Harini Amarasuriya was reappointed as Sri Lanka's prime minister by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dissanayake also appointed Vijitha Herath as foreign minister after his coalition won 159 seats in the general election. Despite strong, concerns remain over implementing IMF-backed reform.
Harini Amarasuriya has been reappointed as Sri Lanka's prime minister by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday.
The president also recalled veteran legislator, Vijitha Herath, to oversee the foreign affairs ministry of the Indian Ocean Island after his leftist coalition won 159 seats in the 225-member parliament in general election.
Despite the appointments made during Monday’s sweating-in ceremony, Dissanayake did not name a new finance minister, raising suggestions that he may keep the finance portfolio as he did in September following the victorious presidential election.
Dissanayake, who is regarded as a political outsider, surpassed expectations by winning the presidential election in September rather comfortably in a country dominated for decades by family parties. Naming Amarasuriya as prime minister and picking Herath to helm foreign affairs has been seen as a welcomed political move.
However, he’s had to make further decisive moves by dissolving his Marxist-leaning National People’s Power (NPP) coalition, which had just three seats in the parliament, to seek fresh mandate in last Thursday’s snap election.
Sustaining the policy guaranteed an overwhelming mandate in the general elections, handing Dissanayake legislative power to enforce his plans to reduce poverty and lift the island nation from financial meltdown.
For two years, Sri Lanka has been battling economic crisis brought by severe shortage of foreign currency. This forced the nation of 22 million people into a sovereign default, leading to a 7.3% shrink in its economy in 2022 and 2.3% last year.
Despite the strong mandate and show of support in the South Asian country, which will strengthen its political stability, there are still concerns about Dissanayake's campaign promises. Analysts say there are uncertainties in the plan to implement policies aimed at meeting the terms of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) rescue programme that bailed the country out of its economic crisis.
A shooting outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district has left three people dead and two police officers injured, accord...
Afghanistan has moved to deepen health and trade cooperation with Uzbekistan, while also holding separate talks with ...
The UK government is reviewing whether to allow U.S. rapper Kanye West to enter the country following backlash over his planned headline performanc...
A train driver has died and several passengers have been injured after a high-speed train collided with an army lorry...
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the accelerated development of a “new energy system” to safeguar...
Iranian sailors who survived a U.S. submarine strike in the Indian Ocean were recovering at a hospital in the Sri Lankan port city of Galle, authorities said on Thursday (5 March), a day after at least 87 were killed in the attack.
The U.S. Department of Defense has released a video of a submarine strike on an Iranian warship off the southern Sri Lankan coast. At least 80 people died in the U.S. attack on the vessel, Sri Lanka's Deputy Foreign Minister said.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is reviewing Sri Lanka’s request for approximately $200 million in emergency financing after Cyclone Ditwah caused widespread destruction across the island nation.
Cyclone-induced landslides and floods cut off roads across western Indonesia on Monday as improved weather revealed the growing scale of a disaster that has killed nearly 800 people across Southeast Asia.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told reporters that Iran could be taken out in one night, "and that night might be tomorrow night," warning Tehran it had to make a deal by Tuesday night or face wider bombing raids.
The crew of Artemis II mission are entering a pivotal phase of their journey, as they prepare to swing around the Moon and head back towards Earth. Now on the fifth day of their 10-day mission, the four astronauts are already witnessing views no human has ever seen.
A new proposal to end hostilities between the United States and Iran could come into effect as soon as Monday, potentially reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz, a source familiar with the plan said on Monday.
As Hungary approaches a crucial vote, younger citizens who grew up under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán are increasingly backing the opposition, with some saying they may leave if he secures another term.
Oil prices rose sharply on Monday as fears deepened over potential supply shortages caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, unsettling global energy markets and the row over the Strait of Hormuz, raising concerns for consumers and businesses alike.
A shooting outside the Israeli consulate in Istanbul’s Beşiktaş district has left three people dead and two police officers injured, according to local media, prompting a major police response on Tuesday.
A train driver has died and several passengers have been injured after a high-speed train collided with an army lorry carrying military equipment at a level crossing in northern France on Tuesday morning (7 April), the local prefecture and railway operators said in separate statements.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has ordered the accelerated development of a “new energy system” to safeguard national energy security, as the ongoing Iran conflict continues to trigger severe global energy shocks.
Taiwan’s opposition leader Cheng Li-wun arrived in China for “peace” talks on Tuesday (7 April). Her visit to the country is the first by a leader of the Kuomintang (KMT), currently Taiwan’s largest opposition party, in more than a decade.
Ukraine has regained control of 480 sq. km (185 sq. miles) of territory in the southeastern and eastern parts of the front since late January, its Army Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said, adding that Russia was continuing its spring offensive.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment