Sri Lanka launches its first-ever Conference Ambassador Programme

A groundbreaking national initiative by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, Sri Lanka Convention Bureau and SriLankan Airlines Sri Lanka today marked a significant milestone in its journey to becoming a premier destination for international conferences with the launch of the Sri Lanka Conference Ambassador Programme (SLCAP). This first-of-its-kind initiative, presented by Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, the Sri […]

Sri Lanka’s Official Poverty Line Rises to Rs. 16,191 in December

The Department of Census and Statistics has set Sri Lanka’s official poverty line at Rs. 16,191 for December 2024, reflecting a rise from Rs. 16,017 in November and Rs. 15,994 in October. This threshold represents the minimum monthly amount required by an individual to meet basic needs. Accordingly, a family of four would require Rs. […]

Bank of England expected to cut interest rates

Interest rates are expected to be cut by the Bank of England later, in a move closely watched by households and economists. Analysts predict the benchmark rate will be cut from 4.75% to 4.5%, as the Bank comes under pressures to boost the UK economy which has been showing slow growth. The Bank rate is the […]

Stock market slumps as ASPI drops by over 500 points

The All Share Price Index (ASPI) and the S&P SL20 of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) have both dropped significantly at the close of trading today (05). Accordingly, the ASPI has recorded a decline of 500.39 points (-2.95%) to close at 16,456.10 points. This is the largest drop of the index within a single day […]

A New Era in Digital Government Payments to Launch on February 7th

The initial step in the digitalisation of government services, ‘GovPay’, will be officially launched under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on February 7th, 2025. This ground-breaking initiative will streamline and modernize how government institutions handle payments, enabling seamless transactions through a secure and efficient digital platform.

Google drops pledge on AI use for weapons

Alphabet, the parent company of technology giant Google, is no longer promising that it will never use artificial intelligence (AI) for purposes such as developing weapons and surveillance tools. The firm has rewritten the principles guiding its use of AI, dropping a section which ruled out uses that were “likely to cause harm”. In a blog […]

British High Commissioner welcomes appointment of new UK Trade Envoy for Sri Lanka

Lord John Hannett of Everton OBE has been appointed as the new United Kingdom’s Trade Envoy for Sri Lanka. Lord Hannett will support the UK’s trade and investment promotion objectives by engaging with senior Sri Lankan and UK stakeholders to promote market access and create opportunities for UK businesses to deliver mutual economic growth for […]

Asian markets tumble as Trump’s tariff war escalates

Asian shares slid on Monday morning after US President Donald Trump followed through on his promise to impose tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China. Investors are bracing for a potential trade war that could hit the earnings of major companies and dent global growth. Canada and Mexico have said that they will hit back with retaliatory tariffs while […]

US DoJ indictment against Adani a ‘strategic blunder,’ risks damaging India-US ties

The US Department of Justice’s (DoJ) indictment of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani is a strategic blunder with severe geopolitical consequences, leading American publication Forbes has said. In an article titled ‘The US Harms The West’s Alliances With A Far-Flung Indictment In India,’ the author, Melik Kaylan, argued that the indictment, which alleges bribery and financial […]

Apple iPhone sales dip despite AI rollout

Sales of Apple iPhones dropped at the end of last year, as the tech firm’s roll out of new artificial intelligence (AI) features was met with a lukewarm response. Chief executive Tim Cook said the new features helped to drive stronger sales in the countries where they were available, such as the US. But iPhone sales […]