Latest news with #deSilva
News18
30-07-2025
- Automotive
- News18
Sri Lanka customs detains nearly 1,000 Chinese EVs over excise tax dispute
Colombo, Jul 30 (PTI) Nearly 1,000 electric vehicles (EVs) from Chinese manufacturer BYD are being held at Sri Lanka Customs over suspected undervaluation of motor power to reduce excise duty, officials told the parliamentary oversight committee on Wednesday. The vehicles, imported by John Keells Group, the official BYD agent in Sri Lanka, are under investigation for allegedly declaring motor power as 100 kilowatts (kW), whereas the actual power output is reportedly 150 kW. The misdeclaration could result in a significant tax difference — 1.4 million Sri Lankan rupees in duty for 100 kW versus 5.4 million Sri Lankan rupees for 150 kW. Speaking before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), its chairman Harsha de Silva called for independent verification by an internationally accredited agency. 'This is an issue between two countries", de Silva said and referenced a 2022 dispute in which China rejected Sri Lanka's quality testing of what it alleged was a contaminated fertiliser shipment and secured a favourable report from Singapore, forcing Colombo to pay compensation. Customs officials, who had detained the consignment on July 28, attributed delays in the investigation to a lack of support from the John Keells group. In a statement, John Keells Group denied any deliberate misleading of Sri Lanka Customs to lower the excise tax. 'The motor power of these vehicles has been verified through test reports issued by BYD in China and further certified by an independent testing body", the company clarified. The issue comes amid a surge in EV imports after Sri Lanka lifted a five-year ban in February 2025 due to the Covid pandemic, and Sri Lanka's economic crisis on vehicle imports. BYD quickly emerged as a dominant player, capturing nearly 90 per cent of the EV market and over 10 per cent of overall car sales by May, according to industry estimates. PTI CORR SKS NPK NPK view comments First Published: July 30, 2025, 19:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hans India
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Every Test like a knockout in WTC for Sri Lanka, says Dhananjaya de Silva
Colombo: Sri Lanka captain Dhananjaya de Silva hailed the significance of the World Test Championship (WTC) after his side thumped Bangladesh by an innings and 78 runs at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) here to secure their first win of the current cycle. De Silva, reflecting on Sri Lanka's position in the global competition, acknowledged that with his team playing fewer Tests than most, every match takes on the feel of a knockout encounter. 'The WTC is like other World Cups — a lot of matches are like knockouts for us,' de Silva said after the victory. 'We've talked about how we win when we make the fewest mistakes, and we need those wins to get those extra points. In the last cycle, we made a few mistakes, and that's what cost us. Hopefully, we can correct that this cycle.' Sri Lanka, who are currently scheduled to play only a two-match series in this WTC cycle, relies heavily on the 'percentage of points won' system that allows teams with fewer matches to remain in contention for a top-two finish. De Silva underlined how the WTC had changed the mindset of his players. 'It's become a competitive trophy. We've even started thinking about our run rates in light of what's happening. The Championship is a great thing for Test cricket,' he said. 'We saw last time how well South Africa did and how they performed well recently, and they deserved to win it. They hadn't won an ICC trophy, and the Test Championship meant a lot to them. As a country, they can value that highly.' But while Sri Lanka's Test ambitions remain high, their schedule paints a stark picture — the team is not slated to play another Test until May 2026. For their red-ball specialists, this presents a unique challenge. 'We only have domestic matches,' de Silva said. 'Right now there's a One-day tournament, and after that, there will be a three-day tournament. There's also the National Super League. That's how we'll have to keep our form. Unfortunately, there are no Tests. We've made requests to SLC to play more Tests. I think they are talking about it with other teams. Even if we can play three or four extra Tests, we'll be able to continue the good things we're doing.' De Silva also shed light on the team's tactical evolution in the series against Bangladesh. Beyond scoring at a brisk pace, Sri Lanka's bowlers focused on building pressure with more maiden overs — an area the captain said they had specifically targeted. 'Whenever we come into a Test series, we have some key performance indicators,' he explained. 'One of the things we analysed this time was that our maiden percentage needed to be higher. So that's what we planned to do. We have to keep some pressure on the opposition in Tests, in order to get some wickets at the other end. I think our bowlers did that very well.'
