by Harim Peiris As we approach the end of 2023 and with about a year to go for the next presidential election due before end 2024, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s frequent refrain and indeed the rationale for his administration is the revival of the national economy after it was spectacularly destroyed by his predecessor’s administration, ironically […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee (SOC) on National Security, Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera yesterday (05) said that over a year after the killing of eight persons, including SLPP MP Amarakeerthi Atukorale and his police bodyguard and destruction of approximately 150 private properties the government was yet to conduct a proper […]

Tuesday 5th December, 2023 The government is going hell for leather to boost its revenue at the behest of the IMF, and the public is desperate for economic relief. Taxes and tariffs have gone through the roof. Fuel prices are jacked up by copious amounts, but price decreases come in dribs and drabs

By Rathindra Kuruwita The petroleum sector unions warn that fuel prices will rise by around 11 percent from 01 January 2014 due to 18% VAT. Dr. Ashoka Ranwala, President of the General Employees’ Union of Petroleum Corporation, said previously petrol, diesel and coal had been exempted from VAT

By Rathindra Kuruwita The government has to reduce diesel price at least by another Rs. 20 if bus fares are to be lowered, private bus owners’ associations have said. They have claimed they can’t reduce bus fares although the price of a litre of diesel has been reduced by Rs 27. General Secretary of the All Ceylon Private Bus Owners’ […]

What has been widely described as the “historic” Supreme Court judgment which by a majority 4-1 decision of a five-judge bench held the Rajapaksa brothers, Mahinda, Gotabaya and Basil and other unelected officials including two past Governors of the Central Bank, a former Secretary to the President, a former Treasury Secretary and some members of […]

Heavy fighting has broken out across the Gaza Strip, as the Israeli military resumed combat operations against Hamas after efforts to extend the truce failed. The resumption of hostilities came at about 7am local time (05:00 GMT) on Friday, as the deadline for the end of the week-long pause passed. Israeli air strikes have been […]

OPEC+ producers have agreed to voluntary oil output cuts for the first quarter next year in an attempt to boost the market, but crude prices fell after the move. Saudi Arabia, Russia and other members of OPEC+, who pump more than 40 percent of the world’s oil, met online on Thursday and issued a statement […]

Bus fares will not be revised despite the fuel price reduction, the National Transport Commission (NTC) says.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has revised its fuel prices with effect from midnight today (Nov. 30).

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has revised its fuel prices with effect from midnight today (30). The revised prices per liter are • Petrol 92 Octane – Rs. 346 (reduced by Rs. 10) • Petrol Octane 95 – Rs. 426 (increased by Rs. 3) • Auto Diesel          – Rs. 329

The Emirati president of the United Nations Climate conference in Dubai has denied reports that he has used his role at the negotiations to pursue fossil fuel deals. A day before the talks are due to begin, Sultan al-Jaber, who also is the CEO of the state-run Abu Dhabi National Oil Co (Adnoc

The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport had incurred a loss of two billion rupees on average between 2017 and 2023, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva told Parliament on Wednesday (29.) “However, the loss has been reduced to about 1.1 billion rupees in 2023,” the Minister said, adding that the airport had […]

Monday 27th November, 2023 The SJB has commenced collecting signatures for a public petition as part of a campaign to have those who are responsible for the current economic crisis stripped of their civic rights. Given public resentment, which is palpable, the SJB may be able to obtain hundreds of thousands of signatures for its […]

By GUWAN SEEYA  First, there was the China Bay airport nominated as a possible alternative to the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). The advantage was that since Sri Lanka was mainly affected by two Monsoons namely the South West and the North East, during that time the opposite coast has generally had good weather. For example, […]

Here’s a quick recap of what has been learned about the hostage release agreement announced by Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari: A pause in fighting will begin at 7am local time on Friday, both north and south of the Gaza Strip 13 hostages will be released at approximately 4pm All those to be released […]