Child labour part of moral decay in society - EDITORIAL

Children are devastatingly honest and innocent though sometimes naughty. That is why we have been warned that if a serious physical or mental harm is caused....

Swapped SIM used in phishing attempt

Sunday morning, this message appeared on the WhatsApp feed of dozens of phones, most in Sri Lanka, some outside.

Electing lawbreakers as lawmakers

Former Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and veteran leader of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka (CPSL) D.E

Looming economic gloom

These are gloomy times for the economy. The government’s economic mismanagement might make it gloomier. Rent-seeking economic decisions and subordination of the national economic priorities to personal-political ambitions of th

Economic recovery of COVID-hit South Asia calls for hard choices

The lockdowns and barriers imposed in countries across the globe following the outbreak of COVID-19 have crippled economies. But COVID or no COVID, countries are now constrained to open up to give back to the people their livel

Authoritarianism is no remedy to country’s wounded democracy

Finally, the date of the Parliamentary elections has been announced. There is hardly any doubt about which party would win the election. The only doubt is which ideology of the SLPP coalition would emerge to determine the country’s p

Germinal stage of UNP… Fertilized by Kotalawalas and Attygalles

The grand old party, like its off-shoot SLFP which has already disintegrated, is heading for an annihilation under ‘kick-off’ by its own ‘children’.

Unrest in Hong Kong and the heights of hypocrisy - EDITORIAL

When anti-Beijing protests gripped Hong Kong last year, and demonstrations broke out again in the city, with China’s impending imposition....

Plot within TNA targeting party spokesman Sumanthiran

Mathiaparanan Abraham Sumanthiran was in the eye of a raging political storm some weeks ago due to a YouTube interview given by the 56-year-old President’s Counsel cum politician to the ‘Truth with Chamuditha’ show.

Listen to the ocean and develop innovations to sustain it

Being an island paradise known as the pearl of the east, Sri Lanka needs to remember the memorable song of the Caribbean singing duo Nina and Fredrick, “Listen to the ocean, echoes of a million seashells, forever it’s in motion, moving to a rhythmic, unwritten music that is played eternally.”

George Floyd and the nationalist’s dilemma

George Floyd is no longer about the United States of America, or the West. It’s about the world, and the beleaguered, oppressed nations and communities of that world. The protests against his murder at the hands of a white policeman have thus become, from Baltimore to Berlin, a symbol of solidarity and unity among those marginalised nations and communities against the big stick wielders.

Politicising Wildlife

The Minister of Environment and Wildlife Resources has come under heavy scrutiny following the appointment of three honorary....

A wrangle over election ethics

Two and a half months after entertaining nominations for this year’s parliamentary election, the National Elections Commission (NEC) had published...

Cure for COVID: Cooperation, not conflicts

In politics, there is neither a permanent enemy nor a permanent friend, only permanent interests. This was amply demonstrated in Skull Island, a 2017 King Kong movie.

Street dogs too need love and affection - EDITORIAL

There is much talk about stray dogs these days and the authorities have come under the spotlight for treating some of these friendly four-legged animals in a cruel manner.

Finding paths to being enslaved by the USA

The USA is in the news. Exposed. Exposed to those who believed the balderdash about that country being the greatest success story of democracy, freedom and the good life. Whereas other nations as bad or worse are crude, the USA is cute in sweetening the bitter, perfuming the foul-smelling and wall-papering over the grotesque. Used to be. That would be more correct.

General Election Amid COVID-19 and Health Guidelines

The 75-day curfew, though relaxed in stages in some parts of the country, was finally relaxed countrywide from Saturday, June 6 with travel also permitted to and from the districts of Gampaha and Colombo. This will to a large extent help Sri Lanka return to normal by resuming day-to-day business activities and resuscitating the economy, which was more or less lying dormant, amid the COVID-19 onslaught.

Where will Mangala head for ?

Former MP for the Matara district Mangala Samaraweera decided to quit parliamentary politics on Tuesday despite having tendered nominations to contest the general elections on the ticket of Samagi Jana Balawegaya(SJB).

Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 response and the challenge ahead

Sri Lanka’s handling of the Covid-19 outbreak has, comparatively speaking, produced commendable results. Tracing the trajectory of the response, it may be seen that early moves to prepare for what lay ahead served well to mitigate the outcome.

Dismissal of FR petitions: What follows the Supreme Court Decision?

The almost feverish celebrations with which some of the SLPP celebrated the Supreme Court decision to refuse leave to hear the petitions....

Castle Street Hospital - EDITORIAL

The Castle Street Hospital which has played a pivotal role in improving the standards of maternal and child health care in Sri Lanka with a dedicated staff turns 70 years this year.

Racism disguised as patriotism

It is amazing and difficult to believe that so many white Americans, Europeans and Australians have so far been anti-racists or a

Presidential task force and law and order

Last week President Gotabaya Rajapaksa established “a Presidential Task Force to build a Secure Country, Disciplined, Virtuous and Lawful Society.” The title might sound grimly comical, right off the ‘1984’ or the local comedy, ‘Puswe

Sri Lanka, why be an echo when you could be a voice?

Sri Lanka plunged into a vortex of seething rage and sheer despair when the CCTV footage of a 14-year-old autistic boy being brutally assaulted by policemen triggered....

Notes on COVID-19: Towards the real meaning of “Ape Kama”

A big part of apekama, or our-ness, comes from being proud of who we are. Contrary to those who claim that ethnicity is meaningless.....

Why Singapore ‘Pooh-Poohed’ Sirisena’s 21000 Signatures?

The Daily Mirror front page story, titled, “I placed signature 21,000 times to extradite Mahendran from Singapore: MS”, it further stated, ‘how he placed his signature 21,000 times...

Lessons of rioting and anger sweeping the US - EDITORIAL

Since May 29, the worst civil unrest in decades erupted in cities across the USA, sparked by anger at the death of a black American man killed by a white policeman in Minneapolis.

Constitutional crisis: Back to square one

After the Supreme Court five-judge-bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya unanimously refused to grant leave to proceed on Tuesday with eight fundamental rights petitions filed challenging the dissolution of Parliament and holding the general election on June 20, all issues are back to square one.

Biodiversity: Urgent and existential - EDITORIAL

The United Nations yesterday celebrated one of the most important days of the year — World Environment Day.

A new beginning

The coming of Arahat Mahinda from ancient Jambudeepa with a retinue of five monks and a layman to Sri Lanka on a full moon day....