Moragoda meets Indian Finance Minister, thanks India for support on IMF bailout package

Fans of The Chase were quick to respond as Paul Sinha issued an apology about his appearance on the show amid his ongoing health struggle. The Chaser, known as The Sinnerman on the hit ITV quiz show, took to social media following the airing of the latest episode on Tuesday (March 28).

PHILADELPHIA - Police came to find grim scenes inside a home in Philadelphia's Olney section when they were called to a shooting Monday night.A 24-year-old man was discovered bleeding heavily in the back of a home on the 300 block of East Sheldon Street.

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - A New Jersey man accused of making an online death threat toward Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood was flown to Florida on Monday to face charges, and Sheriff Chitwood was at Orlando Sanford International Airport to meet him.As 38-year-old Richard Golden made his way down the escalator, Sheriff Chitwood was at the bottom to seemingly greet him. "I'm Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood. Anything you, uh – I hope you enjoy you stay.

VINELAND, N.J. - Three-time American League MVP Mike Trout always wanted a golf course, and he picked 18-time major champion Tiger Woods to build it for him.Trout, the 10-time All-Star centerfielder for the Los Angeles Angels, and a business partner in New Jersey are building a golf club called "Trout National — The Reserve" not far from where Trout grew up in southern New Jersey.They have hired Woods' architecture firm, TGR Design, to create the 18-hole course, a practice range and short-game area."I love south Jersey and I love golf, so creating Trout National — The Reserve is a dream come true," Trout said. "And then to add to that we’ll have a golf course designed by Tiger? It’s just incredible to think that this project has grown to where we’re going to be working with someone many consider the greatest and most influential golfer of all time."Construction is set to begin this year with plans for the private club about 45 minutes south of Philadelphia to open for member play in 2025."I’ve always enjoyed watching Mike on the diamond so when the opportunity arose to work with him on Trout National — The Reserve, I couldn’t pass it up," Woods said.

WEST READING, Pa. - In the aftermath of the R.M. Palmer factory explosion, local organizations have established the West Reading Disaster Recovery Fund and, already, thousands of dollars have poured in for the families affected.

A call has been issued to the Scottish Government to better support NHS Ayrshire & Arran to meet waiting time targets for physiotherapy appointments.

Linda Nolan has revealed that her cancer has spread to her brain in a devastating health update on Monday's Good Morning Britain. The star, who found fame as one fifth of The Nolans – one of the most successful girl groups of all time, selling over 30 million records worldwide – first learned she had breast cancer in 2006. Her devastating diagnosis came six years after her older sister Anne’s and four years before sister Bernie’s.

WEST READING, Pa. - In the aftermath of the R.M. Palmer factory explosion, local organizations have established the West Reading Disaster Recovery Fund and, already, thousands of dollars have poured in for the families affected.

INDIANA, Pa. - A dozen people were injured in the collapse of a second-story floor inside an apartment complex near a western Pennsylvania university over the weekend, authorities said.Seven people were taken to hospitals and five others were treated at the scene after the 11:50 p.m. Saturday collapse at Elm by Traverse Commons about a mile (1.6 kilometers) from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, state police told the Tribune-Review.Trooper Cliff Greenfield said the victims had injuries ranging from serious to minor.

India has identified three important health priorities under the G20 Presidency and all of these are focused on universal health coverage and relevant to the Centre's response for TB elimination New Delhi: There is an urgent need of a vaccine against tuberculosis and it important to fast-track its development, expand manufacturing capacities and help countries with easy access, said Mansukh Mandaviya, Union health minister, in his address during the 36th board meeting of the Stop TB Partnership held on Saturday. Highlighting the importance of a TB vaccine in the global fight against the disease, Mandaviya urged the baord of Stop TB Partnership to deliberate on this and take up the matter at the UN High Level Meeting on universal health coverage in September this year.

