Is this the world’s oldest case of Cancer?
It is the disease that is now responsible for one in four deaths in the Western world. Now, what may be the oldest case of cancer has been discovered in a 4,500-year-old skeleton. Archaeologists say that a Siberian man succumbed to either lung or prostate cancer, as revealed by tell-tale marks on his bones. The [...]
What do dictators like to eat?
In this age of the foodie, the gourmand and the gourmet, we have taken a fresh look at some of the worst dictators of the 20th Century by subjecting them to culinary scrutiny. Without seeking to mitigate their crimes by humanising them we wanted to cut them down to human size. The line between man [...]
Will the first aliens we find be robots?
The hunt for life elsewhere in the universe is now essentially a three-horse race between finding microbes in our solar system, signals from an intelligent race or clear signs of organisms in the atmosphere of an exoplanet. But one expert has claimed that, while the other two ‘horses’ might be important, finding intelligent life would [...]
It’s time to detox your desk
Millions of us spend our days slaving over a keyboard. But lurking between the keys, hidden on the mouse and nestled in your phone lies more than 10 million bacteria – 400 times more than on the average toilet seat. Unhygienic working conditions are a ‘key contributor’ to the 131 million working days lost each [...]
Dressing the Indian woman through history
This week in India a man slapped actress Gauhar Khan on a TV set for wearing a “short dress” and news emerged of outrage in a Mumbai law college at a strict dress code imposed on students. Fashion historian Toolika Gupta looks at ideas of decorum in fashion across India through the ages. Every country [...]
Obese lose up to eight years of life
Being severely obese can knock up to eight years off your life and cause decades of ill health, a report says. The analysis showed being obese at a young age was more damaging to health and life expectancy. The team, at McGill University in Canada, said heart problems and type 2 diabetes were major sources [...]
South Africa marks one year since Mandela’s death
PRETORIA (AFP) – South Africans prayed, sang and fell silent on Friday to mark the first anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death, honouring the Nobel laureate’s role in vanquishing racist white rule. A dawn interfaith service began a sombre day of remembrance, with South Africa’s living liberation heroes gathering at the Freedom Park amphitheatre in Pretoria. [...]
Wordplay a new weapon in Hong Kong democracy battle
HONG KONG (AFP) – In street tents, on stages and online, Hong Kong’s young demonstrators express themselves in an emerging dialect that is evolving so rapidly Helen Fan decided to deploy a new weapon in the democracy fight: a dictionary. The soft-spoken artist is one of a group of protesters behind Umbrella Terms, an online [...]
Chandra Bose Files: What’s PM Modi afraid of?
India’s national hero defied Mahatma Gandhi, met Adolf Hitler, and raised an army to force the British out of India. Yet despite promises by India’s new prime minister to open the archives, Bose’s fate remains a mystery To the British he was a traitor who joined hands with Adolf Hitler. To the German Nazis he [...]
They keep his memory alive with tattoos
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Mpumelelo Masinga takes a deep drag from his cigarette, his hand trembling with apprehension. Masinga is preparing to spend three hours at Black and White Tattoo Studio in Johannesburg getting Nelson Mandela’s face tattooed on the centre of his back. “I’m very, very nervous,” he explains with a sheepish smile. “It’s a [...]
The stick insect so big that it looks like a branch
A stick insect measuring almost two feet long has been discovered by biologists in a remote jungle in Vietnam. Entomologists working for the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences have announced the discovery of two new species and one subspecies of Phasmatodea – the scientific name for stick insects – found during their expeditions in [...]
Oil price slide rocks world economy
Shock waves from a recent decision by the Saudi-led oil cartel, OPEC, not to cut production in the face of an oversupply on world markets have reverberated throughout the global economy, hitting energy and mining companies as well as financial markets, and threatening whole economies with bankruptcy. The most immediate impact of the decision was [...]
Ancient tale of a prince’s spiritual odyssey comes alive
“Prince Siddhartha is a story book for children,” says the author Ranjan Perera. In simple language, and lucid, flowing narrative, he tells the story of Prince Siddhartha’s spiritual odyssey from birth in the Sakya Kingdom, Kapilavasthu through six long years of seeking the true nature of life, and a way out of suffering for all [...]
Julius & Creasy launches commemorative publication
The partners of renowned law firm Julius & Creasy hosted a reception to mark their 135th anniversary at the Grand Ballroom of the Colombo Hilton. (Please see also Plus Page ‘The History of Julius & Creasy’ a commemorative publication was launched at the event.
Attygalle elected FIA Vice President of Asian countries
Dhammika Attygalle, President of the Automobile Association of Ceylon was elected as the Vice President of Region 11 Clubs of FIA and the Member of the World Council. The election to the post of Vice President was held at St Regis Doha, Qatar on Tuesday December 2. The Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) is the [...]
SLFUW spreads Christmas joy
The new council of SLFUW for 2014/ 2015 started their calendar of events with their annual Christmas Party on December 19 for 100 neighbourhood children from the Kithulwatta Road area in Borella. The children between the ages of 4 to 14 will be treated to a good time with a magic show, magic castle bouncer [...]
Cinnamon hotels dazzle Colombo
Cinnamon hotels unveiled their ‘Cinnamon Christmas in the City’ campaign with a stunning array of décor that illuminates the properties, radiating the spirit of the season. From December, the three city hotels under the Cinnamon brand – Cinnamon Grand, Cinnamon Lakeside and Cinnamon Red – put on their Christmas lights creating a fluorescent fiesta of [...]
Celebrating birthday of Japanese Emperor
Ambassador of Japan Nobuhito Hobo and Mrs. Tomomi Hobo hosted a reception at the Ambassador’s residence in Colombo to celebrate the birthday of the Emperor. The guests including members of the diplomatic community enjoyed the evening with a spread of Japanese food laid out under the marquees in the garden.
Evening of Jazzy goodness of the 40s and 50s
Martin Taylor and Alison Burns had known each other for years before they began performing together. This familiarity was evident at last Wednesday’s concert when the duo performed for an intimate audience at the Hilton Residencies. Bouncing off each other’s energy, easily moving from one tune to another, they kept their audience captive with jazzy [...]
Community Programme to mark International Disability Day by Saviya Development Foundation
The Saviya Development Foundation and Saviya Women’s Organisation with the assistance of the Social Services Ministry will conduct the Saviya Athwela Diriya Prasadini Festival at at Siridhamma College, Labuduwa in Galle today, Sunday, December 7 from 9.30 a.m. onwards. The event is being held at a national level to celebrate International Day of Disability 2014. [...]
Towards one world: The memoirs of Judge Weeramantry
Volume III of the Memoirs of Judge Chris Weeramantry dealing with his years at the International Court of Justice and thereafter has had a series of launches in Europe. The launch of this work in Colombo will take place tomorrow at the residence of the Ambassador of the Netherlands. The first launch took place on [...]
Let us maintain peace during the election campaign
We have had enough experiences about elections. We have seen how they were conducted, the results and the response of the voters and the candidates. We are also aware that today huge sums of money are being spent on elections here. Relatively speaking, only a few other countries spent so much money on elections. We [...]
From academia to media, he was a guiding light
Venue: Sri Lanka Press Institute Auditorium Date: Somewhere in mid-June 2007 Event: Meeting of the panel of Judges, Journalism Awards for Excellence 2006 As the head of the organising institution, I was coordinating the meeting and when it came to the agenda point of selecting a chair for the panel of judges, Amal Jayasinghe’s proposal [...]
Have a safe flight: Aviation industry flies high
The Convention on International Civil Aviation Day emerged on December 7, 1944, at the end of a well-attended international conference in Chicago, USA, with 52 signatories. It laid the foundation for the establishment of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) which later became a United Nations Agency specialised in civil aviation. Today, ICAO celebrates its [...]
Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan: “The greatest Ceylonese of all times”
The 84th anniversary of the death of Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan (SPR) fell on November 30. SPR has been described as the “Greatest Ceylonese of all times” by no lesser persons than Sri Lanka’s first Prime MInister D. S. Senanayake and Sir Baron Jayatilaka. Sir John Kotalawala described him as “a leader with wisdom and vision”. [...]
German foreign policy comes of age
BERLIN – Germany’s reunification, nearly 25 years ago, once again placed at the heart of Europe a large power whose location, economic potential, and, yes, history, raised suspicions of revived hegemonic ambitions. Major European leaders at the time – including Giulio Andreotti, Margaret Thatcher, and François Mitterrand – worried that Germany might seek to revise [...]
Maithripala joins CP in fight for democracy and press freedom
Fifty years ago, on the historic day of 3rd of December 1964, the unthinkable happened in Parliament. C.P. de Silva, the deputy leader of the SLFP, Leader of the Government in Parliament, Leader of the House and Lands, Land Development, Irrigation and Power Minister, crossed the floor of the House with 13 SLFP members and [...]
UN Chief, under fire, moves closer to gender parity
UNITED NATIONS, (IPS) – When Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon named an international panel to review peacekeeping operations last October, the announcement was greeted with bitter criticism because it lacked even a semblance of gender balance: only three out of 14 members were women. And perhaps adding insult to injury, the announcement was made on Oct. 31, [...]
Two hostages killed in Yemen rescue bid
ADEN, Dec 06, (AFP) – An American and a South African were killed today as US forces tried to free them from al-Qaeda in Yemen, with President Barack Obama accusing the militants of “barbaric murder”. Obama said he had authorised the joint attempt involving US special forces to rescue American photojournalist Luke Somers because his [...]
