COLOMBO (News 1st); Two years ago, Sri Lanka was in the grip of one of the worst economic crises in its history. Fuel lines stretched for miles, medicine was scarce, inflation had skyrocketed to 70%, and the country’s foreign reserves were nearly wiped out. Today, the picture looks very different—an...

COLOMO (News 1st): Dr. Gita Gopinath, the First Deputy Managing Director (FDMD) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), arrived in Sri Lanka for a two-day official visit.This visit is significant, as it marks the first time since 2005 that a serving FDMD of the IMF visits Sri Lanka. During th...

Colombo(News 1st); A special mass was held this morning to mark the191st annual feast of the St. Anthony's Shrine in Kochchikade. The event was led by the Auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo, Most Venerable Maxwell Silva.The Sirasa and Shakthi Media Network is the media partner for t...

COLOMBO (News 1st); As Sri Lanka continues its path toward economic recovery, the country’s leadership is expressing hope that the current International Monetary Fund (IMF) program will be its last.In a recent statement, the President of Sri Lanka suggested that the ongoing Extended Fund Facility (E...

COLOMBO (News 1st); Global credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has revised its outlook for sovereign credit conditions in 2025 from “neutral” to “deteriorating,” citing rising trade tariffs, policy uncertainty, and geopolitical tensions as key risks to global economic stability.According to Fitch, th...