By Raj Gonsalkorale
Donald Trump - US will ‘obliterate' Iran's power plants if Strait of Hormuz are not open before the 48-hour deadline Iran - ‘‘If Iran's fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked by the enemy, all energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure belonging to the United States and the (Israeli) regime in the region will be targeted,'‘ a spokesperson for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, the body overseeing Iranian military operations, said in a statement reported by Fars News Agency The catastrophe before the entire world is evident if the above threats are... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/03/26)
Dr. Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS)
According to Mahavansa, the Great chronical, the Sinhale Kingdom was found in 543 BC by Vijaya, a North Indian Prince. who was banished by his Father King Sinhabahu for his misbehavior with his fellow mates. As such according to Mahavamsa Prince Vijaya is the founder King of Sri Lanka and the Sinhala nation. This was how we were taught in school and even in the University. Also, this was what had been written down practically in every book starting from Mahavamsa the Great Dynasty of the Sinhala nation down to the grade two texts... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/03/26)
by A. Abdul Aziz
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, delivered Eid-Ul-Fitr Sermon on 20th March 2026 at ‘Masjid Mubarak', Islamabad, Tilford, U.K. at 10.30 GMT (Sri Lankan Time 4 P.M.). It aired LIVE via MTA (Muslim TV Ahmadiyya International), having simultaneous translation in various languages including English, Arabic, Bengali, French and Tamil. The gist of the Sermon as follows Following the Eid prayer, Hazrat Amirul Momineen (may Allah be his Helper) recited first part of the Arabic Sermon and Surah al-Fatihah, and said: “Today, upon completing the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/03/26)
Senaka Weeraratna
( with assistance from Chat GPT) The removal of the study of the Humanities i.e., classics, literature and philosophy, from the syllabus of school children in Sri Lanka has destroyed their capacity to think and value thought of different shades , and made them into what Herbert Marcuse has unequivocally described as the 'One Dimensional Man ' - an intellectually stunted individual. Critical observers of the Sri Lankan education system argue that the decline of the humanities—specifically classics, literature, and philosophy—has led to a "one-dimensional" student profile. This shift is... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/03/26)
සේනක වීරරත්න
සේනක වීරරත්න (DRS) සහ මහින්ද විජේසිංහ (තුන්වන විනිසුරු) වැනි ශ්රී ලංකා ක්රිකට් නවෝත්පාදකයින්ට සහාය දැක්වීමට දේශපාලනික කැමැත්තක් නොමැතිකම බොහෝ විට ආයතනික නොසලකා හැරීම, දේශීය ක්රිකට් බලධාරීන්ගේ "නිහඬ" ආකල්පය සහ ජාත්යන්තර ක්රිකට් කවුන්සිලයේ (ICC) සංකීර්ණ, නිලධාරිවාදී ස්වභාවයේ එකතුවක් ලෙස සැලකේ. සහයෝගය නොමැතිකමට ප්රධාන සාධකනිවසේදී ආයතනික උදාසීනත්වය: ජාත්යන්තර මට්ටමින් මෙම ප්රකාශ නිල වශයෙන් ජයග්රහණය කිරීමට අපොහොසත් වීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් නිරීක්ෂකයින් සහ උපදේශකයින් ශ්රී ලංකා ක්රිකට් මණ්ඩලය (SLC), ක්රීඩා අමාත්යාංශය සහ අනුප්රාප්තික ශ්රී ලංකා රජයන් විවේචනය කර ඇත. පිළිගැනීම සඳහා වරින් වර ඉල්ලීම් ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇතත්, මෙම නවෝත්පාදනයන් සඳහා නිල ගෞරවය ලබා ගැනීම සඳහා තිරසාර ඉහළ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/03/26)
Sports
Why is there no political will in Sri Lanka to support innovation in Cricket by Sri Lankans who have won world acclaim with their brainchilds such as Player Referral (DRS) by Senaka Weeraratna and Third Umpire by Mahinda Wijesinghe? AI Overview The lack of political will to support Sri Lankan cricket innovations, such as the Player Referral (DRS) concept by Senaka Weeraratna and the Third Umpire by Mahinda Wijesinghe, stems from a bureaucratic failure to recognize indigenous intellectual contributions, prioritization of short-term gains, and administrative detachment from pioneering, non-commercialized ideas. ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/03/26)
Ministry of Defence - Media Centre
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.), held a high level meeting with the Hon. Minister of Defense of Japan, Shinjirō Koizumi, at the Ministry of Defense in Tokyo on Wednesday (18 Mar). A high level meeting between Sri Lanka and Japan marked a significant step forward in strengthening bilateral defence cooperation, with a focus on maritime security, disaster management capacity building, and the stability in the Indo-Pacific region. During the talks the Japanese Defence Minister highlighted the increasing importance of enhanced cooperation between Japan... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/03/26)
සරත් ඔබේසේකර විසින්
