The People's Friendship University of Moscow (former Lumumba University) presented an Honoris Causa Doctorate to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The award was presented by Rector Prof. Phillipov at the ceremony to mark the 50th anniversary of the University at the Kremlin Conference Hall. (Pic by Sudath Silva, Media Director to the President).
The coalition of opposition parties that came together to support retired General Sarath Fonseka at the January 26 Presidential Election has collapsed.
A leading American human rights activist has been urged by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to act as a facilitator to help heal strained ties between the United States and Sri Lanka.
Between the love-struck teenagers following Rana Dasgupta around to the would-be novelists trailing Louise Doughty, the Galle Literary Festival 2010 delivered on its promise to give visitors a chance to bask in the company of their favourite authors.
Lankem Ceylon PLC (LCP), a major Colombo conglomerate involved in agriculture-related and paints businesses, said this week that its acquisition of C.W. Mackie (CWM), a food distribution and trading firm, is aimed at moving into the food production and manufacturing sectors in a big way by using its extensive links with farmers.
I was at Dhaka last week when the killers of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib-ur Rehman, founder of Bangladesh, were hanged. Such happenings in history are painful to recall because they reopen wounds and leave people hurt and helpless.
Bags unpacked. Travelling gear packed neatly back in the clothes cupboard, the Lankan cricketers are back in their own living room sharing a light chat with the kith and kin. I guess this little break off the burning track may be what they were yearning or in the back of their minds.
National Day celebrations were rushed through this week almost like an afterthought.
Held at short notice, the powers-that-be must have waited till the uncertainty of the Presidential Election was over. Many got their invitations for the event on the morning of the celebrations in Kandy.
He stood on the dais in his usually immaculate white national dress and the inimitable Kurakkan satakaya (maroon shawl) around his neck. It was on the same soil, centuries ago, the last King of Kandy, Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe ordered the child hero, Madduma Bandara beheaded.
Trade deficits have been endemic in the post independent history of the country. In 2009 too we incurred a substantial trade deficit though considerably less than the huge deficit of the previous year.
All they’ve ever known is a country at war. They’ve grown up with bomb blasts and terror attacks, death and destruction in the shadow of a 27-year long civil war. For Sri Lanka’s youth, the 62nd Independence Day which was marked on February 4, was thus especially significant for it was their first Independence Day free from war.
The two brothers made plans to stop the new friendship between the King of Kandy and the Portuguese. They captured roads that led from Colombo to Kandy and installed security barriers. They got ready to go to fight with King Vickramabahu of Kandy.