PEMBROOK, Ga. - Just before 9 a.m. Thursday, a crowd began to line up outside Liberty Auction in Pembroke, Georgia, in anticipation of an afternoon auction featuring items from the Murdaugh family's South Carolina Lowcountry hunting estate, where Alex Murdaugh killed his wife and son in 2021."We came out of curiosity just to look at the Murdaugh items," one attendee told Fox News Digital, as was the consensus for most people at the event. Doors opened at noon, and by the time the auction began at 4 p.m., buyers found it difficult to move about inside the stuffy building. By the time bidding started, those who purchased items had to duck in and around other people to pick up their new belongings.Items from Alex Murdaugh’s Moselle estate were auctioned off in Pembroke, Georgia on March 23, 2023.

NEW YORK - Emergency personnel responded after a package with suspicious white powder was delivered to the mail room for the New York City building housing the Manhattan District Attorney's office, according to police. A law enforcement source confirmed there was a note saying "Alvin – I’ll kill you" in the envelope. District Attorney Alvin Bragg is currently weighing whether to proceed with an indictment against former President Donald Trump for alleged hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016.The envelope delivered by the U.S.

FILE IMAGE - An Amazon Prime van is seen parked by residential buildings, Queens, New York. (Photo by: Lindsey Nicholson/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) An Amazon driver appeared to go above and beyond the job description when he was recorded on video delivering a package in the middle of a dangerous armed police standoff.A TikTok video has gone viral in recent days, generating more than 7 million views and counting.

A Creetown man is calling for better support for people suffering from long Covid.

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy (centre) speaking to the media outside the Old Bailey, in central London, after wealthy Nigerian politician Senator Ike Ekweremadu, his wife Beatrice, and medical "middleman" Dr Obinna Obeta were found guilty of c LONDON - A senior Nigerian politician and his wife were found guilty Thursday of conspiring to transport a street trader to the U.K. as part of an organ-harvesting plot.Ike Ekweremadu, who was deputy president of the Nigerian Senate and a lawyer, and his wife, Beatrice, were accused of arranging the travel of a 21-year-old man to the U.K.

FILE - The Twitter Inc. logo is seen on a phone screen.

Crystal and Brian Clark hope they can save a life by sharing their own heartbreaking story of losing their children from a falling tree accident. (Crystal Clark) An Indiana mother and father are alerting people about an overlooked danger after the tragic loss of their two young children last year.On April 23, 2022, Crystal and Brian Clark, along with their son Xander, 9 and daughter, Ziva, 8, went out to Indian Oaks, a nearby campground that the family frequently visited.It had been fairly windy that day but the sun was shining, Crystal Clark told Fox News Digital."I decided after [lunch] we should go for a golf cart ride because it was a beautiful day," Crystal Clark added.After seeing some friends go for a ride, the Clarks decided to do the same and meet up at their favorite fishing spot."Ziva was taking their fish off [the line] 'cause that was one of her favorites things to do, and then she'd kiss it and then she'd toss it back in the water," said Crystal Clark."She loved everything," she added. "She loved every animal, fish or not."Xander was very excited to go fishing that day, but the family decided to instead go for one more ride on the golf cart, with the parents in the front and the kids in the back, before settling down to fish."The trails are always open.

Police investigate at Denvers East High School after a shooting there on Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (Photo by Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post) DENVER - A 17-year-old student was found dead in a wooded mountain area outside Denver late Wednesday after authorities say he wounded two administrators in a shooting at his Denver high school where students and parents were already fed up about a rash of recent violence and lack of action by officials.The shooting occurred earlier Wednesday at East High School in Denver, not far from downtown, while two administrators searched Austin Lyle for weapons, a daily requirement because of the boy’s behavioral issues, authorities said.

The Sri Lanka Navy conducted a special operation to chase away Indian poaching trawlers from Sri Lankan waters this morning (23rd March 2023).The operation led to the seizure of 2 Indian trawlers with 12 Indian nationals poaching in the Sea of Sri Lanka off Analaitivu and Kovilan, Jaffna.The Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing trawlers.As an extension of these operations, the Northern Naval Command deployed Fast Attack Craft of the 04th Fast Attack Flotilla to chase away a cluster of Indian poaching trawlers, having spotted they were engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters off Analaitivu and Kovilan. In this operation, the Navy held 02 Indian poaching trawlers with 12 Indian fishers continuing to remain in Sri Lankan waters.The seized trawlers together with 12 Indian fishermen were brought to the Kankesanthurai harbour and they will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for onward legal proceedings.In this backdrop, the Sri Lanka Navy is conducting operations to stop illegal fishing by foreign fishermen in the island waters.

