Economists sharply cut Sri Lanka’s growth outlook through this year as curbs on imports and still-limited reserves persist even as the International Monetary Fund releases bailout loans and authorities work toward debt restructuring efforts.

Sri Lanka’s highest energy demand in recent times was recorded yesterday (April 19), Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera said.

An Extraordinary Gazette notification (2328/05) was issued yesterday (April 19) by the Sri Lanka’s Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) announcing the maximum retail price for eggs by weight, with effect from today (April 20).

All emergency surgeries at Embilipitiya District General Hospital have been suspended for more than two weeks due to the shortage of anesthesiologists.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the education of children cannot be allowed to be taken hostage and if teachers do not make themselves available for A/L exam paper marking by next week, he would not hesitate to make education an essential service under emergency law and initiate legal action against teachers flouting their responsibility.

The Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka says that the country’s wildlife authorities have clarified that they are not aware of the request to export 100,000 toque macaque monkeys from Sri Lanka to a Chinese private company and that no such application has been received from any side.

A lawyer representing former Attorney General Dappula de Livera appeared before the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) today (April 19).

Expressing his opposition to the government move to export Toque monkeys to China, former Minister Navin Dissanayake said that there is a great possibility that these Toque monkeys will end up in labs and subjected to torture.

Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka for the first 16 days of April topped 56,000, bringing the total number of international visitors entering Sri Lanka for the year closer to the 400,000 mark.

Private Health Services Regulatory Council Secretary Dr. Dhammika Alahapperuma said yesterday (April 18) that letters have been sent to the relevant institutions informing them that the service fees of private hospitals and medical institutions should be charged fairly.

Sri Lanka is considering a proposal by a Chinese private company to export 100,000 endemic monkeys to China, a government minister said on Tuesday, sparking protests from animal protection groups.

Former Sri Lankan Attorney General Dappula De Livera has been summoned to the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) tomorrow morning (April 19) to record a statement over a controversial statement he had made over the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb attacks.

Cabinet approval was granted for the proposed road map & timeline of the restructuring process of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said.

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers have decided not to grant permission for the holding of musical performances, political meetings or other mass gatherings at the Galle Face Green, except for religious activities, with effect from April 20.

US-based international travel influencer Juliana Broste, a 12x Heartland Emmy Award-winning travel filmmaker and host, showcasing adventures and fun things to do around the world, recommended Sri Lanka to be listed as one of the best places to visit in 2023 and as a result of her continuous effort, Sri Lanka has been listed on the Forbes list as one of the 23 best places to visit in 2023.

A 30-year-old mother gave birth to quadruplets (three males and one female) at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital today (April 17).