner can still help with individual protection.Saxinger said anyone with cold- or flu-like symptoms should avoid social gatherings. And getting a COVID-positive result in a rapid test can confirm if someone is contagious with COVID-19.“If they have symptoms and they test COVID-negative, I don’t necessarily think that that’s as reassuring as people might imagine it is.

Students at the University of North Carolina can continue their lawsuit seeking monetary damages for fees they paid before in-person fall 2020 classes were canceled due to COVID-19, a state appeals court ruled. A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals decided on Tuesday that a trial judge correctly last year refused to dismiss litigation filed by two students against the UNC Board of Governors.The students — Landry Kuehn at UNC-Chapel Hill and the Joseph Lannan at North Carolina State University — also sued on behalf of other students at the two schools who paid similar fees.

Accused Waukesha, Wisconsin, parade killer Darrell Brooks said Wednesday that he is "afraid as hell" of possibly contracting COVID-19 and requested an adjournment during his continued pretrial hearing, in which he is representing himself. "When I was brought in there and they told me they had to test me for COVID, I was immediately, like, what do you mean you have to test me for this? … Immediately, in my head, I started to get afraid that they even had to test for COVID," Brooks said during his hearing livestreamed by FOX 6 Milwaukee of receiving a COVID-19 test in prison.

PHILADELPHIA - Law enforcement sources tell FOX 29 that investigators are exploring the possibility that some of the suspects involved in the deadly shooting near Roxborough High School are linked to two other homicides, including the "unprovoked murder" of a Temple graduate in West Philadelphia. Sources tell FOX 29's Kelly Rule that police are also investigating if the suspects are behind a deadly broad daylight shooting of a 19-year-old man who was ambushed as he sat on the front steps of a home. Police shared video of shooting that showed three people jump out of a Nissan Altima driven by a forth person and unleash over 30 shots. Police believe the dark-colored Nissan Altima was used in a shooting near Temple University's campus four days earlier that left an 8-year-old girl with a non-fatal graze wound to the head.RELATED HEADLINESLaw enforcement sources say at least one of the suspects may also be connected to the murder of 23-year-old Everett Beauregard, a Temple graduate who was shot to death while walking back to his apartment shortly after midnight on Sept.

WILMINGTON, Del. - Nearly a month after a 68-year-old jewelry store owner was brutally attacked during a mid-morning robbery, his family is speaking out about the day that changed all of their lives forever. At around 10:40 a.m., Wilmington police say they responded to the 100 block of West 9th Street for reports of a robbery. In a surveillance video later released by the family, you can see the suspect, later identified as 39-year-old Calvin Ushery, brutally beat the owner of Solid Gold Jewelers, Chang Suh, inside his store.Steven Suh, the victim's son, and members of the Wilmington City Council, spoke about the robbery on Wednesday during a press conference.

