http://www.sundaytimes.lk Official website of the Sunday Times Newspaper in Sri Lanka Sat, 07 Feb 2026 19:57:24 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/lankan-brides-for-koreans-deputy-minister-to-visit-korea-after-controversial-remarks-retracted-631016.html 7 February 2026 @ 10:48 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt;A South Korean regional politician was in hot water this week after suggesting that his country import young brides from Sri Lanka or Vietnam to marry rural bachelors to deal with the declining population there. lt;/p gt; [caption id= quot;attachment_631028 quot; align= quot;alignleft quot; width= quot;180 quot; caption= qu... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/speakers-hoodoo-pursues-npp-government-wickramaratne-faces-fresh-allegations-631010.html 7 February 2026 @ 10:37 pm lt;ul gt; lt;li gt; lt;em gt; nbsp;Deputy Secretary General rsquo;s suspension triggers crisis; complaint to CIABOC details misconduct claims against Speaker lt;/em gt; lt;/li gt; lt;li gt; lt;em gt;President rsquo;s Independence Day message draws fire after instructions to omit war heroes lt;/em gt; lt;/li gt; lt;li gt; lt;em gt;Tilvin ndash;Jaishankar talks in New Delhi: JVP General Se... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/the-tough-get-going-631006.html 7 February 2026 @ 10:35 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt;My dear Namal baby, lt;/p gt; It has been a while since I wrote to you last, but I thought I must do so again after seeing you being summoned to the CID last week, along with your mother who was asked to report to the FCID. Cousin Shamindra was also issued a lsquo;Red Notice rsquo;. It was not a great week for the lsquo;R rsq... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/the-formidable-tasks-of-achieving-economic-growth-with-equity-and-national-unity-630987.html 7 February 2026 @ 9:33 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt;President Anura Kumara Dissanayake outlined the formidable task of nation building at the 78th Independence Anniversary celebration on Wednesday. Achieving such desirable objectives poses a formidable challenge. lt;/p gt; He highlighted the economic progress, resilience and achievements during the past 18 months. He said the na... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/a-duplicitous-government-and-a-paralysed-opposition-whither-sri-lanka-630980.html 7 February 2026 @ 9:30 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt;The fact that the extension of the State of Emergency was approved by Parliament with reportedly just two opposing votes says more about the paralysis of the political Opposition in the country than the mala fides of the lt;em gt;Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna lt;/em gt; led National Peoples rsquo; Power (NPP) Government in placing ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/ditwah-recovery-or-stifling-dissent-emergency-extended-amidst-heated-accusations-630965.html 7 February 2026 @ 9:22 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt; lt;strong gt;By Sandun Jayawardana nbsp; nbsp; lt;/strong gt; lt;/p gt; Parliament on Friday (6) approved the extension of a state of public emergency, declared by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah, amid accusations by the opposition that the government was attempting to use the legislation... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/as-sri-lanka-celebrates-78-years-of-independence-the-unfinished-task-of-nation-building-remains-a-challenge-630922.html 7 February 2026 @ 8:55 pm At Sri Lanka rsquo;s 78th Independence Day celebrations last week, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake once again placed national unity at the centre of his message, reiterating that the country rsquo;s future depends on the ability of its people to move beyond division and work collectively towards reconstruction and renewal. In doing so, the President sought to frame independence not as a static ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/dance-that-funky-freedom-music-630889.html 7 February 2026 @ 8:23 pm lt;img class= quot;alignright size-full wp-image-630891 quot; title= quot;Sunday-punch-logo quot; src= quot;http://sundaytimes.lk/260208/uploads/2026/02/Sunday-punch-logo.jpg quot; alt= quot; quot; width= quot;300 quot; height= quot;94 quot; / gt;If this year rsquo;s Independence Day celebrations pathetically failed to kindle the flame of inspiration in the collective breast of Sri Lankans, fear ... http://www.sundaytimes.lk/260208/columns/still-clinging-to-a-fracturing-west-or-strolling-down-a-garden-path-630886.html 7 February 2026 @ 8:21 pm lt;p style= quot;text-align: left; quot; align= quot;center quot; gt;When Donald Trump ordered troops into Venezuela and captured the country rsquo;s president and his wife, taking them to New York under custody, the world stood in shock. lt;/p gt; Not that the world thought such a loudmouth as President Trump was incapable of such callous disregard for international law and civilised conduct. R...