Current Affairs-Topics

Anura Kumara Dissanayake: New President of Sri Lanka

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, 55, was sworn in as Sri Lanka's 9th President on September 23, 2024. He won a historic second round of counting, defeating incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa.

Election Results and Inauguration

  • Anura Kumara Dissanayake, 55, sworn in as Sri Lanka's 9th President on September 23, 2024
  • Won in a historic second round of counting, a first for Sri Lankan presidential elections
  • Defeated incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe and opposition leader Sajith Premadasa
  • Secured victory with 42.31% in the first round, winning the second round with transferred votes
  • Inauguration held at the Presidential Secretariat, sworn in by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya
  • Pledged to protect and uphold democracy, acknowledging the challenging times ahead

Political Background and Campaign Promises

  • Leader of the Marxist-leaning Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) party
  • Ran as head of the National People's Power coalition
  • JVP has a controversial history, including armed insurrections in the 1970s and 1980s
  • Rose to prominence during the 2022 "Aragalaya" (The Struggle) protests against the Rajapaksa regime
  • Campaign focused on anti-corruption measures, increased welfare, and tax cuts
  • Promised to address economic crisis and ease austerity measures imposed by previous government
  • Vowed to create a "cleaner" political culture and commit to change

Economic Context and Challenges

  • Sri Lanka emerging from its worst economic crisis in over seven decades
  • Crisis led to shortages of essentials like food, medicine, and fuel in 2022
  • Previous government negotiated an IMF bailout package, imposing austerity measures
  • Dissanayake faces challenge of balancing campaign promises with IMF agreement
  • Must address high taxes and reduced welfare expenditures affecting poor and middle class
  • Pledged to dissolve parliament, where his party holds only 3 of 225 seats

International Relations and Reactions

  • Received congratulations from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
  • Expressed commitment to strengthening ties with India for regional benefit
  • Chinese President Xi Jinping congratulated Dissanayake, expressing desire to deepen ties
  • Xi hoped for further cooperation under China's Belt and Road initiative
  • U.S. also extended congratulations to the new president
  • Dissanayake's presidency marks a shift from traditional political dynasties in Sri Lanka

More Related Articles

First G7 Nation to Recognize Palestine

The announcement that France recognizes Palestine in September 2025 has marked a historic moment in global diplomacy. This is the first G7 country recognition of the State of Palestine, signaling

Thai F‑16 Border Conflict & History

The Thai F‑16 border conflict became a significant international issue in July 2025, drawing global attention due to escalating military strikes, territorial disputes, and diplomatic tensions be

EU & G7 Lower Russia Oil Price Cap

The Russia oil price cap is once again dominating headlines as the European Union (EU) announced its 18th package of sanctions against Russia. These measures are specifically designed to reduce Ru

Yarlung Zangbo Dam Project of China

The Yarlung Zangbo Dam Project is one of the most significant international developments in recent times. Positioned on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, this Chinese dam project is set to

Solar Corona Heating Mystery 2025

One of the most baffling and long-standing questions in astrophysics is the Solar corona heating mystery – Why is the solar corona millions of degrees hotter than the Sun’s surface? NA

SAFE Strategy WHO for Disease Control

In July 2025, Senegal achieved a major public health milestone when the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the country free of trachoma as a public health problem. This developmen

UK General Election 2029 Changes

The UK general election 2029 changes have introduced a series of significant reforms to the UK’s electoral system. These reforms aim to increase youth participation, modernise the voting sys

Ukraine's New Prime Minister 2025

In a major political development, Yuliia Svyrydenko has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of 2025, replacing Denys Shmyhal. This strategic shift, initiated by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,

WHO Treatment Protocol for Zika Virus 2025

In July 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) released its first-ever unified clinical guidelines for managing arboviral diseases, including Zika virus, dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever.

Khmer Rouge Genocide in Cambodia

In a landmark decision on July 11, 2025, UNESCO officially recognized three sites linked to the Khmer Rouge genocide history as World Heritage Sites. This inclusion occurred during the 47th Se

Toppers

anil kumar
Akshay kuamr
geeta kumari
shubham