Colombo, January 7 (Daily Mirror) – Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala told Parliament today that information uncovered during investigations suggests that Pulasthini Mahendran, also known as Sarah Jasmine and linked to the 2019 Easter attacks, is not dead.
He also said there was no indication that Sarah Jasmine is currently in India.
The Minister added that if required, the government would move to obtain a warrant for her arrest.
Minister Wijepala said investigations into the Easter attacks are ongoing and that legal action has already been initiated based on the information gathered. He noted that the new government is probing whether there was a conspiracy behind the attacks, describing the inquiry as an in-depth investigation. He added that certain details could not be disclosed in Parliament as doing so would hinder ongoing investigations.
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The world community must make clear that US intervention in Venezuela is a violation of international law that makes the world less safe, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Tuesday.
US forces ousted Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a surprise operation at the weekend. He faces four criminal charges in the US, including narco-terrorism, and Maduro’s vice president has been sworn in as interim president.
It is clear that the operation undermined a fundamental principle of international law, that states must not threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state,” said the Office.
The international community needs to come together with one voice to insist on that,” chief spokesperson for the Office, Ravina Shamdasani, told reporters.
Far from being a victory for human rights, the military intervention damages the architecture of international security and makes every country less safe, she said.
It sends a signal that the powerful can do whatever they like,” she added.
The future of Venezuela must be determined by its people alone, she said, adding instability and further militarization would only make the human rights situation there worse.
Source: Reuters
–Agencies
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National People’s Power (NPP) Parliamentarian Shantha Padmakumara, currently accused of assaulting a police constable, is already serving a suspended prison sentence.
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam shared this information during a press conference held in Colombo today (6).
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‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’
e-Con e-News 28 December 2025 – 3 January 2026
*
‘They took all of our oil…’‘We are going to run the country’ – USA
The New York Times & Washington Post proudly admit how they were told in advance of the US military attack on Venezuela, and the planned kidnapping of its leaders, and loyally ‘held off publishing what they knew’ (see ee Media). On the contrary, it is not a matter of ‘holding off’: their news media actively censors, diverts, whitewashes and enables the military, economic, and political intrusions of their paymasters. While the US media likes to claim ‘unprecedented mutual hostility’ with the current US regime, the close collaboration between this media & the US security state is nothing new, or unusual.
The English media have tried to downplay the steady guiding role by the monopoly capitalist interests behind each US regime, blaming policies on the quirks & clownishness of its leaders, sometimes even claiming the USA is tired of war & seeks peace. The recent US National Security Strategy (NSS) document is a case in point, which makes claims about the USA’s withdrawal from Asia (another pivotal turn around). The wilful naiveté of the capitalist media is endless. The continued dependence on US & European media systems (including so-called social media) and educational institutions sabotages any pretense to ‘independence’. The primitive use of AI videos to spread misinformation is also much more widespread. Meanwhile, the USA’s Meta (Facebook, etc.) is schooling the Sri Lankan government about data protection (see, ee Industry)!
What may be new, with its current actions, is the steady wiping away of the mists: The USA still aims to be the top imperialist, the sole hegemon. Along with its fellow settler satellites & non-settler satrapies, alongside the older colonial powers of Europe, they view & treat Sri Lanka & much of the world as its colonies.
The kidnapping and/or killing of leaders, therefore, is also not new to Sri Lanka. It’s more rarely broadcast on TV, and with such glee. In 2022 – as only now being slowly revealed – the USA & India attempted to kidnap & kill Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapakse (see ee Sovereignty, Julie or Gopal). Prior to that, leaders exhibiting any attempt at straying off the English script charted for Sri Lanka, were assassinated or blown up (with the non-governmental varieties, shot or incinerated – again, not broadcast live).
English media has been repeatedly reporting the ‘capture‘ (rather than a ‘kidnapping‘) of yet another leader (& his spouse) in the Americas. They even decorate it as an ‘extraction’, after a ‘surgical strike’, adding there were no Venezuelan casualties, even as 32 Cubans & other civilians were also killed in the recent invasion. In October 1983, when the US invaded socialist Grenada, they first targeted the Cuban and other foreign civilians helping to rebuild that country. As the first English-speaking Caribbean country, to strive to be truly independent, the US viewed Grenada as ‘the threat of a good example.’
The latest US ‘surgery’ is said to have involved 150 planes & the ‘largest armada ever assembled in South America’s history’, by their own admission. An operating theatre. The costs of such surgery are also to be borne by US citizens (many of whom cannot afford their own healthcare) to enable the owners of Exxon (Standard Oil, of New Jersey) to gain access to the largest oil reserves in the world. But it is even more than that.
*
I spent 33 years & 4 months in active military service
& during that period I spent most of my time as a high-class
muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Sreet & the bankers.
In short, I was a racketeer; a gangster for capitalism. I helped
make Mexico & especially Tampico safe for American oil
interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti & Cuba a decent place
for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped
in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the
benefit of Wall St. I helped purify Nicaragua for the
International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-12.
I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar
interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American
fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that
Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it,
I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do
was to operate his racket in 3 districts. I operated on
3 continents. – Major General Smedley Butler,
War is a Racket, 1935
*
Indeed, the role that such corporate ‘titans’ as Exxon (richer than most countries) have played in such acts of gore are not new, either. They determine US policy, & not just foreign policy. The act was committed just after the USA’s meeting with the leader of their fellow white settler satellite, Israel, to extract more blood money from their Zionist patrons, who have already prepared the world, with their display of real-time horror, that even Hollywood’s copious splashing of tomato sauce, pales in comparison.
The latest ‘surgery’ involves a larger attempt to exclude ‘non-hemispheric actors’ from the Americas. Exclusion recalls the legislative acts to remove Chinese people from Anglo North America (as a ‘reward’, perhaps, for introducing citrus farming to turn western USA into the world’s largest granary, while building the railroads there to carry out those harvests).
Meanwhile, the US envoy in Colombo who failed to kidnap & kill Gotabaya Rajapakse (she has previous hemispheric experience in Haiti, Peru, Bolivia, etc) has (again?) been recalled (by 16 January) for failing to accomplish said assignment. She has kept repeatedly blabbering, along with all her fellow peripatetic officials their embassy has had to host, about the US’ desire for a ‘free & open Indo-Pacific’ (though no one has so vociferously heard of a free-&-open North Atlantic!).
The envoy has apparently sought to remain here by any means, including tattooing (self-mutilating?) a washable map of Sri Lanka on her crusty ankle to show dedication to finish a job she was sent to do, to apply the final coup-de-grace to an operation begun by her predecessors. Perhaps only Frank Sinatra has been retired so often, and it had to take death for him to finally get to do things his own ‘way’. The envoy’s replacement, told their Senate in wintry Washington this week:
‘Sri Lanka’s strategic location makes it a focal point
for US efforts to promote a free & open Indo-Pacific
& counter adversarial influences, including China’s
growing presence in the region.’
Someone should quietly inform the new envoy, that as ‘presences’ go, China has always been in Asia, and part of this ocean now called Indian, long before the USA was even dreamed of…
*
• Every 1 January has forced the USA, on this their settler New Year’s Day, to recall through gritted teeth, the liberation of Cuba on that day in 1959. 2025 sees Cuba enter the 67th anniversary of their ‘libertad’. The US government now says it envisions a path to invading Cuba (again), through their purported ‘capture’ of Venezuela, with the pigs baying for blood, as it were (Playa Giron –Bay of Pigs – was the site of a 1961 failed US attempt at invading Cuba).
