US Access to the Persian Gulf Region, and the Strategic Importance of Iran

The war of aggression waged by the US and Israel against Iran seems very likely to intensify in the next few days. Washington has threatened to escalate and expand the war further if Iran does not comply with US demands.

Getting under the skin of Trump’s conscience

As the ill effects of the present war still haunt us like memories of a serial killing, we must keep up hope on the thought of achieving permanent peace. This is because even in thought form, peace has the potential to be a healer and make a soldier put his gun away. Right now, American President Donald Trump believes that he is superior and that other national leaders are lesser human beings. Sadly, he doesn’t know that wars are often initiate

Grave situation on lawyers’ safety; needs international intervention: Politicians of Opposition

Several politicians of the Sri Lankan Opposition, write to international organisations of legal professionals seeking their “suitable intervention” to address the grave threats to the life and safety of lawyers working in the country.

The Catch-22 of English in Sri Lanka’s Universities

In the previous article published in the Daily Mirror (The Graduate Gap: Why B-grades in English are failing Sri Lanka’s STEM elite, 9 March 2026), I argued that a troubling paradox exists in Sri Lanka’s higher education system.

How is Sri Lanka responding to the Israel–Iran conflict: Day 26

As tensions escalate between Israel and Iran, Sri Lanka has taken a series of diplomatic, aviation and precautionary measures to manage potential fallout and safeguard its citizens. Here is how Sri Lanka is responding.

A Tribute to Ranil Wickremesinghe on his 77th Birthday

I begin this tribute to a man I have known for nearly five decades with a couple of insightful quotes: Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities because it is the quality which guarantees all others – Winston Churchill

From Charter to Chaos Sovereignty, Power and the Quiet Unraveling of the International Order

The international system we inhabit today is not an accident of history. It is the product of deliberate design, forged in the aftermath of the most destructive conflict humanity has ever known.

Predicting a total disaster: US ground troops in Iran unlikely, but what if it happens?

In the volatile landscape of 2026, where conflict between the United States and Iran has reached unprecedented levels of aerial and naval engagement, one strategic axiom remains remarkably durable: a large-scale American ground invasion of Iran is not merely unlikely; it is practically unthinkable.

Explainer: Sri Lanka Fuel QR Code System - Complete Guide to Register, Download and Fuel Quotas

This guide explains how the QR code fuel system works, how to register your vehicle, how to download your QR code, and the weekly fuel limits for different types of vehicles.

162nd Remembrance Day of Police Heroes “Police Heroes, you shall be eternally remembered!”

The 162nd Remembrance Day of Police Heroes, on which the heroic sacrifice of police heroes is commemorated, falls on March 21, 2026. The first police hero’s name that appears in the annals of Sri Lanka Police is that of the officer Sabhan, who made his ultimate sacrifice on March 21, 1864, while performing duties with dignity as a full-fledged police officer. While making an attempt to apprehend Utuwankande Saradiel, the officer Sabhan was sho

Leadership, Legacy and the Spirit of a Nation Remembering Gamini Dissanayake in a changing world

Every year on March 20, my family and many Sri Lankans pause to remember my father, Gamini Dissanayake. For many, he is remembered as a national leader who helped shape modern Sri Lanka — through initiatives such as the Mahaweli Development Programme and his efforts to strengthen democratic institutions and economic reform. But remembrance is not only about history. It is also about reflection — particularly at a moment when both Sri Lanka an

Ceasefire killed, war of endurance escalates

The unprovoked and illegal war that the United States and Israel are unleashing on Iran is escalating, drawing a stern Iranian response and turning the conflict into a battle of endurance. The war launched by US President Donald Trump, at the behest of his alleged handler and Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is unpopular not only in the United States but also across the world. A CNN report this week said US popularity worldwide had plu

What is the Strait of Hormuz? How will its closure impact oil prices?

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20 percent of global oil supplies and energy trade worth about $500bn annually. It is also a transit route for liquefied natural gas, chemicals and fertilisers, raising the risk of wider economic disruption if the closure persists.

