India’s decade of decay under Singh
NEW DELHI – Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has been in office since 2004, recently held what was only the second media conference of his current five-year term, which is rapidly approaching an inglorious end. Betraying his yearning for approval, Singh told the assembled journalists that he hoped that history would judge his tenure [...]
A high society tragedy amid decline of elite in India
NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – When Shashi Tharoor’s wife was found dead in a swanky Delhi hotel last week after their marital strife had been splashed on Twitter, the colourful career of a jet-setting minister looked in doubt and another symbol of India’s elite lost its sheen. A magistrate who conducted an inquest has ordered police [...]
Scholarly monk who became a fine exponent of the Dhamma
The passing away of the Most Venerable Weligama Sri Gnanaratana Mahanayaka Thera created a vacancy in the post of Mahanayaka of the Sri Amarapura Dharmarakshita Nikaya. Venerable Tiricunamale Ananda Anunayaka Thera was unanimously elected Mahanayaka Thera by the Karaka Sangha Sabha of the Nikaya. I remember him as a young monk accompanying Madihe Pannasiha Maha [...]
‘India- Sri Lanka Artists’ Week’ strengthens cultural relations
The ‘India- Sri Lanka Artists’ Week’ held from January 18 to 23, 2014- marked the first artists camp between the two neighbouring countries with a mission to strengthening good relations between them. “Anything may divide nations but we have to count on what binds us together,” said Sanjeev Bhargava, the founding director of SEHER, an [...]
Taking traditional dance to a global platform
The Chitrasena Vajira Dance Foundation hosted an evening of dance on January 18 and 19 to unveil their vision to elevate their traditional dance to a global platform over the next five years. In this well attended event, the Foundation launched an “Endowment Fund” campaign to achieve their bold vision. The Foundation also made an [...]
British Council brings ‘Homelands’ exhibition to Colombo Art Biennale
The Homelands exhibition that is part of the British Council collection and has been touring the South Asia region since May 2013 will be in Colombo for the Colombo Art Biennale opening this week. It is a part of the British Council Collection, which features around 8,500 artworks by British artists, including extraordinary works from [...]
Pauline de Croos case: A verdict in dispute
On 7-February, 1966, 11-year-old Ramdas Gotabhaya Kirambakanda disappeared. On the following day, his body was removed from a well within the precincts of St. Rita’s church on St. Rita’s Road, Mount Lavinia. Thus began a sensational crime investigation which rocked the island, four decades ago. Former Justice A.C. Alles, in his Famous Criminal Cases of [...]
The souring of social media star Arvind Kejriwal?
Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has built up significant support using Twitter and Facebook – but he’s now facing some sharp criticism on social media. Anti-corruption activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal has a large following on Twitter – more than 1.2 million people at the last count. The party he founded, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), uses [...]
The journey of a loyal SLFPer: From Pera to people’s heart
On the first death anniversary W. Karunajeewa, Attorney at Law and political strategist, I, on behalf of the Alumni Association of University of Ceylon Peradeniya, wish to write a few lines of appreciation of my late friend for 44 years. He was born in the southern hamlet of Kamburugamuwa in October 1946 to a family [...]
Rival rallies for Egypt anniversary clouded by bombings
CAIRO, Jan 25 (AFP) -A spate of deadly bombings put Egyptian police on edge today as supporters and opponents of the military-installed government prepared rival rallies for the anniversary of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising. Hours before the rallies were due to start, residents of a north Cairo neighbourhood woke up to a small explosion [...]
Syria foes to meet face-to-face
GENEVA, Jan 25 (AFP) -Syria’s government and opposition finally met face-to-face today as difficult UN-sponsored peace talks inched forward in Geneva. After a false start on Friday, the two sides came together in the same room with mediator Lakhdar Brahimi at the UN’s headquarters in Europe, his spokeswoman Corinne Momal-Vanian said. The meeting, during which [...]