ජීවිතයේ එක් අවධියක, ශබ්දය අඩුවී යයි—ලෝකය නිහඬ වන නිසා නොව, අපි එය වෙනස් ලෙස අසා ගැනීමට ඉගෙන ගන්නා නිසාය. ශ්රී ලංකාවේත් විදේශයන්හිත් දැඩි කාර්මික පරිසරයන්හි දශක ගණනක් කාලයක් ගත කළ මගේ ජීවිතය, කාලයකදී නිරන්තර චලනයකින් යුක්ත විය. නාවික යාත්රා අංගන, යන්ත්ර, කාලසීමා, තීරණ—මේවා මගේ දෛනික ජීවිතයේ කොටසක් විය. ක්රියාකාරී වීම ප්රමුඛ වූ අතර, සිතීමට කාලය සොයා ගැනීම ලාභයක් විය. නමුත්, ශරීරය තමන්ගේම ඉතිහාසයක් රැගෙන යයි. තරුණ කාලයේ, මම ශාරීරික අභියෝග රැසක් උදාවූ ක්රියාකාරකම් වලට එක් විය. මොස්කව්හි හිම මත ස්කී ක්රීඩාවත්, නෝර්වේ හි කඳු බැස යාමත් එහි උදාහරණ වේ.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 22/03/26)
Shenali D Waduge
A critical look at the claims following April 2024 when Father Cyril Gamini addressed the media after appearing before the Criminal Investigation Department on 19 April 2024, he presented what he described as “8 facts with sources” relating to the Easter Sunday attacks. What follows is a systematic evaluation of each claim against known operational facts, intelligence records, and forensic evidence. https://www.facebook.com/reel/1106057787267792 (19 April 2024) Take away the rhetoric, and what remains? Not facts.Not evidence.But questions—layered upon assumptions, presented to the public as truth. Let us examine... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
Dr Sudath Gunasekara (SLAS), Retired Perm Secretary Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranayake
It appears that international laws are applicable only to smaller nations and they never cover the crimes committed by the powerful bigger nations. It is simply Kautillya’s Mathsya niyaaya at work that is the smaller fish is always the prey of the Big fish. The naked behavior of ‘BIG” nations proves the same natural law perhaps. United Nations General Assembly proposal was initiated by Sri Lanka and Tanzania to designate the Indian Ocean as a nuclear-free zone, free from military escalation, foreign bases, and weapons... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
Dr. Ruwan M Jayatunge M.D. PhD
The Buddhist Jātaka tales represent a substantial collection of folklore, consisting of 547 poems. Archaeological and literary evidence suggests that these stories were compiled between the 3rd Century B.C. and the 5th Century A.D. As noted by Professor Rhys Davids, the Jātaka tales are among the oldest fables known to us. Jātaka Tales provide deep insights into the human mind, analyzing behavior through a "case method" long before modern Western psychology (Harischandra, 1998). It is noteworthy that the Buddhist Jātaka tales explore themes of father-son conflict and the Oedipal complex... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
Draft Submitted by:Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Positioning Sri Lanka as a Regional Trade & Services Hub through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Model
1. Background & Rationale
Global economic and geopolitical shifts and looming world war 3 , are resulting in a gradual relocation of trade, logistics, and service sector operations from traditional hubs in the Middle East and other regions. Sri Lanka, due to its strategic location along major Indian Ocean shipping routes, is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this transition. The development of Colombo Port City and the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
Concept: Senaka Weeraratna
Content : Chat GPT https://share.google/aimode/K7j7rlCnYXITu43ve Artur Schopenhauer AI Overview Admiration for Arthur Schopenhauer’s stance on animal compassion is rooted in his radical rejection of anthropocentrism, his deep empathy for the powerless, and his philosophical argument that kindness toward animals is the ultimate test of human morality. Writing in the 19th century—a time when animal rights were largely ignored—Schopenhauer stated in The Basis of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
Sahar TV Clips
https://youtu.be/EEkBsQJ4if8... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
by Professor Mahinda Palihawadana, Source: Info Lanka, Published on the Buddhist Channel
https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/142nvha/the_buddha_explains_why_animal_sacrifice_is/ The Buddha was against animal sacrifice https://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=8,665,0,0,1,0 Colombo, Sri Lanka -- The Buddha was against animal sacrifice. He had to be, for he was staunchly opposed to killing. Killing, not just human beings, but all beings without exception. He expressed the view that it was all beings (sabbe satta/ sabbe bhuutaa) that deserved our compassion. During the time of the Buddha, many kinds of sacrifices were practised by Brahmins who were the priests of the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
AI Overview
While Mahinda Wijesinghe of Sri Lanka is widely acknowledged as the person who conceptualized the third umpire, the system's official debut is historically linked to South Africa. Conceptual Origins vs. Official Implementation Mahinda Wijesinghe's Proposal (1982–1984): Wijesinghe first proposed the use of television cameras and a "walkie-talkie" link between on-field umpires and an off-field official in an article for The Island newspaper on October 11, 1982. His concept was formally forwarded by Sri Lanka Cricket to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and discussed at the 1984 ICC AGM. Official... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
