Sasanka De Silva Makumbura.
For three decades, I worked overseas, sending hard-earned foreign exchange home during some of this country's darkest hours. Those remittances weren't just personal savings; they were a lifeline for a nation embroiled in a civil war, a war we eventually won decisively. Now in retirement, I haven't sat back. We've taken steps to reduce our carbon footprint and ensure our own energy security. We bought a hybrid car and invested in solar panels for our roof. Today, we don't owe the electricity board a... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
Dr. Asoka Bandarage Courtesy: Inter Press Service
Article 2(4) of the United Nations Charter prohibits member states from using threats or force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Violating international law, the United States and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, 2026. The ostensible reason for this unprovoked aggression was to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The United States is the first and only country to have used nuclear weapons in war, against Japan in August 1945. Some officials in Israel have threatened to use a “doomsday weapon” against Gaza.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
By Ananda Wickramasinghe
This article appeared in the March 15th, 2026 Sunday Island In late November 2025, Cyclonic Storm Ditwah stalled over Sri Lanka, unloading a deluge that would trigger one of the most devastating landslide events in recent memory. While the immediate toll—lives lost, homes destroyed, families displaced—captured the nation's heartbreak, a slower-moving disaster is now unfolding on the denuded slopes of the central highlands. Unless urgent action is taken, the environmental aftermath could threaten the very infrastructure that powers the country's economy for decades to... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
Ministry of Defence - Media Centre
The Defence Secretary, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), graced as the chief guest of the India–Sri Lanka Defence Industry Seminar held today (25 March) at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo. Upon his arrival, the Defence Secretary was warmly received by the Indian High Commissioner H.E. Santosh Jha. The third edition of this seminar is being organized by the Indian High Commission under the theme “Identifying New Opportunities and Forging New Bonds.” Speaking at the event, the Defence Secretary said that the enduring Indo - Sri Lanka... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
Source: AI Overview
Answer Chat GPT An Asset Betterment Test (or method) would be a highly effective forensic tool for a public inquiry into Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) corruption allegations. This method is a standard investigative technique used to identify unexplained wealth by comparing an individual's reported income against their actual net worth and lifestyle expenditures over a specific period. How the Test Supports an Inquiry The application of this test to SLC officials from their date of joining would help the inquiry in several critical ways: ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
Prepared by: Sarath Obeysekera
1. Executive Summary
India’s Sagarmala Programme is transforming the maritime and industrial landscape of the region, particularly along its eastern seaboard. Ports such as Kakinada Port are being developed into integrated industrial and energy hubs. Sri Lanka, due to its strategic location, is uniquely positioned to integrate with this regional growth. Trincomalee, with its deep natural harbor and historical energy infrastructure, presents a rare opportunity to emerge as a complementary hub. This paper proposes a national strategy to develop Trincomalee as: ... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
Newsfirst English
https://youtu.be/xDYBmBYOFkM... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
National Development Bank PLC
National Development Bank PLC (NDB) conducted its Analysts Earnings Call on 17th March, following the release of the financial results and annual report for the full year ended December 31, 2025. The session, led by Kelum Edirisinghe, Director/ Chief Executive Officer of NDB Bank, together with the Bank’s senior management team, was held virtually via Zoom. During the call, the CEO delivered a comprehensive overview of the Bank’s financial performance for FY 2025, outlining key strategic priorities, operational highlights, and the Bank’s future plans. His presentation was followed by an interactive Q&A... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
KELUM BANDARA Courtesy Daily mirror
Colombo, March 25 (Daily Mirror) - Against the backdrop of disruptions to global oil supply, Sri Lanka expects to finalize an oil purchase deal with Russia next week, an official said. Earlier, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath held discussions with Russian Ambassador Levan S. Dzhagaryan, on the possibility of purchasing Russian fuel to navigate the current energy crisis. After that, the Russian Embassy in Colombo forwarded Sri Lanka’s request to Moscow for consideration by the Russian authorities. Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Chairman D.J. Rajakaruna told Daily Mirror the... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 26/03/26)
