By: Isuru Parakrama

November 18, World (LNW): In what should have been a groundbreaking moment in human history, whistleblowers testified before a United States Congress sub-committee regarding the existence of “non-human biologics” associated with Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs)—a politically accurate rebranding of the term UFOs.

The testimonies suggested decades of secrecy surrounding extraterrestrial encounters, yet the public reaction was strikingly indifferent.

Why did this mass revelation fail to ignite curiosity or debate, a sharp contrast to the feverish enthusiasm for extraterrestrial life that defined prior decades?

Why did the public’s priorities evolve into a muted response to what was once considered the ultimate mystery?

The congressional hearing presented testimony from former intelligence officials, including David Grusch, who alleged that UAPs of non-human origin had been recovered and studied in secrecy.

Whilst the claims were sensational, the evidence provided was frustratingly thin—offering little beyond anecdotal accounts and classified reports.

The public’s apathy may partly stem from a lack of concrete proof. Without physical artefacts, detailed footage, or scientific analysis, even the most credible whistleblowers struggle to convince a populace inundated with digital manipulation and conspiracy theories.

Unlike the iconic Roswell incident or the grainy UFO photos of the 20th century, these claims lacked a tangible, visceral hook.

Over the decades, humanity’s fascination with extraterrestrial life has evolved alongside advancements in science and technology. In the mid-20th century, UFO sightings captivated audiences largely because they played into Cold War anxieties and the burgeoning Space Age. Films like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and television shows such as The X-Files thrived on this collective intrigue.

However, as science provided clearer perspectives on the vastness of the universe and the unlikelihood of human contact with alien life, the magic of UFO lore began to fade.

In addition, the proliferation of fake news and doctored videos on social media has eroded public trust in extraordinary claims. What was once a thrilling “what if?” has become just another dubious headline in an oversaturated information landscape.

Another key factor is the overwhelming array of real-world crises that dominate public consciousness. Climate change, political instability, economic inequality, and public health emergencies like the Covid-19 pandemic have reshaped global priorities. When the immediate survival of the planet and its inhabitants is at stake, speculations about alien visitors feel like a luxury of a more innocent era.

Moreover, these crises have made people more sceptical of institutions, including governments and the military.

Claims of secret programmes and cover-ups surrounding UAPs now fall into a wider narrative of distrust, blending seamlessly with other conspiracies but failing to stand out.

Paradoxically, the lack of public interest may reflect an underlying shift in collective attitudes towards extraterrestrial life. Recent advancements in astronomy and astrobiology have normalised the idea that microbial life may exist elsewhere in the universe. The James Webb Space Telescope and missions to Mars are actively searching for signs of life, albeit in forms far less dramatic than Hollywood’s imagined aliens.

In this context, the idea of “non-human biologics” no longer feels alien—it feels plausible but unremarkable.

This scientific grounding may have unintentionally demystified the topic, making dramatic claims of alien encounters seem less captivating than they once were.

Another contributor to public disinterest is the fragmented media landscape. In the past, major revelations were filtered through a handful of authoritative channels, giving them weight and urgency.

Today, however, news competes with viral TikToks, streaming content, and an unending barrage of notifications. Even significant events struggle to hold public attention unless packaged as a spectacle.

The UAP hearings, despite their extraordinary implications, were largely procedural and devoid of theatricality. Compared to the daily drama of politics or the sensationalism of celebrity scandals, they felt dry and inaccessible.

Without an emotional or visual element to engage audiences, the revelations failed to capture the imagination.

Beneath the surface, there may also be a deeper psychological factor at play: existential ennui. For decades, humanity has grappled with the implications of being alone in the universe. Yet as scientific progress expands our understanding of existence, it also exposes our insignificance within the cosmos.

For some, the possibility of alien life is no longer a question of excitement but one of existential dread. Rather than igniting hope, such revelations may provoke discomfort about our fragility and the unknown.

