Devastating effect of air pollution in South Asia

Air pollution is having a devastating effect on large parts of South Asia, particularly Northern India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Sri Lanka too is affected, but only seasonally and that too due to cross border flows from its northern neighbours.

Did food tender to supply Tri-Forces produce Rs 100 M loss?

It is reported that a serious issue has arisen in the tender process for the purchase of dry and fresh food supplies for the Tri-Forces for this year. This situation has emerged because the tender wasn’t awarded to the company that submitted the lowest bid at the relevant price call. A letter dated 13.11.2025, signed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Sampath Thuyacontha confirmed that this above mentioned com

Cyclone Ditwah: An Overlooked Environmental Tragedy

Devastation caused by heavy rains in the early hours of November 22 2025 resulting in a Kadugannawa hill top collapsing onto a roadside tea shop and several vehicles, killing 6 and injuring 4 persons, brought to my mind the lyrics of the famous song “Blowin’ in the Wind”–

Sri Lanka’s bureaucratic system needs an urgent clean up!

Last week, the Daily Mirror exclusively reported of yet another foreign investor pulling out of Sri Lanka citing regulatory obstruction and arbitrary state action.

Trials-at-Bar in Sri Lanka: Use and abuse

It is reported that a Trial-at-Bar is being contemplated in respect of allegations against former President Ranil Wickremesinghe regarding misuse of state resources for a visit to a British university on his return from attending sessions of the United Nations in New York and an official visit to Cuba.

SLTB vs. private - travelling to Negombo by bus

On Christmas day, I headed to Negombo for a much needed break. A friend who lives by the lagoon invited me for dinner and a quiet night of discussion and reminiscences. I wanted to travel by train. But his home is closer to the Negombo bus station than the railway station, and I decide to go by bus. It’s three in the afternoon, and I got into a parked Fort-bound Route No. 103 at Borella. It took half an hour to get to Pettah, four kilometers away

Nuwara- Eliya worst affected by Ditwah: ROAD CLEARING REMAINS A FORMIDABLE TASK

Nuwara-Eliya District, the worst affected by the Ditwah cyclone followed by floods and landslides, looks like a wrecked landscape with mounds of earth and rocks obstructing the main highways and access roads leading to places of tourist attraction

NMRA regulations strengthened to discourage illegal pharmacy practices

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) Act No. 5 of 2015 mandates the full-time presence of a qualified pharmacist for the operation of pharmacies. Initially, one pharmacist would operate several pharmacies in a given area, but they weren’t present at the pharmacy throughout the day.

Floods, films, athletes and tasty dishes: Sri Lanka produced some ‘influencing moments and people’ in 2025

When Sri Lanka has just stepped into a brand new year, it’s time to reflect on the year bygone and reminisce the events and individuals who influenced the islanders’ minds. History gives us reminders about how the tsunami in 2004 compelled Sri Lankans to stand united. But a bigger catastrophe was experienced 21 years later when floods and landslides caused havoc in the island. Hats off to those individuals who gave away whatever they could, and

A hyped up opposition and a weakening government!

To the Opposition - It is with a certain sense of humour that I have been patiently watching your remarks before the media in recent days, as well as in Parliament, where collectively you have been calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya over the mess up in the Grade Six English Language module.

When AI Can Undress You Without Consent: A Wake-Up Call for Sri Lanka

AI image generation promised creativity, but it has also revealed alarming risks, including a growing “bikini trend.” On platforms powered by generative AI, a simple prompt or a tweet can now instantly turn ordinary photos into sexualized images or videos, without the subject’s knowledge or consent.

Protection of the state from terrorism act; a critique of the current proposal

The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act, No. 48 of 1979, (PTA), has been vigorously assailed for 45 years as the anchor of a legislative regime which is destructive of basic political and civil rights.

Proposed road to promote tourism threatens protected knuckles forest

The Knuckles Forest is a unique forest ecosystem in Sri Lanka, which was declared as a conservation forest by the Department of Forest Conservation through Extraordinary Gazette No. 1130/22 dated 05.05.2000. It is also the first conservation forest in the country. In addition, under the National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980, the Knuckles area was designated as an environmental protection area through Extraordinary Gazette No. 1507/09 dated 23

India’s AI Surge: A Wake-Up Call For Sri Lanka

While Western headlines remain transfixed by Silicon Valley’s latest iterations, a more profound tectonic shift is accelerating in New Delhi. India is no longer merely a consumer of global technology; it is aggressively architecting “Sovereign AI”, a domestic brain powered by 38,000 GPUs and vast local datasets. For Sri Lanka, the upcoming India AI Impact Summit represents a critical junction.