Shenali D Waduge
In complex investigations, facts are expected to lead the narrative. But sometimes, the narrative begins to lead the facts. When that happens, certain names rise above others — not necessarily because of proven significance, but because of how they are used and manipulated and spread. Such is the name of Pulasthini Mahendran, also known as Sara Jasmine. How is it that her name became the only name flogged across media from the time of the Sainthamaruthu suicide? On the same day, Saheeda — sister of two individuals linked to the Mawanella Buddha statue... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/03/26)
Sampath Samarakoon (Convenor) Internet Media Action (IMA)
The landmark Supreme Court verdict finding that the fundamental rights of Mohamed Rifai Mohamed Suhail have been violated has once again exposed the dark reality surrounding Sri Lanka's law enforcement machinery and freedom of expression. As an Internet Media Action (IMA) standing for rights in the internet and social media space, we are deeply concerned about the serious democratic crisis emerging through this incident. Stripping nine precious months from a person's life under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) — based solely on a social media post and... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/03/26)
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Title: Implementation of High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Lane and Regulated Carpooling System in Sri Lanka 1. Background
Urban congestion in Colombo and surrounding corridors such as: Malabe – Colombo Negombo – Colombo has reached critical levels, causing: Loss of productivity Fuel wastage Increased pollution International cities like Los Angeles have successfully implemented HOV lane systems combined with ride-sharing models. 2. Objective
To: Reduce... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/03/26)
Courtesy AA.com
'This vessel, and two other vessels were invited, I repeat it, invited by the Sri Lankan side to come here,' says Iranian Ambassador to Colombo Alireza Delkhosh ISTANBUL The Iranian warship attacked by the US earlier this month was sailing at the invitation of Sri Lanka, said Alireza Delkhosh, Iranian ambassador to the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, on Monday. The IRS Dena was “not ready for war and it was not here for war. It was not here for conflict,” Delkhosh said, according to a video record of his... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/03/26)
By bne IntelliNews
The first labour migrants from Sri Lanka have arrived in Russia, with some already reporting unpaid wages, as Moscow looks to South Asia to address a deepening workforce shortage, TASS reported on March 24. Russia's ambassador to Sri Lanka, Levan Dzhagaryan, told the agency that the arrivals so far involved only small groups and that there were no grounds to expect a mass influx in the near term. He said organisational difficulties and problems encountered by the first arrivals were dampening enthusiasm among potential migrants. Some of the Sri Lankan workers... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/03/26)
Courtesy Hiru News
Sri Lanka’s latest fuel price revision, which saw prices rise by around 25% on average, ranks among the highest increases compared to many Asian and global peers, reflecting the sharp impact of global oil market pressures. The revision, announced on Sunday, pushed up key fuel categories significantly. Auto diesel rose 26.1% from Rs. 303 to Rs. 382 per litre, while super diesel increased 25.5% from Rs. 353 to Rs. 443. Petrol 92 octane went up 25.6% from Rs. 317 to Rs. 398, and petrol 95 octane rose 24.7% from Rs. 365 to Rs.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 25/03/26)
e-Con e-News
Posted byee ink.March 23, 2026Posted inUncategorizedTags:history, poetry, politics blog: https://eesrilanka.wordpress.com ‘Before you study the economics, study the economists!’ e-Con e-News 15-21 March 2026 The USA is waging war on the world, and demanding their allies, pitbulls, poodles and puppets, fall in line. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently declared at the 62nd Munich Security Conference, billed as the world’s leading forum for international security, that the glory of ‘Western Civilisation’ depended upon a recolonization of the world. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government has rejected the accusation that Sri Lanka is an US... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/03/26)
-Sri Lanka Jurists-
In the classical tradition of jurisprudence, the Court is not merely a government department; it is the Marketplace of Grievances. It is the only forum where the "Sovereign"—the People—can trade their vulnerabilities for the currency of Justice. Yet, a chilling wind has swept through the corridors of Hulftsdorp. A new "jurisprudence of the threshold" has emerged, where the Leave to Appeal (LA) and Fundamental Rights (FR) applications are being met with mass-scale refusals at the gate.If the Supreme Court continues to treat "Leave" as a weapon of docket-clearing rather than a filter for justice, it... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/03/26)
