Tribute to a legendary comrade-in-arms
Major General Chagie Pamoda Gallage, a true patriot, a soldier to the inner bone, an inspiring military leader and a gentleman to the fingertips, hung up his uniform on the August 31, 2018, after 35 years of arduous service to the nation, having reached the maximum permissible age of service (55 years) in the Army. [...]
Military top- brass as historians
Until the lions have their own historians, the tales of the hunt shall always glorify the hunters — An African proverb. I was reminded of this quote while reading a Sunday Times political commentary about President Maithripala Sirisena’s attempt to get former top brass of our defence services to compile the history of the near-three-decade [...]
ACS Hameed: A symbol of communal harmony
The late Foreign Minister Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed, who passed away on September 3, 1999, was much loved by members of all communities for his dedicated service to the country. Even today, he is remembered as a symbol of communal harmony and an example to be emulated by today’s politicians who thrive on racist politics. [...]
Should I flush it? Most often, the answer is no
It might seem harmless at first: a thread of dental floss tossed in the toilet. But even the tiniest of items can contaminate waterways. The small fragments of plastic are believed to be contributing to the growing problem of microplastic pollution. Pharmaceuticals, which are also flushed down the drain, have been found in our drinking [...]
UN seeks probe into Saudi bombing of civilian targets
UNITED NATIONS, (IPS) – Saudi Arabia, which has been accused of relentlessly bombing civilian targets in strife-torn Yemen and threatening executions of human rights activists, is fast gaining notoriety as a political outcast at the United Nations. The bombings of civilians have also led to speculation whether the Saudis and their coalition partners could be [...]
Dellogistics hosts CPN global conference with focus on making Lanka a regional shipping and logistics hub
Sri Lanka’s emergence as a prime shipping and logistics hub in South Asia was the underlying theme when Dellogistics International convened a global conference in Colombo recently for members of the Cargo Partners Network (CPN) Group consisting of more than 100 companies across the world. The 22nd Annual Global Conference at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo [...]
Narendra new Serjeant-at-Arms in Parliament
Narendra Mihindukumar Fernando has taken over as the new Serjeant-at-Arms of Parliament with effect from August 30. Mr. Fernando (54) is an old boy of Isipathana College, Colombo and is the sixth Serjeant-at-Arms and the third to be appointed from the Parliamentary Administration staff. Mr. Fernando counts 36 years in the Parliamentary Service and 16 [...]
YWCA presents Charita Atak to raise funds for hostel
The YWCA of Sri Lanka will present Wilson Gunaratne’s famous play Charitha Atak at the Bishop’s College Auditorium on Saturday, September 8 at 6.30 p.m. The play revolves around an aircraft that has been grounded on the runway with the hopes of passengers for a smooth journey being dashed. But the pilot and crew members [...]
Give a helping hand to rebuild temples in the North
The end of the war should have meant the beginning of better times, but for a lot of Sinhalese Buddhists living in former ‘border villages’ of the Northern Province, the situation has not become much better, says Asanka Artigala, chairman of the Programme to develop Sinhalese villages and Buddhist temples in remote areas of the [...]
Dathu Mandiraya opening ceremony
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, together with Western Province Councillor Jayantha de Silva declared open the Dathu Mandiraya of the Narahenpita Gauthama Viharaya recently.
Standing up for the UN
PARIS – It was the autumn of 2001, sometime between the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States and US President George W. Bush’s invasion of Afghanistan. I was walking through Venice with Richard C. Holbrooke, who had been the US ambassador to the United Nations under President Bill Clinton. Holbrooke’s mobile phone rang. [...]