In this context, indifference is a coping mechanism—a way to avoid confronting the profound questions these revelations raise.

If humanity is to engage meaningfully with the possibility of extraterrestrial life, better communication strategies are essential. Policymakers and scientists must present these topics in ways that resonate with the public, combining rigorous evidence with accessible narratives.

Incorporating art, storytelling, and education could reignite public interest. Historical milestones, from the moon landing to the discovery of exoplanets, have shown the power of weaving science with human drama.

Future revelations about alien life must strike a similar chord if they are to transcend apathy.

The muted response to congressional UAP revelations reflects a complex interplay of societal factors: a deluge of competing crises, evolving scientific perspectives, and the fragmentation of media. This response also denotes the challenge of making the extraordinary feel urgent in a world accustomed to endless spectacle.

Whether humanity is ready or willing to confront the implications of extraterrestrial life remains an open question. What is clear, however, is that our collective indifference speaks volumes about the priorities and anxieties of our time.

For now, the search for aliens continues—not just amongst the stars, but in the recesses of our own imaginations. The truth is out there, but so are lies.

November 16, Colombo (LNW): It is reported that Sports Director General Shemal Fernando, who went to appear in the Asia Rugby official election, was not given the opportunity to represent. The Director of Sports, in an ethically unacceptable move, appointed the Acting President of the disbanded Rugby Administration as a facilitator for Rugby, claiming it was done at the request of former Sports Minister Harin Fernando and World Rugby.

Accordingly, Director General Shemal Fernando was made the respondent by the media for many big issues. The Director General, facing allegations from the media suggesting he was manipulating the rugby agenda for personal interests, was ultimately exposed when it was revealed that the former president was preparing to attend the office election and annual general assembly of Asian Rugby held in Bangkok. Accordingly, he was not prevented from participating in that work which is against the law, and even though the Director General went to Bangkok, he was not allowed to vote in the office election.

In order to give that opportunity, due to the non-enforcement of the law regarding the damage done to the rugby in Sri Lanka, the director general has been sent to Sri Lanka empty-handed, without the intervention of the people who have gone to the Asian level. International media reports indicate that 29 votes were cast, with 17 going to the former president and 11 to Ada Milby, the president of the Philippines, who contested against him. The total comes to 28 instead of 29, as Sri Lanka’s vote was not counted. The current Asian president did not get the vote in Sri Lanka for the first time, and the then president who left to vote used the vote for the Japanese candidate who was competing against him at the time.

Because of that resentment, the Asia President was able to facilitate matters such as not considering discrimination against Sri Lanka because the Ministers, former and those who hope to enter the administration as well as government officials stood up for the needs of the Asia President.

The true intent behind this desire became clear when the unusual administrative body known as the Stabilization Committee, appointed by Minister Roshan Ranasinghe and later declared invalid by the court, was established. At the very outset, they attempted to alter the existing constitution by highlighting the need for changes that would grant power to rugby-playing clubs of that caliber.

We have repeatedly pointed out that the Director General of Sports is confined to serving their interests, with those who have agendas lurking in front of him to target the foundation. The demand for power by those sports clubs emerged primarily due to the continuous and repeated revelations by lankanewsweb.net. They are avoiding the issue of Sri Lanka Rugby’s 55 million debt while those in power at the sports clubs they refer to hold authority. The representatives of these clubs, who claim to have or can secure assets to spend millions on rugby, fail to mention the problem of the 55 million debt in Sri Lanka Rugby’s account.

Furthermore, they remain silent on the fact that the £50 fine should be imposed on those who represented the administration, which stated that the fine should be deducted from the funds allocated for the development of rugby in Sri Lanka. This is because these individuals were appointed through the sports clubs that are demanding power. In the process of socializing these matters and continuously informing the public through the media, they seem to believe that they can conceal the truth by gaining more power. This belief led them to engage in the effort to change the constitution, aiming to create this influence.

