To mark Human Rights Day yesterday, the main opposition United National Party launched a campaign to collect one million signatures calling for the release of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka. People are seen
standing in a queue to sign the petition at the New Town Hall in Colombo. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera
The Sentencing Policy Bill which will give the judiciary guidelines on penalties is one of a string of new laws the government will introduce next year.
“One sandwich, take out the sauce, no mayonnaise and don’t even touch that oil.” Fitness expert Ranil Harshana wanted a healthy sandwich. Walking up to the counter at the Sandwich factory, he added a personalized touch to his quick lunch. Watching all this was proprietor of The Sandwich Factory, Hisham Cader. His inquiry about Ranil’s request, turned out to be the beginnings of a ‘Healthy Sandwich’ range, at the Sandwich Factory.
The MJF Group which has Dilmah tea, reputed to be the largest single original pure Ceylon tea in the world, under its belt is expanding rapidly into leisure (currently the most lucrative sector) and widening its traditional tea sector base.
Pakistani actress Veena Malik has defended a recent photoshoot in an Indian men's magazine, saying she was "topless" and "covered" but not "nude".
Ms Malik is seeking $2m in damages from FHM India, alleging that they "morphed" the images to make her appear naked. The magazine denies the claims.
It was just the other day that I was trying to run a parallel. I wanted to draw up a hypothetical picture to a businessman friend of mine who is also a cricket insider. I argued that if his shop shelves were empty and there was hardly a turnover and he was heavily in debt to most of the financial institutions and other businesses with hardly a way out, would anyone want to take over and run his business?
Students find themselves at cross roads once they have finished their secondary schooling with the Advanced Level examinations. Many thoughts go through their minds at this important junction . The situation is complicated by the plethora of options and opportunities that are available to students in the present context. Hence, the need to make concerned and informed judgments regarding the future.
In our issue last week, we had separate stories. One was on a Dehiwela-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Public Health Inspector who lost her civic rights, on being found guilty of taking a bribe to refrain from filing action against owners of a garment factory for maintaining a hostel for their workers under unhygienic conditions.
Even if political cartoons, once much sought after, have become rare in the Sri Lankan media today, a few that still remain have not lost their thought provoking undertones or sense of humour.
Recently, in a discussion with ten to fifteen village elders who had travelled to the Divisional Secretary's office in the central highlands to contribute their perspectives on improvement of the functioning of local level public administrators, one grizzled former school principal ....
Hidden by the high-rise buildings clustered in the bustling streets of Fort, lies a jewel of Sri Lanka’s past. Facing the towering concrete and glass facade of the twin towers of the World Trade Centre is a planed saffron structure that is rightfully a heritage site. The Old Dutch Hospital was constructed all of four centuries ago and is a resounding reminder of 17th century Dutch architecture with high ceilings, thick walls, large wide windows and terracotta tiled floors.
In two days time it would be Christmas and I was very sad. There was no joy and
anticipation that I always felt during Christmas season. Christmas time was the time that our friends and relatives from far visited us. We had good meals and the house was decorated.
