Though Anura Kumara Dissanayake's lead has decreased since early morning, he's still expected to come out on top. Everyone except Dissanayake & Premadasa have been eliminated from running.
Voting is underway at 13,134 polling stations in Sri Lanka, began at 7 am and will close at 4 pm local time. The counting of votes is expected to begin at 9:30 pm local time.
Sri Lanka is struggling with its worst financial crisis after the country's foreign exchange hit record lows and triggered its first foreign debt default last year.
The increase is the latest measure to clinch a $2.9 billion loan from IMF to tackle a crisis that evolved from pandemic, rising oil prices and populist tax cuts by previous govt.
The government is seeking a loan of about Rs 31,000 crore this year from the International Monetary Fund and creditors including China and Japan to help pay for food and fuel.
Share of trade with FTA partners rose from 4.6% in 2006 to 28.8% in 2024. India is currently negotiating or advancing agreements with US, Israel, GCC, Canada & Mexico.
American objectives are unmet. They neither have muscle nor motivation to resume the war. As for Iran, the regime didn’t just survive, it’s now led by more radical individuals.
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