The latest nationwide survey reveals a seismic shift in the age profile of Sri Lanka, with the share of children shrinking and the elderly proportion growing – signalling a departure from decades of youthful-growth to one of rapid ageing and dependency pressures.
According to the report, the gap in learning outcomes between wealthier and poorer students is widening – even as the nation slips in its global standings.
The Kalinga Art Gallery in Bhubaneswar burst into a vibrant celebration of colour, courage, and creativity as Unmukt Foundation hosted its annual Art Exhibition 2025, themed “Freedom – From the Lens of a Child.”
The warning came during a workshop in Kabul on child and adolescent mental health. Alice James, UNICEF’s representative in Afghanistan, urged Afghan authorities, humanitarian agencies, and civil society to adopt a unified, national strategy to address the burgeoning mental health crisis.
The monks contend that Sri Lanka’s existing penal code already contains sufficient safeguards to deal with abuse, and that new legislation is unnecessary and overly idealistic.
The report, filed under Section 7044 of the foreign operations appropriations legislation, outlines multiple fronts on which Washington plans to back human rights, education, and free expression – particularly for Afghan women and girls – even as the Taliban remain in control of most of the country.
UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell said in a statement this week that the continued exclusion of girls from classrooms was “a tragic violation of their fundamental rights.” She warned that the ban is denying an entire generation the opportunity to learn and jeopardizing Afghanistan’s future.
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed that all departments collaborate in launching a nationwide campaign to tackle the distribution of fake agricultural products effectively.
By promoting recycling and resource efficiency, the revised rules aim to conserve natural resources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to a circular economy.
The return to the negotiating table after nearly two decades underscores the particular challenges faced by small, environmentally vulnerable economies.