MGR: From Tamil Film Hero to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

The recent announcement by Tamil Cinema Superstar Rajinikanth that he would be forming a political party to contest all 234 seats in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly at the forthcoming May 2021 elections, has led to much speculation and excitement.

POWER MAFIA EMPOWERED

In a surprise move, President’s Secretary P.B. Jayasundera on December 1 wrote to Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle instructing him to take steps....

Was Ven.Jinawamsa ready for lessons on impermanence?

The mysterious death of Ajhan Jinawamsa Thera from the Netherlands gives us a reminder that things could go wrong even on a remote hermitage which most people think is the ideal place for mental progression.

Dismay as highway set to run over RAMSAR Wetland!

Home to a plexus of sensitive ecosystems and a birds’ paradise, Thalangama comprises the few remaining green patches in Colombo’s wetlands.

Asian-Mideast women break combat flying gender barriers

The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) made headlines recently by commissioning two women pilots to fly military aircraft – a first in the island.

LTTE Political Strategist Anton Stanislaus Balasingham

Anton Stanislaus Balasingham the political strategist of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and political adviser to Tiger leader Veluppillai Prabhakaran died 14 years ago in his South London residence.

Reopening of the Yakkure - Manampitiya road Silent villagers spurred on by arrogant minister

On November 30, between 10 and 11 I contacted a close associate of Uncle Simon, known as a ‘walking library’ of the last Yakka Generation. Here is a part of our conservation on the Yakkure - Manampitiya Road.

Threatened biodiversity hotspot on the road to destruction

The Neluwa-Lankagama-Deniyaya Road that is being built via the Sinharaja Forest Reserve – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, sans a proper plan and an Environmental....

Budget 2021 and the External Sector in a Changing Global Order

Annual budgets announce the Government’s priorities for the domestic economy. But we cannot address the historic challenges facing Sri Lanka without considering the global context.

Tourism and Madel Fishermen in Mawella to be washed away ?

Known to be one of the top five beaches in Sri Lanka, the Mawella beach in Tangalle is a two-kilometre stretch of an undisturbed marine environment surrounded by a Bay.

No money, paddy or rice

As President Gotabaya Rajapaksa completes his first year in office, the Consumers Affairs Authority (CAA) has issued five gazettes on the sale of rice.

Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 response is falling by the wayside

Budget Check 2021

For the very first time in Sri Lanka, the FactCheck team at Verité Research conducted the inaugural #BudgetCheck2021. The team carried out live fact checking on claims made by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in his 2021 B

COVID-19: We can’t prevent new outbreaks

Once again, emphatic declarations are being made that there are zero risks of new COVID-19 clusters, just as earlier there were declarations.....

Gotabaya Govt’s pre-emptive strike against LTTE Maaveerar Naal

November 27th 1989 was the day on which the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) first observed its annual “Maaveerar Naal” or Great Heroes Day (GHD). The LTTE and its leader Veluppillai Prabakharan are no more after the military defeat of the tigers in May 2009.

Challenging impunity for crimes against media in Sri Lanka

Dozens of journalists have been killed, abducted or have disappeared in the past two decades in Sri Lanka, with 2005-2010 being the most dangerous.

Adivasi community struggle to preserve 37,000 -year-old heritage

Sri Lanka’s indigenous Adivasi community—the Vedda people—have historically maintained a diet of kurakkan roti and game meat.

Sword of Damocles over Freedom of Expression?

Media and the Government often don’t see eye to eye and this is applicable to most countries, be it democratic or not. Sri Lankan media platforms too have faced much censorship while many journalists also fell prey to draconian laws of yesteryear.

Endangered no more… ‘Vulnerable leopards’ treading with caution!

In light of the recent leopard deaths (11) this year, including that of a black leopard and other snaring incidents which grabbed much media.....

Kallaru Reforestation Paying the price for abusing nature

The ‘laws of nature’ emerged victorious last week. This was following a landmark judgment issued regarding the mass scale deforestation activities that took place at the Northern Sanctuary of Wilpattu National Park. Therefore, Reserve

Electrocuted elephant near Nimalawa Sanctuary

Another elephant succumbed to injuries after being electrocuted near the Nimalawa Sanctuary recently. While most electric fences don’t necessarily have electricity, they are just a simulation to keep elephants away and protect crops. However, the postmortem report revealed that the elephant died of electrocution and a suspect was taken into custody. While it is illegal to draw electricity in this nature, under the Flora and Fauna Protection Ordin

Two species of snakes from Knuckles

A group of researchers, including one of the leading herpetologists in Sri Lanka, Mendis Wickramasinghe and Herpetology Researcher at Natural History Museum, London, Evolutionary Biologist Dr. David Gower, has been able to discover

Pre-Budget Report: SL needs massive response to the economic crisis

Given that Sri Lanka is facing a massive economic crisis, it is extremely urgent that Budget 2021 reflects the changes that must be made to get the economy onto a sustainable track.

City of COVID-19: Colombo’s isolated areas need special attention

The COVID-19 pandemic has a devastating effect on Colombo life, with the continuing second wave and the Peliyagoda wholesale fish market......

The first Ceylonese Migrant family Down Under

Last Wednesday Daily Mirror reported about a Sri Lanka-born Doctor being named Queensland’s ‘Australian of the Year’.

US Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’s Key Sri Lankan Tamil Aide

An overwhelming feeling of relief has descended upon the world-not merely the US- after the Presidential elections of the United States of America ended.

How can we stem the spread of the Coronavirus in prisons?

According to media reports, as at 10 November 2020, 109 prisoners and two officers have tested positive for COVID-19 at Welikada, Bogambara and Matara prisons.

The virus may be spreading much faster than official data suggest

The daily case reports from the Epidemiology Unit are the only data we have to assess the spread of the virus. A better measure would be a regularly updated...

‘Stay Safe’ Sri Lanka Web Portal : Users worry about data privacy and identity theft

As a means of contact tracing to curb the COVID-19 spread, the government recently launched its ‘Stay Safe Sri Lanka’ project, effective from this week....

Contact tracing raises privacy concerns;

Ever since news broke in October of the first community case in two months and more COVID-19 clusters began emerging throughout the country, it has become common to see supermarkets, restaurants and even buses record people’s personal details. While this seeks to aid contact tracing it has raised privacy concerns among many, especially women.