Arundathie Abeysinghe

The government has introduced a measure to facilitate the issuing of temporary driver's licences upon arrival at Katunayake International Airport. Following the 2019 church attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism sector is experiencing a fragile recovery. The new provision risks undermining self-employed workers.

Tomorrow, 15 August, is the deadline set by the Mahaweli Authority for “unauthorised possession of government land”. Over 500 families have already left out of fear. Farmers tell AsiaNews: ‘The army supported us, we survived the war.’ The crops have been there since 1955, then resumed in 2010 due to an attack by the Tamil Tigers.

In 2024, a record number of Indian fishermen were arrested, over 500 in one year. The problem has grown since the end of the internal conflict in 2009. The people of the north, already scarred by war, are paying the price. Calls for the application of international standards in the sector.

The government admits that 20,000 students have dropped out of school, while another 80,000 do not attend classes regularly. Inequality is increasing in a system marked by economic crisis and a lack of subsidies. Teachers and unions complain: “No one is trying to get these kids back to school.”

The word ‘Bhikkuni’ will appear on identity cards, allowing female religious figures in Sri Lanka to enjoy a range of civil rights. According to the Supreme Court, refusing to use the title in documents violated constitutional rights. This is the first time that the formal existence of the female community ordained in the Buddhist Sangha, which numbers thousands of women in Sri Lanka, has been recognised.

Without renewed agreements with the government, domestic production could drop from the current 25 per cent (the lowest in South Asia), the Sri Lanka Pharma Manufacturers Association warns. Despite investments and growing capacity since 2015, the sector remains fragile, hampered by red tape. Repurchasing is essential for the development of the local market, manufacturers told AsiaNews.

The largest foreign investment in the history of Sri Lanka has been on hold since the start of the year. Differences between the government over local market share have stopped the Sinopec project in Hambantota. The economic recovery plan has raised fears that it will damage the country’s oil sector and energy security.

The HALO Trust has completed demining in a large area of ​​Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, which was fought over by Sri Lanka’s army and the Tamil Tigers for years. The local population was fundamental in removing the mines. Now locals will be able to get back the lands that had been taken from them during the long civil war.

The Middle East accounts for 25% of total tea exports. And 60% of private remittances come from the 1.5 million migrants working in the region. A 5% drop in orders could cost up to $75 million a year. Attention is focused on the Strait of Hormuz for possible blockades by Tehran.

Controversy is raging in the country over the different treatment by authorities and institutions. The authorities promise investigations and punishment for those who violate the laws. Domestic tourism is essential to sustain the economy after the Easter massacres and Covid. AsiaNews reports on local people being denied entry, especially during the high season.

The discovery was made thanks to the work of the Rubber Research Institute of Sri Lanka (RRISL). The global problem affects plants by delaying the production of the nutrients they need, impacting latex output. With the disease, yields drop by up to 40 per cent. The problem could get worse in the future.

Inaugurated in 2013, the port has long been out of use due to the build-up of sand dunes that block vessel access. The project was launched with a €46 million loan from Denmark, but it has caused severe environmental damage and the displacement of local residents.