News
Prof. Antony Anghie honoured by American Society of International Law
Sri Lankan-born, Harvard-educated Professor Antony Anghie has been conferred the prestigious Manley O. Hudson Medal by the American Society of International Law (ASIL) for his exceptional contributions to scholarship and achievement in international law.
Taking to Twitter, Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka Julie Chung congratulated Prof. Anghie on his accomplishment. “Lawyers and their commitment to rule of law support the democratic process,” she said further in her tweet.
Born in Sri Lanka and an intellectual heavyweight in the field of international law, Prof. Anghie is only the second Asian to receive this prestigious accolade. He is the son of the late AJB Anghie, well known Royal College sportsman and Mrs. Anghie.
The Law professor at the National University of Singapore (NSU) joins the ranks of legal luminaries who have received the award such as Judge Stephen Breyer, former Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court; Sir Robert Jennings and Dame Rosalyn Higgins, former Presidents of the International Court of Justice; renowned transnational law academic Prof Philip C. Jessup; and pioneering human rights scholar Prof Louis Henkin.
Prof. Anghie is a pioneering and leading authority on Third World Approaches to International Law (TWAIL) – an important field of scholarship which studies the inequalities of the international legal order.
His work argues that the peoples of the Global South have been historically and systematically excluded from international law-making, resulting in ongoing inequality and justice.
A cornerstone of his research is his highly influential book “Imperialism, Sovereignty, and the Making of International Law” which examines the relationship between colonialism and international law. His groundbreaking work has allowed younger generations of scholars to address the enduring legacies of colonialism and imperialism.
Prof. Anghie said, “This is a very unexpected honour because my arguments were viewed as radical and challenging at the time I first made them. It was a struggle to get my book published. But I was fortunate to be able to take time over my scholarship.”
Congratulating Prof. Anghie, NUS Law Dean and Professor of Law Andrew Simester said, “The Manley O. Hudson Award is a major honour, one that recognizes Tony’s unwavering commitment and outstanding contribution to international law.”
Prof. Anghie practised law in Melbourne, Australia after qualifying as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria. He then earned his Doctor of Juridical Science degree from the Harvard Law School, where he was appointed Senior Fellow in its graduate programme. He still teaches at the S.J. Quinney School of Law, University of Utah, where he previously served as the Samuel D. Thurman Professor of Law, and he was also a visiting professor at distinguished schools including Cornell Law School, the London School of Economics and Harvard Law School.
Protesting Development Officers continued their hunger strike near the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo yesterday (01), for the seventh consecutive day.The protesters, who are members of the Lanka School Development Officers’ Association, are demanding that they be absorbed into the teacher service as they have served as teachers in state-run schools for nearly seven years.
Secretary of the Association, Viraj Manaranga, said the protesters were seeking an urgent meeting with the President. He added that a presidential aide had visited the protest site and offered to arrange for a meeting with the President on 03 Feb., but the union insisted on an earlier date. Manaranga warned that failure to grant a meeting could trigger a massive protest in Colombo today (02).
Four officers participating in the hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while two more joined the fast on Saturday (31).
In a bid to raise awareness of their grievances, on 30 January a delegation of the All Island Development Officers’ Association visited Most Venerable
Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thera, Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, and subsequently with the Chapter’s Registrar, Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera. The prelates said promises that had been made to them should be fulfilled.
The protest began on 26 January as a satyagraha, after authorities failed to respond to repeated requests to integrate the officers into the teaching service. The escalation into a fast-unto-death underscores the protesters’ frustration over the prolonged delay
by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
The long-vacant post of Auditor General would be filled on 03 Feb., after months of controversy and delays, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake said on Friday (31) in Kandy.
The Constitutional Council met at the Parliamentary complex on Friday to discuss the appointment but failed to reach a decision on a suitable candidate. The President had previously proposed four names on four separate occasions, all of which were rejected. The Council is now set to consider the fifth nominee.
The post has remained vacant since April 2025, following the retirement of Chulanta Wickramaratne, who served as the 41st Auditor General. More than 10 months have passed without a permanent appointment.
Sources said a female officer in the Auditor General’s Department has been nominated again, though her previous recommendation was rejected due to some allegations against her.
Meanwhile, senior audit officer Dharmapala Gammanpila, with 31 years of service and the department’s most senior official, has received backing from the Mahanayake Theras of the three Nikayas, the Maha Sangha, and several civil society groups for appointment as the 42nd Auditor General.
Sources noted that the three civil society representatives on the Constitutional Council will play a crucial role in the final decision.
by Chaminda Silva and SK Samaranayake
Two 18-year-old youth were arrested by the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division on 31 January for allegedly aiding and abetting two murders carried out in Dehiwala and Kohuwala. ICE (crystal meth) was found in their possession at the time of arrest.
The suspects are residents of Mount Lavinia and Boralesgamuwa, according to the police. They are accused of having helped carry out a murder at a hotel in the Dehiwala Police Division on 9 January, 2026, and an attack on a person travelling in a three-wheeler at Bodhiyawatta, Kohuwala, on 12 December, 2025.
Police said the charges included sending photographs of the victims to a criminal living overseas.
Investigations revealed that the youth had acted under the direction of a criminal known as Sando.
Under the guidance of Janaka Kumara, Director of the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division, investigations are being led by Police Inspector Hemanta Kumara, assisted by Sub-Inspectors Prasanna Gunathilaka and Prasanna (40248), and Constables Chaminda (72987), Anil (79598), Kumar (88762), and Senanayake (19363), who are continuing the probe.
by Norman Palihawadane and Chaminda Silva
Shoulder injury casts doubt over Eshan Malinga’s T20 World Cup
Showers expected in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Western, Uva, Sabaragamuwa, Southern and Central provinces
Development Officers threaten to intensify their protest
Auditor General to be appointed tomorrow
Two arrested for aiding and abetting murder
CID summons former First Lady again
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
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