By Sarath Obeysekera
There was a time when life did not come with apps, algorithms, or air-conditioned opinions. It came instead with cabbage. Not metaphorical cabbage—but real, stubborn, Soviet cabbage. The kind you harvested yourself whether you were an engineering student, a future military officer, or a confused foreigner wondering how you ended up in a place called Orenburg fixing gas equipment in sub-zero winds. The University of Life (with Compulsory Farming Minor) In the days of the Soviet Union, education was not confined to lecture halls. If you didn’t go to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 21/03/26)
Opinion by Robert Reich Courtesy The Guardian
Donald Trump is alone. That’s different from the United States being alone. We – that is, the vast majority of Americans who were against Trump’s war from the start, and who support Nato and the United Nations charter and the post-second world war system of alliances and rules – are not alone. Most of the people of the United States stand with most democracies of the world. Related: Trump wants to strongarm Nato into another Gulf war. Here’s why Europe must resist When Trump’s call to America’s traditional allies... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
e-Con e-News
Posted byee ink.March 14, 2026Posted inUncategorizedTags:China, geopolitics, history, India, Jaishankar, pence, politics blog: eesrilanka.wordpress.com ‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’ e-Con e-News 08-14 March 2026 * ‘Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar recognized Hambantota harbour as a Chinese military facility that underlined an intimidating foreign military presence in the Indian Ocean’ (see ee Focus, Jaishankar) The Indian Foreign Minister’s response last week to a planted question by WION‘s Palki Sharma at Delhi’s Raisina Dialogue 2026, diverted to talking about a non-existent Chinese miltary base in Hambantota,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
By Sarath Obeysekera
I returned home after years abroad—hardened not by comfort, but by experience. From the oil fields of Baku, to the frozen gas lines of Orenburg, to the disciplined industrial floors of Moscow, and further west into the offshore precision of Norway and refinery construction in the United Kingdom—the journey had been long, demanding, and deeply educational. I had seen systems that worked. I had seen men who respected steel, process, and discipline. And then—I walked into a Sri Lankan dockyard. As a consultant hired by a original... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels Courtesy The Guardian
Family of then PM, Patrice Lumumba, welcome decision to charge Étienne Davignon as ‘beginning of a reckoning’ Jennifer Rankin in BrusselsTue 17 Mar 2026 18.03 GMTShare A former Belgian diplomat, 93, should stand trial over alleged complicity in the 1961 murder of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of what was then the newly independent Congolese state, a Brussels court has ruled. Étienne Davignon, the only person still alive among 10 Belgians the Lumumba family accuses of involvement in the killing, is charged with participation in war... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
SABC News
https://youtu.be/JQkjRxk2mg0... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
by A. Abdul Aziz
Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Supreme Head of the world-wide Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Islam, delivers Eid-Ul-Fitr Sermon today 20th March 2026 at ‘Masjid Mubarak’, Islamabad, Tilford, U.K. at 10.30 GMT (Sri Lankan Time 4 P.M.). It airs LIVE via MTA (Muslim TV Ahmadiyya International), having simultaneous translation in various languages including English, Arabic, Bengali, French and Tamil. Eid-ul-Fitr - This religious celebration is observed on the day following the last day of fasting which is observed daily by all able-bodied Muslims from dawn till sunset throughout the Islamic month of Ramazan. ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
MOD Media Centre
A high level Sri Lankan defence delegation, headed by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), commenced a two-day official visit in Japan to participate in the 2nd Japan–Sri Lanka Defence Dialogue. This important engagement reaffirms the long standing friendship and strategic cooperation between the two nations, particularly in the sphere of defence collaboration and maritime security. The delegation held a number of high level bilateral meetings throughout its official visit to Japan. The Sri Lankan delegation was warmly received by senior officials of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
Lanka Property Web (Pvt) Ltd