Chinese FM hits back at Abe over WWI analogy
DAVOS, Switzerland (AFP) -China has hit back at Japan’s Prime Minister over a claim that current tensions in East Asia are akin to those between Britain and Germany on the eve of World War I. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said he believed the analogy employed by [...]
French President Hollande to separate from partner
PARIS (Reuters) – French President Francois Hollande is expected to announce his separation from partner Valerie Trierweiler today following a media storm over allegations he is having an affair with an actress, according to the Journal du Dimanche. First lady Trierweiler, 48, Hollande’s partner since 2006, plans to travel to India on Sunday for a [...]
Chinese herbal medicine slows the development of type 2 diabetes
Traditional Chinese herbal medicines can stave off the onset of diabetes, a new study has revealed. A clinical trial found herbs were comparable to prescriptions for controlling pre-diabetes.Researchers say their findings show traditional Chinese herbal medicines hold promise for slowing the progression from pre-diabetes to an official diabetes diagnosis. Pre-diabetes is diagnosed when a person [...]
The sixth sense debunked
Throughout the ages mystics have claimed to have a ‘sixth sense’ – that they can predict whether or not something good or or bad is about to happen, or that they have links to another, paranormal world. But, according to recent research, being able to see into the future or sense strange happenings is merely [...]
Water vapour plumes raise question about life on dwarf planet
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The dwarf planet Ceres, one of the most intriguing objects in the solar system, is gushing water vapor from its unusual ice-covered surface, scientists said on Wednesday in a finding that raises the question of whether it might be hospitable to life. Using the European Space Agency’s Herschel infrared space telescope, researchers [...]
Mystery white rock inexplicably appears near NASA Mars rover
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) – Scientists are stumped as to how a rock mysteriously appeared in images taken two weeks apart by NASA’s Mars rover Opportunity. The rover, which landed in an area known as Meridiani Planum a decade ago, is exploring the rim of a crater for signs of past water. Another rover, Curiosity, [...]
Syria terror arrests: British student charged
A student accused of trying to smuggle £16,500 in her underwear to terrorists fighting in Syria appeared in court this week. Nawal Msaad, 26, and her alleged co-conspirator Amal Elwahabi, 27, are the first British women charged with terror offences over the conflict. Msaad, an undergraduate from Holloway, North London, was arrested at Heathrow last [...]
Japan’s ANA pulls ‘big nose’ TV ad after furore
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s largest carrier All Nippon Airways said on Tuesday it was pulling a TV advertisement featuring a Japanese actor in a large false nose and blonde wig after it was criticized online for having racist overtones. The ad promotes ANA’s expanded international flight schedule from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. Japan, host of the [...]
HNB Assurance unveils online life Insurance with’eLife’
Sri Lanka’s most innovative Insurance solutions provider, HNB Assurance has augmented its online channel with the launch of HNBA’s’eLife’ which offers the utmost convenience in obtaining a life insurance policy 100% online, but also offers you an array of life cover benefits a comprehensive life policy should have. Commenting on this new online product, Prasantha [...]
Bank of Ceylon felicitates Mr. S.P. Tao for his decades long relationship with the Bank
Mr. Raju Sivaraman, Acting Chairman, Bank of Ceylon (BOC) recognized the longstanding relationship BOC has had with Mr. S.P Tao, Chairman of Mireka Capital Land (Private) Ltd, (Mireka) which owns and developed the Havelock City project, at a ceremony held recently at the Head Office of BOC, during Mr.Tao’s short visit to Sri Lanka. Mr.Tao [...]
Orient Finance reaches Rs 1 billion mark in deposits!
The Fixed Deposit Unit of Orient Finance PLC (OFP) was inaugurated in August 2012. Adding yet another landmark cornerstone to its robust journey, December 2013 marked the achievement of mobilizing Rs.1 billion in deposits. This is certainly a noteworthy achievement both in terms of time taken to reach the 1 billion mark, which is 16 [...]
