India and Japan have agreed to work together on assisting crisis-hit Sri Lanka, the Japanese government said, following a recent meeting between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Fumio Kishida in Tokyo.

MP Wimal Weerawansa’s wife Shashi Weerawansa, who was accused of submitting forged documents to obtain a diplomatic passport, has been sentenced to two-year rigorous imprisonment.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that India will continue to stand with the people of Sri Lanka and support democracy, stability and economic recovery in the neighbouring country.

The operations at the Sapugaskanda oil refinery will commence again today (May 27) and producing Fuel Oil will start in six days, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said.

COPE chairman Prof. Charitha Herath making a recommendation to the Chairman of People’s Bank Sujeewa Rajapakse, called for the submission of a comprehensive report within a month with details of companies in the private sector which were granted loans worth Rs.54 billion, which are currently in the non-performing status.

Sri Lanka’s prime minister said Thursday that he will quickly prepare an economic reform program and seek approval from the International Monetary Fund – because global inflation and the financial impact of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on other countries could limit their ability to help the island nation.

The International Monetary Fund said it made “good progress” in analyzing Sri Lanka’s economic situation and identifying policy priorities, while cautioning that a loan would require adequate assurances that debt sustainability will be restored.

A mobile application has been developed to monitor refuelling history of vehicles and share real-time data with filling stations island-wide, Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekara said.

General Shavendra Silva will assume office on 1 June 2022 as new Chief of Defence Staff after relinquishing the office of the Commander of the Army on 31 May.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday called for the international community to help his country overcome a crisis that has pushed it to the brink of economic collapse, with mounting debt, inflation and social unrest roiling the South Asian nation.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has recorded a statement from former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday (May 25) over the incidents that took place outside Temple Trees (Maina Go Gama) and in Galle Face (Gota Go Gama) on May 09.

The Department of Agriculture has requested the public to cultivate crops in gardens for personal use.

Sri Lanka is looking to fast-track talks with the International Monetary Fund and agree on a loan by mid-June so that it can then approach other lenders for urgently needed funds.

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a Sri Lanka sponsored Resolution A/76/L.56, declaring 1 March as World Seagrass Day.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed officials to implement languages and vocational training programmes targeting foreign job vacancies, President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

The Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration had informed all the Heads of Government Departments to prepare and implement an appropriate arrangement to call only the officers who are essential to delivering public services for duty with effect from Thursday (26).