The Advertiser
25-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
The cheapest supermarkets revealed and which states have the most exxy groceries
Aldi is the cheapest supermarket for Australians, according to Choice. It found a full basket of 14 items cost $55.35 at Aldi, $58.92 at Woolworths, $59.22 at Coles and $69.74 at IGA. The basket included 10 fresh items and four frozen items. Choice has revealed what was inside the basket for the first time as part of its investigation, which was released on June 25. Items included bulk-packed chicken breasts, carrots, Royal Gala apples, Cavendish bananas, strawberries, butternut pumpkin, garlic, brown onions, Sanitarium Weetbix, full cream milk, drinking chocolate, vegetable stock, sour cream, and quick oat sachets. The Choice analysis also found that where you lived made a difference to how much you paid, with Western Australians usually paying more than their eastern state counterparts. Shoppers in NSW paid less than in other states at Woolworths and IGA; those in the ACT and NSW got the best deal at Aldi; and Queensland shoppers paid less at Coles. READ MORE: NSW state budget 2025: all the regional winners and losers revealed Choice chief executive Ashley de Silva said Aldi had the best prices on a range of items. "Without specials, Woolworths had the cheapest chicken breasts and pumpkin, while Coles had the best deal on apples," said Ms de Silva. "At IGA, you paid less for carrots and garlic than at the three other supermarkets. "For all other products in our basket, Aldi is your best bet." She advised people to check the unit pricing, keep an eye on specials, shop around, and try homebrand products. Aldi is the cheapest supermarket for Australians, according to Choice. It found a full basket of 14 items cost $55.35 at Aldi, $58.92 at Woolworths, $59.22 at Coles and $69.74 at IGA. The basket included 10 fresh items and four frozen items. Choice has revealed what was inside the basket for the first time as part of its investigation, which was released on June 25. Items included bulk-packed chicken breasts, carrots, Royal Gala apples, Cavendish bananas, strawberries, butternut pumpkin, garlic, brown onions, Sanitarium Weetbix, full cream milk, drinking chocolate, vegetable stock, sour cream, and quick oat sachets. The Choice analysis also found that where you lived made a difference to how much you paid, with Western Australians usually paying more than their eastern state counterparts. Shoppers in NSW paid less than in other states at Woolworths and IGA; those in the ACT and NSW got the best deal at Aldi; and Queensland shoppers paid less at Coles. READ MORE: NSW state budget 2025: all the regional winners and losers revealed Choice chief executive Ashley de Silva said Aldi had the best prices on a range of items. "Without specials, Woolworths had the cheapest chicken breasts and pumpkin, while Coles had the best deal on apples," said Ms de Silva. "At IGA, you paid less for carrots and garlic than at the three other supermarkets. "For all other products in our basket, Aldi is your best bet." She advised people to check the unit pricing, keep an eye on specials, shop around, and try homebrand products. Aldi is the cheapest supermarket for Australians, according to Choice. It found a full basket of 14 items cost $55.35 at Aldi, $58.92 at Woolworths, $59.22 at Coles and $69.74 at IGA. The basket included 10 fresh items and four frozen items. Choice has revealed what was inside the basket for the first time as part of its investigation, which was released on June 25. Items included bulk-packed chicken breasts, carrots, Royal Gala apples, Cavendish bananas, strawberries, butternut pumpkin, garlic, brown onions, Sanitarium Weetbix, full cream milk, drinking chocolate, vegetable stock, sour cream, and quick oat sachets. The Choice analysis also found that where you lived made a difference to how much you paid, with Western Australians usually paying more than their eastern state counterparts. Shoppers in NSW paid less than in other states at Woolworths and IGA; those in the ACT and NSW got the best deal at Aldi; and Queensland shoppers paid less at Coles. READ MORE: NSW state budget 2025: all the regional winners and losers revealed Choice chief executive Ashley de Silva said Aldi had the best prices on a range of items. "Without specials, Woolworths had the cheapest chicken breasts and pumpkin, while Coles had the best deal on apples," said Ms de Silva. "At IGA, you paid less for carrots and garlic than at the three other supermarkets. "For all other products in our basket, Aldi is your best bet." She advised people to check the unit pricing, keep an eye on specials, shop around, and try homebrand products. Aldi is the cheapest supermarket for Australians, according to Choice. It found a full basket of 14 items cost $55.35 at Aldi, $58.92 at Woolworths, $59.22 at Coles and $69.74 at IGA. The basket included 10 fresh items and four frozen items. Choice has revealed what was inside the basket for the first time as part of its investigation, which was released on June 25. Items included bulk-packed chicken breasts, carrots, Royal Gala apples, Cavendish bananas, strawberries, butternut pumpkin, garlic, brown onions, Sanitarium Weetbix, full cream milk, drinking chocolate, vegetable stock, sour cream, and quick oat sachets. The Choice analysis also found that where you lived made a difference to how much you paid, with Western Australians usually paying more than their eastern state counterparts. Shoppers in NSW paid less than in other states at Woolworths and IGA; those in the ACT and NSW got the best deal at Aldi; and Queensland shoppers paid less at Coles. READ MORE: NSW state budget 2025: all the regional winners and losers revealed Choice chief executive Ashley de Silva said Aldi had the best prices on a range of items. "Without specials, Woolworths had the cheapest chicken breasts and pumpkin, while Coles had the best deal on apples," said Ms de Silva. "At IGA, you paid less for carrots and garlic than at the three other supermarkets. "For all other products in our basket, Aldi is your best bet." She advised people to check the unit pricing, keep an eye on specials, shop around, and try homebrand products.