AUGUSTA, ME: APRIL 30, 2022: Former Maine governor and gubernatorial candidate Paul LePage speaks during the Maine Republican Convention at the Augusta Civic Center on Saturday April 30, 2022. (Photo by Carl D.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in cordial conversation with King Charles III on Sunday (19).World leaders who were in London to attended the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II met King Charles III at Buckingham Palace on the 18th of September.President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who participated in the event, having a friendly conversation with King Charles III, said the President's Media Division.Senior Professor Mrs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Several ministries which were under the purview of President Ranil Wickremesinghe have been assigned to five acting Ministers.The relevant ministries have been reassigned for the period during which the President will remain away from the island for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.Accordingly, Pramita Bandara Tennakoon has been appointed as Acting Minister of Defense, Ranjith Siambalapitiya as Acting Minister of Finance, and Geeta Kumarasinghe as Acting Minister of Women and Children Affairs.Moreover, Kanaka Herath will  function as the Acting Minister of Technology while Dilum Amunugama will be functioning as the Acting Minister of Investment Promotion.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe says that cricket team captain Dasun Shanaka and the team took advantage of their defeats and made themselves stronger to advance forward to the Asian Cup.The President, speaking further, said that it is not difficult to lead the country towards victory in the face of the world if the team continues to think in the same way.The President also pointed out that working together as a team helped them to win.President Ranil Wickremesinghe was addressing the felictation ceremony held for the Sri Lankan athletes who won their respective Asia-level wins; the Cricket team and the team which won the Asian Netball Championship, in addition to the medalists of Commonwealth Games.Meanwhile, at the request of Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, Sri Lanka Cricket took steps to present Rs. 2 million to each player in the Netball team symbolizing its support towards the sport.Sri Lanka won 4 medals in the 22nd Commonwealth Games held recently in Birmingham, Britain.Palitha Bandara won the silver medal in the discus throw event in the para sports category, while Yupun Abeykoon won the 100m event, Nethmi Ahimsa Poruthota in the women's 57kg wrestling competition and Dilanka Isuru Kumara won the bronze medals in the weightlifting 55kg category.The silver medalist was awarded Rs.10 million from the sports fund, each bronze medalist was awarded Rs.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has been appointed the Acting Minister of Finance.The MP has been appointed to this position due to the departure of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the Minister of Finance, to attend the funeral of late Queen Elizabeth II.MP Siyambalapitiya, who entered the Parliament representing the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna national list, is currently also the State Minister of Finance.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Ranil Wickremesinghe left the island on Saturday (17) to attended the funeral of late Queen Elizabeth II. Officer in charge of the Bandaranaike International Airport said that a group including the President left for Dubai this morning on an Emirates Flight.From Dubai the entourage including the president will go to London.This marks President Ranil Wickramasinghe's maiden visit abroad.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe says that a majority of the country wants him to solve the crisis.Speaking to ABC Australia's Foreign Correspondent program Ranil Wickremesinghe said "I'm the one who said the correct thing, go to the IMF. That's why there is confidence backing me.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka – India Free Trade Agreement would be revived and upgraded into a comprehensive economic and technological partnership.The President noted that he would establish an international trade office which will deal with all the international trade negotiations.He pointed out Sri Lanka and India gradually have to wean themselves out of the barriers to investment and the non-tariff barriers to trade specially in relation to Sri Lanka Indo economic relations.He made these observations addressing the Sri Lanka India Society (SLIS) get together held at the in Colombo on Thursday (15) evening to mark the 75th anniversary of independence of India."We will revive and upgrade the Free Trade Agreement into a comprehensive economic and technological partnership. We started that in 2018 and 2019. Then I found recently that it has been stuck somewhere in the department of Commerce with a large number of committees.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Two newly appointed Ambassadors to Sri Lanka handed over their credentials to President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat today (16).Her Excellency Mrs. Bonnie Horbach, the Dutch Ambassador to Sri Lanka and His Excellency Mr.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – Sri Lanka will NOT participate in any military alliance, and certainly does not want the problems of the pacific coming in to the Indian Ocean, said President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo on Wednesday (14).Wickremesinghe speaking on Sri Lanka's position in the geo-political stage said the country's importance has appreciated and depreciated.However, he said that the geo-politics of the Indian ocean has unfortunately made Sri Lanka the punching bag for Hambantota. "It is not a military port. Though we are a commercial port it shows our strategic importance that many people come to conclusions which are unwarranted," he said.The President said that he hopes the next agreement Sri Lanka come to with China will not cause such speculation and such agreements will only be about debt reduction for Sri Lanka. "We don't participate in military alliance, and we certainly do not want the problems of the pacific coming in to the Indian Ocean.

COLOMBO (News 1st); A preliminary round of discussions were held between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Australian High Commissioner Paul Stephens to explore the opportunities for investment in  renewable energy sector in Sri Lanka.The discussion was held at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday (14) with the participation of a group of Australian investors.President Wickremesinghe has emphasized priority for encouraging new investments in the renewable energy sector as a solution to the current electricity crisis and to ensure uninterrupted power supply.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – The Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong held a productive discussion with Asian Development Bank (ADB) South Asian Department Director General Kenichi Yokoyama and its Sri Lanka Mission Director Chen Chen on Tuesday (13).They exchanged views on Sri Lanka's current economic situation and the revitalization plans etc.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that a national plan should be implemented to ensure food security and nutrition in Sri Lanka.He made this observation addressing the inaugural program of the establishment of the Multi-sector Combined Mechanism for empowering Rural Economic Revitalization Centers to ensure food security and nutrition.The program was held at the President's Office on Tuesday(13).The president pointed out that agriculture should be made a foreign exchange earning sector by way of enhancing production and competitiveness through the modernization of agriculture.The President who emphasized the need to work in an organized and collective manner to solve the food issue in the face of the global food crisis said that everyone should join hands with the government's new program to ensure food security and nutrition.The President’s statement is as follows;-The government has got to face the challenge of provision of food to all since the country experienced a minus seven economy.