As Sri Lanka’s flagship real estate event reaches its 10th edition, the Lanka Property Show 2026 marks an important milestone for the industry, bringing together key stakeholders, emerging opportunities, and timely conversations that shape the sector’s direction.We cordially invite you to attend the Lanka Property Show 2026.The exhibition brings together leading developers, residential and investment opportunities across Colombo and the suburbs, along with banks, legal advisors, and industry experts, creating a space for meaningful conversations and insights.Event Details:Date: 21st & 22nd March 2026Time: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PMVenue: Oak Room, Cinnamon Grand HotelEntry:... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
Courtesy Aeronews
British Airways has announced a significant planned expansion to its network for winter 2026, with the addition of two new destinations, Melbourne in Australia and Colombo in Sri Lanka. Follow Aeronews on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Bluesky and TikTok In addition, the airline will be adding more flights for winter to Cape Town (South Africa), Haneda (Tokyo), Bridgetown (Barbados), Kingston (Jamaica) and San Jose (Costa Rica). The new schedule reflects a 9 per cent growth in British Airways’ long-haul route network, as the airline continues to invest in providing more choice for customers. These planned new routes and frequency growth for winter... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Energy security is a topic that has been discussed for years, if not decades. It is sensible for any government, policymakers and independent analysts to engage in it. Indeed, reams have been written on the subject. Still, rhetoric has not been translated into action here, and Sri Lanka remains highly vulnerable to external shocks. With the Middle East war, triggered after the US-Israel attack on Iran, continuing to rage, Sri Lanka - which entirely imports its fuel requirements - feels the importance of energy security more than ever. Nevertheless, this is not... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
March 19 (Daily Mirror) - Sri Lanka has been ranked among the least happy countries in the latest World Happiness Report 2026, placing 134th out of 147 nations with a score of 4.0, highlighting ongoing concerns over the country’s overall well-being. The report shows that Sri Lanka has slipped one place from its 133rd ranking in 2025, now standing alongside Ethiopia. The country also trails behind its South Asian neighbours, with India ranked 116th, Pakistan and Bangladesh positioned significantly higher. The World Happiness Report 2026, released on Thursday (March 18),... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
Courtesy The Telegraph India
'Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral ties and Sri Lanka’s position on the Middle East conflict and its challenges,' the President's Media Division (PMD) says in a post on X The US Special Representative for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor and Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday discussed strengthening of bilateral relations and the island nation's position on the West Asia crisis. The US Special envoys’ visit to Sri Lanka comes at a time when Sri Lanka came to be embroiled in the joint US-Israeli war against Iran... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Colombo, March 19 (Daily Mirror) - The crescent moon marking the beginning of the Islamic month of Shawwal was not sighted on Thursday (March 19), according to official announcements. The Hilal Committee of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU), together with the Colombo Grand Mosque and the Department of Muslim Religious and Cultural Affairs, confirmed that no verified sightings were reported from across the country. Accordingly, it was unanimously declared that the month of Ramadan 1447 Hijri will complete 30 days. The new month of Shawwal will therefore... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Colombo, March 19 (Daily Mirror) - Lawyers for former SriLankan Airlines CEO Kapila Chandrasena have released an affidavit stating that his earlier statement to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption was obtained under alleged intimidation and he was threatened to include the names of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and MP Namal Rajapaksa in his statement. Earlier, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that Kapila Chandrasena had stated, in a statement to the Commission, that a sum of Rs. 60 million received... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 20/03/26)
By Rohana R. Wasala
When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Max Planck (1918 Nobel Laureate in Physics, German physicist and pioneer of the Quantum Theory) (Caveat: Please consider that mine is not meant to be the last word on the subject of this essay. - RRW) Chinese-Canadian Jiang Xueqin (aka Professor Jiang/PredictiveHistory) is a globally popular YouTuber equipped with a Yale University BA in English Literature. He is an educator, education reformer and writer based in Beijing, China. Professor Jiang is... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/03/26)