Hydrology expert issues warning: Poor land-use planning, high population density can cause major catastrophes

Sri Lanka was not ready for Cyclone Ditwah, both in terms of the intensity of rainfall and winds, and also in terms of infrastructure. Even though Sri Lanka discussed about incorporating disaster-resilient infrastructure post-Tsunami, many of these discussions remained in black and white.

Douglas Devananda who fought with the Sri Lankan Army against the LTTE

Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Chief and Secretary-General, Douglas Devananda became the latest political leader to be arrested in Sri Lanka.

Aranayaka landslide victims have no hopes of returning home

Landslides are not a new phenomenon for people in Aranayaka, a town in Kegalle District. In 2016, following the Samasara Kanda landslide, at least a 100 people succumbed to injuries while over 150,000 people were impacted. But this time, as many as 68 landslides have been triggered in this district since the Lower Kadugannawa incident, displacing many people and forcing them to look for alternative places to settle.

Why the Global Digital Rights Conversation Matters for Sri Lanka: A Sri Lankan in a Global Community of Digital Defenders

The presence of Sri Lankan digital rights practitioners in global forums is not symbolic; it is strategic and essential. Sri Lanka stands at a critical intersection: rapid digital transformation clashing with political sensitivities, misinformation, and a vulnerable civil society.

Sri Lanka After Cyclone Ditwah: The Full Scale of the Disaster in Numbers

Cyclone Ditwah left Sri Lanka facing a national disaster of extraordinary scale. The numbers tell the story of a country confronting one of its most severe crises in recent memory.

Presidential authority in times of emergency: A contemporary appraisal

The following is a keynote address delivered by Prof. G. L. Peiris at the International Research Conference of the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo held on December 12, 2025.

How JR Amended his Constitution to Enable a Tamil MP Join The UNP Govt

Chelliah Rajadurai, a veteran politician of Sri Lanka -- perhaps the oldest among former Parliamentarians -- passed away on December 7, 2025 at the age of 98. Rajadurai hailing from Batticaloa was a colourful personality who served as an MP, Mayor, Cabinet minister and High Commissioner in an eventful political career.

Disaster geopolitics in Ditwah’s wake

Just as Canada’s social justice activist and writer Naomi Klein, in her highly celebrated book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism, explains the relations between disasters—manmade or natural—and vulgar capitalism driven by inhumane greed, so too can we see an inviting link between disasters and geopolitics. In her 2007 book, she argues that disasters and wars are like honeypots for capitalist bees—or flies.

Cyclone Ditwah another test case of Indo-Pacific cooperation

As Cyclone Ditwah batters Sri Lanka, international aid has surged from India, the United States, Pakistan, China, Japan, the United Kingdom, and other nations. The crisis underscores the island’s strategic role in the Indo-Pacific, where disaster response increasingly intersects with geopolitics and climate resilience efforts

A cyclone that left testing our President!

When you and your government won the elections last year, both local and international circles were stunned by the sheer magnitude of the victory. A map of Sri Lanka painted almost entirely in the NPP’s maroon colour sent a clear message from the people - they were exhausted by a corrupt system that enriched those in power while draining taxpayers to their last rupee.

Megoda-Kolonnawa residents struggle to revive lives after devastating floods

The messy aftermath of the floods that occurred in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah is evident for anyone who visits Megoda-Kolonnawa. In fact it is one of the worst flood-prone areas in Colombo as it is a low-lying settlement along the Kelani River basin.

Understanding the flood aftermath: What Sri Lankans should be aware of now

Sri Lanka is facing a phase of the disaster where danger arrives quietly — often without rain. As families attempt to move or return home, new, hidden risks are emerging. This is the stage where awareness can save lives.

The hidden crisis How floods, slides threaten health of Sri Lanka’s elderly

When Cyclone Ditwah swept across Sri Lanka in late November 2025, the force of nature felt almost unreal. Hundreds of people died, thousands remain unaccounted for, and more than 147,000 were pushed from the places they once called home.

Will Sri Lanka ever learn?

The era of global warming, no country is immune from extreme climate events such as cyclones, floods, or heatwaves. Yet nations with stronger disaster-preparedness systems consistently mitigate damage and reduce death tolls. The global lesson is clear: countries must learn from past catastrophes and adapt their response mechanisms accordingly.

Don’t blame Ditwah—blame our environmental sins

It goes without saying that Sri Lanka is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. In recent decades, the country has been regularly lashed by extreme weather conditions in the form of either prolonged droughts or relentless rains.

Tilvin Silva’s Encounter with the Tamil Diaspora in London Protests by a few sections had no impact