Jan 1st this year was also the222nd anniversary of the victory of the Haitian people, in 1804, who defeated 3 imperialist European armies, to declare their independence from Spain, France & England. These once-were-slaves set up the first ‘free’ Republic in the Americas, banning slavery, an act which the USA failed to accomplish for decades (some say a century & 3 score years hence, if waiting until the 1964 Civil Rights Act) thereafter. This Haitian act of liberation drove the white slave powers of the Americas into a frenzy, hastening the English to drive out and replace the Dutch in Sri Lanka in 1795, and turn to Asia to continue their slavery under that label called ‘indentured slavery’, or the ‘coolie’ trade.
The sharp defeat inflicted by the Haitians informs the very core of the North Atlantic’s epistemologies (knowledge systems) & ontologies (theories of being) to this very day. It is a memory they keep seeking to erase. The then-US President, Thomas Jefferson, who is passed off as a democrat, even as he was an ardent slave owner, called the free Haitians, ‘Cannibals of the terrible republic,’ where the ‘course of things in the neighboring islands of the West Indies [appeared] to have given considerable impulse to the minds of the slaves… a great disposition to insurgency has manifested itself among them’.
Haiti is indeed linked to Sri Lanka, as it was Spain’s invasion of Hispaniola (now Haiti & Dominican Republic) in 1492, that made a Borgia Pope divide the world into 2, sending the Portuguese to invade Lanka. Both Sri Lanka & Haiti have struggled to fight off European invaders for 500 years. Haiti supported Venezuela‘s war of independence from Spain, after Simon Bolivar promised to ban slavery in the Spanish Americas. In 1802, France invitedHaiti’s leader Toussaint l’Ouverture for peace talks & kidnapped him to France, where he died in jail. In 2004, the US, Canada, France & England kidnapped Haiti’s president JB Aristide. In 1915, US Marines invaded & took all the gold in Haiti’s Central Bank and deposited it in Rockefeller’s Citibank of New York. As we have to keep saying, it is not new or unusual.
Germany’s attempt to colonize South America’s Paraguay in the 19th century was fronted by the husband of the sister of the German ‘philosopher’ Frederick Nietzsche. Nietzsche argued that ‘reason & morality’ were a creation by slaves, and not for masters. Another European ‘philosopher’ French Marquis de Sade, decreed that if a thief robs you, it is you who must be put on trial for allowing such theft. The US & European governments have long practiced such Nietzschean & Sadist ideas. The USA’s recent invasion of Palestine was a dress rehearsal for open genocide, sans claim to reason & morality.
The real backer of this ‘surprise’ invasion of Venezuela, and related kidnappings & unreported mass murder, is Rockefeller’s Exxon – Standard Oil, the chief beneficiaries of such depredations; the ‘oilers’ who determine US foreign policy. Yet this too shows there is ‘reason’ behind the unreason.
The US government is now brazenly taking the veil off what European & their settler governments have always done, sometimes surreptitiously sometimes openly, for the last 500 years.
*
• The Sunday Times suggests that the Indian High Commission here forced employees of Sri Lanka’s Presidential Secretariat to provide extended applause as India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM) announced an ‘aid’ package of US$450million. It was broadcast off Google’s Youtube (their preferred means of Indian compunction these days) after the EAM was sent here on an hurried emergency mission as the Indian PM’s special representative, to take the shine off a visit by a Chinese delegation scheduled for 24 hours later. India’s ‘aid’ package comprises: ‘$350mn in concessional Lines of Credit & $100mn in direct grants’. As MDD Peiris, a former servant who is called ‘civil’ (as opposed to all the uncivil servants), recalls for us (see ee Random Notes, Rejecting Rs900mn Grant), such ‘concessional’ charity comes with handcuffs…
*
‘The same blind eagerness for plunder
that in the one case exhausted the soil,
had, in the other, torn up by the roots
the living force of the nation…
Capital cares nothing for the length of life
of labour-power. All that concerns it is simply
& solely the maximum of labour-power,
that can be rendered fluent in a working day.
It attains this end by shortening the extent of the
labourer‘s life, as a greedy farmer snatches
increased produce from the soil by robbing it
of its fertility.’ – Karl Marx, Capital Vol 1
*
‘Sri Lanka’s agriculture as a whole is using over 50%
more fertiliser per acre compared to India
while yielding less per acre’ – D Pathirana
*
• This ee Focus reproduces Dhanusha Gihan Pathirana’s intricate survey of the depth of the destruction wrought by the recent ‘weather event’, but also by historical practices that cannot go on. He concludes that the government must prioritize the recovery & restructuring of affected agricultural land, also by creating industrial employment. He also explains how the overextension of agricultural cultivation has been a trap, catalysing climate-related disaster. However, any large-scale agricultural & industrial transformation would be impossible by depending on an extremely vulnerable external sector: ‘Foreign reserves declined particularly in Nov 2025 to $6,090mn.’ He calls for the increasing of national savings through ‘restricting luxury imports, particularly personal vehicles, and reducing the foreign debt burden through creditor renegotiation (despite the alarms by so-called central bankers). The government is relying on luxury import taxes that deplete reserves to generate revenue, and Pathirana wants savings channelled into ‘a dedicated Treasury foreign exchange account through Central Bank (CBSL) market purchases’, to transform agriculture & industry.
Mechanization is vital to increase agricultural productivity, as Sri Lanka’s agriculture is using more fertilizer than India & high-income economies, while the ‘massive increase in chemical input has not translated into better yields’. Rural industrialization is a must, as the historical dependence on unproductive methodss ha:
…likely left the civilisation vulnerable
to invasions due to the difficulty of sustaining
a large standing army on a fragile food base.
(see ee Focus)
Pathirana of course could also help us understand the odds against carrying out such progressive endeavours. One of the earliest US-sponsored coups d-etat in South America, was carried out in Guatemala in 1954, against the government of Jacobo Arbenz, who had dared attempt minor agrarian reform, opposed by the USA’s United Fruit Co. It was a coup, whose propaganda was devised by Sigmund Freud’s nephew, Edward Bernays – the ‘father’ of US ‘public relations’, and functionary of banker JP Morgan’s General Electric (GE).
*
• The Nazi war machine’s industrial infrastructure was by 1941, reinforced by 250 US corporations, recalls Roy Singham as ee Focus also continues his invaluable rendition of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War (WAFW). He uncovers the links in the vast scale of US corporate collaboration & capital infusion into Nazi Germany’s war machine. Even more startling is his exposure of the rehabilitation of German & Japanese war criminals. The Quandt dynasty, enriched by concentration camp labour yet never prosecuted, became BMW billionaires, and are today Germany’s richest family. Japan’s war criminals were given even greater protection.
While many major German war criminals & their organizations were banned, zero Japanese organizations faced prohibition. Instead, they were transformed into Japan’s current Ruling Elite. The Japanese army’s Unit 731,which conducted horrific experiments on Chinese & Korean prisoners, recounted here in macabre detail, were given immunity along with their leader, Emperor Hirohito, with war criminals made cabinet ministers. This infamous unit was later let loose on Koreans, during the US war there in the 1950s. Ryoichi Sasakawa, ‘the world’s wealthiest fascist’, has a Nippon Foundation, which still operates openly in Sri Lanka. While the zaibatsu corporations – Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Nissan, Sumitomo – which ‘exploited 40,000 Chinese prisoners & 100,000s of Koreans’, are now ‘respectable’ multinationals also operating in Asia and elsewhere (see ee Focus).
