By Sidhartha Thamby There is a particular cruelty in watching a party that once raged against the abuse of power quietly settle into practicing it. Sri Lanka has seen this before. What is new is that we are watching it happen to Provincial Council elections — a decade overdue — and to the constitutional architecture of devolution itself, piece by …
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There has been a rare consensus of opinion in the country that the government’s humanitarian response to the sinking of Iran’s naval ship IRINS Dena was the correct one. The support has spanned the party political spectrum and different sections of society. Social media commentary, statements by political parties and discussion in mainstream media have all largely taken the position …
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Sri Lanka does not need another anti-terror law. The Suppression of Terrorist Bombings Act, Prevention of Hostage Taking Act, Convention on the Suppression of Terrorist Financing Act, Offences Against Aircraft Act and several other laws criminalise ‘terrorist’ activities as required by a 2004 United Nations Security Council Resolution (1566): a resolution that necessitates member states to have laws in place …
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DR SARATH MATARAARACHCHI Responsiblity, Authority, and the Uneasy Burden of Town Planning Town Planners are seldom thanked when a city functions well, but they are quick to be blamed when it doesn’t. To many citizens, the planner is not a facilitator but an obstacle—a faceless bureaucrat who delays approvals, rejects proposals, and enforces rules that seem unclear, inconsistent, or confusing. …
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By Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, PhD I am writing this in response to the open letter addressed to the President by Daily Mirror Editor-in-Chief Jamila Hussain, titled “A cyclone that left testing our President!”, published on December 10, 2025. While the nation, together with the international community, grieves the devastation caused Cyclone Ditwah, which poured over 13 billion cubic meters of water …
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He made money from anti-migrant Facebook pages aimed at Brits, now he’s sharing his formula Sri Lankan influencer Geeth Sooriyapura’s Instagram feed shows off his lavish lifestyle. He and his friends flash expensive-looking watches, dine at a five-star seafront hotel, and film videos at a sleek modern apartment with a pool. He claims to have made his money – $300,000 …
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In the shadowy depths of the ocean lives a ribbon-like giant crowned with a fiery red crest — long mistaken for a sea monster. Rarely glimpsed alive, the oarfish holds the record as the world’s longest bony fish, capable of growing up to 8 meters (26 feet). It usually surfaces only by chance, and one such encounter off Sri Lanka …
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Musician, songwriter, and former Munster and Ireland rugby player Barry Murphy is never not on the move. Whether it’s a gig with Hermitage Green or hosting the annual Munster Rugby Ball in New York, travel has been a lifelong constant. He talks growing up on the road and a family trip to New Zealand that changed his life. Favourite childhood …
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Sir Keir Starmer has labelled Reform UK’s policy of scrapping indefinite leave to remain as “racist” and “immoral”. The policy, which could effectively lead to hundreds of thousands of people who are here legally being deported from the UK, was announced by party leader Nigel Farage last week. Sir Keir added he did not think Reform UK supporters were racist but “frustrated” …
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The country’s president, a Marxist and former radical student, has come up with a novel idea to boost tourist numbers It’s the south Asian island country that has long been a byword for serenity (at least when it comes to high-end tourism). From pristine beaches to ancient Buddhist sites, Sri Lanka’s unique charms have helped it draw some two million visitors a year …
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