By Jithendra Antonio As we commemorate World Vape Day 2025 on May 30th, it’s imperative to acknowledge the pivotal role harm reduction strategies have played in accelerating the decline in smoking rates globally. Countries that have embraced vaping and other safer nicotine products, such as Sweden and New Zealand, are witnessing unprecedented success. The Science…
By Yashora Gunawardena A recent IPS study brings out the reality of Sri Lankan Female Migrant Workers (FMWs), particularly those engaged in domestic work across the Middle East. These women juggle multiple roles across various locations, handling extra tasks, often beyond their contractual obligations. Despite the heavy workload, they often do not receive even their…
By Prof. Samitha Hettige Being an agricultural society, Sri Lankans including the ancestors of President Gotabaya, Minister Mahindananda & the officials investigating the payments to the Chinese fertilizer ship may have successfully used bio fertilizer from times immemorial. However, PM Dudley had to sign the ‘Rubber Rice Pact’ with China in 1952 to fight famine….
By Senior Journalist Seelaratna Senarath In a time of mounting global inequality, persistent poverty, and fractured multilateralism, the 2025 China–South Asia Forum on Poverty Reduction and Development Cooperation, held in Colombo on May 15, emerges as a compelling case for how nations can—and must—collaborate to uplift the vulnerable. This isn’t just a diplomatic formality; it…
By Dr Asanka Wijesinghe The United States’ (US) proclamation of “reciprocal tariffs” dealt a blow to the global trade system based on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) principles. With the individualised tariff rates, the US has discarded non-discrimination in the Most-Favoured-Nation (MFN) tariff structure. The “reciprocal tariff” rate does not show any reciprocity but rather…
The Economy – Economic Sentiment Wavers A notably cautious economic and business outlook has settled over corporates with PepperCube Consultants reporting a more tempered perspective in biz circles. This is line with the mighty fall in business confidence in April. THE ECONOMY The latest LMD-PEPPERCUBE Business Confidence Index (BCI) survey, conducted in the first week of April,…
Fitch Ratings: Emerging-market (EM) issuers are variously exposed to direct and indirect impacts from the global trade war, Fitch Ratings says in a new report. Credit pressures may become most evident in EMs where tariff effects combine with aggravating factors or add to pre-existing pressures, even if direct US tariff exposures are small. APAC’s high…
Business confidence takes a nosedive leaving the recent record highs in the rearview mirror In a dramatic move on 2 April, US President Donald Trump imposed a 44 percent tariff on goods from Sri Lanka and many other countries (ranging from 10% to 90%) through an executive order, citing it as a reciprocal measure to…
By Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) in collaboration with the technical expertise sourced from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has facilitated the Regulatory Framework for issuing and trading a suite of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) related Bond products at the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE)….
By Prof. Samitha Hettige After the attacks in Kashmir, Indo-Pakistan relations are discussed in length. 8 weeks before Sri Lanka signed many agreements with the visiting Indian PM, in February 2025 at a high level meeting in Beijing, China & Pakistan renewed their all weather strategic partnership known as a choice by history & by…
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