Developments in the recent protest in Mirihana are being monitored, says UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy.

Sri Lanka’s president declared a state of emergency Friday giving sweeping powers to security forces a day after hundreds tried to storm his house in anger over an unprecedented economic crisis.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has issued a Gazette Extraordinary declaring a public emergency in Sri Lanka with effect from today (April 01).

Police curfew will be in effect in the Western Province from midnight today (April 01) until 6.00 AM tomorrow (April 02), the Police Spokesperson said.

General Secretary of SLFP Dayasiri Jayasekera states that the party has decided to request the President to immediately form a caretaker government with the participation of all political parties in parliament and to resolve the impending issues of fuel and power.

Anger against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s handling of a deepening economic crisis in the island nation of 22 million people spiralled into violence late on Thursday, as hundreds of protesters clashed with police for several hours.

The commotion near the President’ residence last night is not a racial or a terrorist incident, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today (April 01).

11 political parties representing the government call for the resignation of the entire administration including the Cabinet of Ministers and for an interim government to be established with immediate effect.

Protestors hurled stones at the residence of Moratuwa Mayor Samanlal Fernando a short while ago.

The price of a 50kg bag of cement has been increased by Rs. 500 with effect from last night, the cement companies confirmed.

An extremist group was behind yesterday’s unrest near President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence in Mirihana, the Presidential Media Division (PMD) said.

A total of 54 people were arrested from the group of protestors at Pengiriwatta Mawatha in Mirihana, which leads to the President’s residence last night (March 31), the Police Media Spokesman says.

Sri Lanka police fired tear gas and a water canon on thousands of people protesting Thursday near the private residence of the country’s president, demanding his resignation as the Indian Ocean island nation struggles with its worst economic crisis.

The International Monetary Fund will initiate discussions with Sri Lankan authorities on a possible loan program in coming days, IMF spokesperson Gerry Rice said on Thursday (March 31), as the Asian country seeks to stave off a severe economic crisis.

A Massive protest is being held at the moment near the Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s residence in Pengiriwatte road in Mirihana against the economic crisis.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka has decided to temporarily suspend the permit issued to the Prasanna Money Exchange (Pvt) Ltd under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Act No. 12 of 2017, with effect from today (March 31).