Editorial - O! Justice, what crimes are committed in thy name

One of France’s kings was once asked about the rule of law. His infamous reply quoted for hundreds of years to define dictatorship, was “I am the state”.

No restriction to run a Casino in my hotel – Ravi wijeratne

The proposed Casino enterprise has been gathering momentum and has met with strong protests by various quarters while its main protagonist James Packer has been the talking point. Meanwhile,

Credible, transparent independent investigations

David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the formerly `Great? Britain has repeatedly not just requested but purported to `demand? that the sovereign state of Sri Lanka which ceased to be a colonial possession of Britain 63 years ago

Mandela and his economics

In the days when Mikhail Gorbachev was president of the Soviet Union, engaged in his policy of glasnost and disarmament, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize,

Editorial-The harvest is rich, the labourers few

Madeba Nelson Mandela, widely acclaimed as the world’s greatest statesman since the legendary Abraham Lincoln of the United States,

'I had absolutely nothing to do with heroin'

In a fiery scandal which erupted recently, the Coordinating Secretary to the Prime Minister was...

Are we living in times of decay?

This may be a question most Sri Lankans find absurd with the end of the war in 2009. But the enlightened...

Mandela does not belong to you unless you follow him

As word leaders deliver moving eulogies and wax eloquent on the virtues of Nelson Mandela, some...

Akashi’s international concerns and govt’s concern for imported dog food

Yasushi Akashi, Japan’s special envoy for Peace-Building, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction in Sri Lanka, is in town again, and this is his 23rd visit to the country since he assumed his role in 2002.

iconic face of modern Buddhist monk

A ten-year-old boy from Matara was taken up to Colombo by Ven Galaboda Devananda Nayake Thera and handed over to Ven. Vacissara Nayake Thera of Gangaramaya.

A blank cheque for TNC corruption - Editorial

One of the world’s most eminent jurists, prophet of social justice and advocate of multi-religious dialogue Judge C. G. Weeramantry, in a keynote speech to mark World Anti-Corruption day, said corruption all over the world was going on unchecked largely because of a........

Can Akashi play his cards right for Sri Lanka?

The eighty two year old Japanese diplomat is back in the news in Sri Lanka, returning to the country for his twenty third visit, in an effort to assist the government in Colombo to deal with a brewing international storm over allegations of war crimes and human rights violations.

Fish with peculiar preying method

Researchers of aquatic life have found a carnivorous fish that splashes saliva at the red-ant nests and other insects in the branches of trees hanging over the rivers and feed on them when they drop into the water.

Mandela treated me like a daughter: Chandrika

Former South African President Nelson Mandela embraced me like a daughter each time we met,

Bribery allegations are completely false

Chairman of the Commission to investigate Bribery or Corruption,

Mandela the moral leader

We live in the era of permanent revolution that teaches us about the incapacity of liberal leaders achieving tasks of the democratic revolution.

Editorial-Learn from Mandela

In the afterglow of the World Anti-Corruption Day on Monday Sri Lanka finds itself in a situation where the cost of living keeps soaring along with allegations of corruption.

Bhikkhuni Kusuma opens first training centre for Lankan Bhikkhunis

Ven. Kolonnawe Bhikkhuni Kusuma, Chief Incumbent of the Ayya (Arrya) Khema Meditation Retreat Centre in Olaboduwa, opened the Ayya Khema Bhikkhuni Training Centre in Colombo - a training centre for Sri Lankan Bhikkhunis - on Sunday.

ETHICS and EMANCIPATION of Mandela A moral and ethical giant of our age

The great Sri Lankan editor and Newsweek columnist Tarzie Vittachi, who preferred Jung to Freud, used to say that “everything is about something else.” So it is with the obituaries of Nelson Mandela.

Editorial - Corruption in education sector

There is a vast gap between popular schools in major cities and small schools in remote villages in the country, with some popular schools having even swimming pools while the children of remote schools don’t even have access to drinking water to quench their thirst.

The country, the economy and runaway engines

The budget debate of the Western Provincial Council (WPC) for 2014 was held last week. The budget for the Western PC is a hollow document similar to the one presented to Parliament by the President.

Parliament majority can’t compensate for Govt’s lack of economic vision

Eran Wickramaratne, the National List Member of Parliament representing the United National Party (UNP) is a reputed Economist and had been a high-profile Corporate Executive.

Budget is just a piece of paper

Tilvin Silva, the General Secretary of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), discusses the future political challenges of his party and preparations to counter them in the aftermath of an electoral setback.

Sudden Rail Strikes Difficulties faced by commuters

Thousands of innocent public and private sector employees have to suffer because of their fellow employees’ sudden and unreasonable trade union actions.

Poverty Alleviation in Sri Lanka? Done!

The data compiled by the relevant government agencies in Sri Lanka shows that poverty in the country has declined steadily over the last few decades.

Editorial-Water-tight patriotism

Most people today appear to have taken fresh water for granted despite the continuing crisis over drinking water in many parts of the country including Ratupaswala.

Sri Lankan Government deserves better

The recently-ended Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka, unfortunately, shifted focus away again from CHOGM’s agenda, to the secondary issue of the host country’s internal affairs.

Madiba Mandela: Behold the Man - Editorial

In this era when most leaders appear to be abusing the vice side instead of the wise side of the globalised capitalist market economic system and politics specially has degenerated into selfishness and self-centred plunder of the people’s resources, the death of legendary South African leader Nelson Mandela on.......

People’s power vital for participatory democracy

As you read this article, a series of people-power explosions of different magnitudes are taking on regimes that claim to be democratic or working towards democracy. While

Modern-day Oliver Twists

As I stood on the edge of the cobbled pavement waiting to hail a cab, I was momentarily startled by a sudden tug at my tote-bag. Standing right behind me was a little girl, looking up at me wide-eyed while biting on a corner of her ragged t-shirt.