The controversial Social Security Contribution (SSC) levy came into effect this week with 2.5 percent slapped on turnover on a wider base of businesses with annual taxable turnover exceeding Rs.120 million as the bill was passed in Parliament last week.

India on Monday (September 12) urged Sri Lanka to take immediate and credible action on devolution of power and operationalisation of Provincial Councils through the early conduct of elections.

China openly spoke for Sri Lanka and opposed external interference during the Interactive Dialogue on the island nation at the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on September 12.

The multi-sector mechanism to empower rural economic revitalization centres to ensure food security and nutrition was initiated under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (September 13).

Financial advisory group Lazard (LAZ.N) has started talks with India, China and Japan on restructuring Sri Lanka’s debt, a spokesman for the Sri Lanka government said on Tuesday, as the crisis-hit island nation seeks an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.

The Cabinet of Ministers has green-lighted the allocation of USD 100 million through the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for the Ministry of Health to procure essential medicines and supplies.

As calls are growing for the independence of Sri Lanka’s Central Bank, which was also clearly laid out in the staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), there are growing concerns among certain sections whether total independence would mean lack of accountability for the actions the monetary authority takes to maintain price stability.

The Government of Sri Lanka declared a special public holiday for government institutions on September 19 on account of the royal funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Sri Lanka should improve human rights and strengthen institutions to tackle the humanitarian challenges that have sprung from its worst financial crisis in seven decades, a top U.N. Human Rights official said on Monday.

SLPP parliamentarian Premalal Jayasekara has been sworn in as the State Minister of Ports and Aviation, a short while ago.

Actress Damitha Abeyrathne who became an active participant in the “Gota Go Gama” protest was ordered to be released by the Colombo Fort Magistrate.

A 66-year-old security guard of a car dealership in Daluwakotuwa, Kochchikade has been found murdered.

A visiting U.S. diplomat on Sunday urged Sri Lankan authorities to tackle corruption and introduce governance reforms alongside efforts to uplift the country’s economy as a way out of its worst crisis in recent memory.

Amid various efforts by the authorities to increase worker remittance inflows into Sri Lanka’s dollar-starving economy, such incomes rose in the month of August compared to July, though still down from 12 months ago.