Nilanthi Gunasekera, 49, holds her family’s last remaining handful of dried fish. She is one of the millions of Sri Lankans battling a sharp decline in living standards. All photos: Reuters
Nilanthi Gunasekera, 49, holds her family’s last remaining handful of dried fish. She is one of the millions of Sri Lankans battling a sharp decline in living standards. All photos: Reuters
Dilhani Wathsala, 14, eating lunch cooked by Gunasekera, her mother. 'Before the economic crisis, we ate well and we served meat or fish to our kids at least three or four times a week. Now fish is out of the reach of our family and so is meat,' said Gunasekera.
Dilhani Wathsala, 14, eating lunch cooked by Gunasekera, her mother. 'Before the economic crisis, we ate well and we served meat or fish to our kids at least three or four times a week. Now fish is out of the reach of our family and so is meat,' said Gunasekera.
'We had a good business at our kiosk,' said food kiosk owner Chandra Thushari Peiris, 42. 'Since we used to eat the leftovers from our kiosk we didn't have any problem with food.'
'We had a good business at our kiosk,' said food kiosk owner Chandra Thushari Peiris, 42. 'Since we used to eat the leftovers from our kiosk we didn't have any problem with food.'
'But during the pandemic, and more so the present economic crisis, we didn't get any customers. Although we want to restart we don't have any capital,' Ms Peiris said.
'But during the pandemic, and more so the present economic crisis, we didn't get any customers. Although we want to restart we don't have any capital,' Ms Peiris said.
'Our water and electricity supplies were disconnected during the Covid-19 crisis but still we had food,' said road sweeper W.M. Irangani, 58, 'but this is far, far worse,' she said.
'Our water and electricity supplies were disconnected during the Covid-19 crisis but still we had food,' said road sweeper W.M. Irangani, 58, 'but this is far, far worse,' she said.
Ms Irangani added: 'I am scared to borrow as I have no way of repaying. Already I am in huge debt. I only pray that this economic crisis improves for all and we have enough food to eat.'
Ms Irangani added: 'I am scared to borrow as I have no way of repaying. Already I am in huge debt. I only pray that this economic crisis improves for all and we have enough food to eat.'
Oshada Fernando, 11, plays with a kite his uncle made for him. 'With the economic crisis we haven't bought any toys for our son,' said his mother, 42-year-old Anusha Priyadarshini.
Oshada Fernando, 11, plays with a kite his uncle made for him. 'With the economic crisis we haven't bought any toys for our son,' said his mother, 42-year-old Anusha Priyadarshini.
'Just a couple of months back some robbers broke into our house and stole the small gas cylinder and the cooker we had,' said Vidyathipathige Nihal, 62.
'Just a couple of months back some robbers broke into our house and stole the small gas cylinder and the cooker we had,' said Vidyathipathige Nihal, 62.
Mr Nihal, holding two small bags of chickpeas and rice, the only grain his family currently has, is now forced to cook with firewood.
Mr Nihal, holding two small bags of chickpeas and rice, the only grain his family currently has, is now forced to cook with firewood.
'I joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1989, and in 1992 I lost my leg to a land mine,' said retired soldier Saman Priyantha, 51.
'I joined the Sri Lanka Army in 1989, and in 1992 I lost my leg to a land mine,' said retired soldier Saman Priyantha, 51.
Mr Priantha said he is receiving a pension but it is not enough to feed and look after his family of five.
Mr Priantha said he is receiving a pension but it is not enough to feed and look after his family of five.
"I am a heart patient and have to take medicine every day," said Manel Peiris, 68. "Hospitals used to issue medicine for three months. But ... hospitals don't have medicine and so we are asked to buy from pharmacies."
"I am a heart patient and have to take medicine every day," said Manel Peiris, 68. "Hospitals used to issue medicine for three months. But ... hospitals don't have medicine and so we are asked to buy from pharmacies."
She said that sometimes her husband has to borrow or get an advance from his workplace to buy the medicine.
She said that sometimes her husband has to borrow or get an advance from his workplace to buy the medicine.
'For the last two years, I have sewn clothes for a kids' clothing shop,' said K.P.R. Priyadarshani, 54, who lives with her 16-year-old son Ramika Lakdin.
'For the last two years, I have sewn clothes for a kids' clothing shop,' said K.P.R. Priyadarshani, 54, who lives with her 16-year-old son Ramika Lakdin.
Ms Priyadarshani said that with the onset of the economic crisis, people don't have money to buy food, let alone clothes.
Ms Priyadarshani said that with the onset of the economic crisis, people don't have money to buy food, let alone clothes.
Sivaraja Sanjeewan, 31, takes a bath at a public well at Wanathamulla, Colombo.
Sivaraja Sanjeewan, 31, takes a bath at a public well at Wanathamulla, Colombo.
Auto rickshaw driver Mr Sanjeewan said: 'We have a tap water connection but it's very difficult to pay water and electricity bills in addition to the rising costs of food. So now I bathe in a public well more often to save money."
Auto rickshaw driver Mr Sanjeewan said: 'We have a tap water connection but it's very difficult to pay water and electricity bills in addition to the rising costs of food. So now I bathe in a public well more often to save money."
As desperation grows, the government is seeking a multi-billion-dollar bailout in talks with the IMF, but major financial assistance is still months away, so few Sri Lankans are expecting to see light at the end of the tunnel soon.
As desperation grows, the government is seeking a multi-billion-dollar bailout in talks with the IMF, but major financial assistance is still months away, so few Sri Lankans are expecting to see light at the end of the tunnel soon.

