By Saman Indrajith President Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday told Parliament that the government was planning to exempt items such as books, school equipment, health equipment, and medicine from VAT. Making a special statement in the House, the President said: “By 2022, the country was slated to repay approximately US$6 billion in foreign debt annually, amounting to […]

Under the leadership of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, bilateral summits and discussions at political and official levels have increased, further strengthening the bond between the two nations. On Sept 6 in 2022, Indian PM Narendra Modi and Sheikh Hasina signed several significant agreements further strengthening the bilateral relationship between […]

Across South Asia, an ominous great game is unfolding. China is battling for regional influence, with smaller buffer states caught in the middle as pawns. Far from peaceful rise, China’s tactics reveal a belligerent dragon pulling neighbors ever tighter into its orbit through debt-trap diplomacy, data colonialism and brazen political interference – a 21st century […]

As Pakistan grapples with the aftermath of controversial elections, political chaos is threatening to cloud its $3bn deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which analysts say is key to the country’s economic stability. On Thursday, the global lender said Pakistan’s interim government had “maintained” economic stability. The IMF’s communications chief, Julie Kozack, said the […]

Across South Asia, an ominous great game is unfolding. China is battling for regional influence, with smaller buffer states caught in the middle as pawns. Far from peaceful rise, China’s tactics reveal a belligerent dragon pulling neighbors ever tighter into its orbit through debt-trap diplomacy, data colonialism and brazen political interference – a 21st century […]

China’s MSS counters ISI to take control of Gilgit Baltistan. Both Gilgit Baltistan and Balochistan are currently the most unstable regions due to human rights violations by Pakistan and are witnessing protests which makes them an ideal location for the Left Wing whom China is harnessing. The Chinese objective is to use the left-organised movements […]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Parliamenty yesterday he was aware that Value Added Tax (VAT) was a burden on the public. He said it would be possible to reduce VAT with the passage of time. Delivering the government policy statement at the commencement of the new session of Parliament, the President said: “The prior scarcity […]

Urges unity over deep political divisions for effective crisis management Says ‘intricate’ foreign debt restructuring will take up to six months Invites Opposition to confer with institutions that foster international financial stability by Sanath Nanayakkare As government revenue increases, measures will be taken to increase benefits for the people accordingly, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said...

Inaugurating the 5th session of the 9th Parliament of Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe called upon all lawmakers to collaborate in nation building  even though they would be contesting elections separately. “From ancient times to the present day, our world has encountered a myriad of crises, spanning nations and personal lives alike. While some crises […]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe extended an invitation to all political party leaders in the Parliament to engage in discussions with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the implementation of the agreement with the IMF. Emphasizing the importance of unity in leading the country to success, he reiterated that withdrawing from the agreement […]

Pakistan is currently suffering from political instability and uncertainty which has increased the political environment and polarization. Unfortunately, this has resulted in attacks on media protection and press freedom in the country. Political polarization and uncertainty affect media protection in Pakistan. State-level media bans continue unabated. The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Auth...

by Dr Amali Wedagedara In Sri Lanka, public policy lost in the neoliberal haze treats the market as a cure for all ills. Not only is the market omnipresent, but it is also omniscient and omnipotent. The charm of the ‘market’ that research and advocacy lobbyists are creating is so alluring that only a few […]

By Saman Indrajith Forty-eight-year-old Batticaloa District MP Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, popularly known as Pillayan, has been shaping the Eastern Province’s political narrative since he was a teenager. He was just 16-years old when he joined the LTTE in 1990 as a child soldier. Since then, he continued to rise in the ranks of the LTTE until […]

A new year has dawned, and a nightmare is unfolding for the public. It is a case of the people’s worst fears being realised. The implementation of the enhanced VAT (Value Added Tax) regime has had the same effect as a dam burst, in a manner of speaking. People are struggling to keep their heads […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando Even after imposing 18 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) on fuel with effect from January 1, the government continued to charge Rs 50 on a litre of both petrol and diesel purportedly to recover losses incurred by the highly corrupt state owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC