Embracing the different shades of cultural nuances
Dr. Harshana Rambukwella, Director, Post Graduate Institute of English, Open University, Sri Lanka and Honorary Assistant Professor, School of English, University of Hong Kong will launch his book “The Politics and Poetics of Authenticity: A Cultural Genealogy of Sinhala Nationalism” published by UCL Press, at the International Center of Ethnic Studies, Colombo, on July 16, [...]
Text trap: Traffickers tap into India’s digital boom to lure girls
MUMBAI, July 13 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Tanu had marvelled at her first smartphone when her Indian migrant worker husband gave it to her last November so the couple could stay connected. Before long, she was uploading pictures on Facebook and sending messages on Whatsapp. Then a stranger sent her a Facebook friend request. Tanu [...]
China investments and Lanka’s growth: Areas of concern
Sri Lanka was a major recipient of loans and investments from China during 2005-2014 Between 2005-14 China official development assistance and investments were equivalent to 42% of the total public investment during the period During 2005-2014, Chinese received contracts worth USD 9.0 billion, which was equivalent to 76 percent of the total development assistance Supported by China [...]
Freedom Friends mark 10th anniversary
The Freedom Friends Society celebrated its 10th anniversary with a ceremony at the Singithi Uyana Children’s Park at Dhabara Mawatha in Narahenpita. Chief guest and Western Provincial Councillor Jayantha de Silva is seen here presenting a mobile phone to the first prize winner of a lottery.
Get to know the Secrets of the Slender Loris
The ‘Secrets of the Slender Loris’ including its current status and new subspecies will be the focus of a lecture to be delivered by Dr. Saman Gamage tomorrow (July 16) at 5.30 p.m. at the Maths Department Auditorium of the Colombo University’s Main Building (upstairs). The lecture is organized by the Sri Lanka Natural History [...]
WNPS lecture on ‘endemic birds of Sri Lanka’
Delivering this month’s Wildlife & Nature Protection Society lecture will be Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne who will talk on the ‘endemic birds of Sri Lanka’. Sri Lanka has a high density of endemic birds – 34 as presently recognised. The lecture on Thursday, July 19 at the Jasmine Hall, BMICH at 6 p.m. is open [...]
Pulimood Memorial Oration on July 23
The annual Susan George Pulimood Memorial Oration of Visakha Vidyalaya, will be held this year on Monday, July 23 at 5.15 p.m. in the Jeremias Dias Hall of the school. The oration will be delivered by Prof. Niranjanie Ratnayake( nee Kodikara ), BSc Eng (Hons) (Cey), MEng (Wales)Chartered Engineer FIESL., Member IEPSL, Emeritus Professor, Department [...]
Association of Indian Muslims of America honours veteran journalist Aziz Haniffa
The Washington, DC,-based Association of Indian Muslims of America honoured veteran South Asian American journalist Aziz Haniffa with the “Excellence in Leadership” award on Saturday. Mr. Haniffa, a Sri Lankan American and Executive Editor of India Abroad, was recognised for his “Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to the Community and Indian American Journalism.” The award was [...]
Top Kandy hotels hold Poson dansala
A dansala was organised by the Queens Hotel and Hotel Suisse under the direction of Galle Face Hotel Management Company Group Chairman Sanjeev Gardiner to distribute 25,000 packets of lunch to devotees who visited Sri Dalada Maligawa on Poson Full moon day. Mr. Gardiner, Central Province Governor D.A. Dissanayake, Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, Diyawadana Nilame [...]
A UN Parliament gains support in an age of divisive political leaders
A long-standing proposal for the creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) is slowly gathering momentum. The 751-member European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg has called on the European Union (EU) to extend its support to the establishment of the proposed new body — specifically with a resolution before the upcoming 73rd session of the 193-member [...]
‘Hitler’ democracy: Reading the signs of the times
PARIS – Comparing today’s demagogues with Adolf Hitler is almost always unwise. Such alarmism tends to trivialse the actual horrors of the Nazi regime, and distracts attention from our own political problems. But if alarmism is counterproductive, the question remains: At what point are democracies truly in danger? What was unimaginable only a few years [...]
A monster out of control: India’s social media lynch mobs
NEW DELHI – Social-media platforms are often criticised for their susceptibility to toxic dialogue and vicious attacks. It is a problem that India knows well. Just ask External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. Her recent vilification by members and supporters of her own ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is a case in point. Swaraj has developed [...]