West Australian
24-06-2025
- Business
- West Australian
CHOICE survey reveals cheapest supermarket grocery options for Aussies
New research has revealed which of Australia's grocery chains offer the cheapest supplies for Aussies this winter. Consumer group CHOICE recently conducted a detailed survey of 104 supermarkets in 27 locations across the country to identify which stores offered the best prices when it comes to a basket of specific, easy-to-find and commonly purchased groceries. Coles, Woolworths, Aldi and IGA were assessed on their pricing of standard items like full cream milk, carrots, chicken breast fillets and strawberries, as well as winter staples like drinking chocolate, brown onions and garlic. The results were as follows: Aldi: $55.35 Woolworths: $58.92 Coles: $59.92 IGA: $69.64 The price of each chain's basket is updated each quarter. Aldi is still the cheapest and IGA is still the most expensive, but across the board prices have fluctuated slightly per basket. CHOICE CEO Ashley de Silva said Aldi's winter-themed items 'had the best deal for shoppers looking to keep cosy'. 'Without specials, Woolworths had the cheapest chicken breasts and pumpkin,' Mr de Silva said. 'Coles had the best deals on apples. At IGA, you paid less for carrots and garlic than at the other three supermarkets. For all other products, Aldi is your best bet.' 'All up, if you're planning a hearty porridge breakfast, or wanting a cup of hot chocolate to keep you feeling snug, Aldi should be your first stop. 'But, as always, there are lots of other ways to save on your weekly grocery shop. Checking the unit pricing, keeping an eye on specials, shopping around, and trying out house brand products can all add up to significant savings.' Independent Tasmanian Senator Tammy Tyrrell said the findings were a win for public pressure on grocery companies. 'Aussies said they were fed up with cowboy behaviour and dodgy deals from major supermarkets,' she said. 'After shining a spotlight on their bad habits, this CHOICE report shows prices between ALDI, Coles and Woolworths are much closer than they were a year ago. It's a win for standing up to the big guys.' Senator Tyrrell wants ALDI to set up shop in her home state. 'Once again, CHOICE shows ALDI has cheaper prices than Coles or Woolies, yet ALDI continues to treat Tasmanians like the poor cousins of our mainland counterparts,' she said. 'We have a lack of supermarket competition, we're the state with the lowest wages and Tasmanians are paying the price for it – quite literally. 'I'm just a girl, standing in front of an ALDI, asking you to come to Tasmania.' The ACCC released a report in March that said that while Australia's grocery chains were some of the most profitable in the world, they had not engaged in any form of misconduct or price gouging.
Sky News AU
24-06-2025
- Business
- Sky News AU
Prices plunge at Coles, Woolworths, IGA while Aldi shoppers experience price hikes in March, consumer site CHOICE reveals
Prices have dropped at all major supermarkets except for one as the price gap between the cheapest grocery giant and the rest tightens. The latest quarterly supermarket price survey from consumer website CHOICE has once again shown Aldi is the cheapest supermarket for Aussies, but Woolworths and Coles are closing in on the German chain as Aldi's prices rise. CHOICE compared the prices of 14 items across 104 supermarkets in March and found Woolworths and Coles were only 30 cents apart on average. The basket, which included winter staples like drinking chocolate, butternut pumpkin and quick oats, would set Aldi shopper back $55.35, according to CHOICE. A Woolies consumer would spend $58.92, a Coles shop costs $59.22 and an IGA shopper was forking out $69.74 for the basket of goods. The site revealed that shoppers at every supermarket, except Aldi, experienced a price decrease compared to CHOICE's previous survey. A basket of 14 common food items at Woolies or Coles costed about $67, while at IGA it was about $74.90 and $51.36 at Aldi in December. CHOICE's chief executive Ashley de Silva noted that while Aldi was the cheapest in its March survey, better prices for different products were available across the variety of supermarkets. 'Without specials, Woolworths had the cheapest chicken breasts and pumpkin, while Coles had the best deal on apples,' Mr de Silva said. 'At IGA, you paid less for carrots and garlic than at the three other supermarkets. For all other products in our basket, Aldi is your best bet.' He said shoppers should also keep an eye out for specials, with the discounts bringing the average Aldi shop down to $54.44, a Coles basket was $57.67, Woolies was $58.86 and IGA was $67.54. 'All up, if you're planning a hearty porridge breakfast, or wanting a cup of hot chocolate to keep you feeling snug, Aldi should be your first stop,' Mr de Silva said. 'But, as always, there are lots of other ways to save on your weekly grocery shop. 'Checking the unit pricing, keeping an eye on specials, shopping around, and trying out house brand products can all add up to significant savings.' Prices at Aldi since CHOICE started its survey in March 2024 have sat around $51 for every quarter except the most recent one. A basket from Woolworths or Coles has usually set shoppers back around the $65-$69 range, except for the March 2025 quarter, while a basket from IGA has varied between about $74 and $79.
