A handout photo made available by the Sri Lankan president's media division shows Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe (L) speaking during the 2024 budget presentation at the Parliamentary complex in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 13 November 2023. (Photo by Sri Lankan President Media Division/EPA)





A devotee worships at a religious ceremony during the Diwali festival at Ponnambalavaneshwaram Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 12, 2023. (Photo by Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters)





A devotee prepares to place oil lamps at a religious ceremony during the Diwali festival at Ponnambalavaneshwaram Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 12, 2023. (Photo by Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters)





Hindu devotees attend Diwali prayers at a Hindu temple on November 12, 2023, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Deepavali, or Diwali, is an ancient festival celebrated annually by Hindus in the autumn. It signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. The festival lasts for a period of five days, of which the main festival night of Diwali falls on the darkest night of the new moon during the Hindu Lunisolar month of Kartik. This usually happens between mid-October and mid-November each year. The main day of the festival of Diwali (the day of Lakshmi Puja) is an official holiday in Fiji, Guyana, India, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. (Photo by Thilina Kaluthotage/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)





Devotees walk with oil lamps at a religious ceremony during the Diwali festival at Ponnambalavaneshwaram Hindu temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 12, 2023. (Photo by Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters)





A Hindu devotee offers prayers during the celebrations to mark Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, at a temple in Colombo on November 12, 2023. (Photo by Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP Photo)





A devotee lights an oil lamp while offering prayers during the celebrations to mark Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, at a temple in Colombo on November 12, 2023. (Photo by Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP Photo)





Devotees offer prayers during the celebrations to mark Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, at a temple in Colombo on November 12, 2023. (Photo by Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP Photo)





A cat sleeps next to red onions with a price board at a stall at a main market, on the day President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the island nation's finance minister, presents the annual budget in Colombo, Sri Lanka on November 13, 2023. (Photo by Dinuka Liyanawatte/Reuters)





A roadside vendor sells vegetables at a market place in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, December 8, 2023. The Asian Development Bank said Friday that it has approved $200-million concessional loan to debt-stricken Sri Lanka to help stabilize the country’s finance sector following an unprecedented economic crisis that engulfed the Indian Ocean island nation last year. (Photo by Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo)





Vendors wait for customers at a vegetable market in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Wednesday, December 13, 2023. The International Monetary Fund executive board has approved the release of $ 337 million second tranche of a bailout package to help Sri Lanka recover from its worst economic crisis. (Photo by Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo)





An elephant is walking on the island amidst a lot of birds in Parakrama Lake, in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka, on January 13, 2024. In the heart of Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka, there is a small island within the tranquil expanse of Parakrama Lake. This sanctuary, dating back to 386 AD, has become an unexpected haven for a group of wild elephants escaping the crisis gripping their homeland. Originating from a nearby reserve, these majestic creatures are embarking on a remarkable journey, swimming 2 kilometers across the lake to reach the safety and abundance of the island. The Parakrama Lake, a network of interconnected reservoirs, is offering not only pure water but also a wealth of food, creating an idyllic refuge for these elephants amidst the challenges faced by their species. Facing an alarming crisis in Sri Lanka, where 433 elephants lost their lives in 2022 and 474 in 2023, the island is serving as a beacon of hope. The fishermen, recognizing the vulnerability of these gentle giants, are standing as guardians, ensuring their safe passage and protection from harm. While the island is providing a lifeline for the elephants, it is also hosting a vibrant community of thousands of birds, creating a delicate balance between species in this unique ecosystem. Amidst the somber statistics of elephant deaths, this tale is unfolding as a testament to the resilience of nature and the coexistence between man and wildlife, offering a glimpse into a world where harmony prevails against the backdrop of crisis. (Photo by Thilina Kaluthotage/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)





A toque macaque is eating flowers in the water at the pilgrimage site in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka, on January 13, 2024. The toque macaque (Macaca sinica), a reddish-brown-colored Old World monkey, is endemic to Sri Lanka, where it is known as the rilewa or rilawa. It is named for the whorl of hair at the crown of its head, which resembles a brimless toque cap. (Photo by Thilina Kaluthotage/NurPhoto/Rex Features/Shutterstock)





Sri Lankan police officers detain and question a suspected drug offender during a search operation against narcotics in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, January 18, 2024. (Photo by Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo)





A Sri Lankan police officer enters a house to search for proscribed items during a search operation against narcotics in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Thursday, January 18, 2024. (Photo by Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo)





Sri Lankan social media activists hold placards with slogans against the proposed Online Safety Bill during a protest near the Parliament in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, January 23, 2024. (Photo by Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo)





A blindfolded activist with a rope tied around his wrists and covered with logos of different social media platforms takes part in a protest against the proposed “Online Safety Bill”, near the Parliament in Colombo on January 24, 2024. Sri Lanka's parliament began debating on January 23 a social media regulation bill dubbed "draconian" by the opposition, which could make companies criminally liable for posts authorities deem harmful. (Photo by Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP Photo)





A supporter of Sri Lanka's main opposition holds his shoes in hands as police fire water cannons to disperse them during a protest rally against high taxes and increases in electricity and fuel charges, in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, January 30, 2024. (Photo by Eranga Jayawardena/AP Photo)





Sri Lankan paratroopers entangle during the Independence Day parade rehearsal in Colombo on January 30, 2024, troopers got injured after crashing onto a rooftop of a hotel overlooking the Galle Face sea-front promenade. (Photo by Ishara S. Kodikara/AFP Photo)





Sri Lankan traditional dancers perform during the 76th Independence Day parade in Colombo, Sri Lanka, 04 February 2024. Sri Lanka celebrated the 76th anniversary of independence from British colonial rules on 04 February. Independence Day is also known as the National Day of Sri Lanka. (Photo by Chamila Karunarathne/EPA)