Vesak: Beyond Celebration, A Return to the Dhamma

The arrival of Vesak brings with it an atmosphere of devotion, reflection, and serenity. Across Buddhist communities worldwide, homes and streets are illuminated with lanterns, temples overflow with worshippers, and acts of generosity become expressions of faith. Yet, Vesak is far more than a cultural or religious celebration.

The high cost of a weak rupee

For many Sri Lankans, the idea of travelling overseas carries with it a quiet anxiety that often overshadows the excitement.

Towards a more constructive Dansal culture

Towards a more constructive Dansal culture During Vesak and Poson we see dansals everywhere. Ice cream, rice, sweets, kottu, noodles and soft drinks are distributed to all along the roadside.

ENGLAND: FROM A TWO-PARTY SYSTEM TO A FIVE-PARTY ONE

Going by recent media analyses, some Sri Lankan commentators seem to think that gains by England’s far right Reform Party, and losses by the ruling Labour Party, point to Nigel Farage’s Reform being the dominant force in British politics from now on. But a closer look at elections results shows that this isn’t a foregone conclusion. At first glance, the results of English Council elections held on May 07 look shocking. Labour lost more than half

Dialog Powers National Vesak Zone 2026 as Official Digital Partner

Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, has partnered with the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs as the Official Digital Partner for the National Vesak Zone 2026 in Matara. As part of the partnership, Dialog has launched the National AI Vesak Greeting Card Competition 2026, powered by Dialog 5G Ultra, enabling communities nationwide to creatively celebrate Vesak through next-generation connectivity and AIpo

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE WITHIN RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS

Child sexual abuse has become an urgent concern, with a troubling number of children subjected to physical and sexual abuse within religious institutions. In recent decades, reports of such misconduct have emerged across various faiths, including Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism. Often, those in leadership roles within these organisations have either hidden the incidents or used their authority to impede investigations, allowing the pe

Time to build climate - economy nexus

If there is one lesson Sri Lanka should have learnt from the catastrophic economic collapse of recent years, it is that shallow development gains are easily erased by sudden, external shocks. Yet, as the government tries to deal with the complex conditionalities of fiscal restructuring, an existential, parallel threat continues to be relegated to the margins of state planning: the macroeconomic devastation of climate change. The country is curren

TRUMP’S DEVIL IN THE IRAN PEACE DEAL

War and peace are both ablaze in West Asia. War is too serious a business to be left to men who vacillate. So is peace. United States President Donald Trump is incapable of winning wars or making peace. The world is paying a heavy price for his misadventures. Wars bring suffering; the poor suffer most, while military contractors thrive. Besides these agents of death, one figure stands out as an obstacle to peace in West Asia: Benjamin Netanyahu,

The need to protect our children

On Tuesday, two children from Badulla succumbed to injuries after inhaling smoke from a fire that broke out in a hotel room in Batticaloa. It was reported that the mother of the two children was diagnosed with cancer and was receiving treatment at the Batticaloa hospital. They had come along with their father to see the mother. When the accident happened the two children were locked inside the room. Children are now being treated as an after-thou

Playing the cards right with social media

Much has been spoken about the alleged sexual abuse of a child by a monk holding a position of authority in the country. However, the public continues to be divided with regards to how the state handled the above matter. Some have scrutinised state actors for shielding a monk while others continue to demand a thorough investigation. It is ironic that over 20 lawyers appeared on behalf of the monk in question while there were a handful of lawyers

PC polls haunt the NPP

Tilvin Silva, the General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has stirred up a hornet’s nest by claiming that the provincial council elections which had been last held in 2014 would only be held next year, if any new issue is not cropped up.

A Humble Plea for Compassion and Humanity

It was somewhat comforting to learn that the humanitarian volunteers who travelled on the Global Sumud Flotilla have now been deported from Israel and have safely arrived in Türkiye.

The Cost of Mobility: Sri Lanka’s Vehicle Import Dilemma, Fiscal Realities, and Compromises

The relationship between the Sri Lankan citizen, the state, and the automobile has long been defined by structural contradictions.

Buddhism disgraced: These disturbing allegations are a symptom of a larger decay

The arrest and subsequent bail release of Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Thera, on alligations of raping a minor girl has shed light on the dark underbelly of sexual abuse in the clerical order.

Let children grow offline

Sri Lanka is at a point where it must make an important decision about its children and their future. Social media has become a powerful part of daily life, but for young people, especially those under 16, it is doing more harm than good.

Foreigners Arrested for Cyber Crimes

It has become almost a daily occurrence that foreigners are being taken into custody for cybercrimes. A noticeable number of Chinese, Korean and other Asian nationals are currently residing in high-end apartments in Colombo, often paying premium rents.