Once the Stabilization Committee is appointed, you will witness a word made by its chairman in the context of introducing other sports clubs, in addition to the 8 clubs he names, as part of the comparative matters discussion. “Not even a clubhouse” The sports clubs he says do not have this shortcoming. They are places where you can taste liquor in royal style. How many times have the annual evaluations of the stadium buildings and the income they generate been altered? What is the valuation of a construction or business in relation to such venues? We are not implying that they should not receive concessions.

Such things need to happen for the sake of the game. However, in our view, it is unethical to suggest that those who seek to rise through such luxuries, while belittling and devaluing the struggles and difficult conditions of the same sport, should wield the power they possess. If those who came from very humble beginnings, not just in the world but also in our country, had given up because of their circumstances, today there would be no president named Anura Kumara Dissanayake in this country. That is the truth. Therefore, even though these top sports clubs feel through this video that they are royally taking the key to rule the rugby and are humiliating and embarrassing other sports clubs, they are taking over the heavy task of reducing inequalities from the lower stage to the upper stage of the people and trying to adjust the system of the state accordingly. Will a ruling government agree to this constitutional amendment?

Dinesh Priyanth is a man who knows the world around his village as well as Anura Kumara understands the world politically. Had he studied with the most limited resources, qualified as a soldier, gone to war, and not been disabled, he would not have had to take up the spear to strive for the conquest of the world. Such an unfortunate inheritance was a gift for him, but how many stories are there of people who simply fell by the wayside due to the lack of sports in those schools?

Even today, when we read the 100 meters race with the character of Mudalihami, which we learned as children, we see children from distant villages who encounter many moments where they aspire to become like Mudalihami.

We believe that not only the rulers of the state but also government officials, whether knowingly or unknowingly, have played a part in enabling the effort to seize power for these elite sports clubs. The reason for this may lie in the platform we have created for those who have borrowed and had to pay fines, highlighting the need for different constitutional changes. We take pride in that. By pointing out issues such as collecting debts from the royal class, holding wrongdoers accountable without paying the fines incurred for their mistakes from the development funds received from World Rugby, and at least investigating and punishing those wrongs, the royal sports clubs were criticized.

We have come to understand that the conflict in Rugby field represents a battle of a class determined to protect the princes who make decisions and are responsible for these mistakes. As far as we know, there are no individuals in that royal society who think in terms of class, placing sports clubs in the same category as schools.

A clear example of this is National People’s Power and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. However, there are old minds who still cannot accept the power of the less influential, and they continue to chatter and make jokes. They only engage with the country through songs they sing for fun, once their own class’s needs are fulfilled. We are aware that this unfortunate situation is still impacting the Director General of Sports.

We raised all these concerns now, respecting his history of capable and honest administration. Much of what has been discussed here is information he has been aware of for some time. We believe that, despite offering watered-down responses to many of these issues, he must understand the seriousness of the situation. The clearest example of this is the obstruction of the election held in Bangkok, along with blaming the facilitator for how it was conducted. However, we believe there is more to this situation than what we are aware of.

Thanuja Weerakkodi, a highly talented player who represented Sri Lanka, is currently going abroad for a women’s rugby development program. There is no doubt about her talent. However, in the current situation, it is unclear which leader she has aligned herself with.

If those expenses are covered by Rugby’s accounts, it represents a serious mistake in using Rugby’s funds for months without transferring control to a constitutionally appointed administration.

All these actions are closely related to wrongdoing. While there may be ways to untangle some of the issues, the knots of conscience will torment them until the end. The response given by the Director General of Sports, who is taken aback by all of this, is brief, yet it carries a deeper meaning: “When the new minister is appointed, we will meet after the meeting!”

We believe there is much to unpack in the response given by the Director General of Sports. Not all citizens have perished in a country where power was once determined by the worship of the cobra rising from the Kelani River. If they are caught at this moment and the rust and decay of their intellect are not removed, not only the corruption but other flaws will rise to the surface, appearing like lifeless corpses.