Submitted by: Sarath Obeysekera
(In view of the State Visit of the President of Maldives – 04–05 May 2026) 1. Introduction
The forthcoming State Visit of the President of the Maldives presents a timely opportunity to enhance bilateral economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Maldives, particularly in sectors where both countries possess complementary strengths. Sri Lanka is strategically positioned to integrate into Maldives' high-value tourism economy by offering diversified experiences, marine services, and logistical support. 2. Key Proposal: Sri Lanka–Maldives Marine Tourism... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/05/26)
Lawrence Wilkerson Updates
https://youtu.be/85ZOlX5jhio... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/05/26)
By Sarath Obeysekera
Today 2nd May 2026 , I watched a programme on television where a young Tamil girl won Rs. 7.5 million in a contest. Beyond the excitement of the moment and the magnitude of the prize, what struck me most was the deeper message this carries for our country—especially for our younger generation. This was not merely a story of luck. It was a story of preparation, confidence, and courage. A young girl, possibly from a modest background, stood on a national TV and proved that knowledge and determination can overcome barriers of language,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/05/26)
Professor Nishan C Wijesinha of the German School of Medicine.
My opinion of the Easter attack- by Professor Nishan C Wijesinha of the German School of Medicine. General Chandrika Srilal Weerasooriya (often referred to as Srilal Weerasooriya) was a senior Sri Lankan Army officer who served as the 15th Commander of the Sri Lankan Army from December 16, 1998, to August 24, 2000. He was a prominent figure of the Assembly of God church where Eran Wickramaratne's father was a founding partner. Meanwhile Harim Peiris served as the official Presidential Spokesperson for... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/05/26)
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
1. Develop Galle as a Boutique Luxury Marina Hub not as mass port—focus on high-value, low-volume tourism Key components: 100–150 berth full-service marina Yacht repair & maintenance yard (dry dock, chandlery) Crew facilities + luxury provisioning Integrated waterfront (restaurants, retail, boutique hotel ONE°15 Marina Sentosa Cove Phuket Yacht Haven Marina as an example 2. Policy & Regulatory Reforms (Critical – currently missing) Without this, the marina will fail. Single-window clearance (immigration, customs,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/05/26)
Senaka Weeraratna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nT-BuS65xr8 The Kingdom of Kandy (1594–1815) maintained a unique legal system rooted in Sinhalese customary law and oral tradition, which survived the colonial eras of the Portuguese and Dutch. Unlike the written codes of Europe, Kandyan law was dynamic, centered on the King as the supreme "fountain of justice" and guided by long-standing social customs. 1. Traditional Judicial Hierarchy Before the British annexation, justice was administered through a tiered structure that prioritized reconciliation for minor offenses and royal authority for grave crimes. Gamsabha (Village Tribunals):... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/05/26)
Courtesy Adaderana
Sri Lankan economist and politician Harsha de Silva on Saturday lauded India’s growth over the years, saying that it feels good when India is doing well. He added that India shouldn’t think of Sri Lanka as a foreign country or foreign land because Lanka is part of the Indian story. He emphasized that India must adopt a common approach to partnership rather than maintaining a mere business relationship, a true partnership. Expressing optimism over India-Sri Lanka ties, Silva said both countries are moving in the right direction, with strong political will and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/05/26)
Courtesy Adaderana
In a significant affirmation of deepening India-Sri Lanka economic ties, Krishan Balendra, Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and John Keells Group, described Colombo as “a port for India” during his address at the ZEE Media WION Global Innovation & Leadership Summit held in Colombo on Saturday. The remark underscores Colombo’s strategic importance as a key maritime hub for Indian trade and transshipment, aligning with growing bilateral cooperation in ports, shipping, and investment. Balendra, a prominent Sri Lankan business leader, highlighted opportunities for Indian capital in Sri Lanka amid the island... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 03/05/26)
Chula Adikari
https://youtu.be/mGe9kG8yMAo... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/05/26)
Shenali D Waduge
