A fundamental rights petition filed against pastor Jerome Fernando will be taken up for consideration before a three-judge bench chaired by the Chief Justice, on 22 July. Several religious leaders have filed the petition seeking an order to prosecute pastor Jerome Fernando under the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) over […]

In the midst of tension in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea, Japan, China and South Korea held a trilateral summit in Seoul on May 27, the first since July 2019. The summit was attended by Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Japanese Premier Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol. For the sake […]

The world faces threats of huge economic losses in case China attacks Taiwan. There is a high possibility of major powers drawing into the conflict, which would disrupt global trade and cost the world its 10 percent of GDP. The Taiwan Strait is crucial for global cargo transport as over 50 percent of cargo ships […]

by ACB Pethiyagoda A desire to visit Burma (Myanmar since 1989) having seen the film ‘The Story of Dr. Wossell’ as a school boy was fulfilled recently. The film was about a dedicated British Army Medical Officer who during World War II fell in love with the country and more deeply with a lithesome and […]

Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement By Gomi Senadhira senadhiragomi@gmail.com “You might tell fairy tales, but the progress of a country cannot be achieved through such narratives. A country cannot be developed by making false promises. The country moved backward because of the electoral promises made by political parties throughout time. We have witnessed that the […]

In recognition of veteran actor Ravindra Randeniya’s outstanding contributions to Sri Lankan cinema over five decades, the ceremony, “Ravi – Self-Reflection on Half-Century in Cinema” took place on Wednesday (05) at the Bandaranaike International Conference Hall in Colombo, presided over by President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Ravindra Randeniya, who entered the film industry with the 1974 movie [̷...

By Saman Indrajith Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday congratulated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the victory recorded by his party BJP-led National Democratic Alliance at the Indian elections. Both the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader said that the victory would further elevate the bilateral relations between […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando Attempts had been made to compel UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to give up the premiership immediately after the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had left Janadhipathi Mandiraya in the early afternoon of July 09, 2022. That had been the devious Aragalaya strategy meant to pave the way for Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to […]

Poverty is one of the most pressing and pervasive issues facing the world today. It affects billions of people globally, diminishing their quality of life, limiting their opportunities, and perpetuating a cycle of deprivation that can span generations. Understanding poverty requires a multidimensional approach that goes beyond mere economic measures. It encompasses social, cultural, political, [&#...

‘We should ask India to hand them over to us’ By Shamindra Ferdinando The findings made by Indian and Sri Lankan security and intelligence authorities about the recent arrest of four Sri Lankans on the suspicion of being religious extremists are contradictory. While Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad declared that the suspects had been involved with the […]

US President Joe Biden has urged Hamas to accept a new Israeli proposal to end the conflict in Gaza, saying that “it’s time for this war to end”. The three-part proposal would begin with a six-week ceasefire in which the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) would withdraw from populated areas of Gaza. There would also be […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando Retired Foreign Secretary H. M. G. S. Palihakkara says Sri Lanka shouldn’t hesitate to recongise a Palestine state formally against the backdrop of Spain, Ireland and Norway having done so already.The veteran Foreign Service officer was responding to The Island query regarding what Sri Lanka’s response should be to the raging Gaza […]

Sri Lanka has again requested Canada not to repeat baseless allegations of genocide here. Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane took up the issue when she met Canadian Deputy Minister for International Development Christopher MacLennan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday (28) Recently, Foreign Ministry accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of repeatedly propagating lies […...