Cyclone season is close: Are we ready?
Cyclones are hazardous and have been responsible for considerable damage to property and life in the world and our country as well. Recent examples are Cyclone Harvey that caused havoc in Texas, USA last week and Irma that was to make a landfall in Florida, USA, yesterday after it devastated the Caribbeean islands in the [...]
The power of monuments
NEW YORK – The ghastly spectacle last month of neo-Nazis marching through Charlottesville, Virginia, carrying torches and barking slogans about the supremacy of the white race, was sparked by the city’s plans to remove a statue of Robert E. Lee, the leader of the Confederate army, which fought to retain slavery in the secessionist South [...]
For the first time, a Sri Lankan elected to World Scout Committee
Deputy Chief Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Scout Association, Janaprith Fernando has been elected to the World Scout Committee (WSC), the first Sri Lankan to sit on this prestigious body in the 105- year history of Scouting in Sri Lanka. This achievement for Sri Lanka came at the 41st World Scout Conference which was held [...]
Presentation of Semata Sarana certificates
Semata Sarana Housing loan certificates were presented to Colombo district residents at a ceremony held at Temple Trees recently. Housing Minister Sajith Premadasa, Finance State Minister Eran Wickramaratne and the UNP’s Borella organizer Jayantha de Silva are seen here at the event organised by the National Housing Development Authority.
Oblates empower the nation through peace education
There is no country in the world, in the whole history of humankind that has not experienced some form of violence which has fractured society. Our Mother Lanka is no stranger to such scenarios. What is of importance is to examine what lessons we learn from a particular conflict. As Sri Lankans our duty is [...]
Combating international traffic in wildlife
Every year millions of animals are taken from the wild and sold around the world by dangerous international networks. Wildlife and animal parts are trafficked much like illegal drugs and arms. Increasing numbers are also sold online for the Exotic Pet Trade. The Wildlife & Nature Protection Society (WNPS) as part of its monthly lecture [...]
Hambantota Port agreement signed but masses in the dark
The Hambantota Port Concession Agreement has been signed and presented to the Parliament also according to news items. But the masses remain in the dark as to the important contents in the agreements and how they benefit the people of this country. Those who go through the internet or those who want to use Right [...]
Azwer Haji will be remembered for his contribution to Muslim community
Former Muslim Affairs Minister Al Haj A.H.M. Azwer, one of the most colourful though lately controversial Muslim politicians, passed away on Tuesday August 29, 2017. His janaza took place the following day after Asr prayers at the Dehiwala Muslim burial grounds. The Dehiwala mosque where the Janaza prayer took place was packed to its capacity with [...]
Plastic fibres found in tap water around the world, study reveals
Microplastic contamination has been found in tap water in countries around the world, leading to calls from scientists for urgent research on the implications for health. Scores of tap water samples from more than a dozen nations were analysed by scientists for an investigation by Orb Media, who shared the findings with the Guardian. Overall, [...]
Of bookies and rookies
For the last few weeks I have been musing about cricket – and pondering on the parlous state of Sri Lanka Cricket. I can still recall the pride I felt (as I am sure do most of us who were around on March 17, 21 years ago) when Arjuna Ranatunga’s team defeated the more fancied [...]
Dusting off collapses with the rumble of regulation
There is no need to elaborate that the collapse of buildings or any other structure will result in very grave consequences. It may lead to loss of life and serious injuries not only to the occupants but to the neighbours and the people around when the collapse occurs. These will be in addition to the [...]
Transatlantic Pride and Sri Lankan internationalism
This year’s Pride festivities across the world have come to a conclusion. As a member of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, as a Trans woman of colour, I have always had a problematic relationship with Pride. As many other activists, artists, knowledge creators and thinkers in the worldwide Trans community have highlighted time and again, Pride is [...]