Europe sees its regime-change refugees
UNITED NATIONS – The military conflicts and political instability driving hundreds of thousands of refugees into Europe were triggered largely by US and Western military interventions for regime change – specifically in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Syria (a regime change in-the-making). The United States was provided with strong military support by countries such as Germany, [...]
Ritual to ward off evil spirits
The Sri Dalada Esala Perahera ended with the water cutting ceremony and Daval perahera (Day Perahera) on August 30. Yet, the ceremonies associated with the perahera are not over. The Valiyak Mangalya is a Shanthi Karma – a dance performance that takes place at the Maha Vishnu Devalaya. It is done to ward off evil effects [...]
A Sri Lankan Pride
Dr. Binodh S. DeSilva, is the first Sri Lankan native to be elected to serve as president-elect of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS), a professional member-based non-profit organization. She will begin a three-year term on the AAPS Executive Council (as president-elect, president, and immediate past president) in October of this year at the [...]
Launch of Dementia Friendly Programme for World Alzheimer Month
The Lanka Alzheimer Foundation began its annual World Alzheimer Month celebrations with a press conference on September 1 where founder Lorraine Yu announced the launch of the Dementia Friendly Programme, an effort to inculcate dementia friendly communities in Colombo and islandwide. The foundation is an approved charity incorporated in 2001, and is the first statutory [...]
WSPD 2015: Reaching out and saving lives
‘Preventing Suicide: Reaching Out and Saving Lives’ is the theme of the 2015 World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD), an initiative of the International Association for Suicide Prevention(IASP) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). WSPD has been marked on September 10 since 2003, serving as a call to action to individuals and organisations to prevent suicide. [...]
Captured skills: 200 years of police photography
An exhibition of photography by the Sri Lanka Police was held at the Lionel Wendt on September 1 and 2. Titled ‘Polis Netha (Eye of the Police)’, it displayed almost 150 photographs taken by police photographers over the course of many decades. Among these were depictions of police uniforms spanning 200 years from the time [...]
Sri Lankan representative at Para-Badminton World Championships
Standing only three feet and 10 inches tall, Randika Doling née Cooray will be Sri Lanka’s only representative at The 2015 Para-Badminton World Championships. This, the 10th edition of para-badminton’s flagship global event is set to be the largest in history. Over 240 competitors from over 35 nations are expected to compete to become world [...]
World class fashion
For Sonali Dharmawardena, the Sri Lankan designer and batik artist behind the Acushla label, designing the evening wear for the Ms. England for Miss Universe 2015 pageant contestants was a milestone in her career as it gave her the rare opportunity to showcase her beautiful batik creations on an international platform. Seeing the 15 semi-finalists [...]
Felicitating a PC who became VC
It was to felicitate a colleague who had risen from the ranks as a police constable to the prestigious post of Vice Chancellor that the ceremony was held on Wednesday at Police Headquarters with Inspector General of Police N.K. Illangakoone participating, on the momentous occasion of the 149th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Police. The [...]
Revolutionary lung transplant operation: “He Breathes Again” book launch
Rohini Jayamanne’s maiden publication “He Breathes Again” was launched on September 1 at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute. The book is based on the story of Sri Lanka’s first lung transplant survivor; her husband PC Nihal Jayamanne. The evening was a gathering of the family’s friends and individuals who saw them through their ordeal. Gracing [...]
President , PM at Queens for Perahera
Sanjeev Gardiner, Chairman Kandy Hotels Co(1938) PLC welcomes the President Mithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe at Queens Hotel Kandy to witness the final Randholi Perahera.
A friend, colleague, fearless lawyer and Speaker
Bakeer was a well-established criminal lawyer when I joined the Kalutara Bar in 1969, some 19 years after him. He had a thriving legal practice, due in large part to his sincere, honest and charismatic approach to clients. Every morning Bakeer’s office was brimming with clients and members of the community seeking his wise counsel. He [...]