Pollution incidents reported between 2014 and 2019 were compared against scientific study that used satellite imagery to count slicks Just 474 out of more than 90,000 oil slicks from ships around the world were reported to authorities over a five-year period, it can be revealed, and barely any resulted in any punishment or sanctions. The figure, obtained from Lloyd’s List …
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Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) confirmed that it has begun negotiations with MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company seeking compensation for environmental damage related to the MSC Elsa 3 casualty. The government is considering legal action, although a representative said MSC has accepted responsibility in the ongoing discussions. The containership sank in late May, southwest of the Indian state of Kerala on …
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The second excavation phase of the Chemmani mass grave in northern Jaffna resumed on July 21, unearthing dozens more skeletons and bringing the overall total over 100. A mass grave containing human bone fragments was first discovered on February 20 at Sittupatthu cemetery in Chemmani on the outskirts of Jaffna with excavations beginning on May 15. It was another chilling …
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Sri Lanka’s apparel export growth was propelled by a 23.1% increase in exports to the European Union (excluding the UK), amounting to $142.92m, and a 20.4% rise in exports to the UK, totaling $67.33m. Despite these increases, there was a noted decline in exports to the US by 5.7%, totaling $164.39m amid ongoing uncertainty around US president Trump’s tariffs. There …
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A discussion with the heads of the National Steering Committee appointed to monitor the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan 2025-2029 and the relevant state and private sector institutions responsible for this initiative was held yesterday (30) at the Presidential Secretariat, under the patronage of Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake. The National Anti-Corruption Action Plan, launched …
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In light of the ongoing excavation at the Chemmani-Siththupaththi mass grave site in Jaffna, situated in the North of Sri Lanka, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) publishes the following statement. As of 27 July 2025, 101 skeletal remains, including those of children and infants, had been recovered at Chemmani-Siththupaththi. The ICJ considers that the excavation process is a …
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Four years after a stricken cargo ship caused the largest plastic spill ever recorded, volunteers on Sri Lanka’s beaches are still sifting kilograms of tiny, toxic plastic pellets from the sand. Billions of plastic nurdles, as they are called, are thought to have washed up after the X-Press Pearl disaster in 2021, along with tonnes of engine fuel, acid, caustic soda, …
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The ruling relates to the catastrophic maritime disaster in May 2021, when the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel caught fire and later sank off the Western coast of Sri Lanka, unleashing what experts have described as the worst marine pollution event in the island’s history In a landmark judgment that could redefine environmental accountability in South Asia, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has …
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Already living from hand to mouth, millions of garment workers across Asia fear for their jobs as a deadline to strike a trade deal with the US – or face punishing tariffs – looms closer. On 9 July, following a 90-day pause on tariffs for countries to negotiate deals, the US president notified several countries in the region of new …
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Sri Lanka has moved forward with a major initiative to boost tourist arrivals by expanding its free tourist visa program to 40 countries, including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Thailand, and India. This development is part of an effort to attract more tourists from key international markets, make the country more appealing on the global stage, and boost the economy …
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