*
‘The difficulties of taking over metropolitan investments,
without action that is revolutionary in its character &
comprehensive in scope, are seen in the backtracking of
the Sri Lanka government (1970-7) on its program to
for fear of retaliation by the foreign interests. Within a
few days of his appointment the (Trotskyist) Minister of
Plantation Industries expressed the likelihood of action
being taken against the foreign interests. He declaimed to
newsmen: ‘The international monopolies will not retreat
without dealing counter-blows.’ 3 months later the Chairman
of British Exchange Banks Association in Sri Lanka cleared
the air when after a meeting with the (Trotskyist) Finance Minister,
he announced, ‘We shall go on banking’!’
*
• The reasons for the failure of Sri Lanka & other non-settler colonies to truly break free of colonialism and develop modern (industrial) societies is examined in great detail, as ee Focus continues Chapter 5 of SBD de Silva’s classic The Political Economy of Underdevelopment (1982). Particularly fascinating is his description of the role played by India’s merchants & workers in Myanmar (Burma), as well as his comparisons of countries in North Africa.
Whereas the settler colonies were able to make decisive economic breaks with the imperialist powers, the non-settler countries failed to do so. This is because the imperialists now operate through compradore elements, and were able to even expand their economic interests. Operating ‘impersonally from abroad through large corporate enterprises’, they have deployed public-relations machineries to polish their public image, indigenizing business management, using national languages to a certain extent. The unreported corruption by foreign multinational corporations (MNCs), of politicians & bureaucrats,has enabled their ownership & control of the import-export game. The MNCs’ control extended ‘over the whole of the colonial export economy including the financing, marketing & sale of plantation or mining products, and its roots are not easy to unravel let alone exterminate’.
‘Remote control’ has given foreign capital an immunity from interference by national governments – an advantage which settler investors lacked. The removal of the ‘strong complementarity between export economies, heavily dependent on metropolitan markets, & the metropolis’, requires a ‘bold political program’. MNC-based industrial capital now invests directly without the mediation of the merchant firms which had managed & controlled the plantation interests, with a considerable share of foreign involvement being in the service sector, comprising banks, insurance & shipping companies and trading-cum-managing agency firms’… (see ee Focus)
There is a clear misunderstanding of the political measures and economic mechanisms needed to rebuild countries. This misunderstanding extends to those who claim to be ‘radical’, ‘Leftist’, ‘Socialist’ and ‘Marxist’, and yes, ‘independent.’ The widespread propaganda and demonization against USSR leader Joseph Stalin and China’s Mao Zedong, have left the world bereft of the real policies needed to modernize countries. Meanwhile the genocidal policies of the settler colonies in the Americas, Americas, Asia and the Pacific, have been whitewashed and transformed into ‘dream’ destinations, where the nightmares emerge only under the covers of a pliant media.
As 2026 begins, what a strange planet we find ourselves on. The two great empires of my youth, the Soviet Union (now Russia) and my own country, are clearly experiencing some version of imperial decline, even if Vladimir Putin is acting otherwise in Ukraine (as is Donald Trump in his own strange fashion in the Caribbean Sea and Venezuela).
No less curiously, the country visibly on the rise, China, is distinctly not acting like a typical imperial power of history (at least the history I’ve known) in my 82 years. In a world where the United States still has 750 or so military bases around the world, China, as far as I can tell, has at most just one (in Djibouti, Africa). While its economy has become significant globally (imperially significant, you might say), unlike essentially every imperial power from the Portuguese and Spanish in the 15th and 16th centuries on, it has no colonies and only the most minimal military presence abroad, though it does continue to build up its military power (and its nuclear arsenal) at home.
Of course, it’s worth remembering that we are distinctly on a different planet than the one any of those older powers inhabited. And even if America’s great man (my joke!), President Donald J. Trump, doesn’t seem to know it, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, certainly does.
Vladimir Putin’s version of imperial aggression is, at present, aimed at Ukraine in a war that will in the end undoubtedly prove a disaster, not just for Ukraine but for Russia and the rest of the planet, too. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s version of imperial aggression, which is likely (again, in the end) to prove disastrous, is for the time being (and, with him, you always have to add a qualifier) aimed at the Caribbean Sea, the Eastern Pacific Ocean, and Venezuela (which he now seems intent on turning into an oil colony), even as he prepares to build his own golden fleet,” including Trump-class” (old-fashioned) battleships. On the other hand, China’s major aggression” (and indeed, that word does have to be put in quotation marks!) is aimed — setting aside the island of Taiwan (which it claims not as a colony but as a part of China itself) — at the conquest of the future global green economy.
Or put another way, to give credit where it’s due, despite the fact that China continues to open coal plants in an unnerving fashion, its great-power desires are at least aimed at something — in fact, the thing — that truly matters on this distinctly beleaguered planet of ours. It is intent on becoming the Earth’s global powerhouse when it comes to the sale of green energy and the ways to produce it. Consider that its imperial target, one unlike any other in history (though perhaps a comparison could be made to the industrialization of what became imperial Great Britain in the nineteenth century). Moreover, it’s already selling and delivering green energy production units to countries globally, while far outpacing anyplace else on this planet in producing electric vehicles (EVs).
At War with the World
Last year, China installed more wind turbines and solar panels than any other country, indeed more than the rest of the planet combined. And as the New York Timesreported earlier in 2025, Not only does China already dominate global manufacturing of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries, EVs, and many other clean energy industries, but with each passing month it is widening its technological lead.”
While Donald Trump’s America is putting so much of its energy (so to speak) and money into coal, oil, and natural gas production, China’s government has been giving hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies to wind, solar, and electric car manufacturers. And it is now hard at work spreading the products for producing wind and solar power globally. As the Times also reported, Chinese firms are building wind turbines in Brazil and electric vehicles in Indonesia. In northern Kenya, Chinese developers have erected Africa’s biggest wind farm. And across the continent, in countries rich with minerals needed for clean energy technologies, such as Zambia, Chinese financing for all sorts of projects has left some governments deeply in debt to Chinese banks.”
And of course, China is unequaled in the production of electric vehicles. There are now at least 129 brands selling such vehicles in China and they are exporting more than one-fifth of their products globally, while Chinese companies continue to out-innovate those elsewhere on this planet.
On the other hand, Vladimir Putin, who once joked that global warming might be good for Russians because they could then spend less on fur coats,” at least now acknowledges its reality. Nonetheless, he only recently signed a decree that would allow his country, already heating up 2.5 times faster than the global average, to increase its emissions of greenhouse gases 20% by 2035. And of course the United States is now led by a president who all too bluntly ran for office the second time around on the campaign slogan drill, baby, drill” and is making policy based on ending the green new scam.”
Only recently, in fact, his administration paused” the leases on and halted the building of five major wind projects under construction off the east coast of the United States, supposedly due to national security risks.” In essence, Donald Trump and crew have been doing their best to dismantle or get rid of anything in this country that might effectively impede climate change and the future broiling of Planet Earth. That is, in fact, the definition of his America, which is also the definition of decline on a scale that once would have been unimaginable. And remember, I’m talking about the same president who, last fall, told delegates from nations around the world at the United Nations that climate change was the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world,” while insisting that, If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail.”
In the bluntest terms, the greatest imperial power of the past century, the United States, is now in the Trumpian process of sending itself into a steep imperial decline on a distinctly beleaguered planet itself undoubtedly in decline. And part of the reason for that, Trump aside for a moment, is that we humans just can’t seem to stop making war on ourselves. After all, in addition to killing and wounding staggering numbers of us and doing untold damage to (even destroying) whole regions of the planet, wars also release stunning amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, as do what still pass for peacetime” armies. In fact, the U.S. military, even when not at war, still releases more greenhouse gases than whole countries like Sweden or Norway. As it happens, it may be the single largest institutional emitter of such gases on planet Earth.
And worse yet, at such an increasingly dangerous moment in history, there are at least three significant wars underway on this planet of ours. In this distinctly post-modern age, there should be a term for such wars and the way — in addition to the hell on earth they have created since time immemorial — they are now helping produce an environmental hell through the release of greenhouse gases in vast quantities into the atmosphere. There is, of course, the never-ending war in Ukraine, the one (in partial — but only partial — remission) in the Middle East, and the brutal ongoing one in Africa. I’m thinking of Sudan, of course. (And don’t forget the more minor but still brutal one underway in the Congo.)
And when it comes to one conflict for which we have some figures on greenhouse gas emissions, the Guardianreported that, in the first 15 months of Israel’s war in Gaza, those emissions were greater than the annual planet-warming emissions of a hundred individual countries.” It similarly reported that the climate cost of the first two years of Russia’s war on Ukraine was greater than the annual greenhouse gas emissions generated individually by 175 countries.”
A Long-Term Definition of Suicidal on Planet Earth
So, at a time (and what a time!) when we’re experiencing one record hot year after another, ever fiercer forest fires, ever more horrific floods, ever more severe droughts, and so on (and on and on) — at a moment, in other words, when it increasingly seems as if humanity is ever more at war with this planet, the old form of imperial power, the one involving wars, colonies around the world, and global military bases, seems increasingly passé, even if the leaders of neither the U.S., nor Russia seem capable of recognizing that reality.
And in that context, those two imperial powers of the last century aren’t simply following the pathways of other imperial powers whose time was up. Yes, they are both distinctly heading downhill, but both of them, in an eerily purposeful fashion, seem (in climate-change terms) to be intent on taking down much of the rest of the planet with them. And none more purposefully (or so it seems) than Donald Trump’s America, which is distinctly focused on ensuring that, at least in the United States, wind power projects will be cancelled, solar energy projects avoided or wiped out, and ever larger areas from Alaska to more than a billion acres of ocean waters opened to the production of yet more fossil fuels. If you need a long-term definition of suicidal” at both a national and a planetary level, that obviously should be it.
And it’s in just such a world that China, the rising power on this planet, is neither spreading its military might globally, nor creating military bases and seizing colonies around the world. Instead, its leaders are doing their damnedest to take control of the universe of green energy and so plowing new imperial ground by potentially becoming the unparalleled green-energy power on planet Earth.
Of course, it shouldn’t really be a surprise that, on a planet changing before our eyes in the most basic fashion, the meaning of the very word imperial would change or that the old war-making, colonizing version of it would be left to the history books (and to the increasingly ancient and outdated great powers whose leaders can no longer seem to imagine the actual nature of our future).
And this brings me to myself. In some ways, in my 82nd year on this planet, I just can’t believe the world I’m in, nor could I ever have guessed that it would be quite this way. Donald Trump, president of the United States… really? At a moment when it should have been all too obvious that humanity was in danger of creating an all-too-literal hell on earth, a near majority of my compatriots elected (for a second time!) a man who not only refuses to faintly grasp what’s happening but has made a clear and conscious decision to worsen our situation by promoting the further use of fossil fuels in every imaginable way.
All too sadly, though it’s not normally used that way, the word suicidal” seems a reasonable description of his policies. I mean, what needed to be done really shouldn’t have been all that complicated — not on a planet where the most recent years have been the hottest in human history, the last 10 the hottest decade, 2024 the hottest year ever (and unsurprisingly, when the final figures are in, 2025 will undoubtedly be right up there, too); not on a planet where Arctic ice is melting, sea levels rising, and the weather (from storms to droughts) is growing ever more extreme by the year.
And yet, obvious as all that may be, Trump and crew have decided to actively intensify the ongoing disaster. And if that isn’t the definition of a once great imperial power going down (and attempting to take the rest of us with it), what is? To the extent that great power global politics even matter anymore, President Trump is literally turning this world, economically and ecologically, over to China, lock, stock, and rain barrel.
And all of that makes me wonder: How did I — how did any of us — end up here?
Yes, we’re clearly entering a new imperial age with China potentially at the helm of a planet that, in weather (and human) terms, will be going down, down, down.
It may be hard to believe, but that’s our reality — and I must admit that I find it painful to leave such a planet to my children and grandchildren. They truly deserved better.
Senior Venezuelan official says civilians, soldiers among dead as US aircraft target air defenses to capture President Maduro
HAMILTON, Canada
At least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed during a US military operation targeting Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, according to a report by the New York Times late Saturday.
Citing a senior Venezuelan official, who spoke anonymously, the report said: “At least 40 people, including civilians and soldiers, were killed in the attack.”
US officials told the New York Times that the assault involved a large-scale aerial operation aimed at disabling Venezuelan air defenses before ground forces were deployed.
“More than 150 US aircraft were dispatched to knock out air defenses, so military helicopters could deliver troops who assaulted Mr. Maduro’s position, US officials said,” it noted.
There was no immediate public confirmation from the White House or the Pentagon regarding casualty figures or the scope of the operation.
US forces captured and flew Venezuelan President Maduro and his wife early Saturday in a dramatic overnight operation, President Donald Trump announced, declaring that the US would run Venezuela until a “safe, proper, and judicious transition” is secured.
The Maduros are accused of trafficking “tons of cocaine” into the US, along with other crimes, in a new indictment unsealed early Saturday by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.
Critics warn the operation violates international law, bypasses Congress, and risks further instability across Venezuela and the region.
One of the most flawlessly executed special forces operations of the last half-century took place in 1979 when Soviet commandos stormed Afghanistan’s heavily defended presidential palace, killing Hafizullah Amin and several of his top aides. This allowed Moscow to install a replacement government much more congenial to its interests, though the result was the long Afghanistan war against Muslim guerillas.
Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, elderly and decrepit and not long for this world, must have felt tremendous pride at that successful action, as did his equally superannuated Politburo colleagues. I’m sure they all believed it demonstrated that the Soviet Union and its powerful military were still just as robust and vigorous as all their propagandistic Pravda editorials always proclaimed.
But despite that momentary military success, the Soviet economy and political system continued to decay. Just a dozen years later the USSR collapsed and disintegrated, with its Russian successor state soon entering one of the worst periods in its entire national history.
Arjuna Herath, the Chairman of the Board of Investment, the one stop shop for attracting investments in December announced that he would step down from his post by the end of this month, just under 16 months into his tenure
Any tax incentive that the BOI wants to offer beyond what is currently there needs the IMF’s rubber stamp
Sri Lanka does not offer any compelling reason for global industrialists or investors to relocate to Sri Lanka with its current tax policy and challenges
Although the headline economic numbers are still solid, dissatisfaction and frustration is brewing under the surface among business circles over the manner in which the government has become a hostage to the IMF
Colombo, January 5 (Daily Mirror) – While Sri Lanka has managed to push its Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs) slightly atop the billion dollar mark in 2025, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) policies have put the country in a bind in having polices, particularly when it comes to taxation in making the country an attractive destination for international investors.
Sri Lanka has estimated to have attracted FDIs of around US $ 1.1 billion for 2025, little under twice as much as the US 614 million the country received in 2024.
Arjuna Herath, the Chairman of the Board of Investment, the one stop shop for attracting investments in December announced that he would step down from his post by the end of this month, just under 16 months into his tenure.
Any tax incentive that the BOI wants to offer beyond what is currently there needs the IMF’s rubber stamp and it is not forthcoming as the IMF considers them as revenue leakage.
It has transpired that during successive meetings held with the IMF by the government every revenue related proposal has been looked at by the IMF with heavy skepticism and they have shot them down under the premise that they tantamount to revenue leakage.
A Deputy Minister who engaged in discussions with the IMF said that the latter fails to look at these proposals holistically in light of the overall benefit to the entire economy. Instead they are only concerned about getting the revenue targets up, that too in isolation.
This is while there are many ways that the government can get its revenues up by providing concessions to the private sector.
Even the budget 2026 passed in parliament was very light on tax concessions and instead the government brought the value added tax threshold for businesses down to Rs.36.0 million per annum from an earlier Rs.60.0 million per annum.
Although the headline economic numbers are still solid, dissatisfaction and frustration is brewing under the surface among business circles over the manner in which the government has become a hostage to the IMF.
It isn’t immediately clear if Herath’s resignation has anything to do with his inability to get the government to shift away from the current rigid tax policy, aimed at attracting new investments.
Sri Lanka does not offer any compelling reason for any global industrialists or investors to relocate to Sri Lanka with its current tax policy and challenges.
The government has recently announced that they would moot the highly unpopular property tax by 2027 despite the Treasury coffers overflowing.
And all indications are also that the government is unlikely to disengage from the IMF come the completion of the four year programme next year.
This has raised concerns that the government lacks a coherent economic strategy and a clear understanding of the structural challenges facing Sri Lanka’s economy. Analysts warn that such gaps risk eroding market confidence and public trust, potentially undermining the administration far sooner than anticipated.
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Education reforms are being implemented haphazardly without the necessary safeguards seen in developed nations, leading to the “obscenity” of the current curriculum.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, speaking to the media in Mirigama today (5), criticised the government for launching new educational programs without proper formal frameworks like White Papers or Green Papers.
The controversy centres on the new Grade 6 English module, which recently drew heavy criticism for including a link to an inappropriate website.
Premadasa asserted that the government, the Education Minister, and relevant officials must bear responsibility for this oversight, describing it as an unpardonable violation of children’s rights.
He emphasised that the temporary resignation of the National Institute of Education’s Director General is insufficient and called for a completely independent and impartial investigation.
Furthermore, the Opposition Leader highlighted other flaws in the reforms, such as the exclusion of History as a subject.
He argued that while the opposition supports the use of new technology, it must be implemented through transparent dialogue and proper consultation rather than unilateral, “arrogant” decisions that risk the mental well-being of the nation’s children.
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After King Devanampiyatissa became a Buddhist listening to Mahinda Maha thero’s Dhamma talk around 307 BC, he built many viharas including Tissa Viharya in Jaffna
according to the Great Chronicle – Mahavamasa-. The survey department’s 1959 one-inch map of the area clearly shows the location of Tissa Viharya. in Tellipilllai in KKS.
Of late, an unruly gathering of Tamils led by well-known Tamil politicians assemble at the entrance to Tissa Vitaharya and attempt to aggressively confront the pilgrims
who attend the temple to perform religious activities at the temple. This has become a common feature leading to a breach of peace at the entry point of the Vihara.
The main demand of the agitators is that the Vihara is built on land owned by a few Tamil persons and they have the deeds to prove their ownership and the temple MUST
vacate the land concerned and handover the claimed land to the Tamil persons who are the legal owners.
But, the temple authorities deny such claims by stressing that the Vihara has the deeds going back to 1950s and further cites that the temple is legally occupying land surveyed
and approved by the Department of Survey in their official documents.
This is a clear case where the parties should go to the law and have the law on the guilty party. My earnest request and I am certain that I have the backing of the right thinking
people of the country, to the Tamil persons who claim the land of Tissa Vihara is to produce their deeds and to institute legal action to settle the issues and claim their demand .
The courts will be able to deliver the justice which is acceptable to all and will put a stop to the ugly and dangerous confrontation of Buddhists pilgrims at the temple by unruly gatherings
All will agree with me if I say that there are hundreds of Kovils in Sinhala- Buddhists dominated areas in the Island and similarly a Buddhist Vihara should be allowed to function
peacefully in Tamil dominated North too.
RANJITH SOYSA
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The editorial of The Island on Sri Lanka’s Independence Day says it all: The challenge before us is to retrace our steps, figure out where we took wrong turns, and forge ahead in the right direction, as many other nations have already done. Easier said than done, but there seems to be no other way.”
The problem is that even to retrace our footsteps, there is no consensus among the learned. Addressing the 10 th annual conference of the Sri Lanka Forum of University economists, on 27 January, 2022, Professor Premachandra Atukorale has said that it is impossible to heavily rely on import and exchange controls, without compromising on a massive economic collapse and social upheaval.”
Perhaps, it may be useful to recall how Sri Lanka managed its economy, in deciding how we can retrace our footsteps to the days when we did not have food queues and social upheaval, all the while handling development very successfully.
In February, 1968, I was posted as the Additional Government Agent of Kegalle District. I worked there for two years. I knew of no queues for any essential food during that period. In fact, I was in charge of providing essential food – as the Deputy Food Controller for the District. At that time every area was covered with a cooperative society, and, in each division, there were Cooperative Unions that were equipped with stores and lorries; and on a clockwork basis all essential food was distributed through the cooperatives. This included a measure of rice per person per week, entirely free, under the Rice Ration Scheme, which was done away by President Jayawardena, in 1978.
Then there was a major Department at work – the Food Commissioner’s Department, managed at the helm by a senior civil servant, a department that had very large stores full of rice and flour, and also attended to imports, when necessary. At the district level, there was an Assistant Food Controller who worked directly under me, and it was our duty to see that food was always available, without any interruption. Importing essentials, like dhal, chillies, etc., was handled by the CWE, because depending on the private sector has proved unreliable – the private sector has profit as its aim, service to the people comes next.
Kegalle District included the electorates of Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake, Minister NH Karunaratne, Deputy Ministers Imbulana, Vimala Kannangara, Beligammana and Dr NM Perera of the Opposition. There was never a delay in providing essential food – and that included rice, lentils, chillies and other curry stuff. I had the unenviable task of meeting the Prime Minister every Saturday and Sunday morning, at around nine, at the Warakapola Rest House, and to accompany him to a host of meetings in his electorate, ending in the late evenings, and there was never a person that had a complaint. The Divisional Secretaries had to work hard. There were a few bad eggs that I had to get rid of. Had there been any interruption in food supplies, the ministers would have complained to the Prime Minister or Dr NM would have raised the matter in Parliament.
This was also the situation in Matara, where I was the Government Agent from, 1971 to 1973. There were no ministers in any electorates, and only one Deputy Minister B. Y. Tudawe. There were no shortages, except during the JVP insurrection of April 1971.