SL among the first countries to advance large-scale biodiversity management

Positioning the country among the first globally to move into large-scale implementation of bio diversity conservation, Sri Lanka has been endorsed for a project under the Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF) of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The KBF project proposal was formally signed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment K.R. Uduwawala, and FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Vimlendra Sharan, at the Mi

It is the message that matters, not the language

There are ongoing attempts to ridicule the present Government over its so-called inability to converse in English. The media both social and mainstream, are complicit for obvious reasons. All government representatives need not be highly proficient in English, which is not our mother tongue. It is the intended message that matters, and not the language in which it is conveyed. As leaders of many other countries and their representatives do, may

Girl embalmer who ensures dignity for women even after death

Some occupations, professions and jobs are decided by gender. But there are some male-dominated jobs even males find too hard to handle. Many men find dealing with the dead to be a somewhat scary and abhorrent task. But 19-year-old Sneha Udyani Nethra Kumari from Giriulla off Kuliyapitiya has taken up embalming as her profession. Going beyond just embalming the dead, young Sneha has made a name as a beautician of corpses. Though there are

Kivul Oya Project: A Plea to Safeguard Sri Lanka’s Last Great Forest

Deep within the Vanni, Sri Lanka’s “green lung” is being systematically drowned in the name of progress. The Kivul Oya project, a vast irrigation scheme cutting across the island’s northern reaches, promises agricultural prosperity but threatens an ecological suicide.

The Mirage of Quick Victory: Why the 2026 Iran Conflict is a strategic quagmire

The history of warfare is littered with the hubris of technologically superior powers who underestimated the resilience of a civilization state.

Global Snake Experts to Gather in Kandy for World Congress on Snakes

Snakes are often feared, yet they are among the most vital and misunderstood creatures in the natural world. The World Congress on Snakes (WCS) 2026, to be held from Oct. 1 to Oct. 4 at the Grand Kandyan Hotel in Kandy, will bring global experts together to discuss conservation, research and snakebite management. The event will feature scientific sessions during the first four days, followed by a field trip beginning on October 5.

Norway seeks enhanced ties with Sri Lanka, tackling corruption essential for economic growth - Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik

Deputy Foreign Minister of Norway Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, who was in Sri Lanka, discussed the latest dynamics of bilateral relations with Sri Lanka. In an interview with Daily Mirror, he said Norway looks to enhance ties with Sri Lanka. He was here on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Excerpts:

Attack on Iranian frigate, a Violation of international law; Foreign policy experts

Following Wednesday’s deadly torpedo attack on an Iranian frigate in Sri Lanka’s Economic Zone, many lawmakers in the opposition have questioned the government about its legality and the justification. Acting on international maritime regulations and obligations, the Sri Lankan Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force rushed in a joint operation to the location about 40km (25 miles) from Sri Lanka’s southern coastline

Govt.’s planned solar development projects a threat to H’tota Elephant Management Reserve

Due to weak and ineffective land management plans and policies in Sri Lanka, the human–elephant conflict has become a major national issue.

Acclaimed Indian mixologist Shroff to feature in Signature Bar Takeover

Marking the spirit of global celebrations that honour women and their achievements this March, Cinnamon Bentota Beach - Signature Selection will host an exclusive Signature Bar Takeover featuring acclaimed Indian mixologist Ami Shroff from March 9 to 11.

Akuregoda double murder: A shift from ‘normal’ execution

A very disturbing aspect of the recent Akuregoda double murder – of a lawyer and his wife – is that the wife wasn’t spared by the killers.

Celebrating International Mother Language Day: Preserving Linguistic Heritage in Multicultural Sri Lanka

Language is far more than a system of voluntary symbols; it is the fundamental vessel of human culture, identity, and collective memory.

In concern and solidarity with Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe

A statement issued commenting on Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe being summoned to appear before the Financial Crimes Investigations Division for an investigation of political nature, alerts the authorities to uphold due process with fairness and proportionality.

Disaster mitigation; No time to lose

Almost three months have elapsed since the disastrous Cyclone Ditwah swept the country claiming around a thousand lives, including those who are claimed to be missing. Those who sacrificed their lives in this calamity taught hundreds of lessons both to the people and to the authorities and some of them had been taught during the similar past disasters and repeated this time as well.

Ahead of Trump’s State of the Union address: Poll finds 60% Americans don’t support him

US President Donald Trump is to deliver the State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress today (Tuesday), February 24.

The North’s Silence on Its Own Injustice

I am a Muslim. I am also, without apology, a secular man. I believe in the equality of all citizens before the law, in the separation of faith from governance, and in the fundamental principle that justice — when demanded for one community — must be demanded equally for all. It is from this conviction, not from communal sentiment, that I write today.

Explainer: Where are the world’s most endangered languages?

On International Mother Language Day, we explore which languages are most at risk of disappearing, where they are spoken, and why preserving them matters for all of us.