Royalist Aabid Ismail wins World Youth Scrabble title
Sri Lanka produced its first World Youth Scrabble Champion as 16-year-old Royalist Aabid Ismail secured the title at the WESPA Youth Cup 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Aabid who obtained 20.5 wins out of 24 games edged out 15-year-old Janul De Silva, also from Royal College, who secured the 1st runner-up position with 20 wins [...]
‘Beer debate’ is incomplete without a debate on the ‘bigger picture’
I read the article titled “Docs raise concern: Slashing beer prices will pave the way for ‘gateway’ drinking” and the editorial stating that the ‘beer debate’ is incomplete without a debate on the ‘bigger picture’, in the Sunday Times of November 19, with much interest. The larger problem of ‘illicit liquor’ is not something new [...]
Colombo YMBA’s annual Scholarship Awards ceremony
The Colombo YMBA’s annual Scholarship Awards ceremony will be held on December 9 at the Colombo YMBA Main Hall,Borella. 497 bright and deserving young minds – including 422 undergraduates from state universities and 75 A’L students – will be awarded scholarships amounting to Rs. 8.5 million.. The students are selected from the neighbouring schools of [...]
The right to health is universal
GENEVA – On this year’s World AIDS Day, on December 1, we should remember the 35 million people who have died of AIDS-related illnesses, and the 76 million who have been infected with HIV since reporting began. And we can celebrate the fact that nearly 21 million people living with HIV now have access to [...]
SPM Old Girls meet after 40 years
The 1977 Batch of Old Girls of St. Pauls’ Milagirya met for the first time after 40 years recently for a get-together at Kingsbury Hotel in Colombo. Seated, left to right, are teachers Rani Jayawardena, Gulna Saleem, Sarojini Ramakrishna and Vicky Perera. Standing first row, from left: Zaharana, Nilufer, Thuhuri, Emma, Dinara, Zeenathul, Rikaza, Sarah, [...]
Rehan Mudannayake’s new short film on sexual harassment ‘Red Mustang’ on December 7
Dushy is a young graduate desperate for a job. In one of the big companies to which she applies, she faces the initial two rounds of interviews and goes for her final interview with Anu, the powerful CEO. She gets ‘more than she bargains for’, we are told. To learn more about this story, you [...]
Self-employment assistance to Borella residents
The Government has launched a self-employment programme titled ‘Diviyata Udanaya’ to uplift the living standards of low-income families. A meeting was held at the office of Provincial Councillor Jayantha de Silva to explain the programme to the residents of Borella. Mr. de Silva is seen handing over a form to resident.
Aziz Haniffa honoured with leadership award
Aziz Haniffa, Executive Editor of India Abroad, received the Outstanding Industry Leadership Award for Excellence in Journalism at the recent 18th Annual Awards Banquet 2017 of the U.S.-India Chamber of Commerce. This was the first time in the USICOC’s 18-year history that the USICOC had given its Leadership Award– traditionally awarded to a businessperson or [...]
1 in 10 medical products in developing countries is substandard or falsified: WHO report
GENEVA: An estimated 1 in 10 medical products circulating in low- and middle-income countries is either substandard or falsified, according to new research from the World Health Organization (WHO). This means that people are taking medicines that fail to treat or prevent disease. Not only is this a waste of money for individuals and health [...]
Rule of law demands equality, justice, law-abiding Govt
The following is the text of the speech delivered by K. Kanag-Isvaran, P.C. at the convocation of the University of Colombo after he was conferred a doctorate by the university In conferring on me the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, is affording me a signal token of [...]
Should environmental refugees be granted asylum status?
UNITED NATIONS – The 1951 UN convention on political refugees – which never foresaw the phenomenon of climate change – permits refugee status only if one “has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion.” But a proposal for an amendment to that [...]