Cash-strapped Sri Lanka on Tuesday announced steep, across-the-board tax hikes to shore up revenue as the country suffers its worst economic downturn and seeks an IMF bailout.

The Value Added Tax (VAT) has been increased from 8% to 12% with immediate effect, announced the Office of the Prime Minister today (May 31).

Supreme Court today (May 31) issued an Interim Order suspending the operation of Presidential Pardon granted by President to former parliamentarian Duminda Silva.

Major General Vikum Liyanage has been appointed as the new 24th Commander of the Sri Lanka Army by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (May 31).

42 Department, Statutory Boards and State Corporations including the Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), Board of Investment (BOI) and the Colombo Port City Economic Commission have been gazetted under the Defence Ministry which is under Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Shashi Weerawansa, the wife of National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa was today (May 31) released on bail by Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has proposed to amend a number of financial acts to increase the revenue of the government.

Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal to submit a supplementary estimate to the Parliament for the provision of Rs. 695 billion under the “Budget Assistance Services and Emergency Responsibilities” project of the National Budget Department.

A 48-year-old woman was murdered in a restaurant at the Dematagoda railway station while sleeping with her 10-year-old son.

The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson spoke to Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last afternoon (May 30).

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the relevant officials to immediately launch a comprehensive public-private partnership programme on food security.

Sri Lankan YouTuber Rathidu Senarathna, also known as ‘Ratta’, was arrested by Sri Lanka Police on this afternoon (May 30).

The World Bank Country Manager in Colombo, Chiyo Kanda has assured that approximately USD 700 million will be disbursed to Sri Lanka within the next few months.

A 30-year -old male was killed and another was injured when unidentified men arrived in a motorcycle and opened fire on them at Bastian Mawatha in Pettah this morning (May 30).

Foreign Secretary of the Philippines, Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Sunday ordered the repatriation of Filipinos in Sri Lanka who want to return home amid the ongoing economic crisis that hit the country.

Sri Lanka will have to import around 700,000 metric tons of rice as the paddy harvest will drop by 50%, this Yala season, United Rice Producers’ Association (URPA), Mudith Perera said.