A delegation of 19 Indian Armed Forces officers led by Group Captain Yunus Syed Muzaffar from the 46th Indian Higher Air Command Course conducted at College of Air Warfare, Secunderabad arrived in Sri Lanka as part of Strategic Study Tour from 20-24 March 2023.The visit is focused on interactions with senior defence hierarchy as well as visits to military establishments and industrial organizations to broaden the vision of the trainees.The delegation started their visit by paying homage to the martyrs of Indian Peace Keeping Force at the memorial in Battaramulla followed by interactions with High Commissioner of India,Gopal Baglay, Chief of Defence Staff, General Shavendra Silva, and Air Marshal S.K Pathirana, Commander of Sri Lanka Air Force. The delegation is also scheduled to visit Galle, Hambantota, Diyatalawa, Kandy and Katunayake and interact with various agencies to get deeper insights about Sri Lanka. India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ Policy seeks to promote institutional linkages between the Armed Forces of India and Sri Lanka.  Such Study Tours help strengthen the existing bonds of camaraderie and enhance people to people connect to achieve regional peace, security and stability. A few members of the delegation, including the head of the delegation, called on the Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Sudarshana Pathirana and symbolic mementos were exchanged to mark the event.

Search and rescue workers personal six-wheel drive Pinzgauer military utility vehicle (Grand County Sheriffs Office) A group of Arizona residents and their dog have a search and rescue worker’s personal six-wheel drive military utility vehicle to thank for rescuing them from a snowy Utah trail.According to the Grand County Sheriff’s Office in Moab, Utah, the group accessed the Thompson Canyon/Polar Mesa trail at about 4,300 feet up while it was raining and snowing. Their vehicles got stuck in the mud as they tried to get up the trail.The sheriff’s office said one of the men called his wife in Arizona and asked her to call for help, but the group still continued up the trail by "winching the lead vehicle forward, with the other vehicles following in its path.""They eventually got stuck in three feet of deep snow … and were unable to move," the sheriff’s office said.READ MORE: Bullfrogs for dinner? Utah wildlife officials want you to catch – and eat – this invasive speciesAs search and rescue crews set up on both ends of the trail to start the rescue mission, one of the rescuers offered to use his personal vehicle –  a six-wheel-drive Pinzgauer all-terrain military utility vehicle – instead.He was able to reach the group at 8,500 feet up "after pushing through over a foot of sloppy mud for many miles." Snow levels had dropped to about 6,000 feet.Named Liberty and Guardian, the bald eagles were filmed shielding their only egg from the elements during a snowstorm in California.

A petroleum tanker stands while being built at the Aker Philadelphia Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S., on Tuesday, June 19, 2012. The shipyard, the largest manufacturing business in Philadelphia, employs up to 1,200 workers and generates PHILADELPHIA - A horrifying fall at the shipyard in Philadelphia has left a young man fighting for his life.Police say the 26-year-old fell from a scissor lift at the Philly Shipyard on Kitty Have Avenue around 10 p.m.

A new savings vehicle for Canadians saving towards their first home purchase will technically be available starting April 1, but financial institutions who spoke to Global News say they won’t be ready to offer the account on that date and Ottawa offered no timeline for when deposits might start flowing.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament on Wednesday (22) that he can only speak with the creditors, both multilateral and bilateral, and the private bondholders only if the Parliament is prepared to accept the IMF report.He urged the house to accept the report, and if there are any issues, it can be discussed with the IMF when the delegation returns to Sri Lanka.However, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa noted that the report and the presentation by the President is not means to agree to the program proposed by the IMF."We cannot agree without proper examination and scrutiny, and a proper parliamentary debate," he added while requesting to sit in parliament and listen to the proposals that the opposition puts forward during the debate on the IMF report.He said the opposition is not ready to approve anything without proper examination and scrutiny.However, the President said the house should respond to him by the third week of April whether the parliament would approve the report, so that he could engage in the second round of talks with the IMF.  

