Fault Lines in Strategy: Did U.S. Intelligence Fail Trump?

Tehran has repeatedly caught Washington off guard, launching attacks on U.S.-aligned Arab nations, effectively blocking the Strait of Hormuz, and most recently deploying long-range ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000 kilometers, a stunning setback for U.S. and Israeli military experts, according to their own statements to Wall Street analysts.

Sri Lanka must finally learn to stand on its own feet

As tensions rise in the Middle East and global uncertainty becomes the new normal, Sri Lanka once again finds itself watching events unfold with a sense of helplessness.

Another cycle of price hikes

The increase in fuel prices will most likely affect prices of essential goods over the coming days. But this is not a surprise given the prevailing situation in the Middle East. Bus fares are likely to be increased.

Vijay’s TVK Party faces Tamil Nadu elections alone

Elections to the Legislature of the South Indian State of Tamil Nadu has been announced by the Election Commission of India. Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23 to elect 234 members to it’s Legislative assembly.

Expect the unexpected

Following the Government’s announcement last week that Wednesday would be a holiday in order to reduce fuel consumption in the country in the face of escalating conflicts in the Middle East, certain health sector trade unions had demanded a holiday allowance for their members as they are not entitled to that holiday.

Trump’s Iranian Wild West adventure could end in nuclear disaster

The American Wild West, brings to mind of jeans clad cowboys shooting from the hip and gun-toting white Americans on horseback hunting down Native Americans armed with bows and arrows.

four-day work week: Smart step towards a productive SL

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has made a timely and pragmatic decision in proposing a four-day work week, with Wednesdays designated as a holiday for public sector employees.

Neutral waters, timeless laws Graf Spee, IRIS Dena and the enduring relevance of neutrality

The story of the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee in 1939 remains one of the most cited lessons in the law of neutrality. During her commerce-raiding mission in the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean between September and December 1939, Graf Spee sank nine merchant ships totalling over 50,000 GRT. Her actions forced the British to deploy multiple hunting groups across vast oceans, culminating in the Battle of the River Plate, where Britis

Energy security: Time to move from rhetoric to action

Energy security is a topic that has been discussed for years, if not decades. It is sensible for any government, policymakers and independent analysts to engage in it. Indeed, reams have been written on the subject. Still, rhetoric has not been translated into action here, and Sri Lanka remains highly vulnerable to external shocks. With the Middle East war, triggered after the US-Israel attack on Iran, continuing to rage, Sri Lanka - which entire

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

Respect to citizens who continue to adjust

I just pray that one day our people will finally get the chance to live, not just survive I am 33 years old and honestly, I do not even know what kind of life this is anymore. From childhood until now, it feels like we Sri Lankans have never truly been allowed to breathe in peace. We went through a 30-year war, then came the 2019 bomb blasts, then the Corona pandemic, and the economic crisis. Then the fuel and gas queues in 2022, 12-13 hour power

Smoke screens and fake memes

Here we go again: another global crisis that cripples the average person’s life, regardless of which remote corner of the world they live in, if they depend on fossil fuels in daily life.

Has Sri Lanka learned from past mistakes?

It seems like Sri Lanka has a habit of repeating past mistakes, either intentionally or otherwise. Perhaps the Government wasn’t ready for a global conflict to affect its fuel supplies. Perhaps the Government thought they could negotiate obtaining fuel from other countries. But the rapid progression of the conflict has now thrown Sri Lanka towards another pandemic-like period. This is why it is important to prepare ahead of times, now that we dep

Waging war with Iridium and smart phones

The American-Israeli onslaught against Iran is now more than two weeks old. US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expected Iran to give in quickly under the sheer weight of bombs.

Fuel QR code quota promotes vehicle regulation

The Government’s introduction of the QR code-based fuel quota system can be seen as a timely measure, implemented as part of broader austerity efforts to manage limited fuel resources. In the face of ongoing global fuel instability, such a system is aimed at ensuring equitable distribution and preventing excessive consumption. While it is undeniable that this policy may disrupt the daily routines of certain segments of the population, it is impo

Outdated laws hamper women workers in Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, significant progress in human resource development has not led to increased women’s participation in the workforce. Although the country has nearly closed the gender gap in education and health, only one in three women is active in the labour market.

Reflections on energy security in the fuel queue

For years, political agitators have opposed the joint development of the World War II British oil tank farm in Trincomalee. The pretext has always been defending energy security, although irony should not be lost on the discerning onlooker.

Can Sri Lanka afford additional holidays?

Sri Lanka has never had a shortage of holidays. From religious observances to full moon days, from national commemorations to long weekends that quietly stretch into unofficial breaks, we have built a culture that celebrates pause far more easily than it embraces productivity.

Should nine-yr.-olds be kept in school until 4 p.m.?

I regularly go to pick up my grandson, who is in Year 4 at a leading Buddhist school in Maradana. His classes usually conclude at 1 p.m. However, on certain days the students are kept in school until around 4 p.m., as teachers prepare them for the forthcoming Grade 5 Scholarship Examination.

Current world order proves Marx’s interpretation of law

The Sri Lankan Government is apparently preparing for the repercussions of the long-drawn-out war in the West Asia or a war covering other regions as well, as the belligerent parties - the US and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other - are not showing signs restraints.

Drug bust valuations raise questions

The Sri Lanka Navy recently announced the seizure of narcotics from a fishing vessel valued at about Rs. 3 billion (around US$ 9.6 million). Only days earlier, the authorities reported another detection worth about US$ 4.8 million.

AI chatbots add to the epidemic of teenage violence  in US

The United States is well known for many things, among them is the under-17s indulging in violence, including murder and mass shootings. Children are increasingly ill-mannered, whiny, selfish, arrogant, rude, defiant and violent, according to ‘Psychology Today’.

Sri Lanka’s economic vulnerability to Middle East Conflict

The geopolitical landscape of early 2026 has shifted with a violent suddenness that the current Sri Lankan administration seems ill-prepared to navigate.

Potato cultivation a no-winner for Welimada farmers

Farmers in the Welimada plateau maintain that cultivating potatoes requires a very high investment, and when the harvest they produce reaches the market, imported potatoes are sold at lower prices during the same period.

Peace Is Not a Slogan: Indian Ocean’s Dangerous Moment

The Indian Ocean has been declared a zone of peace on successive occasions. It is time the world’s major powers started acting like they believe it.

Sri Lankans should brace for harder times again!

Sri Lankans may soon have to tighten their belts once again. The reintroduction of a QR based fuel distribution system is a clear signal that the government is bracing for turbulence in the global energy market.

Should people panic this time, too?

Sri Lankans are once again faced with a fuel crisis due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Ever since US-Israel launched their attack on Iran, people have gone into panic mode.

A New Digital Pathway for Sri Lankan Space Explorers

In an era where space exploration is no longer limited to a few powerful nations, Sri Lankan youth now stand at the gateway of a global scientific revolution.

The UN Security Council on Iran: Is it hypocrisy back and forth?

The UN Security Council yesterday adopted Resolution 2817 presented by Bahrain, a non-permanent member of the Council, on behalf of the GCC states.

Wanted, a serious Opposition

Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Kristalina Georgieva last week said that Sri Lanka now has a government that people trust, and the country’s recovery is being powered by that trust which is a rare and valuable asset.