There was no foreign exchange problem, because there were effective controls over the little foreign exchange that came in through exports and other sources. There were no currency dealers who handled foreign exchange like today, and the intake of foreign currency was a guarded property used first for importing essentials, and small allocations were made to import useful items such as automobiles and refrigerators. This was the situation even when we had ample funds – when we financed the Gal Oya Development Project – a massive project building a tank three times the size of Parakrama Samudra, Polonnaruwa, bringing 60,000 hectares under cultivation and creating many industries, all done with foreign funds we had.
In 1970, I worked as the Deputy Director of Small Industries, and one of my tasks was to ensure that every small industrialist had an allocation of foreign exchange, to import any particular item they required for their manufactures. I can state that every application was inquired into by my inspectors of industry – I had some 20 of them and assessed by me, every genuine small industry received an allocation. Then no foreign funds were allowed for foreign study, but an exception was made to provide foreign funds to Sunethra and Chandrika Bandaranaike, and I had the occasion to ask the Prime Minister why he had done so, and he replied, That is the only request I had from my predecessor and I felt like obliging.”
Foreign exchange was then effectively controlled. When I left the Administrative Service and moved abroad in April 1973, I did not get a single penny. My wife and three children were given only three pounds and five shillings.
It is sad that university dons, the most learned in our country, have failed to grasp how the country was run those days. Professor Atukorale has said, It is impossible to rely heavily on import and exchange controls without compromising on a massive economic collapse and social upheaval.” It was by effectively controlling import and foreign exchange that all Third World countries managed their economies, without any economic collapse. The economic might of India itself is indicative of an economy that did not follow the IMF, and used funds borrowed from the IMF to bring about development by controlling the economy.
Sri Lanka managed its foreign exchange effectively, till President Jayewardene was fooled by the IMF to follow the Structural Adjustment Programme, which advised him to allow the rich to spend foreign exchange, as much as they wanted, for endless foreign travel to educate their children abroad, import all luxury items; and the IMF provide loans for this purpose and mind you to entice the leaders, even provided grace periods when the service and interest charges were not to be paid. The then leaders enjoyed and the rich played with the funds, leaving the future leaders to bear the brunt of repayment. That is the process that led us to the present abyss.
Then there were two budgets: a local rupee budget for handling all work in the country, including major development tasks, funded with printed money, and a foreign exchange budget to handle the foreign exchange that was collected. Recently the Central Bank Governor Cabraal had decided that all foreigners staying at hotels should be charged in foreign currency. This is a decision that should have been taken long ago. Other countries, like India and Thailand, took similar action over decades ago. We, unfortunately, do not collect even 50 percent of the foreign exchange that comes in today, and it is time that we put a dragnet like in the period before 1977.
Of the period 1948 to 1977, an exception is the period 1974 to 1977, when there were shortages due to the Government de-emphasising agricultural development in order to have their own Divisional Development Councils Programme, and embarking on land reform which stifled development and caused foreign sanctions. Even Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike managed to make all demanded payments and managed without falling into foreign debt. 1976 and 1977 happen to be the last years when our country was run without a deficit. Since then annually our foreign debt has increased and is at $ 56 billion today.
Thus, the manner in which we handled the economy in the pre-1977 period is a tried and tested blueprint that worked successfully for nearly two decades, and this is the only way we could get out of the present mire.
Dr. Karunaratne is the author of Author of How the IMF Ruined Sri Lanka and Alternative Programmes of Success: Godage, 2006 and How the IMF Sabotaged Third World Development: Kindle/Godage, 2017.
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Prof. Chandana Jayalath University of Vocational Technology
The controversy surrounding Sri Lanka’s Grade Six English syllabus has intensified, evolving from an embarrassing oversight into a broader national debate on curriculum governance, political accountability, and the responsible use of technology in education. The issue came to light, as we heard, after it was discovered that the syllabus recommended students improve their English language skills by finding a pen-pal” through an online platform that was, in reality, an adult-oriented chat website carrying highly inappropriate content. The syllabus was intended for children transitioning into lower secondary education. While officials have pointed to multiple layers of technical review—including panels of senior educators and university academics—education analysts stress that ultimate responsibility rests with the Minister of Education, under whose authority national curricula are approved, printed, and ultimately released. In public administration, curriculum development is not merely a technical exercise delegated to professionals. It is a policy instrument of the State, and the minister is accountable to Parliament and the public for its integrity. Below the minister lies a chain of responsibility: the NIE leadership, curriculum developers, review panels, editors, and final approving authorities. A failure at multiple levels suggests not an individual lapse but a systemic breakdown.
As a professor of a university, I have to admit the fact that, experts play a critical role in curriculum design, ensuring academic accuracy, pedagogical suitability, and alignment with learning outcomes including its social impact in long run. However, this incident has raised uncomfortable questions about how expert review is conducted in practice. Education specialists note that expert panels often operate under tight timelines, heavy workloads, and assumptions that earlier screening stages have already eliminated obvious risks. This can lead to review fatigue” and overreliance on trust rather than verification—particularly where digital references and AI-assisted content are involved.
Curriculum content therefore does not exist in a vacuum. It intersects with politics, law, culture, and social values. In Sri Lanka, where education remains a deeply politicised and socially sensitive domain, curricula must indeed be closely scrutinised by religious institutions, parent groups, and civil society organisations. The incident has reignited debate over how social norms and legal frameworks influence educational content. While Sri Lanka’s laws on same-sex relations and the broader moral views of influential religious groups are well known, analysts caution that the core issue here is not ideology but child safety, governance failure, and procedural negligence. At the same time, political pressures to modernise education, digitise learning, and demonstrate rapid reform may have contributed to shortcuts in validation and approval processes. This is, in essence, a systemic collapse.
It was heard that officials have admitted that artificial intelligence tools were used in preparing parts of the syllabus. While AI can assist with drafting and language refinement, international best practice is clear: AI-generated or AI-assisted content must undergo rigorous human verification. The use of AI in curriculum development poses no harm in itself. What matters is using it as a tool to streamline and accelerate the process. True management of intellect, insight, and judgment remains entirely a human responsibility—AI can assist, but it cannot replace the human touch. Hence, unchecked AI use carries risks such as inaccurate references, inappropriate examples, and context-insensitive suggestions—risks that become unacceptable when materials are intended for children. Any oversight in this regard is not excusable.
One of the most troubling unanswered questions is why the syllabus reached the printing and distribution stage from January onwards without clearer communication on its approval status. Observers are asking whether established approval timelines were bypassed, whether interim clearances were misused, or whether administrative or political urgency overrode caution. Transparency on this point is seen as critical to restoring public confidence. In the minimum, was there someone from political side pressuring the experts to get it done hurriedly. To my understanding, Sri Lanka is not alone in facing curriculum controversies. Even in the United Kingdom, several schools were forced to withdraw online learning resources after links embedded in teaching materials redirected students to inappropriate content, prompting a nationwide review of digital safeguarding protocols. It was back in 2020. In Australia, a national curriculum review in 2022 led to the withdrawal and revision of draft materials after public backlash over content deemed insufficiently vetted for age appropriateness. In India, repeated textbook revisions have followed incidents where factual errors or insensitive content passed expert review, leading to stricter multi-tier approval systems and public consultation mechanisms. In each case, governments acknowledged that institutional safeguards—not individual blame alone—must be strengthened.
