The Queen: End of a long-ended era - and new world order

The Queen is dead. With her, the Second Elizabethan era came to an end. During her Seventy years on the throne, the world has changed beyond recognition; she might well have felt as if she had time travelled. A

Some characteristics of suicide and mental health in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the suicide rate (which is the number of suicides per 100,000 population) had come down to 14.6 in 2019. But still, it w

Sellaheva’s [‘Gnanakka’ of 1950s?] Blunt Declaration on Queen’s Visit Toddler, ‘Lilibet’; Teenager, Heavy Vehicle Mechanic; Queen Elizabeth II; the Longest Reigning Monarch in History

On Feb. 5, 1952, in London, King George VI, went hare hunting at his estate and returned to the castle, dined with his wife and Princess Margaret....

Shattered hopes and unfulfilled promises - EDITORIAL

When ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country and then Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed interim President, it appeared....

Non-violence our mightiest weapon

Violence breeds violence. Tragically, a once peaceful Sri Lanka has been wrecked and ruined by organised violence or war since the April 1971 insurrection by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). Since independence in 1948,

The credibility crisis of new electoral alignments

In spite of any election being not around the corner and some including the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) arguing against holding elections at this juncture citing economic crisis, several political parties and groups are busy forming new electoral alignments.

Children need nutritious food and they want it now! - EDITORIAL

The deepening economic crisis in Sri Lanka is felt mostly by children. This was highlighted recently by an official of the United Nations’ World Food....

9/11 terror attacks: Mystery within mystery

Come Sunday, the United States will mark the 21st anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. US President....

I was not trying to run away - Dhaniz Ali

September 9 marks five months since the protest campaign to oust the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa began at Galle Face. Tear gas and water.....

When Lankan eyes are tearing, cricket gives us hope

Sri Lanka, since early this year has run short of most essentials like petrol, gas, electricity, basic food items, medicines and many other necessities.

Ranjan for “Popular Leader” — Aragalya

“The inaugural meeting of the United National Party was held on Friday, September 6, 1946 at 5.00 pm at ‘Palm Court’, Albert Crescent.

Emotional damage

Recently, I had a long chat with a Sri Lankan colleague whose work I not only admire, but who is also someone with an unblemished....

Lanka’s debt crisis and global recession - EDITORIAL

Hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic, rampant corruption, rising oil prices and economic mismanagement under previous governments....

Proposed TRC may meet the fate of earlier commissions

A weekly paper said on Sunday that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) is to revive an earlier proposal to set up a Truth and Reconciliation.....

Gunapala Kannangara passes away

Mr. Gunapala Kannangara father of Former Colombo/ Ratnapura and Ampara District Secretary Sunil Kannangara passed away....

The balancing act between legitimacy and stability

Three new political party alliances are preparing for the forthcoming elections, while the country is reeling under an unprecedented economic crisis. Two alliances comprising of a few small parties headed by Wimal Weerawansa and another small section of the ruling party led by Dullas Alahapperuma are almost formed. Both these groups were with the

Justice for Gotabaya and Justice for Sri Lanka!

Ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa is back after a whirlwind tour of self-exile that took him to the Maldives, to Singapore, and finally to Thailand. None of his hosts was enthused to have him for longer and Gotabaya himself seemed to have felt that the whole experience was an act of needless humiliation. He has every right to return home and the government of Sri Lanka has a constitutional obligation to take him back. However, the same constit

Proposal to register all individuals above 18 years with the Tax Authorities

There are several proposals in the Interim Budget that are desirable such as those relating to public sector instit

IMF agreement, Chinese loan and poverty crisis - EDITORIAL

The International Monetary Fund has tentatively offered Sri Lanka a US$2.9 billion (£2.5bn) loan to help the country recover from the worst economic crisis. The funding is meant to provide some....

Budget for IMF with Fiscal Waterboarding

Last week in Colombo might have appeared eventful. An Interim Budget was announced for the last four months of the year, a Staff Level agreement was reached with the International Monetary Fund....

Gota’s legacy and the ecological damage: This disaster is environmental as well as economic

In a short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer, a woman survivor of the Holocaust is having coffee at a roadside café many years after the war when she sees Adolf Hitler crossing the street. Terrified....

Pop Singer A. E. Manoharan Flopped as a Film Actor

Blessed are those Sri Lankans who have lived in different parts of the country, travelled widely within its borders and interacted with all people cutting across ethnic and religious barriers during times of peace and tranquillity in the past. Those who have had such broad experiences unsullied by narrow sectarianism know that the Island is truly “God’s own country” populated by friendly, good-natured people.

Trade unions’ dilemma over IMF programme

The government’s move to restructure state-owned enterprises (SOEs) such as SriLankan Airlines, Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has irked the trade unions in those institutions.

Peace: Let us remember we belong to each other

In Sri Lanka, racism and racial riots have often created crises. The first riots against the Tamil-speaking people took place in 1958 and thereafter several times, the worst being in 1983.

The political legacy of Gorbachev: The death of balance of power

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last Soviet leader, died on Tuesday at the age of 91 in a Moscow hospital, without confirming or....

Reflecting on the words ‘work or depart’ - Editorial

State employees in general need to lift their performance as workers. This is the general thinking of people who visit state....

Legal Implications of the recent Protests

The protests that started in mid-March and culminated in the storming of the President’s House and Presidential Secretariat on....

In remembrance of Mikhail Gorbachev

On the evening of August 30 this year, Mikhail Gorbachev, the first and last President of the Soviet Union passed away. It marked the end of an era and the demise of a man of great integrity.

Julie Chung and fire hoses of falsehoods

US Ambassador Julie Chung was spot on. A few days ago, she pointed out, correctly, that ‘fake news - and fake tweets - are a real problem.

Devastating economic crisis and the interim budget - EDITORIAL

Yesterday President Ranil Wickremesinghe submitted his government’s interim budget to parliament. It comes at a time of desperation.....