On 21 April 2019, suicide bombers linked to the National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) attacked 3 churches and 3 hotels, killing 269 people. After seven years, multiple investigations, commission reports, committee findings, and even a Supreme Court determination, a new investigative theory has now emerged focusing mainly on one individual — Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay. Investigators now carry the burden of proving that Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay was the mastermind behind a religious suicide terror network linked to ISIS-style jihadist extremism. This cannot be done referring to him as the “mastermind” and simply... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/05/26)
By Dr Sarath Obeysekera
In many parts of the world, May Day is marked by loud demonstrations, political rallies, and street protests. However, in Norway, the observance of May 1st—known as International Workers’ Day—takes on a more measured and disciplined character, reflecting the country’s unique social and economic philosophy. Norway does in fact recognize May Day as an official public holiday. Yet, what distinguishes the Norwegian approach is not whether people have the right to take time off, but how society subtly encourages productivity, responsibility, and balance. While organized labour unions do hold parades and gatherings,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/05/26)
උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා සී නිව්ස්
පළපුරුදු රාජ්ය නිලධාරීන් ඉවත් කර දේශපාලන හිතවතුන් උසස් තනතුරුවලට පත් කිරීම හේතුවෙන් වත්මන් පාලනය තුළ බරපතළ ගැටලු මතුව ඇති බව ජනාධිපති නීතීඥ මෛත්රී ගුණරත්න මහතා චෝදනා කරයි. රූපවාහිනී සාකච්ඡාවකට එක්වෙමින් ඔහු පෙන්වා දුන්නේ වත්මන් භාණ්ඩාගාර ලේකම් හර්ෂණ සූරියප්පෙරුම මහතාට එම ධුරය දැරීම සඳහා කිසිදු සුදුසුකමක් නොමැති බවයි. මෛත්රී ගුණරත්න මහතා පවසන පරිදි, හර්ෂණ සූරියප්පෙරුම මහතා වසර 15ක් පමණ ඕස්ට්රේලියාවේ පවත්වාගෙන ගිය සමාගම පවා බංකොලොත් වී ඇති අතර ඔහු අසාර්ථක ව්යාපාරිකයෙකි. එවැනි පුද්ගලයෙකු මෙරට මූල්ය පාලනයේ ඉහළම තනතුරකට පත් කිරීම පිළිබඳව ඔහු ප්රශ්න කර සිටියි. සූරියප්පෙරුම... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/05/26)
Courtesy Adaderana
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has declared that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the United National Party (UNP) have already united. He made these remarks while addressing the May Day rally held today (01) at the P.D. Sirisena Ground in Maligawatta, Colombo. During his speech, the Opposition Leader expressed his gratitude to former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for sending a congratulatory message to the SJB May Day rally. He noted that while the former President had suggested the appointment of a committee to facilitate cooperation between the two parties, such committees... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/05/26)
Courtesy Hiru News
The United National Party decided to abstain from political activities and give prominence to religious rituals today, as Vesak Day falls on 1 May in accordance with the United Nations Charter. Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe shared this information in a special letter informing of the party's policy decision while extending well wishes to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya May Day rally. The former President conveyed these details in a letter addressed to the General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Ranjith Madduma Bandara. The correspondence noted that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 02/05/26)
Lanka Times 24
https://youtu.be/4tX7h2DpwEQ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/05/26)
By Garvin Karunaratne former SLAS
Can we stop imports and save dollars? Yes, We CAN. Let us talk about what we once did. In 1965, when I worked in Nuwara Eliya, a car loan of tomatoes purchased at Hanguranketa made my home a Cannery for a weekend, and we made tomato sauce that lasted six months. In 1956, during my tenure as the manager of the Tripoli Market, which ran the Vegetable and Fruit Purchasing Programme of the Marketing Department, the Marketing Officer at Hanguranketa Fair reported a glut of tomatoes. I dispatched three... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/05/26)
Senaka Weeraratna
The visit emphasized several key principles that are seen as vital for the "purification" and revitalization of the Buddha Sasana in Sri Lanka: Inner Peace as a Foundation: A central teaching was that external peace cannot be sustained without wisdom and peace established within the individual. Ven. Paññākāra emphasized that "peace begins within" and naturally extends to family, community, and the nation. The Power of Humility and Sincerity: The sight of the monks walking barefoot, facing physical hardship (such as the heat of the ground), served as a powerful reminder that... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/05/26)
By Sarath Obeysekera
May Day has always been a day of colour, തൊഴില් spirit, and political expression in Colombo. For me, however, one particular May Day remains etched in memory—not for the pageantry, but for how close I came to witnessing history take a tragic turn. At the time, I was serving as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation. As was customary, our institution had organized a contingent of employees to participate in the May Day procession, proceeding towards Galle Face Green. Our group was moving along the route when... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/05/26)