I am of the view that this episode should be treated as a turning point. Beyond resignations and investigations, it calls for a comprehensive review of curriculum approval frameworks, clearer accountability at ministerial and institutional levels, stronger digital content screening, and formal guidelines governing AI use in public education materials. Curricula are more than textbooks or syllabi. They are a reflection of the State’s duty of care to its children. Ensuring their integrity is not only a professional obligation but a political and societal responsibility—one that ultimately rests at the highest levels of government. Given the circumstances, responsibility ultimately lies with the Minister. An initial public apology would help restore confidence, followed by an impartial investigation and the implementation of corrective measures. The Minister cannot distance herself from this responsibility. She must act decisively to identify the culprits and ensure they are brought to justice, rather than allowing accountability to be avoided. At a time when the opposition has already challenged the Minister’s moral standing during the recent parliamentary proceedings on LGBT-related matters, it may be difficult to see how she can present herself as an example of responsible leadership without first addressing this issue transparently.
In my own experience as a curriculum developer in the university setting, I have often faced controversies over course content, pedagogical approaches, cognition levels of the student in the semester in question and inclusion of sensitive topics. For example, while revising modules on ethics in procurement, some stakeholders debated whether traditional practices or modern methods should take precedence. I managed this by facilitating open consultations, inviting expert opinions, and balancing evidence-based research with practical applicability. Similarly, when updating materials on sustainability, I encountered differing views on resource allocation and its relevance to quantity surveying students whose core expertise must be construction costing. In these situations, AI tools helped me organize data, analyze trends, and draft potential solutions quickly—but the final decisions, negotiations, and consensus-building required careful human judgment. In a nutshell, curriculum developers must operate independently and be free from political pressure, since education is about shaping minds and fostering critical thinking, not advancing political agendas. Decisions about what is to be taught and how it is presented must remain guided by academic judgment, evidence, and ethical considerations, not political influence, if any, under whatsoever circumstances. It is a solemn activity.
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Leaders around the world have responded with a mix of condemnation and support to the US capture of Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro.
Following a large-scale strike on Venezuela on Saturday, Maduro and his wife were captured by US forces and removed from the country. The pair have been indicted on drug charges in New York.
In an initial response, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would shed no tears” for the end of Maduro’s regime.
Neighbouring Latin American countries condemned the actions, as did Venezuela’s long-term allies, Russia and China. China said it was deeply shocked and strongly condemns” the use of force against a sovereign country and its president.
Russia accused the US of committing an act of armed aggression”.
Iran, which is locked in its own dispute with Trump over his promise of intervention in its country, called the strikes a flagrant violation of the country’s national sovereignty”.
Trump said the US will run” Venezuela until we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition”.
Many Latin American leaders condemned the US actions.
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva wrote on X that the actions cross an unacceptable line”, adding that attacking countries in flagrant violation of international law is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability”.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro called the strikes an assault on the sovereignty” of Latin America, while Chile’s President Gabriel Boric expressed concern and condemnation” and called for a peaceful solution to the serious crisis affecting the country”.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Cane accused the US of a criminal attack”, while Uruguay said in an official statement that it was monitoring developments with attention and serious concern” and rejects, as it always has, military intervention”.
Trump has indicated that Cuba could become part of a broader US policy in the region, calling it a failing nation. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Cuba was a disaster run by incompetent leaders who supported Maduro’s administration and that the government in Havana should be concerned.
The Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged citizens to remain calm and to trust the country’s leadership and military, saying the world needs to speak out about this attack” according to news agency Reuters.
But Argentinian President Javier Milei – who Trump has described as his favourite president” – wrote freedom moves forward” and long live freedom” on social media.
Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer refused to be drawn into whether or not the military action may have broken international law.
He did not condemn the US strikes in an interview with the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme on Saturday morning
He said he was waiting to establish all the facts but would not shy away from this”, adding he was a lifelong advocate of international law”.
The UK was not involved in the strikes and Sir Keir said he had not spoken to Trump about the operation.
Later on Saturday, he posted on X that the UK regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president and we shed no tears about the end of his regime”.
The UK government will discuss the evolving situation with US counterparts in the days ahead as we seek a safe and peaceful transition to a legitimate government that reflects the will of the Venezuelan people,” he added.
The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas reiterated the bloc’s position that Maduro lacks legitimacy, that there should be a peaceful transition of power, and that the principles of international law must be respected.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the transition of power must be peaceful, democratic, and respectful of the will of the Venezuelan people” in a post on X.
He added he hoped González – the opposition’s 2024 presidential candidate – could ensure the transition.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the legality of the US operation was complex” and international law in general must apply.
He warned that political instability must not be allowed to arise in Venezuela”.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected”, his spokesperson said. He was deeply alarmed” by the strikes, which set a dangerous precedent”.
In the US, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, said: Let me be clear, Maduro is an illegitimate dictator, but launching military action without congressional authorisation, without a federal plan for what comes next, is reckless.”
Elsewhere, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, a staunch US ally, congratulated Trump on his bold and historic leadership on behalf of freedom and justice”.
Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand said Canada calls on all parties to respect international law and we stand by the people of Venezuela and their desire to live in a peaceful and democratic society”. Canada was engaging with international partners, she said.
Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said international law is universal and binding for all states.
The American intervention in Venezuela is not in accordance with international law.”
Source: BBC
– Agencies
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China called on the United States to release Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife at once, said a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson on Sunday.
The spokesperson made the remarks in response to media reports that on Saturday, the United States sent forces to seize Maduro and his wife and took them out of the country, and that the governments of multiple countries have voiced opposition.
China expresses grave concern over the U.S. forcibly seizing Maduro and his wife and taking them out of the country, said the spokesperson, adding that the U.S. move is in clear violation of international law, basic norms in international relations, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
China calls on the United States to ensure the personal safety of Maduro and his wife, release them at once, stop toppling the government of Venezuela, and resolve issues through dialogue and negotiation, said the spokesperson.
– Agencies
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It is essential to act in a manner that safeguards a country’s sovereignty in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath stated when questioned over the attacks carried out by the United States in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
Minister Vijitha Herath made these remarks this afternoon (04) while responding to several questions raised by journalists at a special media briefing held at the Department of Government Information.
Responding to a question, the Minister said that although there may be differing views among political parties, when a government expresses a position, it does so representing all sides of the country, including both the government and the opposition.
A statement was issued earlier by the JVP regarding the attacks carried out by the United States against Venezuela and the incident involving the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife by the US.
Accordingly, the Minister responded to journalists’ questions as follows:
Question:
Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, we have now seen that the United States has invaded Venezuela. Previously, your side had a policy of non-interference in Venezuela. I would like to know the government’s position on this matter.”
Answer:
In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and international law, it is imperative to act in a manner that protects a country’s sovereignty. All member states of the United Nations are bound by this obligation. Accordingly, an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council has been convened for tomorrow. From our side, we are calling for this to be expedited. Consequently, within the United Nations General Assembly, action must be taken against policies and actions that violate these fundamental charters and principles. That is our position.”
Question:
Minister, the political bureau of the JVP has issued a statement condemning this issue.”
Answer:
Political parties have different positions. We are clearly explaining the government’s position here.”
Question:
So is the JVP’s position the same as the government’s position at this time?”
Answer:
No. Political parties have different views. That is separate.”
Question:
I asked because of the JVP.”
