The Australian government will lift emergency aid to Sri Lanka to AU$75 million as the south Asian island grapples with an economic crisis that has triggered a new surge of people fleeing on boats for Australia.

Minister Susil Premajayantha says he does not believe that former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will get involved in politics again after returning to Sri Lanka.

Stocks fell in the last two sessions on profit taking

During a discussion this evening, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) has requested President Ranil Wickremesinghe to facilitate the return of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to Sri Lanka, MP Sanjeeva Edirimanna said.

Police said that a total of 12 persons have been arrested so far following the protest by university students at Union Place in Colombo today (18).

A guidance peg for interbank transactions weakened by one cent to 360.97 rupees

The grant was given in response to a request by Sri Lanka’s government.

Immigration officials stated that the police and SSD were on the lookout for Fraser.

The website also recorded a surge in search traffic from countries such as the UK, Australia, US, Canada and UAE.

Sri Lanka will ask Japan to invite the Indian Ocean island s main creditor nations, including China and India, to talks on bilateral debt restructuring, as it seeks a way out of its worst economic crisis in decades, its president said on Thursday.

The Minister of Finance has issued an order granting an amnesty period of one month with effect from August 15, 2022 in order to attract foreign currency held with the public into the banking system.

The Director General of Health Services has confirmed 05 more coronavirus related deaths for yesterday (17), the Department of Government Information reported today (18).

He said inflation may peak around September below 70 percent before showing a downward trend.

 At the moment, the Central Bank is in the process analysing its creditors before it reaches out to them.

Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara has lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today to investigate into the Ceylon Petroleum Cooperation (CPC) and Ceylon Petrol Storage Terminals (CPSTL) activities.

Former minister Mervyn Silva, who was arrested by the CID this morning, has been released by the Colombo Additional Magistrate without bail.

Five protesters including IUSF convenor Wasantha Mudalige, against whom an arrest warrant was pending, have been arrested during the protest march at Union Place in Colombo.

Myanmar is set to join a growing list of developing countries that are warming up to Russian oil imports amid growing shortages across some of the most impoverished parts of Asia.

The Police Special Task Force (STF) says a person who had sold cannabis including to school children has been arrested in Thalawathugoda.

The road between Union Place and Town Hall has been blocked by police due to a protest march by university students, Ada Derana reporter said.