The high-level meeting is concerned with the covid situation and public health preparedness. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to hold a high-level meeting at 4:30 pm today to review the Covid-related situation and public health preparedness.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's President Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament that the government will be introducing a serious of reforms after the IMF Executive Board granted approval for a bailout package of the country.Increasing Public Revenue:– Reduce the primary deficit to 2.3% of the GDP by 2025.– Increase the government’s revenue up to 15% of the GDP by 2026 through our measures.– Raised the standard corporate income tax rate to 30% without sectoral tax holidays.– PAYE tax rate was increased from 8% to 15%.– The measures required to reduce the existing tax exemptions on Value Added Tax (VAT) will come into effect by 2025. Further, necessary measures will be taken to remove the simplified VAT system and expedite its reimbursement.–  Steps have also been taken to introduce tax on awards / substitutes and to introduce Estate Duty as a property tax by 2025, while providing an appropriate tax exemption allowance at a minimum.–  Revamping the property tax system and introducing a wealth transfer tax – Introduce a gift and inheritance taxManaging Expenditure:– Increase the allocations provided to cover the expenses through proper management of expenditure.– Adjustments in certain salary scales and pension schemes as part of the impact of inflation within the primary deficit targets.State Enterprises and Energy Cost: – Fuel prices will be determined based on the 2018 Price Formula.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said the IMF bailout package has opened a new avenue to create a better future for the youth of the country."We have received an opportunity to uplift our motherland," he told the Parliament on Wednesday (22) adding that the bailout of US $3 Billion will be provided across four years. The President said that an immediate disbursement of US $330 Million was received by Sri Lanka from the IMF, noting immediate facilities to the tune of US $7 Billion will be available from the World Bank and other creditor agencies.

Bloomberg:  Sri Lanka’s bailout by the International Monetary Fund will help the bankrupt nation lower its borrowing costs, thanks in part to a change in how the cash can be used, central bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe said, reported Bloomber.

Cases of a drug-resistant infection caused by the fungus Candida auris are on the rise in the United States, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The fungal infection has proved deadly, especially for those with compromised immune systems, and has demonstrated an ability to spread easily in health-care settings.

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe tabled the agreement reached with the IMF for a bailout package, in Parliament on Wednesday (22). The President also made a special statement to the house. 

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to make a special statement in Parliament on Wednesday (22).In addition, the President is expected to table the agreement reached with the International Monetary Fund.In a special statement following the approval of the extended credit facility by the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday (21), President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized that Sri Lanka is no longer deemed bankrupt by the world.The President further stated that the loan facility serves as an assurance from the international community that Sri Lanka has the capacity to restructure its debt and resume normal transactions.Additionally, the President noted that the government is working to gradually lift import restrictions on essential goods, medicines, and tourism-related goods, as the foreign exchange situation improves.

PHILADELPHIA - A man is dead after police say he was found shot nearly 10 times on a Philadelphia street Tuesday night. Officers from the Philadelphia Police Department were called to the 100 block of East Indiana Street just after 8 p.m.

Sophie and her owner Jordan were reunited thanks to a microchip. (Credit: Cincinnati Animal CARE) CINCINNATI - A dog in Ohio was reunited with her owner in California thanks to a microchip, an animal shelter said. Cincinnati Animal CARE said on March 4, the dog, named "Sophie," was picked up in a local neighborhood by a county official. When veterinarians located the dog's microchip, it showed that she belonged to a man named Jordan, a truck driver based in California. According to the animal shelter, Jordan had worked for a company that didn't allow him to bring his pet with him on the road. RELATED: 'Ugly' Orlando shelter dog that went viral gets adopted, has surgery on eyes: See how she looks nowKnowing this, Jordan made the tough decision to give his dog away to another California family. However, since that time, Sophie was rehomed multiple times, eventually ending up in Ohio. Rescuers in Hatay, Turkey, pulled a small dog from rubble on February 8, around 60 hours after an earthquake devastated the region.

