Skyrocketing arms spending undermines development aid to world’s poor
By Thalif Deen UNITED NATIONS (IPS) – The statistics are staggering: while military spending keeps skyrocketing, Official Development Assistance (ODA)– from the rich to some of the world’s poorer nations– has been declining drastically. According to a fact sheet released by the UN last week, the $2.7 trillion allocated in just one year (2024) to global military [...]
Education reform must be democratic, transparent, people-led and inclusive of women and feminist voices
By Janakie Seneviratne Education in Sri Lanka is not a commodity to be governed by market efficiency; it is a hard-won public good, a democratic right, and a cornerstone of social reproduction. The country’s free education system emerged from anti-colonial struggle and popular mobilisation, reflecting a collective commitment to social mobility, regional equity, and citizenship. [...]
Britain’s elephant: hubris, dependency, and the comfort of ambiguity
By Dr Ruben Thurairajah In 1951, the Malayalam writer Vaikom Muhammad Basheer published a slight novel with a large title: Ntuppuppakkoranendarnnu — My Granddad Had an Elephant! The story concerns a family whose past wealth and status are symbolised by an elephant that once stood in their courtyard. The animal is long gone. What remains [...]
‘Echoes of Palestine’ to be held in Colombo on January 13
COLOMBO – The Sri Lanka Committee for Solidarity with Palestine (SLCSP), in collaboration with the Embassy of the State of Palestine to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, will host a literary and cultural programme titled ‘Echoes of Palestine’ on Tuesday, January 13, at the Lighthouse Auditorium of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute, Colombo 7. The event, [...]
Maha Bodhi Society of India donates Rs 10 million to Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund
The Maha Bodhi Society of India donated Rs 10 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund for those recovering from Cyclone Ditwah. This follows a decision by the Executive Committee of the society to assist affected families given the close people-to-people ties between India and Sri Lanka and their Buddhist links.
Peradeniya Alumni Association gifts school supplies
A donation programme organised by the Alumni Association of the University of Peradeniya (AAUP) was held recently at CP/Denu Manikdiwela Central College, Menikdiwela, providing educational supplies to the school children in the area. The event was attended by Ven Kahagala Seelananda, Assistant Educational Director, the president and officials of AAUP, the principal of the school [...]
SLAP and NAITA join hands to strengthen skilled manpower for Sri Lanka’s printing industry
A step toward strengthening Sri Lanka’s printing industry workforce was taken recently with a collaborative discussion between the National Apprentice and Industrial Training Authority (NAITA) and the Sri Lanka Association of Printers (SLAP). The meeting focused on developing future-ready, industry-oriented training programmes to meet the evolving skill requirements of the printing sector. The discussion was [...]
Help save Hansi
A desperate plea is going out from a 35-year-old mother of two girls for any small donation which would help her to get a life-saving bone marrow transplant (BMT) as soon as possible. Hansi Kanchana living in Opatha, Kotugoda, is suffering from aggressive Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML), a type of blood cancer. Currently under the [...]
Sumathi Dharmawardena PC appointed Senior Additional Solicitor General
Sumathi Dharmawardena PC was promoted to the post of Senior Additional Solicitor with effect from 19.06.2025 by the Public Service Commission. Mr Dharmawardena joined the Attorney General’s Dept in 1994 as State Counsel and served over 31 years in various appointments. He was promoted as an Additional Solicitor General in 2019 and later appointed President’s [...]
Lakehouse Adivasi Reunion 2026 on Jan 17
The Lakehouse Adivasi Reunion, organised annually by the Lakehouse Adivasi Association established by retired employees of Lakehouse, will be held for the 19th time this year on Saturday, January 17, at the Cey Nor Restaurant, located on D R Wijewardene Mawatha, Colombo. Further details can be obtained from the following persons. Thilakaratne Kuruwita Bandara - [...]
Trump’s Hobbesian world order
By Shlomo Ben-Ami, PROJECT SYNDICATE, EXCLUSIVE TO THE SUNDAY TIMES IN SRI LANKA TEL AVIV – One year into his second presidency, Donald Trump has established himself as the most revolutionary US president in recent history. Whereas “America First” once seemed like an isolationist posture (not least to Trump’s MAGA base), it is now clear [...]