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JVP inspires calls for protests against rising cost of living

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4 years ago

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By Saman Indrajith

The JVP yesterday called on people to take to the streets against the government that cannot control market prices of essential items.

Addressing a press conference held at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, the party’s national organiser and former MP Bimal Ratnayake said that yesterday’s fuel price hike was unjust and it would result in further increases in prices of all goods and services in the coming days, sending the pandemic-hit economy from the frying pan into the fire.

“This is the highest ever price hike in fuel in the country’s history. As per an announcement by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Octane 92 petrol price has been increased by Rs 20, Octane 95 by Rs 23, diesel by Rs 10, Super diesel by Rs15 and kerosene by Rs 10. The reason for the price revision has been attributed to the world market price change of fuel. It cannot be accepted. There had been many previous occasions when the world market price of fuel increased more than this. In 2013 the price of a barrel of oil was at USD 97. For years the price was at USD 100 a barrel. There had been some increase in price in the world market but following the spread of the Omicron variant there were travel limitations in Europe and price of fuel decreased. There is a presumption that the price of an oil barrel would be around USD 60 owing to the Omicron effect.  Then the truth is that the government jacked up fuel prices at a time when the world market prices are going down.

“The CPC and Petroleum minister have become puppets of the ruling cabal. Discussion for fuel price increase started by the government on Dec 13 soon after the budget. Yet Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa did not allow the prices to increase while he was still in the country. He wanted to show that the price increases took place in his absence. His intention was to apportion the blame on the petroleum minister and the acting finance minister. Yet the truth has come out and now it is a known fact that the CPC increased the prices last night on a directive from the Finance Ministry.  It is clear that the finance minister plotted to place the blame on others. This is a well-known tactic of Rajapaksa family. The rest of the ministers are used by them as puppets.

“Government spokesman Minister Dullas Alahapperuma says that the fuel prices were increased to save the foreign exchange reserves. We cannot understand how the government could save dollars by increasing the fuel prices in the local market. The government could have instead asked people to stay at home to save fuel.

“Bakery owners are planning to increase the prices of their products. Three wheel operators say that they would increase their starting price per km from Rs 30 to Rs 80. Bus owners demand to increase the minimum fee to Rs 25. Likewise, the prices of various services and goods would go up in the coming days. The government has lost control of prices and the market. There are shortages of various items. The standards of available consumables are questionable. Traders fleece consumers at will. While the government is fleecing people it has let several big-time companies fleece money from the people. People can identify those companies because it was they who recorded unprecedented profits in the third quarter of this year. Some banks recorded 312 percent profit in the said period. There are two main companies running supermarket chains. One says it received a Rs 3,500 million profit after tax and the other has raked in Rs 1,387 million profit in the third quarter. These profits came at a time when the economy was down. They have earned profits by increasing the prices at their will. Rice prices in the market are decided by the millers. The government has lost control of the prices in the market. We call on people to raise their voice and stand with us against this government”, Ratnayake said.


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Heat Index at ‘Caution level’ in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts

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2 hours ago

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2026/03/26

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Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of  Meteorology
at 3.30 p.m. on 25 March 2026, valid for 26 March 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and North-western provinces and in
Anuradhapura, Mannar, Vavuniya and Monaragala districts.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry
of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

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US dodges question on AKD’s claim SL denied permission for military aircraft to land

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2 hours ago

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2026/03/26

By

President

By Shamindra Ferdinando

A spokesperson for the US Embassy in Colombo declared that the United States and Sri Lanka maintain a long-standing defence partnership, grounded in transparency, mutual respect, and shared interests.

The official said so in response to The Island query regarding President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s recent bombshell disclosure, in Parliament, that his government declined to allow the US Air Force to use the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport, following the eruption of the latest West Asia war.

We sought views of the US on President Dissanayake’s claim against the backdrop of Sri Lanka being a party to the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) since 2007. Sri Lanka extended the ACSA in 2017, for another 10-year period, and its extension comes up next year.

The President revealed that the US had requested permission to use Mattala, between 04 and 08 March.

Claiming that the request had been made on 26 February, two days before the war began, President Dissanayake said that the US had sought to land two aircraft, carrying eight anti-ship missiles, but that the request had been turned down to maintain Sri Lanka’s neutrality. The President revealed that the aircraft were to come from a US base in Djibouti.

The US embassy pokesperson explained that questions related to operational movements, including ‘Operation Epic Fury’, should be directed to the Department of War (DOW) in Washington.

Camp Lemonnier is the primary base of operations for US Africa Command in the Horn of Africa. China, too, has its only overseas military base in Djibouti in the vicinity.

Military sources said whatever various interested parties said about US-Sri Lanka relations, the former provided significant intelligence support during last phase of the conflict that enabled the Navy to hunt down floating LTTE arsenals in international waters. Of the eight LTTE vessels sunk, the US backed four hits with specific intelligence, sources said.

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No decrease in remittances from workers due to Gulf conflict, but significant drop in tourist arrivals – CB Governor

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2 hours ago

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2026/03/26

By

CBSL Governor

Sri Lanka’s worker remittances had not seen a decrease despite the ongoing conflict in West Asia, Central Bank (CBSL) Governor, Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe said yesterday.

“Based on currently available data, they have not seen a decline in remittances. In fact, according to that we have observed, is a slight increase in remittances in the past few days, ” the Governor said at a media conference held at the Central Bank head office in Colombo.

Governor Weerasinghe also mentioned that he had not seen any reports about Sri Lankans returning to the country from the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict.

The Central Bank Governor, however, acknowledged that there had been a decrease in tourist arrivals. He confirmed that tourist arrivals had decreased by around 17 percent due to the current volatile situation in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka has decided to maintain the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) at the current level of 7.75%, following its latest Monetary Policy Board meeting.

By Hiran H Senewiratne

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