“Medamulana Dynasty”: Four Sons and Three Grandsons of Don Alvin Rajapaksa

Basil Rohana Rajapaksa was sworn in as Finance minister in the Government of Sri Lanka by his brother President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on July 8, 2021.

Site survey near Akasa Chaitya: Is it the end of Yala?

The Yala National Park has been at the receiving end of human disturbances from time to time. Be it a traffic jam to spot a leopard....

Did the regime undermine the clout of teachers?

All top professionals in this country have benefitted from teachers and no one would wish to harm them or stand in their way.

Low Country tea planters in a dilemma

The government’s move to ban chemical fertilisers has taken a heavy toll on many agriculture-related sectors including the tea industry.

Basil Rajapaksa’s catch 22 situation

Sri Lankan politics has been a good deal of family business. It was not even the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the progenitor of the SLPP that started it; D.S. Senanayake, the first prime minister flouted an implicit understanding of the succession and unde

Two diametrically opposite shows in a military regime

On July 8 (Thursday) we saw diametrically opposite results because the security forces are apparently being used for the government’s objectives.

A bullish regime’s inability to perceive dissent

Voices of dissent are growing in the country. The latest individuals to take to the streets were the undergraduates of Rajarata University.

Child’s predators came from different walks of life

As at July 6, 34 persons have been arrested in connection with abusing a 15-year old girl who was exploited online......

How powerful Acting Principals rule the roost

Vacancies for Principals in local schools are yet to be filled. Trade Union representatives complain that many issues have arisen....

Tony Ranasinghe: Sinhala Cinema’s Most Romantic Lover

In keeping with the practice of devoting at least one article each month to a cinema-related topic, this column focuses on the popular Sinhala film actor Tony Ranasinghe this week.

CMC ruling and opposition members seeks justice for assaulted SLPP member

The person who attacked me had allegedly taken money from some private companies in Colombo to provide COVID-19 vaccines for their employees

Sexual exploitation of a 15 year old girl : Police investigations underway

The law states that it’s an offence to rape or abuse a child below 16 years of age with or without consent

RANIL... The quick thinker for crisis situation

Early morning, October 20,1995. The SriLankan Airlines aircraft with President Chandrika Bandaranaike and her officials had taken off from Katunayake Airport.

Kelani- Athurugiriya Elevated Expressway : Residents nudge foreign stakeholders to reconsider proposal

In December 2020, the Daily Mirror shed light on the Elevated Highway Project connecting the New Kelani Bridge to Athurugiriya propose

Enter Basil and the strange case of familial meritocracy

Influential presidential sibling Basil Rajapaksa is tipped to be sworn in as a National List MP next week when his two-week quarantine after returning from a holiday in the United States ends. That would be the precursor to be appointed as the M

Pardon on Poson; a Meritorious Act, at Cost of Rule of Law?

Poson is famous for “Abhayadana,” [Rescue from slaughter]. This year’s Poson became famous for an abhayadana of a different.....

‘Punishment Bureaucracy’ and Normalisation of Torture & Impunity

During the period March 2020 to 24 June 2021 there were reports of six cases of encounter killings, twenty-seven cases of police...

President Rajapaksa, talks with TNA and release of Tamil Prisoners

There was considerable political excitement some days ago, when a meeting was scheduled between President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Law abiding citizens hail Shani being granted bail

The historical judgement delivered by the Appellate Court on June 16 (Wednesday), granting bail to the former Director CID, SSP Shani Abeysekara, has been hailed by Sri Lanka’s law abiding citizens.

The X-press Pearl aftermath: Lack of facilities, standards raise doubts on investigations

A month after the X-press Pearl inferno, carcasses of approximately 100 sea turtles and 46 cetaceans (aquatic mammals including dolphins.....

People with Disabilities ‘The Forgotten People’ at a time of crisis

A 2017 census done by the Department of Census and Statistics estimates that around 8.7% of the population in Sri Lanka fall into the category of People with Disabilities (PwDs). This is around 300,000 people. But four years down the line, this number could be much more or less. As a result, miscalculations in the numbers have made it difficult for groups advocatin

What will the US FBI and Australian Federal Police investigate in Sri Lanka?

Parliament was told recently that the US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and the Australian Federal Police were working with the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigations Department (CID) in the investigations into the April 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

Case of decomposing government’s “Organic Country” Project

Health Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi was quoted telling parliament, Sri Lanka reports 230,000 new kidney and cancer patients annually.....

BANNING CHEMICAL FERTILISER - RIGHT THING, WRONG LINE

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa stressed that the importation of chemical fertilisers will be completely stopped in the near.....

Is Litro Gas above the regulator?

After an in-house battle among members of the top management of the Consumer Affairs Authority during the past few weeks whether....

Statistical blunders expose administrative weaknesses

Information helps save lives and during a pandemic a free-flow of vital, accurate information is paramount. Access to information has been recognised as a basic necessity apart from essential goods and services in the context of a pandemic.

Vavuniya tusker’s demise DID TOO MANY ‘COOKS’ SPOIL JUMBO’S RECOVERY?

On June 11 Sri Lanka lost another one of its magnificent tuskers that succumbed to injuries while receiving treatment at Kanagarayankulam,

From inorganic to organic : Is Sri Lanka bracing for an agriculture disaster?

Shadow pandemic Lockdown-triggered domestic violence is global

Life and Times of Dynamic “Thamby” Arumugan Thondaman

Thamby”in Tamil means younger brother. It is also used widely as a pet name for male kids in many Tamil households.