Senaka Weeraratna
https://youtu.be/wrNjmiuHX0Q?si=bVSxDDBUCNU6tSKH Cricket lovers have a new opportunity to appeal to the New Cricket Reform Committee to give due priority to promoting Sri Lanka as the home of the Player Referral system (DRS) and extend long overdue official recognition to the author of the Player - Referral concept lawyer Senaka Weeraratna. see Mass resignation of Shammi Silva and Ex Co – Way open now to SLC under new leadership to prioritize demand for recognition of the groundbreaking ‘Player Referral’ system (DRS) as a Sri Lankan innovation by ICC ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/05/26)
Dr Sudath Gunasekara Former Secretary to the Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaarnayaka
The text of the Welcome Address by Venerable Anunayaka Niyangoda Vijitasiri Thera of Malwatta Chapter made at the handing over of a memorandum by the Most venerable four Mahanayaka Theras, to the Ambassadors of the USA, Israel and Iran and all other Diplomats on 26th April. 2026. appealing them to declare an immediate ceasefire. Venerable Anunayaka Theras, representing the most Venerable Mahanayake Theras of the Three Nikayas, the chief prelate of this temple Gangaraamaya, the members of the Maha Sanga present, the three Diplomatic dignitaries... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/05/26)
Courtesy Hiru News
The Kuliyapitiya Police have initiated a wide-ranging investigation into the suspicious death of Abeysinghe Mudiyanselage Ranga Nishantha Rajapaksa, a suspended Assistant Director of the Department of External Resources at the General Treasury. The deceased, a resident of Madakumburumulla in Pahala Weerambua, Kuliyapitiya, was found dead in his backyard this afternoon (30). Police reported that the veins in both his legs and his left hand had been severed, and a blood-stained knife suspected to be involved was recovered near the body. The victim was a father of... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 01/05/26)
රජිත් කීර්ති තෙන්නකෝන්
මුදල් ලේකම් හර්ෂණ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවට නොපැමිණෙන්නේ නම්, ඔහුට පාර්ලිමේන්තු යාන්ත්රණය හරහා දඩුවම් කිරීමට මුදල් කමිටු සභාපති හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා ට බලය ඇතැයි හිටපු ආණ්ඩුකාරවර රජිත් කිර්ති තෙන්නකෝන් පවසයි. මුදල් අමාත්යාංශ ලේකම් හර්ෂණ සුරියප්පෙරුම හෙට දින පාර්ලිමේන්තු මුදල් කමිටුව වෙත නොපැමිණෙන බව ලිඛිතව දන්වා ඇත. ඒ පිළිබඳව ‘ෆී ලෝයර්ස්’ සංවිධානය වෙනුවෙන් නිවේදනයක් නිකුත් කරන තෙන්නකෝන් මහතා මෙසේ ද පවසයි. ‘පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ මුදල් කමිටුව පිහිටුවා ඇත්තේ 2022 වසරේ දී සම්මත කරන ලද පාර්ලිමේන්තු ස්ථාවර නියෝග 121 යටතේ ය. පාර්ලිමේන්තු ස්ථාවර නියෝග කිසියම් අයෙකු විසින් උල්ලංඝණය කරන්නේ නම්, ඒ පිළිබඳව දඩුවම් ලබාදීමට ප්රතිපාදන සපයා ඇත්තේ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Divaina Online
https://youtu.be/Fw2SlcrOwvs... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Senaka Weeraratna
The mass resignation of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva and the entire Executive Committee (ExCo) was officially confirmed on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. This voluntary exit, reportedly requested by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to avoid a forced "sacking" and potential ICC suspension, has paved the way for an interim committee to take control. Resignation and Transition Details Effective Date: Resignations were finalized on April 29, 2026, ending Shammi Silva's seven-year tenure. Interim Leadership: The government is set to appoint an interim committee, likely headed by former MP... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Obituary
KARUNADASA – PROF. EMERITUS Y. KARUNADASA “Sabbe sankhārā aniccā” passed away peacefully on 27th April 2026. Dearly beloved husband of Malathi, loving father of Himansu and Hemamala, cherished father-in-law of Deepani and Srinivasan, adoring grandfather of Sirini, Daham and Athena. Remains lie at the Jayaratne Restpect Funeral Parlour from 8.30 a.m. on 29th April 2026 until the cortège leaves for the cemetery. Cremation will take place on Thursday, 30th April 2026 at 4.00 p.m. at the General Cemetery, Borella (Colombo). May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana. – Family 026767 https://dailynews.lk/2026/04/29/obituaries/986735/obituaries-658 He... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Nava Thakuria
Geneva, 29 April 2026: Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), the global media safety and rights body, expresses concern over the murder of Indian scribe V Jaganmohan Reddy, who was hacked to death on Tuesday as the Telugu scribe went for a morning walk at Venkatagiri Kotain area under Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh. Local media reported that Jaganmohan (40) was targeted by a group of miscreants with lethal weapons and he died on the spot. The ABN Andhra Jyothy newspaper scribe was later sent to Palamaneru government hospital for an autopsy. Various journo-bodies organized protest... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
MOVE - with Sami Hamdi
