On 19 April, Indians will begin choosing a new parliament for the next five years, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a third consecutive term. Opinion polls put his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies ahead. They are up against the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (India), which groups more than two dozen opposition […]

by Sanath Nanayakkare Five million undecided voters are waiting to hear the economic policies of the presidential candidates who will be running for President in October 2024, Member of Parliament Dr. Charitha Herath of Nidahas Janatha Sabawa (Freedom People’s Congress) told the media yesterday. Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka sometime […]

By Lasanda Kurukulasuriya Since their visit to India at the invitation of the Indian government in February, leaders of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna-led National People’s Power coalition have become the poster-boys and girls of a complicated Sri Lankan political landscape, in a pre-election period. The once-marginal parliamentary group’s leader is now viewed as a potential […]

NPP/JVP pushes for one-to-one, SJB prefers team debate President Ranil Wickremesinghe has directed his Chief of Staff and National Security Advisor, Sagala Ratnayake, to ensure that ITN would live telecast the Sajith Premadasa – Anura Kumara Dissanayake debate on the economic policies of their parties. Political sources said that while the SJB had preferred a […]

By Sanath Nanayakkare Minister of State for Finance Shehan Semasinghe said on Monday that the government is aware of the low deposit interest rate senior citizens are earning on their savings as the policy rates are taking a downward trajectory amid declining inflation and expanded economic activity. He, however, said that interest rate relief cannot […]

Six people, including a mother, her four young children, and a family acquaintance, were killed inside a townhouse in the south Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven, late Wednesday night. During a media briefing Thursday afternoon, Ottawa police Chief Eric Stubbs said there were initially two calls to 911 around 10:52 p.m. Wednesday. He said first responders […]

The Nelum Pokuna Theater in Colombo hosted the launching ceremony of the “Press Vs. Prez” book today (07), with President Ranil Wickremesinghe presiding over the event. Addressing the gathering President Ranil Wickremesinghe further commented: “It must be noted that this collection of cartoons is in line with a longstanding tradition. I recall visiting former President […]

By Rathindra Kuruwita A National People’s Power (NPP) administration will not do anything that will undermine Indian security, but it will maintain economic and political relations with China, the NPP delegation to India told Indian officials, JVP/NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in an interview with Sirasa TV, on Thursday (15). In his first interview […]

The death on Thursday of State Minister Sanath Nishantha on the Katunayake expressway when his luxury sports utility vehicle (SUV) crashed headlong into the back of a container carrier in the early hours of the morning generated the predictable publicity in the evening news bulletins of the various television stations and Friday’s newspapers. What caused […]

… USD 5 mn paid to Iran a month By Shamindra Ferdinando Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has confirmed that consumers of petrol and diesel have been made to pay Rs. 50 to Rs. 55 per litre since the middle of last year to settle what the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) owed its creditors. […]

President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent disclosure that Sri Lanka intended joining the United States-led Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) in the Red Sea has triggered the inevitable response: Why are we fighting other people’s wars? Wickremesinghe, more than most, is acutely aware of the permutations and combinations of this equation both in the context of domestic politics […]

… admits CEB-owned hydropower plant benefited from Samanalawewa leak By Shamindra Ferdinando Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera has disclosed that cash-strapped Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) arranged for bank loans to its employees at government’s expense. The SLPPer said that of the 15%-16% interest, the CEB paid 2/3 whereas the workers paid the balance. Minister […]