World

Mothers starve as crisis pushes more Sri Lankans into poverty — in pictures

Hit hard by the pandemic, rising prices and economic mismanagement, the nation is in the throes of its starkest crisis since independence

The National

August 30, 2022

  • English
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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

European arms

Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons.  Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.

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Tomorrow 2021
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Titanium Escrow profile

Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue  
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family

65
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More on animal trafficking
Results:

Men's wheelchair 800m T34: 1. Walid Ktila (TUN) 1.44.79; 2. Mohammed Al Hammadi (UAE) 1.45.88; 3. Isaac Towers (GBR) 1.46.46.

While you're here
Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

In the Restaurant: Society in Four Courses
Christoph Ribbat
Translated by Jamie Searle Romanelli
Pushkin Press 

Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Ukraine

Capital: Kiev

Population: 44.13 million

Armed conflict in Donbass

Russia-backed fighters control territory

Punchy appearance

Roars of support buoyed Mr Johnson in an extremely confident and combative appearance

ICC men's cricketer of the year

2004 - Rahul Dravid (IND) ; 2005 - Jacques Kallis (SA) and Andrew Flintoff (ENG); 2006 - Ricky Ponting (AUS); 2007 - Ricky Ponting; 2008 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); 2009 - Mitchell Johnson (AUS); 2010 - Sachin Tendulkar (IND); 2011 - Jonathan Trott (ENG); 2012 - Kumar Sangakkara (SL); 2013 - Michael Clarke (AUS); 2014 - Mitchell Johnson; 2015 - Steve Smith (AUS); 2016 - Ravichandran Ashwin (IND); 2017 - Virat Kohli (IND); 2018 - Virat Kohli; 2019 - Ben Stokes (ENG); 2021 - Shaheen Afridi

RESULTS

6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)

6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill

7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby

7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer

8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill

8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass

9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

Company profile

Company: Eighty6 

Date started: October 2021 

Founders: Abdul Kader Saadi and Anwar Nusseibeh 

Based: Dubai, UAE 

Sector: Hospitality 

Size: 25 employees 

Funding stage: Pre-series A 

Investment: $1 million 

Investors: Seed funding, angel investors  

Top Hundred overseas picks

London Spirit: Kieron Pollard, Riley Meredith 

Welsh Fire: Adam Zampa, David Miller, Naseem Shah 

Manchester Originals: Andre Russell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Sean Abbott

Northern Superchargers: Dwayne Bravo, Wahab Riaz

Oval Invincibles: Sunil Narine, Rilee Rossouw

Trent Rockets: Colin Munro

Birmingham Phoenix: Matthew Wade, Kane Richardson

Southern Brave: Quinton de Kock

The five pillars of Islam
COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Cofe

Year started: 2018

Based: UAE

Employees: 80-100

Amount raised: $13m

Investors: KISP ventures, Cedar Mundi, Towell Holding International, Takamul Capital, Dividend Gate Capital, Nizar AlNusif Sons Holding, Arab Investment Company and Al Imtiaz Investment Group 

Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder

Started: October 2021

Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Industry: technology, logistics

Investors: A15 and self-funded 

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Updated: August 30, 2022, 9:12 AM`
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