Imagine a situation without the IMF

Sri Lanka’s rupee, in a surprising turn, turned from Asia’s worst performing currency to Asia’s best performing currency within a day. Bloomberg which identified Sri Lanka’s rupee as Asia’s worst preforming currency on May 21 reported on May 24 that it has become Asia’s best on May 22, strengthening as much as 2.7%, its biggest gain since March 2023, reversing losses from the previous day when it slid to a three-year low.

Growth of Buddhism in China and its challenges past and present

Buddhism came to China from India via Central Asia in the first century AD during the reign of Emperor Mingdi of the Han dynasty (202 BC – 220 AD). Over the centuries, it has grown in China in harmony with native belief systems like Confucianism and Taoism, despite doctrinal differences.

An open Letter to the Consumer Affairs Authority

The public is increasingly concerned about the manner in which online taxi operators exploit consumers during rainy weather and rush hours through excessive “surge pricing” and “driver bid” charges. A journey which normally costs around Rs.700 was recently billed to me as follows: Fare – Rs.1053.62 Surge – Rs.300.00 Driver Bid Rs. 610.00 Total – Rs.1963.62

National Commission on Women responds regarding protecting abused child

The following is a statement issued by the National Commission on Women regarding protection and access to justice of the child in alleged sexual abuse case.

Sri Lanka’s Two-Faced Policy Climate Justice at the UN, Deforestation at Home

The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, voted 141–8 to adopt a landmark resolution endorsing the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which states that States have a legal obligation to address climate change. It is indeed a powerful pronouncement on international law, climate justice, and science.

Dollar strain returns amid global shocks

Sri Lanka’s renewed pressure on foreign exchange is once again exposing the delicate balance between fiscal gains and external stability.

Let’s try and make a difference

“Do not ask what your country can do for you, but what you can do for the country.” This famous quote was made by the late American President John F. Kennedy at his inauguration.

Lack of planning leading to shortages and bankruptcy

Sri Lankans are beginning to fear they are heading into a similar nightmarish period along the lines of the economic crisis of April 2022. The era which marked the country’s first ever sovereign debt which led to shortages of basic foodstuffs, medicines, fuel, LP gas, long queues around petrol sheds, rolling power cuts, an outbreak of lawlessness which in turn led to the violent overthrow of the then government.

Sri Lanka’s IMF-led Debt Restructuring and Lessons for Senegal

Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948 after four and a half centuries of colonial rule by the Portuguese, Dutch and then finally the British. Despite this colonial legacy and attempts to keep the country in the Western orbit, most notably by the United States with the Colombo Plan and the World Bank with its extensive Mission in 1951, Sri Lanka took the turn towards Import Substitution Industrialisation and a geopolitical shift towards the Non-Al

Legacy of Malini - Tribute to the Queen of Lankan cinema

Malini Fonseka, the Queen of the Silver Screen who passed away a year ago leaving behind a legacy of over hundred and fifty films, was a symbol of perseverance. Tilak Kuruvitabandara, Editor and commentator on literature and the arts is someone who watched Malini’s progress since the inception and applauds her amazing resilience. He says Malini’s determination to succeed was unmatched.

Sri Lanka deposit insurance scheme

It was reported in an English weekend newspaper recently that Mr. Sriyan Cooray, Chairman of NDB, has assured customers that their deposits remain fully secure, with the financial impact of the recent fraud being absorbed through the bank’s capital and reserves.

University students at the orientation session, HelpAge conducts orientation session on elders

HelpAge Sri Lanka (HASL) on May 14 welcomed 35 fourth-year undergraduates of the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences of Sri Jayewardenepura University, for attending an orientation session, conducted by HelpAge to create the awareness of its free services provided for needy senior citizens in the country.

IRAN WAR: PEACE HANGS BY A FRAGILE THREAD; THE POOR SUFFER CONSEQUENCES

As developing and least developed countries struggle with rising fuel import bills, hostilities between the US-Israel alliance and Iran show no signs of abating despite peace efforts. While the US, aligned with Israel, expects Iran to concede to its demands, the Islamic Republic—the wronged party—insists on war reparations, lifting sanctions, and unfreezing its assets as conditions to end the conflict. After all, it was the US-Israel axis that tr

Sri Lanka’s uphill task to maintain economic stability

Sri Lanka is often vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations like what it is experiencing at the moment. For the common man, a depreciating rupee means that the cost of living is expected to be much higher than his or her income. This is also bad news for a country that is recovering from a recent economic collapse. Explaining reasons for the depreciation of the rupee at the Committee on Public Finance, Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasing