Jayalalithaa conviction is a career-slump: Not more
On September 27, when Special Court judge Justice John Michael D’Cunha delivered a landmark verdict in a disproportionate assets case against Jayalalithaa, debates were conducted across the media on whether this was the end of the 66-year-old heavyweight’s political career.”Amma”, as she is fondly known by her supporters in the South, was denied bail yet [...]
Inner Wheel Club fundraiser
The Inner Wheel Club of Colombo Mid Town will hold its fundraiser – “Taste of Country” on Sunday, October 26 at Park Street Mews at 7p.m. with popular bands Flame and Cosmic Rays performing. Arun Dias Bandaranaike will compere the event for which tickets are available at Park Street Mews. The Inner Wheel Club of [...]
Kids ‘n’ You-Story Fest
Kids ‘n’ You-Story Fest 2014 will be held at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo today, October 12 at 3 p.m. It will have a magical story time, giant art wall, grow a tree of love, craft loft and a pet corner. The story fest is sponserd by the Acron, Makeen and Edific.Tickets are available at Makeen [...]
Promoting geriatric care in Sri Lanka
Today nearly 10 percent of the Sri Lankan population is over 60 years of age and this will be 22 percent by 2020. More than 80 percent of Sri Lankan elders live in the rural areas of the country which are underdeveloped in many ways, especially in health care facilities. With age most of these [...]
Pakistani naval ships call at Colombo port
The Pakistani naval ships PNS NASR and Saif visited Colombo Port on a goodwill visit from October 1 to 4. To mark their arrival, the High Commission of Pakistan and the Mission Commander of the Ships hosted a grand and colourful dinner reception on board PNS NASR which was attended by several prominent personalities and [...]
Recognising important Buddhist literature
Prof. J B Disanayaka’s book, ‘The Monk and The Peasant’ came under the spotlight at an event held at the YMBA in Borella and graced by many members of the YMBA as well as Buddhist intellectuals. Reviewing the book were the chief incumbent of the Asokaramaya in Kandana, Ven. Polpitimukalane Pannasiri Thera and retired senior [...]
‘Tantalise’ talent competition
‘Tantalise’ is a talent competition organised by the Student Activity Club of the Asia Pacific Institute of Information Technology (APIIT) to unearth the talents of university students in Sri Lanka. First launched in 2008, ‘Tantalise’ is today a popular and a much awaited university level talent show. ‘Tantalise 2014′ not only provides a platform for [...]
Reflections on child rights in Sri Lanka, during the past 25 years
The origin of rights based services for Sri Lankan children began soon after independence. It started when the post-independence political leadership at that time decided to provide free health and education to all children, including boys and girls. This decision upheld the principle of universality, bereft of gender discrimination. Further developments occurred much later in [...]
Disturbing trends in Serendip
‘I am just an ordinary man’ sang Prof. Higgins in My Fair Lady. In a different way, I too am just an ordinary woman. I want what most people want: a chance to live in relative comfort in an ordered and secure environment, to be able to pay my bills and have something left over [...]
Concern over rapid erosion of pensions by spiralling prices
I’m pleased to hear the Federation of State Banks’ Pensioners’ Associations made arrangements to celebrate the National Pensioners Day at a scale benefitting the association. I’m pleased when the Federation invited me to send in a message for the celebrations on October 8 at the New Town Hall, Colombo. Let me in response recollect on [...]
Thinking beyond organics for safe food and water
The growing popularity of organic food among South Asia’s middle class is an encouraging sign. As the next logical step, those advocating healthier eating, sustainablefarming and small farmers’ welfare must come together. Their causes are both overlapping and interdependent. In fact, organics are the more visible facet of a broader transformation needed in our food [...]
The evolution of devolution
CAMBRIDGE – The Scots have spoken. A solid majority voted against independence in their historic referendum last month. But the debate left no question that an even larger majority favors the further devolution of economic, social, and political power in Britain. And regional movements elsewhere in Europe – and around the world – are making [...]
2015 a make-or-break year for nuclear disarmament
UNITED NATIONS, Oct 9 2014 (IPS) – U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon last month singled out what he described as “one of the greatest ironies of modern science”: while humans are searching for life on other planets, the world’s nuclear powers are retaining and modernising their weapons to destroy life on planet earth. “We must counter [...]
UK tippy-toes round China but attacks the weak and vulnerable
My one-time colleague on the Hong Kong Standard newspaper Kapila Bandara wrote in these pages last Sunday how Britain, the former colonial power is turning a blind eye to the crackdown on the student protest movement in Hong Kong, now an integral part of China. It would come as little surprise to old Hong Kong [...]
Nobel Peace Prize for Malala
Children’s rights activists Malala Yousafzai, 17, has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. Miss Yousafzai became a household name after her campaigning for girls’ right to education led to an assassination attempt by the Taliban two years ago, and has worked tirelessly as a human rights campaigner following her recovery. The Pakistani schoolgirl, [...]
Plan to name popular Hawaiian beach after Obama is a wash-out
(Reuters) – A Honolulu City Council proposal to name a popular Oahu beach after the first Hawaii-born U.S. president, Barack Obama, has been withdrawn after the plan met with little enthusiasm from the public, its sponsors said on Tuesday. Council Chair Ernest Martin and co-sponsor Stanley Chang introduced a resolution last week to honour the [...]
Ebola toll passes 4,000 as fears grow worldwide
MADRID, Oct 11 (AFP) -The death toll from Ebola has passed 4,000, the World Health Organisation said, while a Madrid nurse was fighting for her life today as authorities worldwide tried to prevent panic over the deadly disease. The WHO said 4,033 people have died from Ebola as of October 8 out of a total [...]
Kurds halt IS thrust into heart of Syria’s Kobane: Monitor
BEIRUT, Oct 11 (AFP) -Kurdish fighters thwarted a bid by Islamic State group jihadists to advance into the centre of the battleground Syrian town of Kobane early today, a monitoring group said. The attack came after the IS militants overran Kurdish headquarters in the border town on Friday, sparking fears they would cut off the [...]
Powerful typhoon churns towards Japan
TOKYO, Oct 11 (AFP) -Powerful Typhoon Vongfong churned towards Japan today, injuring at least a dozen people as it pounded the southern Okinawan islands with ferocious winds and driving rain. The monster storm was about 200 kilometres (125 miles) southeast of Naha City in Japan’s southernmost area of Okinawa at 0300 GMT, according to the [...]
