SL: New PM holds talks with ADB, World Bank for support
COLOMBO: Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was appointed last week following violent unrest, held talks with representatives from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank in an effort to replenish badly depleted food, fertiliser and medicine supplies.
Wickremesinghe said on Sunday that he held discussions with officials from the ADB and World Bank in an attempt to mobilise desperately needed funding and stocks of food, fertiliser and medicines - all of which have been rapidly depleted in recent weeks.
He said the government faces an immediate challenge in securing financing to pay for fuel this coming week. The PM also said discussions on constitutional changes will be held tomorrow, before being presented to cabinet for approval.
More than 200 arrested over violence in SL
At least 230 people have been arrested in Sri Lanka on various charges including violation of curfew, attacking the public and causing damages to public and private properties since May 9 as the authorities try to bring order back to the Island nation hit by violence amid the ongoing economic crisis.
The police also publicly released pictures of several people and sought assistance to identify and arrest them for “indulging in violent attacks on unarmed, peaceful protesters at Galle Face and Kollupitiya on May 9”, Daily Mirror reported.
Prime Minister extends support to protesters
In an unusual move, Ranil Wickremesinghe has extended public support to the protesters, who have been camping at Colombo’s Galle Face Green beachfront since April 9 calling for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ouster for mishandling the country’s economic crisis.
Curfew lifted to mark Buddhist festival
A nationwide curfew was fully lifted on Sunday to allow Sri Lankans to celebrate the Buddhist festival of Vesak.
India delivers 400k MT of fuel to Sri Lanka
India delivered the 12th shipment of diesel containing over 400,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) of fuel to the island nation which is facing its worst economic crisis. “12 shipments and more than 400,000 MT of fuel!! Latest consignment of #Diesel from #India under the credit line for fuel was delivered in #Colombo by Torm Helvig today,” the Indian High Commission here tweeted.