Jason Manford has been flooded with messages of support from fans and celebrity pals as he issued a 'heart-breaking' health update about his grandmother on social media. Taking to Instagram on Monday (March 20), the comedian and actor kept his 375k followers in the loop after many were asking how Nana Manford has been getting on after he recently revealed she's in hospital. Just a day after Mother's Day on Sunday, Jason says he and his family are all "trying to stay strong" as Nana Manford continues to battle with dementia.

A bald eagle opens its talons to grab a pizza in Connecticut on March 8, as photographed by Doug Gemmell. (Doug Gemmell Nature Photography) A nature-focused photographer recently captured an image of a bald eagle grabbing lunch to-go as he took flight in Connecticut skies.Doug Gemmell, a resident of South Windsor, went out to Wethersfield Cove inlet on March 8 to snap some photos of eagles on his Nikon D500 camera.The retired banker has been photographing birds, insects and nature for the last seven years.Much of his work is dedicated to photographing eagles and Gemmell said he tries to catch the birds "fishing."TWITTER USERS REACT TO TSA SCREENING BALD EAGLE AT NORTH CAROLINA AIRPORT: 'HE IS GORGEOUS!'"I want to get some action shots and well, that was some action shot," Gemmell told Fox News Digital of the March 8 photo he took. "It’s not quite the fish [picture], but it was an interesting photo to say the least." Named Liberty and Guardian, the bald eagles were filmed shielding their only egg from the elements during a snowstorm in California.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The International Monetary Fund said that Sri Lanka must increase tax revenue in a growth friendly manner. Peter Breuer, the Senior IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, told reporters that the current economic crisis has a number of origins including the governments' inability to meet government spending needs through revenue collection and Sri Lanka is among the countries that collect the least amount of fiscal revenue in the world. He said that Tax Reforms are badly needed to correct the imbalance, and only with appropriate tax receipts will the government be able to fund essential expenditures, and avoid further slashing critically important outlets. "These reforms will also help regain the confidence of the creditors, so that in the future they will once again finance the gap between revenue and expenditure," he said.Peter Breuer further said that it is important that those who can afford it may commence contributions to the financing of necessary government expenditures."The tax package the authorities have introduced including the new tax rate schedule for Personal Income tax helps to meet the objectives. The tax rates proposed under the authorities program are also inline with similar countries who are contributing to Sri Lanka's support package, through the IMF," he said."So it is important to remember that there are many countries who have income levels comparable or may be less than Sri Lanka with much higher tax rates.

Jason Manford has been showered with support after he admitted his latest family update was 'heartbreaking'. Last month the comedian shared how his Nana had been taken into hospital.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday (21) said that the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement for Sri Lanka sets a minimum spending floor by the government on the social safety net program.The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board on Monday (20) approved SDR 2.286 billion (about US dollars 3 billion) under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) to support Sri Lanka’s economic policies and reforms.The IMF report on the EFF noted that Social Safety Net (SSN) programs in Sri Lanka are fragmented, with several implementation agencies, which has led to a lack of ownership and widespread inefficiencies in delivery of SSN programs.Masahiro Nozaki, the IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka said the EFF program said that Sri Lankan authorities have committed to SSN spending of Rs. 187 billion (0.6 percent of GDP) in 2023.Sri Lanka’s SSN programs monitored under the EFF-supported program comprise the Samurdhi program (largest poverty-targeted cash transfer program in Sri Lanka), as well as assistance to the elderly (over 70 years), allowance for disabled people, and financial support for kidney patients.Masahiro Nozaki highlighted that Sri Lanka's Social Safety Net program suffer from poor targeting."Right now the social safety nets cover about 40% of poorer households, that should be significantly increased and some social safety net spending is going towards relatively rich families.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The International Monetary Fund has emphasized the importance of anti-corruption and governance reforms as a central pillar of the EFF-supported program as they are indispensable to ensure the hard-won gains from the reforms benefit the Sri Lankan people.In a statement issued ahead of the IMF press briefing on Tuesday (21) morning, Peter Breuer, Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka & Masahiro Nozaki, Mission Chief for Sri Lanka noted that Sri Lankan authorities have committed to fundamentally improve public financial management and strengthen the anti-corruption legal framework in line with the United Nations Convention against Corruption.The reform program supported under the EFF arrangement is built on strong policy measures and prioritizes:(i) an ambitious revenue-based fiscal consolidation, accompanied by stronger social safety nets, fiscal institutional reforms, and cost-recovery based energy pricing to ensure the state’s ability to support all its essential expenditures;(ii) restoration of public debt sustainability, including through a debt restructuring to ensure stable financing of the government’s operations;(iii) a multi-pronged strategy to restore price stability and rebuild reserves under greater exchange rate flexibility in order to alleviate the burden of inflation, particularly on the poor, to foster an environment of investment and growth, and to ensure Sri Lanka's ability to purchase essential goods from abroad;(iv) policies to safeguard financial sector stability to ensure that the financial sector can play its key role in supporting economic growth; and(v) structural reforms to address corruption vulnerabilities and enhance growth. It is now essential to continue the reform momentum

