நிதி உதவி வழங்க !
UPI ID : enb@axis.com
UPI ID : enb@axis.com
As IMF decision looms: Fuel subsidy on the line24 Mar 2026 | BY Buddhika SamaraweeraGovt warns subsidies may end as early as 1 May without approvalRs. 20 b monthly burden could be transferred to consumersMiddle East tensions add uncertainty to fuel pricing decisionsFuel prices could rise further in the coming weeks, with the Government warning it may be left with no choice but to pass on subsidy costs to consumers if it fails to secure International Monetary Fund (IMF) approval to continue the current pricing arrangement.Speaking to The Daily Morning yesterday (23), Ministry Secretary Prof. Udayanga Hemapala said the Government will, for now, continue to absorb part of the fuel cost, amounting to Rs. 100 per litre of diesel and Rs. 20 per litre of petrol, until 1 May. However, he stressed that any extension beyond that date hinges on both developments in the Middle East and IMF approval.“If the situation in the Middle East continues and we receive IMF approval, we can continue this. If the IMF does not grant approval, we cannot continue it. In that case, we will have to add that portion to the fuel prices,” he said.When asked about a timeline for the IMF’s decision, Prof. Hemapala said an IMF delegation is expected to visit Sri Lanka in the coming days, during which the Government hopes to receive clarity on the matter.Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said on 22 March that the Government is currently absorbing approximately Rs. 20 billion per month to cushion the impact of fuel costs on consumers. This includes Rs. 100 per litre of diesel and Rs. 20 per litre of petrol. He warned that if the State were to bear the full cost of fuel imports, it would result in an additional annual expenditure of around US Dollars 1.5 billion, placing significant strain on both the fuel sector and the broader economy.Meanwhile, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation revised fuel prices with effect from midnight on 21 March, the latest in a series of increases in recent weeks. Under the new pricing, 92 Octane petrol rose by Rs. 75 to Rs. 375 per litre, while 95 Octane petrol increased by Rs. 95 to Rs. 450 per litre. Auto diesel was raised by Rs. 75 to Rs. 350 per litre, and Super Diesel by Rs. 80 to Rs. 420 per litre.
US expected to send thousands more soldiers to Middle East, sources sayBy Idrees Ali and Phil StewartMarch 24, 2026SummaryDeployment latest sign of continued U.S. military buildup despite possible talksTrump administration considering operations inside Iranian territory, sources sayPublic support for U.S. strikes on Iran remains low, poll showsWASHINGTON, March 24 (Reuters) - The Pentagon is expected to send thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army's elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday, adding to a massive U.S. military buildup even as President Donald Trump talks about a possible deal with Tehran to end the war.Reuters first reported on March 18 that Trump's administration was considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops, a move that would expand options to include deployment of forces inside Iranian territory. Such an escalation could dramatically raise the stakes in the conflict, which is already in its fourth week and has roiled global markets.The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not specify where in the Middle East the troops would go or when they would arrive in the region. The soldiers are stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.The U.S. military referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.No decision had been made to send troops into Iran itself, one of the sources told Reuters, but they will build up capacity for potential future operations in the region.One of the sources said the Pentagon was set to send between 3,000 and 4,000 soldiers.The soldiers' deployment follows Reuters' March 20 report about the U.S. decision to send thousands of Marines and sailors aboard the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship, along with its Marine Expeditionary Unit and accompanying warships to the Middle East.Prior to the additional forces being sent to the region, there were 50,000 U.S. troops there.News of reinforcements comes just a day after Trump postponed threats to bomb Iranian power plants, saying there had been "productive" talks with Iran.But after Trump's Truth Social comment on Monday, Iran denied that any talks had been held.TRUMP WEIGHS NEXT STEPSSources had previously said the U.S. military was looking at options in the Iran war including securing the Strait of Hormuz, potentially by deploying U.S. forces to Iran's shoreline.The Trump administration has also discussed options to send ground forces to Iran's Kharg Island, the hub for 90% of Iran's oil exports, Reuters has reported.The 82nd Airborne Division, which can deploy within 18 hours of receiving orders, specializes in carrying out parachute assaults.Any use of U.S. ground troops - even for a limited mission - could pose significant political risks for Trump, given low American public support for the Iran campaign and Trump's own pre-election promises to avoid entangling the U.S. in new Middle East conflicts.A Reuters/Ipsos poll published on Tuesday found that 35% of Americans approve of the U.S. strikes on Iran, down from 37% in a survey conducted last week. Some 61% disapproved of the strikes, compared to 59% last week.The U.S. has carried out strikes against 9,000 targets inside Iran since U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran started on February 28.Reporting by Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart; Editing by Cynthia Osterman
மோடி-இஸ்ரேல் ENB சுவரொட்டிபோலிச்சுதந்திரம் ENB சுவரொட்டி