Victims call for justice 30 years after Bhopal disaster
BHOPAL, India, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Hundreds of protesters gathered on Wednesday outside the abandoned factory which caused the world’s deadliest industrial disaster in the Indian city of Bhopal, burning effigies and demanding justice for survivors suffering 30 years later. Elderly women and men, some of whom were injured by the toxic cyanide gas leak, [...]
Is ibuprofen stunting the growth of crops?
Every day painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen that are flushed out into the environment are stunting the growth of important food crops, new research suggests. Scientists have assessed the impact of a range of commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication on edible crops like lettuce and radish. They found that the drugs could change [...]
The fight is on: Good governance versus stability, foreign conspiracies, and development
The Opposition has made good governance the central issue of the forthcoming presidential election. We have to wait until January 8 see if the strategy will pay off. If it does, much of the credit will go to Ven. Maduluwawe Sobhitha and his dedicated small group in the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ). But [...]
Oh, guardians of the law, act impartially and independently
The Police Department which was known as the Police Force was established for the “effectual protection of person and property”. The Police Ordinance Section 56 under the sub title “Duties and Liabilities of Police Officers” outlines the duty of a Police Officer as: a) To use his best endeavours and ability to prevent all crimes, [...]
Thoughts from London – Cameron’s battles and the Sri Lanka factor
Many would consider it sacrilegious to speak of British politics and political conduct in Sri Lanka in the same breath. But recent developments in the political landscapes of both countries seem to suggest there is a common thread, however tenuous it might be right now. Still it is a thread which the governments of both [...]
Inside the mind that came up with the world’s most famous equation
It is a treasure trove of letters, notebooks, post cards and papers charting the life of one of the world’s greatest ever scientists. A mammoth collection of 5,000 searchable documents from Albert Einstein’s earlier years is being made freely available to the public on the internet. The archive ranges from charming letters to his future [...]
A Dame at last!
For a time, it looked as though the closest she would come to playing the Dame was her 2010 appearance in panto. But after more than 60 years in showbusiness, I hear Joan Collins will finally receive a long-awaited damehood in the New Year’s Honours. It would cap a remarkable resurgence in the evergreen star’s [...]
Third night of US protests against police killings
NEW YORK, Dec 06, (AFP) – Thousands of demonstrators marched in major cities across the United States in a fresh wave of protests against a spate of killings of unarmed black men by white police officers. The signs of growing discontent took place as a New York prosecutor said that a grand jury would consider [...]
Philippines braces for giant typhoon
TACLOBAN, Philippines, Dec 06, (AFP) – Heavy rain and strong winds began to hit the eastern Philippines today ahead of a giant storm threatening more devastation to areas yet to recover from a super typhoon that killed thousands. Typhoon Hagupit was moving slowly in the Pacific Ocean towards the disaster-plagued Southeast Asian nation and is [...]
Yameen declares public holidays to battle Maldive’s water crisis
MALE, Maldives, Dec 06, (AFP) – The upmarket honeymoon destination of Maldives today declared two days of public holidays in a bid to manage fraying tempers and ration supplies following a drinking water crisis caused when a fire crippled a key desalination plant. President Abdulla Yameen ordered the closure of government offices Sunday and Monday [...]
ICC prosecutors drop case against Kenya’s president
THE HAGUE, Dec 06, (AFP) – The International Criminal Court’s chief prosecutor has dropped crimes against humanity charges against Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, dealing a massive blow to the tribunal after a long-running and troubled case. The bombshell announcement came two days after the ICC’s judges gave prosecutors one week to strengthen or drop the [...]
Give me titles not records says Mourinho
LONDON, Dec 06, 2014 (AFP) – Jose Mourinho doesn’t care about the prospect of setting an impressive new record with Chelsea because he is firmly focused on bringing the Premier League title back to Stamford Bridge. Mourinho’s side maintained their six-point lead at the top of the table with a 3-0 win over Tottenham in [...]
Feeling anxious? Go to bed earlier
Many people lie awake at night, worrying about anything from their job to the future. Now, psychologists have discovered a simple and cheap solution: going to bed earlier. What time a person goes to bed and how much they sleep affects how much they worry, according to a new study. Researchers found people who sleep [...]
The Eiffel tower is ‘awful’ and the Grand Canyon ‘should have been closer’
Iconic locations that for many tick off a treasured item on their bucket list aren’t good enough for some travellers, and TripAdvisor provides the forum for them to make their feelings known. The Eiffel Tower in Paris is ‘the awful tower’ according to one reviewer while the pizza for sale at Peru’s historic Machu Picchu [...]