COLOMBO (News 1st) – President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces granted approval to appoint Air Vice Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Air Force, with effect from 12 September 2022.Accordingly, Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana, officially handed over the letter of appointment to Air Vice Marshal Udeni Rajapaksa today.Air Vice Marshal RAUP Rajapaksa RSP and two Bars, USP, MSc (MOA) USA, MSc (Def Stu) in Mgt, MA in IS&S (UK), BSc (Def Stu), MIM (SL), rcds, psc joined the Sri Lanka Air Force as an Officer Cadet in the General Duties Pilot Branch in 1988. Having undergone his Basic Combat Training at Kotelawala Defence Academy, Basic Flying Training at No.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The multi-sector mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centres to ensure food security and nutrition was initiated under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Tuesday (13).The vision of the Food Security Programme of the Government is to ensure every citizen has access to enough food at a reasonable price to lead an active and healthy life, at any given situation of the country.The government has initiated this program with the view of achieving dual objectives of ensuring that no citizen of the country should starve due to lack of food and no child should be a victim of malnutrition.In order to achieve these dual objectives, it is required to protect all families in the country from being victims of poverty.The relevant mechanism has been implemented through seven committees while the National Food Security and Nutrition Council will function under the chairmanship of the President.The National Combined Mechanism on Food Security and Nutrition will function under the Chairmanship of the President’s Secretary whereas the Technical Advisory Committee on Food Security and Nutrition will be chaired by the Prime Minister’s Secretary.The Provincial Combined Mechanism on Food Security and Nutrition will function under the chairmanship of the Provincial Governors while the District Combined Mechanism on Food Security and Nutrition will be chaired by the District Secretaries.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Martin Chungon who arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (11) for a two-day official visit, is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena today (12).The Secretary General of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Dhammika Dasanayake is also scheduled to meet Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa.The Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Martin Chungon is scheduled to meet President Ranil Wickremesinghe tomorrow (13).The officer in charge of the airport said that Dhammika Dasanayake came to the Katunayake Airport special guest room to welcome him.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has given an ultimatium to the political parties to decide on electoral reforms."I'm going to call the parliament to say once and for all that they must agree on electoral reform. This has been going on. The parties are arguing among themselves.

COLOMBO (News 1st); USAID Administrator Samantha Power told Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesighe that political reform agenda and the economic agenda go hand in hand.She said that the United States trying to engage the business community to look at Sri Lanka now and to see the opportunities that exist here.She also highlighted Sri Lanka’s vibrant private sector and said measures should be taken to unleash the potential of the private sector. "You have such an incredible private sector, such entrepreneurship.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday (11) congratulated the unbeaten Sri Lankan Netball team after they were crowned Asian Netball Champions having defeated Singapore.Sri Lanka beat hosts Singapore 63 – 53 to clinch the Asian Netball Championships 2022.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Ranil Wickremesinghe will be attending the fueneral of late Queen Elizabeth II in the United Kingdom, the Presidential Media Division stated.President Ranil Wickramasinghe expressed his condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth II.President Ranil Wickramasinghe who arrived at the British High Commission met British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton and extended his condolences over the death of Queen Elizabeth II.President Ranil Wickramasinghe was welcomed by the British High Commissioner.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Presidential Media Division says that facilities for the newly-appointed State Ministers will be brought under the management of public expenditure. Accordingly, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has emphasized that authorities should make every effort to utilize public funds spent by the government in a frugal and efficient manner, and therefore several arrangements have been made for better management of public expenditure. Therefore, the President's Secretary has instructed all Ministry Secretaries the following steps; 1- A separate expenditure head is not allocated for state ministries. Secretaries will not be appointed for those government ministries and the most senior additional secretary should be employed among the additional secretaries of those ministries to facilitate the work of the state ministers under each scope.2- The Ministry to which the relevant State Ministers have been appointed should meet the staffing requirements from the currently approved staff.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Several Opposition MPs have taken to questioning the President on his decision taken to appoint 37 new State Ministers, and MP Ajith P. Perera pointed out that although President Ranil Wickremesinghe has stated that he has learned his lessons from the People's Protests; the 'Aragalaya', he has now appointed 37 State Ministers. Speaking to media, MP Ajith P.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former minister Namal Rajapaksa announced that a new coalition will be established under the leadership of former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.Speaking at an SLPP meeting held in Dedigama, the MP said that the situation today would have proven to be different if former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa implemented law against those who incited violence via social media.However, MP Rajapaksa said that he is happy that the current President Ranil Wickremesinghe is implementing the law against them, as there is a challenging period ahead of Sri Lanka. Stating that his political camp collapsed in an unexpected manner, MP Rajapaksa said that the mistake which they made was that they changed the people after promising to change the system, however let the newly appointed people function with the unchanged, old system. "There is no purpose if the President travels in a single car, if the children at villages are still travelling on bicycles.