Answer:
The government represents all parties in this country, both government and opposition. That is the sense in which we are addressing this issue.”
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Attorney-at-Law Dr. Palitha Bandara Subasinghe has raised serious legal concerns regarding the inclusion of a link to a pornographic website in a new Grade 6 English module. He asserts that the inclusion of such material could constitute a criminal offence under Sri Lanka’s Penal Code.
Speaking on the matter, Dr Subasinghe emphasised that while children require age-appropriate sexual education, providing instructions on accessing “distorted erotic websites” is unacceptable and potentially illegal.
Dr. Subasinghe pointed out that under Section 365(A) of the Penal Code (as amended in 1995), engaging in “acts of gross indecency” remains a criminal offence in Sri Lanka, punishable by up to two years of rigorous imprisonment.
He further noted:
“If such an act is committed by a person over 18 against a child under 16, the mandatory punishment is 10 to 20 years in prison. By directing 12-year-old children to websites designed for seeking same-sex partners, the creators of this module may be guilty of a form of abetting or facilitating illegal acts.”
He argued that the inclusion of the website was not an accidental error.
Dr. Subasinghe warned that the responsibility for this error extends from the individuals who drafted the module to high-ranking ministry officials under the principle of vicarious liability. Furthermore, he cautioned that teachers who follow these instructions and direct children to such sites could also face criminal charges for exposing children to abuse.
“While developed nations like Australia are passing laws to remove children under 16 from social media, it is a serious crime for our Ministry of Education to mandate that 12-year-olds join such platforms,” he said.
He concluded by calling for a halt to rushed education reforms, urging that they be conducted with careful dialogue to ensure the safety and mental health of the nation’s children.
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NDB Bank proudly partnered with Kandy City Centre as the Official Banking Partner of Splash Shopping Fiesta 2025, the biggest shopping festival of the season, held from 24th to 28th December. The event brought together an exciting blend of retail, entertainment, and festive cheer, creating a vibrant shopping experience for customers in the Central Province during the year-end season.
As the Official Banking Partner, NDB Bank played a key role in enhancing the overall experience by offering exclusive banking privileges to shoppers. NDB cardholders who participated in the Fiesta were able to enjoy discounts of up to 20%, adding greater value and convenience to their festive shopping while reinforcing NDB’s commitment to delivering lifestyle-driven benefits to its customers.
Commenting on the opportunity, Ashan Wikramanayake, Assistant Vice President, Head of Card Center at NDB, shared his insights on the importance of such partnerships, noting that Splash Shopping Fiesta 2025 provided an ideal platform for the Bank to connect meaningfully with customers in a dynamic, high-engagement environment. He also highlighted that initiatives of this nature allow NDB to go beyond traditional banking touchpoints and engage with customers in moments that matter most to them.
Adding a special festive highlight to the event, NDB also extended its popular Santa Campaign to Splash Shopping Fiesta 2025. In line with this initiative, NDB Santa Promo winners from the Kandy region were invited to participate at the Fiesta, where Santa personally delivered their gifts, creating joyful and memorable moments for children and families amidst the celebrations.
Held at Kandy City Centre, a premier lifestyle and retail destination in the heart of Kandy, Splash Shopping Fiesta 2025 once again lived up to its reputation as a much-anticipated annual event. NDB Bank’s participation reflected its ongoing commitment to supporting community-centric events that promote economic activity, strengthen customer relationships, and celebrate the spirit of togetherness during the festive season.
Through partnerships such as Splash Shopping Fiesta 2025, NDB Bank continues to position itself as a customer-focused financial partner, seamlessly integrating banking solutions with lifestyle experiences while fostering deeper connections with the communities it serves.
NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. NDB was named Sri Lanka’s Best Digital Bank for SMEs at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2025 and was awarded awards Domestic Retail Bank of the Year – Sri Lanka and Islamic Banking Initiative of the Year – Sri Lanka at the Asian Banking & Finance Retail Banking Awards 2025. NDB is the parent company of the NDB Group, comprising capital market subsidiary companies, together forming a unique banking and capital market services group. The Bank is committed to empowering the nation and its people through meaningful financial and advisory services powered by digital banking solutions.
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In a remarkable rise to the top, Ferentino Tyres has emerged as the undisputed leader in Sri Lanka’s Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) tyre market, commanding an extraordinary 75 percent value share, the company stated.
Within a short span of time, Ferentino has transformed the industry landscape, winning the trust of leading automobile manufacturers and setting a new benchmark for quality, safety and performance.
Ferentino’s journey is a story of innovation, credibility and excellence. By consistently delivering world-class tires tailored to the needs of both passenger and commercial vehicles, the brand has become the first choice of Sri Lanka’s top OEMs.
Today, Ferentino proudly partners with some of the most respected automotive names in the country: Unimo Enterprises, Micro Cars, Abans Auto (Pvt.) Ltd, David Pieris Motor Company, Ranathunga Motors, KD Rise Electrical Motors and Lanka Ashok Leyland.
Ferentino Tyres Managing Director Lahiru Lokuwithana said, Ferentino’s phenomenal growth in the OEM tyre segment proves that Sri Lankan engineering and global standards can go hand in hand.”
Ferentino Tyres have become synonymous with trust, reliability and performance – values that leading manufacturers demand and we consistently deliver,” he added.
As the brand continues its forward momentum, Ferentino is not only revolutionising Sri Lanka’s OEM tyre industry but also gearing up to strengthen its presence in international markets, carrying the pride of Sri Lankan manufacturing across borders.
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The Ministry of Education and Higher Education is currently considering three alternative solutions to address a controversial page in the recently printed Grade 6 English module, developed by the National Institute of Education (NIE).
Secretary to the Ministry, Nalaka Kaluwewa, stated that education experts are discussing whether to remove the problematic page and complete the book with or without a new printed replacement.
The goal is to resolve the issue at minimum cost without damaging the overall content of the material. Discussions are also underway with the Department of Educational Publications and the Government Printing Corporation.
The controversy arose after a typing error in the newly introduced syllabus redirected users to an inappropriate website, rather than the intended educational resource.
The Secretary noted that the faulty page must be removed without affecting other lessons in the module. He assured that a final decision based on expert advice will be implemented swiftly to meet the January 21 distribution deadline.
Approximately 350,000 copies of the module were printed at a cost of nearly Rs.60 million. Secretary Kaluwewa emphasised that the books will not be completely reprinted; instead, the specific page will be removed and handled according to the most suitable expert-recommended alternative.
A formal complaint has also been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate if the error was an act of sabotage.
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The government is digging its own grave through its current actions, according to Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser and Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa.
Speaking to the media after a religious ceremony in Seenigama, he noted that the National People’s Power (NPP) engaged in various political activities over the past year during a period that proved especially difficult for the public.
He stated that since the NPP administration took office, citizens suffer significantly due to the imposition of unbearable taxes.
The MP pointed out that the government failed to take swift action to save lives during recent disasters despite having the opportunity to do so, and further failed to deliver on major promises made to the public.
He highlighted that many people spent the New Year in displacement centers and temporary camps, facing uncertainty regarding their lives and homes.
While the President promised compensation for disaster victims, those vows remain unfulfilled.
He urged the administration to prioritise compensation and take immediate steps to resettle displaced families in their homes.
Although the government ignores points raised by opposition parties, he stressed that it must urgently focus on honoring its commitments to the people.
He concluded by stating that the SLPP will continue to fulfill its responsibilities.
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