SLA contingent armed with clubs at Uni protest: By Shamindra Ferdinando Newly-appointed Chairperson of Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera yesterday (13) said that he would certainly discuss with members of his committee serious allegations pertaining to the presence of military personnel armed with wooden poles at the scene of […]

By Shamindra Ferdinando The Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government has stepped up attacks on the Election Commission (EC) in the wake of the Supreme Court directive meant to clear the way for much delayed Local Government polls. Urban Development and Housing Ministry yesterday (13) quoted Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga, apparently oblivious to what is happening, as having […]

By Geewananda Gunawardana Ph.D. Pharmaceutical Consultant Boston, MA, USA Chemical weapons were used for the first time in 1915 by German army in the battlefield against French army during WWI. Both French and British armies retaliated by using chlorine and mustard gas. Reportedly, Hitler himself fell victim to a mustard gas attack just before the […]

Public Security Minister Tiran Alles has declined to appear before the Human Rights Commission. An aide to Mr. Alles told The Island that the Minister did not go to the HRC yesterday (13) as he had not been properly invited. Earlier, the media reported the HRC requesting a meeting with Minister Alles to discuss the […]

The state-run hospitals were affected in several districts including Colombo when the GMOA (Government Medical Officers’ Association) launched a strike yesterday (13) to pressure the government to revise its new tax regime. Sources said that some surgeries had been postponed. GMOA sources said that trade union action would continue. Unless the government responded positively to […]

Tuesday 14th March, 2023 Progress eludes countries where populist politics has taken precedence over economics, Sri Lanka being a glaring example. Politicians, unlike statespersons, do not care much about the long-term interests of a country, and never hesitate to subjugate macroeconomic fundamentals to political expediency. But for some ill-conceived economic decisions the incumbent dispensation ...

Minister of Urban Development Housing Prasanna Ranatunga instructed the Ministry Secretary recently to consult with the relevant parties and take a decision regarding the abandoned unfinished buildings in Colombo municipal area.