Economy

Anudi makes history for Sri Lanka in Miss World Multimedia Challenge

Published

8 months ago

May 30, 2025

Anudi Gunasekara has made history for Sri Lanka by clinching the title of First Runner-Up from Asia in the Miss World Multimedia Challenge, marking a proud and unprecedented achievement for the nation at the 72nd Miss World Festival held in Telangana, India.

Anudi’s outstanding performance placed her among the Top 20 global finalists in the prestigious challenge, and she is the first Sri Lankan contestant ever to reach this milestone in the Multimedia Challenge category.

With this achievement, she also secures a prestigious spot among the Top 8 global winners of the Multimedia Challenge, selected from 108 participants.

Notably, her accomplishment also secures Sri Lanka’s place in the Top 20 of three fast-track events — Talent, Head-to-Head Challenge, and Multimedia — for the first time in Miss World history.

In the Asia and Oceania region, the Top 5 Multimedia finalists featured representatives from New Zealand, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka, reflecting a highly competitive field.

Thailand ultimately claimed the top spot, with warm congratulations extended for their well-deserved win.

The Multimedia Challenge highlights contestants’ influence and ability to drive meaningful narratives through digital platforms. From sharing stories of advocacy and social change to offering behind-the-scenes glimpses into their Miss World journeys, these young women have leveraged social media with creativity, authenticity, and consistency.

Contestants were evaluated on their digital engagement across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and the official Miss World app. Judges reviewed their content, which documented their preparations at home and their experiences during the festival in Telangana.

Economy

Sri Lanka Postal Service achieves record revenue

Published

5 days ago

January 12, 2026

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Sri Lanka’s postal service has recorded a remarkable turnaround in 2025, surpassing revenue targets set by the Treasury and signalling a major revival after years of stagnation.

Postmaster General Ruwan Sathkumara said the Department of Posts generated Rs. 13.1 billion last year, exceeding the revenue target assigned for 2025.

He highlighted that the past year also saw wide-ranging reforms, including large-scale recruitments, confirmations of long-serving staff, infrastructure upgrades, and investments in technology and transport to improve efficiency and service delivery.

According to Sathkumara, 378 Sub-Postmasters received permanent appointments in June 2025—the first confirmations for the category since 2020. In September, the appointments of 1,000 Postal Assistants were regularised, marking the first such confirmations since 2022.

The Postmaster General added that recruitment is underway to hire 600 Postal Service Officers through open competition, with appointments expected in February 2026.

Economy

Sri Lanka ranked most affordable place to live or retire in 2026

Published

6 days ago

January 11, 2026

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International Living magazine has identified the five most affordable places to live or retire in 2026, which scored the highest in the cost-of-living category of its 2026 Global Retirement Index.

It evaluated retirement destinations across climate, healthcare, visa and lifestyle, along with cost.

Sri Lanka ranked top of the list due to affordable local transportation and easy-to-obtain retirement visas. A couple can live extravagantly on $2,200 (£1,637) a month, or on $1,000 (£744) with some budgeting.

In second place is Vietnam, with the average cost of living in Hanoi sitting at under $1,800 (£1,339) per month. Rent is low and healthcare is affordable.

Thailand was ranked third, because a couple can live comfortably for around $2,000 (£1,488) a month in cities such as Chiang Mai or coastal towns such as Hua Hin. These both have affordable housing, and accessible services and transportation.

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Economy

Sri Lanka Secures €188M Debt Relief from Germany

Published

1 week ago

January 10, 2026

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Sri Lanka has signed a bilateral agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany as part of its ongoing external debt restructuring process, marking a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to restore debt sustainability and revive its economy.

The agreement, concluded after bilateral discussions following the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), provides for rescheduling outstanding debts, offering critical relief to Sri Lanka during its economic recovery phase.

The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Finance, where Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, signed on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, while Ms. Sarah Hasselbarth, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., represented the Federal Republic of Germany.

The estimated rescheduled debt under this agreement amounts to €188 million.