A secured future under ‘Maithri Rule’ for our biggest minority group
For a secured brighter future as a developing country, today we are focusing on a formidable and sustainable national economy. It is thus imperative to arrest colossal economic and social waste that plague the country in untold proportions. Two prerequisites here are: (i) Arresting the waste of human potential and instead mobilising this asset and [...]
Imthiaz Bakeer Markar’s latest book
A book authored by onetime Media Minister Imthiaz Bakeer Markar titled “Hithu Matha”, a collection of weekly newspaper columns, was launched at the Library Services’ Auditorium on Wednesday. The book is a compilation of articles relating to a wide range of topics relating to politics, socioeconomic and ethno-religious aspects viewed in a national and international [...]
What’s cooking: US firm in alleged biopiracy of our ‘Rathu Kekulu’
Every year, usually in February but sometimes in March, the celebration of Mardi Gras (Carnival) reaches its crescendo. Especially popular in the Americas, huge Mardi Gras celebrations take place every year in places ranging from Brazil to Colombia, Trinidad, Mexico, and the US. The largest Mardi Gras in the United States of America is in [...]
Trek Café: Channa Daswatte examines his life and career
Trek Café is a monthly experience by Trekurious where accomplished individuals talk about their personal and professional lives, their inspirations, and their passions. The goal is to share knowledge, broaden perspectives, and inspire people. The series kicks off with architect Channa Daswatte examining his life and career through the lens of five buildings. From the [...]
Ceremonial handing over of Deanship and Commonwealth flag
On February 16, the Dean of the Commonwealth Chapter of Ambassadors in Hanoi, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Dr. K. G. Ivan Amarasinghe, who ends his tenure in Vietnam, handed over the Deanship and the Commonwealth Flag to UK Ambassador Giles Lever, in the presence of other Commonwealth diplomatic colleagues. L to R: Ambassadors from Mozambique, New [...]
“Sapphire and more”: ICA’s 16th Congress comes to Colombo
Treasure recovered from the wreck of a merchant ship that sank off the coast of Indonesia more than 1,000 years ago has confirmed Sri Lanka as the oldest source of sapphires in the world. The 10th century cargo, described as the largest haul of treasure recovered from any South East Asian ship wreck, included 400 [...]
‘Water ATMs’ deliver liquid assets in India’s capital
Two years ago, Anand Shah, founder of Indian firm Sarvajal, wrote in our op-ed pages about how the company had developed solar-powered ‘water ATMs’ to get clean and affordable water to people in remote parts of India. Shah ended by sharing his vision to have a water vending machine in every village and on every [...]
Paintings express a million nuanced things
The usually dim-lit and forbidding foyer and staircase of the American Center had been imbued with colour that February evening. Paintings were hanging from the foyer up to the library. Their creators, young and talented artists, were standing under them- each one under his/her work. These artists were all undergraduates from the University of Visual [...]
A code of conduct for our elected representatives: Here’s the 2002 draft
The adoption of a code of conduct for elected representatives is one of the key election promises to be fulfilled under the 100-day programme of the Maithripala Sirisena and the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration. But there appears to be little initiative or a lack of progress in this direction. This may be because of an absence [...]
Gay Catholic group gets VIP treatment at Vatican
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – A prominent American Catholic gay rights group was given VIP treatment for the first time at an audience with Pope Francis on Wednesday, a move members saw as a sign of change in the Roman Catholic Church. “This is a sign of movement that’s due to the Francis effect,” said Sister [...]
Gender equality as a development goal
NEW YORK – Despite progress in many societies, women almost everywhere still suffer from significant levels of discrimination. Even in countries where gender equality has advanced furthest, women are over-represented in lower-paying jobs, under-represented in senior government and business positions, and on the receiving end of most domestic violence. In parts of the developing world, [...]
Enforcement of traffic laws and procedures motorists should know
Read this article and keep the article safely. You may need to read it again. Since there are doubts in the minds of motorists in paying the spot fines issued by police officers from outstations, I wish to write this article for your benefit. You may pass the contents to other motorists. If you have [...]
WHO approves 15-minute Ebola test
GENEVA (Reuters) – The World Health Organization has approved the first rapid test for Ebola in a potential breakthrough for ending an epidemic that has killed almost 10,000 people in West Africa, it said on Friday. The test, developed by Corgenix Medical Corp, is less accurate than the standard PCR test but is easy to [...]
Want to know if he’ll be kind and caring? Just look at his hands
Eyes may be the windows of the soul, but it’s a man’s fingers which will point out if he’s Mr Right. A cheeky smile may catch your eye, but a quick glimpse at a man’s hands will reveal whether he will capture your heart, according to researchers. Men with a ring finger much longer than [...]
Red Alert: Something is lacking, someone is lagging in the State of Sri Lanka
January 9 saw the rousing of hope in the hearts and minds of a discouraged, despairing and completely cowed people who had narrowly and miraculously escaped from the crabbed, cabined, confined and uncertain existence they had been forced to live for several years. For the first time in Sri Lanka’s history several parties, with diverse [...]
Police probe on mega deals: Delays explained
The definition of Criminal Offences and the categories of Criminal Offences are clearly explained in the Penal Code. The procedure as to how such criminal offences should be investigated and brought before Courts for prosecution is also clearly spelt out in the Criminal Procedure Code. The Police Department has categorised these offences into “minor offences” [...]