By Darini Rajasingham Senanayake*
InDepthNews2026-03-17 COLOMBO, Sri Lanka | 17 March 2026 (IDN) —The bodies of eighty-four Iranian sailors who died in a US torpedo attack in the seas of Sri Lanka were repatriated yesterday, 13 March 2026. Describing the scene of the rescue of some of the sailors who survived the dastardly attack, the Sri Lanka Navy Commander Buddhika Sampath said that the boats that reached the location of the distress call on March 4 had observed only an oil slick. In Washington, Donald Trump and his War Secretary had boasted that they... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/03/26)
Political Review
SHOULD SRI LANKA BLINDLY FOLLOW INDIA AS NPP SEEMS TO BE DOING PRESENTLY? What made Modhi to rush to Israel on Feb 26th, just two days prior to joint offensive by USA and Israel on Iran? “Since 2024, Israel started investing more in India, with many defense companies establishing subsidiaries there. ….“With those shifts to a mix of purchases and joint industrial long-term partnerships in defense production (have sprung up)…, a spike in defense deals is expected ….. in 2026…..A variety of cyber, artificial intelligence, and even quantum joint ventures are also... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/03/26)
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Sri Lanka today faces a moment of quiet urgency. Global conflicts, particularly in the Middle East, are likely to reverse labour flows that have sustained our economy for decades. Thousands of Sri Lankan workers—skilled, semi-skilled, and domestic—may return home within a short span of time. If unprepared, this will strain our economy. If managed wisely, it can transform our nation. This is not a burden. It is an opportunity. For years, Sri Lanka has depended heavily on foreign remittances while underutilising its own productive capacity. The return of experienced workers—welders, fabricators,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/03/26)
Frum Report
https://youtu.be/YIGA_kcpP9M... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/03/26)
Nava Thakuria
It was shocking and heart-breaking news even for an emotionless creature like me. Within a few days, we have lost at least three AECian friends because of ailments. Their untimely demise was highlighted and mourned in the whatsapp group (created for the 1985-90 batch of Assam Engineering College, under Gauhati University). I just became clueless how to address the emotional issue. Should I write an obituary (being a professional journalist, that’s an easy job for me), but it was too painful and difficult to pen any article about our classmates, with whom we stayed in a serene... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/03/26)
Dr. Alon Ben-Meir
Trump never tested serious, sustained diplomacy to resolve the wide-ranging, conflicting issues with Iran; instead, he defaulted to the illusion that enough bombs could “end” a conflict that has spanned nearly five decades. This war with Iran is a war of choice, and a reckless one at that. President Trump has floated a carousel of justifications—an “imminent” threat, the need to destroy Iran’s missile stockpile and manufacturing capacity, to dismantle its nuclear program, to trigger regime change, to spark an uprising from within. Yet, weeks into a brutal conflict, his administration has still... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/03/26)
Courtesy The Daily Mirror
Colombo, March 18 (Daily Mirror) - Declassified documents from Israel’s Foreign Ministry have revealed that former Sri Lankan President Junius Richard Jayewardene had requested $1 million from Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad to finance his election campaign in 1987. According to cables dated August 6 and August 14, 1987, the request was made during a meeting with a Mossad representative, at a time when the Sri Lankan government was facing mounting pressure from Arab states and local opposition to shut down the Israeli Interests Section in Colombo. The revelations were reported... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 19/03/26)
By Raj Gonsalkorale
There is a time to play politics, a time to destabilize governments for political gain and a time to hide the truth from the people, again, for political gain. This is not that time as the consequences arising from the war in the Middle East is far too devastating for the global economy and therefore for Sri Lanka. The current behavior of the Opposition, and some trade unions is like the behavior of Ostriches with their heads in the sand. The under-performance of some Ministers makes matters worse for the country. It is time to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 18/03/26)