COLOMBO (News 1st); The International Monetary Fund said that it does not intervene in local election processes.Masahiro Nozaki, IMF Mission Chief for Sri Lanka said that the IMF does not intervene in local election processes.He added that the IMF has never recommended postponing local election in Sri Lanka.

Paul Merriman is insisting he followed the advice of the province’s top doctor during COVID-19’s fourth wave, during which the government’s own notes showed Saskatchewan had, at times, the highest rates of new COVID-19 cases and deaths in the country.A Global News investigation showed the province’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, warned the health minister, more than a month before the province began transferring COVID-19 ICU patients to Ontario, that Saskatchewan’s acute care system would collapse unless the provincial government implemented more restrictions.That investigation also showed the government’s internal documents stated Saskatchewan’s new case rate was higher than the United States’ rate for weeks and that, at one point, Saskatchewan’s death rate was 33 per cent higher than the province with the next-highest rate.

FILE-Bezalel Smotrich, Israels finance minister, greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, during a news conference to present a cost of living plan on Jan. 11.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The United States of America has welcomed the approval of Sri Lanka’s IMF package."Great news & an important step on the road toward economic recovery," tweeted US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung on Monday (20).She said that the Sri Lankan government will need to continue reforms and conclude debt restructuring agreements to ensure the program – and the economy – stay on track.She noted that structural & lasting reforms that address good governance & transparency are critical to ensure all citizens of Sri Lanka can prosper.IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva also noted that she was very pleased the Executive Board of the IMF had approved about $3 bn of IMF support for Sri Lanka’s economic policies & reforms. She said that it was an important milestone with International Creditors coming together to help to restore debt sustainability. "Crucial to unlock Sri Lanka's growth potential," she added.The International Monetary Fund said that it will enable an immediate disbursement equivalent to about US $ 333 million for Sri Lanka under EFF program, following Executive Board approval on Monday (20).The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved today a 48‑month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 percent of quota or about US$3 billion).Sri Lanka has been hit hard by a catastrophic economic and humanitarian crisis.

COLOMBO (News 1st); The International Monetary Fund said that it will enable an immediate disbursement equivalent to about US $ 333 million for Sri Lanka under EFF program, following Executive Board approval on Monday (20).The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved today a 48‑month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 percent of quota or about US$3 billion).Sri Lanka has been hit hard by a catastrophic economic and humanitarian crisis.The economy is facing significant challenges stemming from pre-existing vulnerabilities and policy missteps in the lead up to the crisis, further aggravated by a series of external shocks.The EFF-supported program aims to restore Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability, mitigate the economic impact on the poor and vulnerable, safeguard financial sector stability, and strengthen governance and growth potential. The Executive Board’s decision will enable an immediate disbursement equivalent to SDR 254 million (about US$333 million) and catalyze financial support from other development partners.COLOMBO (News 1st); The International Monetary Fund said that it will enable an immediate disbursement equivalent to about US $ 333 million for Sri Lanka under EFF program, following Executive Board approval on Monday (20).The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) approved today a 48‑month extended arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with an amount of SDR 2.286 billion (395 percent of quota or about US$3 billion).Sri Lanka has been hit hard by a catastrophic economic and humanitarian crisis.The economy is facing significant challenges stemming from pre-existing