COLOMBO (News 1st); President Ranil Wickremesinghe advised officials to revise the circulars immediately if it impedes on the implementation of development projects.The President chaired a discussion at the President's Office on Friday (09) to examine the progress of several development projects in the country based on Indian investment cooperation, said the President's Media Division.Deputy Indian High Commissioner Vinod K.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Government of Sri Lanka is planning to borrow USD 200 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to finance the implementation of Food Security and Livelihood Recovery Emergency Assistance Project, the Ministry of Finance says. The loan is expected to ensure access to food and protect livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable, especially women and children.Accordingly, the loan of USD 200 million will be provided from ADB’s Ordinary Capital Resources. In addition, Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (JFPR) will provide a grant of USD 03 million through ADB to finance the project activities.The total project cost is estimated as USD 203.36 million, out of which USD 0.36 million has been agreed to be borne by the Government.The project will also upgrade information technology systems and digital tools for the Samurdhi program and agriculture and agrarian development to enhance cash grant beneficiary selection, verification, monitoring, and communication, and improve financial, advisory, and other services for low-income families and farmers. The relevant project is scheduled to be completed by 29th February, 2024.The relevant Loan Agreement for the Food Security and Livelihood Recovery Emergency Assistance Project, amounting to USD 200 million and the Grant Agreement amounting to USD 3 million were signed by Mr.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The outgoing Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Yury Materiy called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday (08).Yury Materiy, who has ended his term in Sri Lanka, said that he will continue to work to strengthen the relations with Sri Lanka. He further stressed the need to enhance ties and develop the tourism industry between the two countries. President Wickremesinghe thanked Ambassador Materiy for his service rendered to Sri Lanka as the Ambassador of Russia. Ambassador Yury Materiy for his part pledged to do his utmost to foster bilateral relations between the two countries even though he is leaving Sri Lanka after completing his tenure. He also wished President Wickremesinghe the strength to take Sri Lanka out of the economic crisis and establish a stable country. President Wickremesinghe wished Ambassador Yury Materiy success in all his future undertakings and thanked him for all the assistance rendered during his tenure in Sri Lanka.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka has declared the 19th of September 2022 a Day of Mourning in view of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.President Ranil Wickremesinghe issued the directive to the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs on Friday (9).The President's Media Division also noted that the National Flag will be flown at half-mast until the 19th of September 2022.President Ranil Wickremesinghe said he was saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. "She was a symbol of stability and endurance, and she will be greatly missed. My heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the UK and the Commonwealth" tweeted the President.Queen Elizabeth II, the UK's longest-serving monarch, died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years.She died peacefully on Thursday (8) afternoon at her Scottish estate, where she had spent much of the summer.The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.Her son King Charles III said the death of his beloved mother was a "moment of great sadness" for him and his family and that her loss would be "deeply felt" around the world.He said: "We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother."I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world."During the coming period of mourning, he said he and his family would be "comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held".The King and his wife, Camilla, now Queen Consort, will return to London on Friday, Buckingham Palace said.

COLOMBO (News 1);  Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed that all public buildings must lower the National Flag to Half-Mast in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who died on Thursday (8).The President had given the instructions to the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs.The President's Media Division said a period of mourning will be announced in due course.President Ranil Wickremesighe said he was saddened to learn of the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. "She was a symbol of stability and endurance, and she will be greatly missed. My heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the UK and the Commonwealth," tweeted the President.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has expressed concern over the ill-health of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, who is also the Head of the Commonwealth. The President has wished Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth her a speedy recovery, said the President's Media Division.The Queen is under medical supervision at Balmoral after doctors became concerned for her health, Buckingham Palace has said.All the Queen's children are either at, or are travelling to, her Scottish estate near Aberdeen."Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen's doctors are concerned for Her Majesty's health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision," a statement said.The Queen is comfortable, it added.Prince Charles has travelled there with his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall.The Duke of York and the Count and Countess of Wessex are travelling to the Scottish estate, about 40 miles (64km) west of Aberdeen.The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, was already in Scotland undertaking engagements.The Duke of Cambridge is also on his way, with the Duchess of Cambridge remaining in Windsor with their children.The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who had been in Germany, are travelling to Balmoral, a spokesperson for the couple said.The announcement comes after the Queen, 96, pulled out of a meeting of her Privy Council on Wednesday, with doctors advising her to rest.There are clearly pressing concerns for the Queen's health – much more explicitly put than before and without any reference to this only being about difficulties with mobility.There are also warnings against unfounded speculation, such as that she might have had a fall.