Drastic Changes Coming to Social Media Usage.........!
Drastic Changes Coming to Social Media Usage.........!
Drastic Changes Coming to Social Media Usage.........!
The Government is exploring a system to regulate social media based on age groups, rather than imposing a complete ban on children under 16, according to State Minister of Women and Child Affairs Namal Sudarshana.
He stated this yesterday (26th) while responding to questions raised by journalists regarding a proposal submitted by Member of Parliament Dayasiri Jayasekara to ban social media for children under 15.
Pointing out that technology cannot be entirely isolated from children's lives in the current environment, the State Minister mentioned that authorities expect to introduce an age-based regulatory framework.
According to this plan:
Very young children: Strict restrictions will be applied.
Middle-aged children: Access to educational websites will be provided.
Students above 16 years: Freedom to use social media responsibly will be granted.
He added that the Ministry of Digital Economy has been requested to submit technical proposals on how to implement these restrictions practically. He also noted that countries like Australia have introduced restrictions instead of a total ban.
Sudden Changes in Vehicle Leasing Rules
The Central Bank has introduced new restrictions on leasing and loan facilities provided for purchasing vehicles. Vehicle importers have warned that this could adversely affect vehicle imports and sales. Furthermore, they state that there is a risk of vehicle prices increasing further in the future due to these new regulations.
To protect the stability of the financial system and control credit risks, the Central Bank has taken measures to limit the boundaries of loan facilities provided for motor vehicles effective from yesterday (25th).
According to the new amendments:
Registered and used vehicles (for more than a year): The leasing facility has been reduced to 60%.
New and used vehicles (for less than a year): Facilities have also been reduced.
Revised Leasing Limits:
Commercial vehicles: Reduced from 70% to 60%
Cars, SUVs, Vans, and Three-wheelers: Reduced from 50% to 40%
Additionally, changes have been made to loan facilities for vehicles imported between July and November last year that remain unregistered:
Commercial vehicles: Up to 90% loan facility
Cars and SUVs: 50%
Three-wheelers: 25%
Light Trucks: 90%
Other vehicles: 70%
Meanwhile, it has been announced that a loan facility of up to 90% will be provided for electric vehicles, while 50% will be provided for hybrid SUVs and cars. Market sources comment that these new changes will make it even more difficult for the public to purchase vehicles.
The Indian Coast Guard has seized 8.46 lakh painkiller tablet strips worth ₹3 crores, which were being transported in a vehicle to be smuggled to Sri Lanka by boat from the Seeniप्पा Dargah (Seeniapa Dargah) southern coast near Mandapam. Authorities are actively searching for the individuals who fled the scene.
Since the coastal area of Ramanathapuram district is very close to Sri Lanka, items like cannabis, painkiller tablets, fertilizer, cosmetics, and cooking turmeric bags have recently been smuggled illegally to Sri Lanka via boats through the Danushkodi sea from coasts including Mandapam, Vedhalai, Seeniapa Dargah, Kalimangundu, Thiruppullani, and Pamban Kundukal.
The Indian Coast Guard received a secret tip-off about goods being smuggled to Sri Lanka by boat from the Seeniapan Dargah coast. Based on this, personnel on a 'Hovercraft' patrol vessel conducted intensive surveillance in the coastal areas of Mandapam, Vedhalai, and Seeniapan Dargah.
Upon spotting individuals suspiciously loading boxes from a vehicle into a boat, the Coast Guard attempted to intercept them. At that moment, two individuals aboard the boat fled into the sea with the vessel. Simultaneously, those in the cargo vehicle threw the boxes onto the beach and sped away.
Following this, Coast Guard personnel recovered 12 abandoned boxes from the shore and took them to their camp in Mandapam for inspection. It was discovered that they contained 8.46 lakh painkiller tablet strips valued at approximately 3 crores.
Since these types of painkiller tablets are heavily smuggled from Tamil Nadu to Sri Lanka to be mixed with narcotics like cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine, they are frequently trafficked. The seized tablets were handed over to the Mandapam Customs Office, and the Coast Guard informed the Mandapam Coastal Security Group (Marine) Police regarding the unidentified individuals and the vehicle.
The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) has stated that more than 20,000 people die annually due to tobacco use. Its chairman, Dr. Ananda Rathnayake, pointed out that tobacco use has been linked to more than 200 diseases.
Dr. Ananda Rathnayake shared these details while speaking at a press conference held in Colombo ahead of World No Tobacco Day 2026.
"Within this small country, approximately 22,000 people die prematurely every year due to tobacco use. Speaking of economic losses, according to a 2016 estimate, it costs roughly 214 billion rupees annually. This is equivalent to building a Lotus Tower. The amount we spend to treat the illnesses caused by tobacco is equivalent to building 16 Lotus Towers or constructing two expressways (Highways)."
He further noted that in Sri Lanka alone, 9 to 11 million cigarette filters are released into the environment. These used filters contain harsh chemicals and carcinogenic substances, causing immeasurable damage to both the environment and public health.
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has stated that there is no fuel shortage in the country. The Managing Director of the Corporation, Mayura Neththikumara, stated that two ships carrying crude oil are scheduled to arrive at the Colombo Port in the coming days.
One ship carrying 90,000 metric tons of crude oil from the United States and another carrying 90,000 metric tons of crude oil from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be arriving.
He pointed out that long queues are visible near fuel stations due to false rumors being spread. Therefore, he requested the general public not to believe fake propaganda.
Under the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF), the combined fifth and sixth reviews for Sri Lanka are scheduled to be considered today (27th).
The IMF's Senior Mission Chief for Sri Lanka, Evan Papageorgiou, stated that Sri Lanka's economic reform programs are continuously progressing. He noted that over the past few years, Sri Lankan authorities have made significant progress in restoring macroeconomic stability, rebuilding foreign reserves, and strengthening confidence in the country's economy.
He further mentioned that these efforts have been recognized by investors, stakeholders, and the public, helping to steer the economy toward a stronger foundation.
However, Evan Papageorgiou pointed out that due to a challenging global economic environment, the economies of many countries are facing new pressures, and managing that situation is not easy. Despite this, Sri Lanka's policy framework is significantly stronger now than in the past. He added that maintaining a stable policy path and allowing the economy to adapt to changing circumstances will help preserve the progress achieved so far.
Furthermore, the IMF delegation chief expressed expectations to maintain a close relationship with Sri Lankan authorities in moving the economic reform agenda forward.
Drastic Changes Coming to Social Media Usage.........!
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