https://youtu.be/FBOWpQ79qe8... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Shenali D Waduge
https://cdnews24link.wordpress.com/2023/06/04/western-strategy-to-neutralize-sinhala-buddhists-in-sri-lanka/ The Buddhists need to not only identify the enemy but more importantly identify the strategies adopted by the enemy & the reasons they do so. It is without a doubt they consider the teachings of the Buddha as a threat. It is something even the English vocabulary cannot define or converge to a single meaning. Such is the power behind the teachings of Buddha. When they cannot destroy the teaching, what is their next option?Naturally, it is the followers and with their time-tested tool of divide & rule, they... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
In a world fractured by conflict, ideology, and economic struggle, there are nations that quietly rise above adversity. Vietnam stands as one such example—a country shaped by war, yet guided by discipline, patriotism, and spiritual grounding. Sri Lanka today finds itself at a crossroads, searching for models of resilience and unity. Vietnam offers valuable lessons—not only in economic recovery but in social cohesion, national identity, and inner discipline. A Nation of Patriots with Spiritual Roots Vietnam is often recognized for its fierce patriotism. Despite enduring one of the most... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
By Dipen Barua Courtesy Buddhistdoor.net
Prof. Yakupitiyage Karunadasa, 1934–2026. Image courtesy of Aosi Mak The celebrated Buddhist scholar Prof. Yakupitiyage Karunadasa, widely known as Y. Karunadasa, died in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 26 April. He was 92 years old. Prof. Karunadasa was best known for his extensive research on Early Buddhism and Theravada Abhidhamma. “Prof. Karunadasa was a towering figure in Buddhist studies—a brilliant scholar, a compassionate teacher, and a true embodiment of the Dhamma he dedicated his life to studying and sharing,” the University of Hong Kong’s Centre of Buddhist Studies Alumni Association highlighted. “Through... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Top News Lk
https://youtu.be/WGdnUsd-1o4... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Courtesy Hiru News
Treasury Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma informed the Committee on Public Finance in writing that he will not appear before the committee tomorrow (30). The Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance, Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva, confirmed this. Although the meeting was scheduled for tomorrow, the Treasury Secretary officially communicated his inability to attend.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
Truth with Chamuditha and Chamuditha News Brief
https://youtu.be/JVi_0U-jw9I... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 30/04/26)
By Raj Gonsalkorale
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are the cornerstone for sustainable development, but if they are not appropriately managed, they will impede progress towards the United Nations Global Sustainable Development Goals. Among undesirable impacts, emphasis must be put on the risk of information security (ISec) breaches, as they pose a potential threat to businesses there. Especially for publicly traded firms, they could create a long-lasting influence on their financial performance and, thus, stock investors’ confidence - MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute. MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute), a major Switzerland-based publisher of over 500 peer-reviewed,... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/26)
by, Professor Nishan C Wijesinha of the German School of Medicine.
The Jaffna Kingdom (1215–1619 CE) was a major historical Kingdom on the Jaffna Peninsula in the northern part of Ceylon which was popularised by it's stilts related cultural dancers; within the Peninsular. The purpose of this Mahapabbata ritual was to spread the message of the value of agriculture for a productive and self sustainable economy. Aryacakravarti dynasty — the line of kings who ruled the Jaffna Kingdom in northern Sri Lanka. Jaffna Kingdom Aryacakravarti line of kings... Final... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/26)
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
https://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2026/04/01/sri-lanka-should-plan-to-benefit-from-war/ The core problem: labour shortage Middle East pull (especially if reconstruction or instability increases demand) can drain skilled workers like masons, bar benders, and carpenters from Sri Lanka. The Chamber of Construction Industry Sri Lanka has flagged this before—construction here is still heavily labour-intensive and slow to modernize. steel + prefabricationsteel structures with prefabricated panels—is globally proven: China → mass prefabrication, rapid high-rise assembly South Korea → modular construction systems United States → increasing use of offsite fabrication ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/26)
Sri Lands - මහපොළොවේ හැංගුණු විද්යාව සහ ස්මාර්ට් ජීවන රහස් කියාදෙන තැන.
