Остров
Путешествие «По Краю»001
Mattala Airport Handed to Russian and Indian Companies
The loss-making Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport was handed to India's Shaurya Aeronautics and Russia's Airport Regions Management Company for 30 years.
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Economy
The island's economy, prices, currency and business climate.
002
McDonald's Closes All 12 Restaurants in Sri Lanka
McDonald's closed all 12 of its Sri Lanka restaurants after a legal dispute with the local franchisee over hygiene violations.
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Carrot prices in Sri Lanka published alongside gold rates
A channel that tracks daily gold prices has started publishing carrot prices — an ironic comment on the vegetable's cost situation on the island.
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Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka in 2023 exceeded forecasts
The 2023 Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority report beat conservative forecasts; experts note the peak season has shifted by about a month.
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Island-wide power outage hits Sri Lanka
A nationwide power outage struck Sri Lanka after lightning hit transformers and a major transmission line failed.
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Litro Gas raises cooking gas cylinder prices
Litro Gas Lanka raised prices for all cylinder sizes: a 12.5-kg cylinder now costs 3,565 rupees — prices changed nine times during the year.
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VAT to rise from 15% to 18% from 1 January 2024
The cabinet approved raising VAT from 15% to 18% and extending the tax to goods and services previously exempt.
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Fuel prices revised from 1 November 2024
From 1 November, prices for 95-octane petrol, diesel, and kerosene rise, while 92-octane petrol becomes cheaper.
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Sri Lanka electricity tariff increase from October 2023
PUCSL announced new electricity tariffs effective October 20, with fixed rates rising by approximately 18% across all consumption categories.
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NITC 2023 conference: Sri Lanka's digital economy
The 41st National IT Conference opened in Colombo, initiated by President Wickremesinghe as part of the country's digital economy programme.
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Monday, October 9: Unistream halts transfers to Sri Lanka
Morning digest with weather and important news: Unistream payment service has stopped money transfers to Sri Lanka.
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Sri Lanka scraps fuel QR codes
Sri Lanka has abolished the fuel QR code rationing system that was introduced in August 2022 at the peak of the fuel crisis.
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Post Bank UnionPay cards temporarily blocked abroad
Post Bank UnionPay cards are temporarily restricted for transactions abroad due to technical reasons — the bank advises withdrawing cash.
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Granny Explains Crypto Wallets to Her Grandchildren
Continuation of the humorous 'granny letters' series: she explains how to store crypto and why the Telegram wallet is the most convenient option.
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Dollar Rises Sharply Against Sri Lankan Rupee
News of a significant dollar rise against the rupee with the current rate and an invitation for economists to comment.
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Granny Explains Crypto to Island Expats
A humorous letter from a 'grandmother' in St Petersburg about the difficulty of sending money to Sri Lanka and her attempts to understand cryptocurrency.
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UnionPay Cards: Which Russian Banks Still Work Abroad
List of six Russian banks issuing UnionPay cards outside the SDN list, plus news of Tinkoff cards being blocked for Sri Lanka from a specific date.
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Fuel Quotas to Increase Next Month
Minister Kanchana Wijesekara announced an increase in fuel quotas and a revised six-month fuel supply plan.
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New Colombo–Jaffna flights and push to adopt Indian rupee
Cinnamon Air has launched regular Colombo–Jaffna flights, and President Wickremesinghe expressed intent to use the Indian rupee alongside the dollar.
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Thai Air Asia resumes Bangkok–Colombo flights
Thai Air Asia has resumed regular Bangkok–Colombo flights: the first flight arrived on July 9 carrying 134 passengers.
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New petrol and cigarette prices, inflation drops 12%
Petrol and cigarette prices rose on the island, which will likely raise tuk-tuk fares, while inflation dropped sharply by 12%.
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Minimum room rates for Sri Lanka hotels from August 2023
The government introduces minimum room rates from August 1, 2023: from $80 for three-star to $130 for five-star hotels.
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World Bank approves $500 million support for Sri Lanka
The World Bank approved the largest budget-support tranche for Sri Lanka since the IMF deal — $500 million in two disbursements.
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Parade of Lankan-Made Vehicles in Colombo
Colombo hosted a parade of over 150 vehicles manufactured in Sri Lanka, including, as it turned out, bicycles.
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Fuel Quotas to Increase from June
Sri Lanka's Minister of Energy announced on Twitter that fuel quotas will be increased starting June 2023.
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Rupee Falls Below 300 Per US Dollar
The Sri Lankan rupee has strengthened, falling below 300 per US dollar according to the Central Bank's data.
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Channel Seeks Best Currency Exchange Service for Rupees
The channel's editorial team invites subscribers to share their currency exchange services for an independent review of rates, convenience, and guarantees.
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What is depicted on Sri Lanka's banknotes
A detailed breakdown of the imagery on Lankan banknotes: birds, butterflies, bridges, power stations, and traditional dancers on denominations from 20 to 100 rupees.
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QR-Code Fuel Quotas Increased for the New Year Season
The Ministry of Energy increased QR-code fuel quotas for the New Year season, with cars and vans now allocated 30 litres each.
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Fuel Station Queues Form as Owners Await Government Price Cut
Queues at Sri Lankan fuel stations are explained by owners delaying fuel orders while awaiting the price cut by April 1 promised by the Energy Minister.
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Sri Lanka's Top 3 Exports: Tea, Brassieres, and Underwear
The morning digest notes that Sri Lanka's top exports are tea (10.4%), brassieres (5.17%), and underwear (5.06%).
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Sri Lanka's agriculture: export share and textiles
From the morning digest: as of 2008, agriculture accounts for 20% of exports and textiles for 63%; WTO clothing quotas were lifted in 2005, benefiting China.
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IMF approves $2.9 billion aid package for Sri Lanka
The IMF Executive Board approved an Extended Fund Facility program for Sri Lanka worth up to $7 billion to stabilize the economy and attract investors.
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Global oil prices fall — fuel in Sri Lanka may get cheaper
Oil prices hit a 15-month low after US bank collapses, which could lead to lower fuel prices on the island.
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Mass Strikes in Sri Lanka Over Tax Reforms
Sri Lanka faces simultaneous strikes by doctors, railway workers, university lecturers, and air traffic controllers protesting tax reforms.
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Sri Lanka rupee may hit record low by end of 2023
Fitch Solutions forecasts the Sri Lankan rupee weakening to a record 390 per dollar by end of 2023, despite hopes for an IMF programme.
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Sharp rupee appreciation: exchange rate drops to 330-340 per dollar
The Sri Lankan rupee sharply appreciated to 330-340 per dollar, linked to IMF loan conditions, interest rate changes and the approaching Sinhala New Year.
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Sri Lanka met its tourism target for February
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando announced that over 100,000 tourists visited the island in February, meeting the optimistic forecast.
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QR Codes at Sri Lanka Fuel Stations Being Phased Out from April 10
From April 10, the QR code system at Sri Lanka's fuel stations introduced during the fuel crisis is being phased out.
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Sri Lanka to Scrap Fuel QR Codes Within 3-4 Months
Energy Minister Kanchana announced the fuel QR-code system will be scrapped within three to four months once the supply chain is reorganised.
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Power cuts ended: electricity tariff to rise by 66%
The Energy Minister announced an end to power cuts from February 16 following a tariff revision — an increase of 66%.
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Exchange pause: when your currency changer runs out of cash
The humorous term 'exchange pause' describes when your money changer has no cash, with a tip for the best exchange rate.
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Colombo — the economic heart of Sri Lanka
Colombo as the region’s business centre: the stock exchange, corporate headquarters and investment.
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