Senaka Weeraratna
Chinese contributions to the spread of Buddhism were instrumental in transforming it from a regional Indian tradition into a dominant world religion. China served as the primary "mother culture" for Buddhism in East Asia, developing unique schools, massive scripture canons, and a network of pilgrims that exported the faith across the continent. Contributions Within China China's primary role was the Sinification of Buddhism—adapting Indian concepts to fit Chinese culture, which facilitated its local acceptance. Imperial Patronage: Multiple dynasties, notably the Sui and Tang, established Buddhism as a state religion. Emperors likeWu ZetianandEmperor Ming(of Han legend) funded monasteries and supported... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/03/26)
Raj Gonsalkorale P O Box 4, Annandale NSW 2038
Open letter to Mr Anthony Albanese Prime Minister of Australia Dear Mr Albanese Let sanity prevail The latest salvo from Mr Donald Trump and the response from Iran poses a catastrophic aftermath for the whole world. Individuals are powerless in this situation and it appears neither the UN or any world leader is able to do anything to cool tempers of both sides. Donald Trump - US will ‘obliterate’ Iran’s power plants if Strait of Hormuz not open before... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/03/26)
Dr Sarath Obeysekera
Sri Lanka has, over the decades, stood at the crossroads of opportunity and indecision—nowhere more evident than in the development trajectory of Trincomalee. Blessed with one of the finest natural harbors in the world, Trincomalee should by now have evolved into a regional energy and maritime hub. Instead, it remains a case study in missed opportunities, fragmented policy decisions, and inconsistent governance. Historically, several strategic industrial ventures were established under circumstances that raise important governance questions. When land and operational space were allocated to major players such as Tokyo... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/03/26)
Source: AI Overview
The false narrative of the Buddha being born in Sri Lanka will cause irreparable harm to the integrity of Buddhism, unnecessarily create division, and most importantly undermine the saddha ( faith and trust) in the credibility of the life story of the Buddha and eventually damage the Buddha Sasana. AI Overview The assertion that the Buddha was born in Sri Lanka is considered a false narrative by mainstream historians, archaeologists, and the global Buddhist community, who widely recognize Lumbini, Nepal—part of the ancient Indian subcontinent—as the true birthplace .... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/03/26)
by A. Abdul Aziz
23rd March – Ahmadiyya Founder’s Day On February 13th, 1835, in the small Indian village of Qadian, Punjab, India, a man named Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was born. He belonged to a well-known and noble family. All religions contain prophecies that foretell the advent of a special individual, who will come as a reformer in the latter days. In Islam, Muslims await a promised Mahdi and Messiah. The advent of the Promised Messiah was prophesized by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad (PBUH) himself. According to a tradition, the Holy Prophet (PBUH)... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/03/26)
Voice Tube
https://youtu.be/3OVTWTGvLys... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 24/03/26)
by Garvin Karunaratne
Though our resplendent island is blessed with ample water casading over valley and dale and wind blowing me off on my many minor irrigation inspections in the Districts of Kegalla, Nuw ara Eliya and Kandy the coal and oil lobby has been so strong, that the attempt by a few of us to emphasize the power that lies in water and wind has taken us nowhere. I have been among the few administrators who have written on the power that lies in the wind and water. It is now... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/03/26)
Courtesy India Today
Sri Lanka raised fuel prices by about 25% for the second time in a week as the Gulf conflict disrupts global oil supplies via the Strait of Hormuz. The Sri Lankan government on Sunday raised fuel prices by around 25 per cent, the second such increase in a week amid the West Asia conflict. The step comes in the backdrop of the joint US-Israel strikes against Iran and the retaliation by the Islamic nation that has spread to the entire Gulf region. It has led to the closure of the Strait... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/03/26)
Courtesy Hiru News
Sinopec revised its fuel prices, effective midnight today (22). The price of a litre of Octane 95 Petrol is increased by Rs. 122 to Rs. 487, and Super Diesel by Rs. 219 to Rs. 573, higher than the prices set by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation. The prices of Octane 92 Petrol and Auto Diesel are maintained at CPC prices, at Rs. 398 and Auto Diesel at Rs. 382.... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/03/26)
Eddie Invests
https://youtu.be/kz8bRZPbvQc... -Full Story- (LankaWeb - 23/03/26)
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)