රෑ 2 ට විතර වැස්ස වැඩි වෙද්දී, කන්ද පිටුපසින් ඇහෙන ඒ දිය සද්දෙට කී පාරක් නම් අපේ ඇඟ සීතල වෙලා තියෙනවද? වත්ත පහළ පිටුපස බිත්තියට රතු පාට ඉඩමේ පස හේත්තු වෙලා තියෙන හැටි දකිද්දී, ඒ "කොළ මඩ" වතුර කෑලි කොන්ක්රීට් එක දිගේ ගලාගෙන එද්දී දැනෙන බය අපේ තාත්තලාට, ගෙවල් හදන සොහොයුරන්ට අමුතුවෙන් කියලා දෙන්න ඕනේ නැහැ. "බැම්මක් ගහන්න ඕනේ..." අපි හැමෝම මුලින්ම හිතන්නේ ඒක. හැබෑවටම අද කාලේ තියෙන බඩු වල ගණන් එක්ක අඩි 10 ක කැපුම් බැම්මක් (Retaining Wall) ලස්සනට ගහගන්න ලක්ෂ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/26)
- චමිල ලියනගේ. උපුටා ගැන්ම ලංකා ලීඩර්
මෙම සටහන ගැන ඔබ උරන විය හැක. එහෙත් මම මාගේ අදහස ඉදිරිපත් කරමි. ඇමරිකා එක්සත් ජනපදයේ ටෙක්සාස් සිට වොෂින්ටනය දක්වා ඉතා අසීරු පරිසර සාධක මැද කිලෝමීර් තුන්දහසක් හෝ ඊට ආසන්න ගණනක් පයින්ම වැඩම කළ පූජ්ය පඤ්ඤාකර හිමියන් ඇතුළු භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලාගේ ව්යායාමය දෙස ඉමහත් සතුටින් බුද්ධාලම්භන ප්රීතියෙන් බලා සිටි, ඒ ගැන බොහෝ දෑ ලියා පළ කළ මට, උන්වහන්සේලාගේ ශ්රී ලංකාවේ පාද චාරිකාව දැකීමෙන් - නම් කර ඇති පරිද්දෙන් ඒහිපස්සිකෝ - එබඳු සැනසිලිදායක, නිවුනු පහන් සිතක් උපදින්නේ නැත. මම ඒ ඇයිදැයි කල්පනා කරමි. ඊට හේතුව ඝර්ම කලාපික අපි, බොහෝ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/26)
Courtesy Hiru News
Nineteen out of 22 Buddhist monks arrested at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) with a large stock of narcotics have tested positive for drug use, according to the Judicial Medical Officer. The suspects were taken into custody on April 25 after arriving from Thailand with 112 kilograms of “Kush” cannabis and “Hashish,” valued at over Rs. 110 million. They are currently being detained and questioned by the Police Narcotics Bureau.Investigations have revealed that a group of monks had previously traveled to Thailand, during which narcotics had allegedly been smuggled and later hidden... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 29/04/26)
ජනාධිපති නීතිඥ මෛත්රී ගුණරත්න නීතිඥ අතුල ද සිල්වා කැඳවුම්කරු
ෆී ලෝයර්ස් සංවිධානය විසින් මහා භාණ්ඩාගාරයේ මංකොල්ලය හෙළිදරව්කර අද වන විට දින පහක් (5) ගතවී ඇත. මේ අපරාධය සම්බන්ධයෙන් මේ දක්වා අවම වශයෙන් විමර්ශකයින් මහෙස්ත්රාත් අධිකරණයකට ‘කරුණු වාර්තා කිරීමක්’ හෝ සිදු කර නැත. වැඩ තහනමට ලක්වී ඇති නිලධාරීන්ගේ සාක්ෂි සටහන් කිරීමක් හෝ විමර්ශකයින් විසින් සිදු කර නැත. එවැනි පසුබිමක, අප සංවිධානය මේ සිද්ධිය පිළිබඳ අතිගරු ජනාධිපතිතුමාට සහ කැබිනට් මණ්ඩලයට විවෘත ප්රශ්න 22 ක් මෙලෙස යොමු කරමු. මහජන සුබසෙත උදෙසා කටයුතු කරන නීතිඥවරුන් ඇතුළු වෘත්තිකයින්ගේ එකමුතුවක් වන ‘ෆී ලෝයර්ස්’ සංවිධානය අවධාරණය කරන්නේ ජනාධිපතිතුමන් සහ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 28/04/26)
