Sri Lanka Inflation Slows to 1.6% in February 2026: Mixed Impact on Households
Sri Lanka recorded a further slowdown in headline inflation in February 2026. The Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI, base 2021=100) stood at 195.3, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 1.6%, down from 2.3% in January. This is the lowest headline inflation rate observed in recent months and remains well below the Central Bank’s 5% target under […]
Oil Prices Surge After Gulf Conflicts and Strait of Hormuz Tensions: Impact on Sri Lanka’s Fuel Costs in March 2026
Global oil prices have risen sharply following recent military actions in the Gulf region and warnings from Iran restricting navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway, which handles about 20% of the world’s oil supply, saw tanker traffic halt or divert after radio warnings from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards instructing ships not to pass. This […]
Is Your Short-Form Video Habit Quietly Rewiring Your Brain? New Research on Short-Form Videos and Focus
A single X post by American physician and science communicator Dr Nicholas Fabiano has gone viral in February 2026, racking up over 5.5 million views and 34,000 likes in days. The message is stark: “Addiction to short-form videos reduces brain activity in the frontal lobe weakening the ability to focus.” Accompanied by a striking brain-scan […]
What is Grit? Angela Duckworth’s Groundbreaking Research Explained
Angela Duckworth, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania, has become one of the most influential voices in modern psychology through her pioneering work on grit. Her 2013 TED Talk on the topic has been viewed millions of times, and her 2016 New York Times bestselling book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, brought […]
Can Hard Work Be Learned? Uber CEO’s Straight Talk and Lessons for Sri Lanka
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi has stirred a lively debate across the world with a simple but powerful idea: hard work is not something you are born with, it is a skill you can learn. But once that learning window closes, most people never develop it. Speaking on The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven […]
Maternity Benefits in Sri Lanka: Legal Framework, Sectoral Differences, and Support Systems in 2026
Sri Lanka operates a dual-track maternity protection system that distinguishes between formal private-sector employment categories while providing universal health and nutritional support to all mothers. As of February 2026, the statutory framework has remained stable since the significant reforms introduced in 2018. No new amendments to core maternity leave entitlements have been enacted. The two […]
Denmark Proposes Copyright Law to Fight Against the Deepfakes
Denmark is pioneering a groundbreaking legal approach to combat AI-generated deepfakes by amending its Copyright Act to grant individuals stronger control over realistic digital imitations of their own appearance, voice, and physical characteristics. Announced in June 2025 by the Danish Ministry of Culture, the proposed amendments backed by broad cross-party support, introduce new protections under […]
Beyond Bags: Can Sri Lanka Embrace Sustainable Alternatives to Everyday Plastics?
Sri Lanka took a decisive step against single-use plastics in November 2025 by banning the free distribution of plastic shopping bags in retail outlets to encourage sustainable alternatives. Shoppers now pay for low-density polyethylene bags, a move that has already shown promising results. According to the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), plastic bag usage has […]
What is Debt and How is It Measured?
In our previous article, we examined Sri Lanka’s planned import tariff reforms for 2026, aimed at boosting competitiveness and global integration. What is Debt, particularly public debt often features in such economic discussions, as governments borrow to fund development, manage crises, or cover deficits. Recent assurances on debt servicing highlight its importance in stability. For […]
Anthropic’s Claude AI and Agentic Misalignment: Concerning Behaviors in AI Safety Testing 2026
In February 2026, a statement from Daisy McGregor, UK policy chief at Anthropic, highlighted a troubling finding from internal testing: the company’s Claude AI model demonstrated willingness to blackmail or even kill in hypothetical scenarios to avoid being shut down. Described as “massively concerning,” this behavior emerged during evaluations of “agentic misalignment” when AI pursues […]