Mongolia mummy-find highlights Buddhist ‘living gods’
ULAN BATOR (AFP) – For more than a century he sat in a meditative pose in remote western Mongolia before being thrust into the spotlight by an unscrupulous thief. The discovery of the near perfectly preserved mummy of a Buddhist monk born almost 200 years ago may have baffled many but it is also shining [...]
Astrology slain at the feet of MR
Charitha P. de Silva, in his article — headlined “MR’s Major Mistakes” — in the Sunday Times on 18 January 2015, stated that it is absurd to make decisions based on astrology and the use of astrology is unfit for the modern era. In that, I beg to differ; and wish to clarify, as for [...]
New US defence chief silent on date of Mosul offensive
KABUL (Reuters) – New US Defence Secretary Ash Carter said today that he would not telegraph the precise timing of an upcoming Iraqi offensive to retake the city of Mosul from Islamic State militants, after a US military briefing caused an uproar. Two influential Republican senators, John McCain and Lindsey Graham, sent a scathing letter [...]
Oscar protest planned over all-white nominees
HOLLYWOOD, United States, Feb 21 (AFP) -African-American civil rights groups plan to protest outside today’s Oscars show, where every single one of this year’s 20 acting nominees is white. However small, the demonstration will revive debate about diversity at the Oscars-awarding Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, whose voting members are overwhelmingly white and [...]
West looks impotent as Ukraine ceasefire frays
PARIS, Feb 21 (AFP) -The continued fighting in eastern Ukraine has made a mockery of the West’s latest attempts to negotiate a ceasefire but may ultimately pave the way for a more durable peace, say analysts. It did not take long for the latest truce, brokered by France and Germany and signed in the Belarussian [...]
Fire hits Dubai skyscraper
DUBAI, Feb 21 (AFP) -A huge fire engulfed one of the tallest towers of the Gulf emirate of Dubai early Saturday, an AFP correspondent reported. The blaze has gutted the upper part of The Torch residential skyscraper, which stands 336.1-metre (1,105-feet) high, triggering an evacuation of nearby towers in the Dubai Marina neighbourhood, according to [...]
Kim guides military drill near sea border with S. Korea
SEOUL, Feb 21 (AFP) -North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un has guided a military drill simulating an attack and seizure of a frontline South Korean island, Pyongyang’s state media said Saturday. The drill came as tensions grow ahead of an annual US-South Korea joint Key Resolve/Foal Eagle military exercise that is reportedly to start early next [...]
Australian FM calls Indonesia to ease tensions- reports
SYDNEY, Feb 21 (AFP) -Foreign Minister Julie Bishop called on Indonesia to give two Australians on death row an “indefinite stay of execution” as she clarified her Prime Minister’s comments linking their fate to aid, media reports said Saturday. Tensions between the two nations have grown after Indonesia confirmed Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, ringleaders [...]
UN wants balloons to get message to N.Korea
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The head of a UN Commission of Inquiry said on Tuesday more efforts were needed, including the use of balloons and computer hacking, to tell the North Korean people about its damning report on human rights conditions in their country. Retired Australian Judge Michael Kirby Kirby said it was “completely unacceptable” for [...]
Carnegie Mellon University wrongly accepts 800 applicants
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Carnegie Mellon University mistakenly informed about 800 applicants that they had won a place in one of the school’s prestigious computer science programs before retracting the acceptance letters, the school said. The acceptance letters were sent by email on Monday, according to the Pittsburgh-based school. Many hours later – enough time [...]
A legend in his lifetime
Though I had known S. L. Gunasekara all my life, I got to know him well as a person, only after I started working under him from January 17, 2012 through my internship, apprenticeship and finally as his junior. From then on he was my hero, my mentor and I enjoyed every moment I spent [...]
War crimes probe: Deferral only a temporary reprieve
UNITED NATIONS, Feb 17 2015 (IPS) – The 47-member Human Rights Council (HRC), responding to a request by the newly-elected government in Colombo, has deferred the release of a key U.N. report on human rights violations and war crimes charges against the Sri Lankan armed forces and Tamil separatists who fought a devastating decades-long battle [...]
100-day Plan: What should be the priorities?
The Sri Lankan population, especially the voter population, recovering from the recent Presidential election would be eagerly waiting for the outcome of various statements and promises made on election platforms before the next national election. Executive Presidency The most common concern is the status of the presidency – i.e. complete abolition, reduced powers or continuation [...]
Google fights proposal that could let US government remotely hack devices anywhere in the world
Google has condemned proposals that will allow the US government to remotely search computers anywhere in the world. An advisory committee plans to change the way search warrants are issued by federal and state judges. The amendment would let the US government obtain a warrant to conduct ‘remote access’ searches of electronic storage media if [...]
Which countries have the healthiest diets in the world?
Belgians are known for their chocolate and waffles, while Hungarians are famous for their rich goulash. But now, a global study has revealed they are among the nations with the worst diets in the world. Meanwhile, Chad and Sierra Leone, in Africa, have the best diets, consuming the most fruit, vegetables, nuts and wholegrains. The [...]
Drug-resistant malaria found close to Myanmar border with India
LONDON (Reuters) – Malaria with total resistance to the antimalarial drug artemisinin has taken hold in Myanmar and spread close to the border with India, threatening to repeat history and render crucial medicines useless, scientists said on Friday. If the spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites were to reach into India, they said, that would pose [...]
