The global economy is under “major threat” from the energy crisis caused by the Middle East war, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol said Monday (Mar 23). Speaking at the National Press Club in Australia’s capital, Birol described the crisis in the Middle East as “very severe” and worse than the two oil shocks of the 1970s, as well as the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on gas, put together. “This crisis, as things stand, is now two oil crises and one gas crash put all together,” he said. CNA – 23 March, 2026 “The global economy is facing a major, major…
Author: Humaydh Sariffodeen
TECHNOLOGY IN ENTERTAINMENT LMDtv Ruwandi Perera speaks with the Executive Chairman of Scope Cinemas Naveed Cader on Technology in Entertainment
OFFSHORE INVESTMENT MILIEU Tamara Rebeira speaks with the Founder and Managing Director of JAT Holdings Aelian Gunawardene on Offshore Investment Milieu
The U.S. dollar jumped on Monday as soaring oil prices sent investors scrambling for cash on worries that a protracted Middle East war could severely disrupt energy supplies and hurt global growth. The greenback pared some gains in the Asian afternoon on a Financial Times report that the G7 finance ministers will discuss on Monday a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency, which sent oil prices retreating slightly after they earlier spiked to just shy of $120 per barrel. Still, the euro and sterling were left trading 0.6% and 0.7% lower, respectively, while the Aussie…
TECH LANDSCAPE This week on LMDtv Ruwandi Perera speaks with the CEO of KBSL Vasee Nesiah on Tech Landscape
THE FORUM 📌 MIDDLE EAST CRISIS AND ITS IMPACT ON SRI LANKA Ruwandi Perera speaks with the public policy advocate Rohan Pethiyagoda on the Middle East Crisis and its Impact on Sri Lanka
Despite mounting speculation about regime change, analysts warn that without boots on the ground, any meaningful shift in Iran is more likely to stem from internal power dynamics than from external pressure. A US-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has thrust the Islamic republic into one of its most uncertain moments in decades, raising questions over succession and the risk of wider regional escalation, analysts say. CNA: Mar 1, 2026 Khamenei was working in his office in Tehran at the time of Saturday’s (Feb 28) attack, state media said, which also killed his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law.…
Travel warnings have multiplied across the Middle East as the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on Saturday morning, with President Donald Trump confirming “major combat operations” are underway. Iran launched several retaliatory attacks on Saturday, targeting several Gulf nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Doha, and Kuwait. The attacks follow failed negotiations in Geneva this week, causing an increasing number of governments to urge citizens to leave Iran, Israel and parts of the wider region. Airlines have also adjusted routes, suspended services and rerouted aircraft in response to rapidly shifting security risk assessments. Multiple Middle East airspaces have closed as a…
THE FUTURE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES Ruwandi Perera speaks with the CEO of John Keells CG Auto Charith Panditharatne on The Future of Electric Vehicles
Source: CNN