Centuries-old trees gutted

Hundreds of centuries-old trees, including giant Kumbuk trees, have been felled and burned in Wanathawilluwa in the Puttalam district, environmentalists have charged.

The environment, climate change and Coronavirus - EDITORIAL

In 2019 we Sri Lankans and the people of this world were all concerned with the growing problem of air pollution and its effect on global warming.

THE BACKLASH OF COVID!

Never have I seen such a mess in life. The air is pure but wearing a mask is mandatory.

Community spread or not, act swiftly

We have been justifiably bragging until October 4 about our success in containing the deadly COVID-19 pandemic which has become a disaster in many countries such as the United States and India. With the first COVID-19 patient being r

Tragedy and farce of 20A

It was a patriotic show of civic duty by seven Muslim parliamentarians and the main opposition, Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s national

“Taliban-produced drugs entering Sri Lanka through Pakistan” -Ashraf Haidari

Afghanistan has been a victim of years of terrorism which continues to destabilize an otherwise peaceful country with a yout

Respect!

Let us start respecting the virus at least now. Boastful statements and media circuses will not get rid of it. No country has been spared.

Whither Sri Lanka’s Trade Union movement? - EDITORIAL

In October this year, the country’s total workforce, stood at approximately 8,971,000 persons. The minimum wage rate.....

Ignoring non-COVID diseases - A fatal mistake?

Recently the Daily Mirror reported a death of a male patient at his residence while undergoing self-quarantine. The immediate cause of death....

From JR’s 2nd Amendment to Gota’s 20th Amendment

UN 75 today: Reaffirming our collective commitment to multilateralism - EDITORIAL

Today is United Nations Day and Sri Lanka has much to be grateful to this world body, especially some of its affiliated groups like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),

Circular migration of Lankan Female Domestic Migrant Workers

Madhuka Sanjaya Wickramarachchi of the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published a very interesting paper on “circular migration” of Sri Lankan female domestic workers to the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) in the International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (Volume 10, Issue 10, October 2020).

Murali: Owned by two nations - EDITORIAL

When India wanted to make a movie about Sri Lanka’s cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan the islanders were upbeat for many reasons.

Free speech and hate speech: The French disconnection

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” This was how British writer Evelyn Beatrice Hall captured great French....

Moral questions involving 20 A

The forgotten 13th bears upon the 19th and 20th

Draconian. A plan for self-aggrandizement. The death of democracy. In violation of established parliamentary procedure.

Empathize with COVID-19 victims, don’t ridicule them - EDITORIAL

Social media busy-bodies have again begun their dastardly deeds of maligning the COVID-19 infected workers at the Brandix Garment Factory in Minuwangoda.

Will 20A be a pyrrhic victory for Pohottuwa Government?

The 20th Amendment to the Constitution is now under debate, and it is expected to be put to vote at 7.30 pm today. The first piece of legislation of the new Government formed after the August 5 General Election reached the debating stage at a political cost to the Government.

Signs of ‘spring’ in nationalist Sri Lanka

Many Asian countries are in turmoil including Sri Lanka. At present Sri Lanka watches anxiously as parliament debates the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution while a few airports away Thailand and Pakistan agitate against their respective countries’ prime ministers.

Why this fascination with an US election? - EDITORIAL

On Tuesday 3 November 2020, Americans will vote for their next president, with a choice between Donald Trump, the Republican incumbent, and his Democratic challenger, Joe Biden.

Recalibrating our shame, digitally

Shame is digital, and it’s public. Shame of faked academic qualifications, follow amilagate. Shame of digital philanthropy gone pear-shaped at best....

Leave petty party politics, vote sensibly

The highly controversial 20th Amendment to the Constitution Bill is to be presented to Parliament tomorrow for the second reading an

20A amidst COVID-19 What a set of (mis) priorities?

It takes an extra dose of cavalierness to bulldoze through Parliament a Constitutional Amendment intended for personal aggr

‘There’re four key accountability gaps in 20th A’ -Asoka Obeysekere

S.C. Asoka Obeyesekere, Executive Director at Transparency International Sri Lanka, airs out his views on the 20th Amendment in an email interview with Daily Mirror.

Socio-Economic implications of 20th A

The draft 20th Amendment (20A) to the Constitution is being opposed by the main opposition parties and some segments of civil society and professional groups. The most politically significant opposition comes from some leaders of the Sangha who played a major role in the election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as President. They want a new constitution as

Live wires of Sri Lanka’s economy are now treated like criminals - Chamila Thushari

Although the apparel sector is said to be Sri Lanka’s largest export industry, its live wires – the garment factory workers are seldom recognized.

Light Rail Shattered? History of rail-transit and tramcars

Walking down the sparsely crowded Norris Road to my office at Fort 54 years ago, I noticed two street urchins discovering silver under a layer of molten.....

COVID-19: Growing social inequalities and social responsibility - EDITORIAL

The Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in its report on the ‘Status of the Economy’ revealed that income inequality in the country is growing....

Funeral of Austerity

The global economy and its worst contraction in eight decades overshadowed the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings last week.

The Importance of Road Discipline

Compliance with traffic rules and regulations reflect the discipline and culture of a country. Road discipline is a good indicator as to whether Sri Lanka is indeed a nation of disciplined people.