When UN’s cash crisis undermines Human Rights, are the World’s Torturers the Key Beneficiaries?
The UN’s ongoing cash crisis, which has virtually destabilised the Organisation’s day-to-day operations, has also undermined the human rights mandate of the Geneva-based Human Rights Council (HRC). The HRC’s programme of work has been hindered by dwindling resources resulting in shorter working hours, cancellation of meetings, reduction in staff and leaving some of the UN [...]
Why AI will not abolish work
VIENNA – The diffusion of artificial intelligence (AI) across the economy has raised the possibility – and for many, the fear – that machines will eventually replace human work. They will not only perform an ever-larger share of mechanical operations, as we have been observing since the first Industrial Revolution, but will also coordinate work [...]
Nuclear disarmament treaties in Sinhala and Tamil: Germany funds project
The German Federal Foreign Office has granted funds to the Forum on Disarmament and Development (FDD) for the translation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) to the Sinhala and Tamil languages. German Ambassador Jörn Rohde graced Tuesday’s launch of the translated texts along [...]
Pakistan’s Navy Chief to visit Sri Lanka
Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi NI (M), will visit Sri Lanka from January 25-29, 2020 at the invitation of Sri Lanka Navy commander, Vice Admiral Piyal De Silva. During his stay, Admiral Abbasi will meet commanders of the Navy, Army and the Air force and the Defence Secretary. He will also [...]
Blood donation camp at Makola
A blood donation camp was held in Makola recently by the Pragna Pradeepa Foundation. Its founder Jayantha de Silva is seen in conversation with a donor.
Workshops on writing and publishing for young writers
A series of half-day ‘Workshops on Writing and Publishing Fiction’ for older children and young teens will be held by well-known author Dr. Ken Spillman, starting in February. The workshops are to be held in three stages, with Stage 1 on February 26, 27 and 28; Stage II on June 9, 10 and 11; and [...]
The massacre of 634 policemen after surrender order
Policing the Police In January 1989, Prime Minister Ranasinghe Premadasa rose to Executive Presidency pledging to solve the ethnic problem through Consultation, Compromise and Consensus. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who claimed to be the sole representatives of the Tamil People, accepted the President’s call, and peace talks began between the President and [...]
Political jumbos facing extinction
On very many occasions, the ‘last nail’ has been driven into the coffin of the United National Party, hurried Paansakula conducted and the coffin placed in the funeral pyre and set on fire by the overheated rhetoric of its opponents in a hurry. Yet, the Grand Old Party of Sri Lanka has time and again [...]
National Trust lecture: Healing knife by Dr. Goonetilleke
‘Healing Knife’ will be the title of Dr. Gamini Goonetilleke’s lecture at the Monthly Lecture Series of the National Trust – Sri Lanka at the HNB Auditorium, 22nd Floor, HNB Towers, 479 T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10 on Thursday, January 30 at 6.30 p.m. “My lecture will be an emotional rollercoaster relating personal and professional [...]
Isipathana Class of 1969 meets in 50th year reunion
The Class of 1969 of Isipathana College met last week at the college premises in Colombo to mark their first reunion after 50 years. The day’s events, which included the presence of two teachers from that era and spouses of the ‘students’, were fun filled with a proper roll call in a classroom, swapping [...]
RASSL lecture on “The Mahayana influence on the Magul Maha Vihara”
The Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL)’s monthly public lecture “The Mahayana influence on the Magul Maha Vihara” will be held on tomorrow, January 27, at 5 p.m. at the Gamini Dissanayake auditorium, No. 96, Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7. It will be delivered by Ven. Miriswaththe Wimalagnana Thero , Head, Department of Buddhist [...]
Moscow’s Friendship University resembles a mini-United Nations
The Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, a renowned, world-class educational and research institution in Moscow, celebrates its 60th Anniversary from February 5-7, culminating in a grand concert at the Kremlin Palace of Congress presided by Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. It was a prodigious achievement for then Premier Nikita Khrushchev to open this University in 1960, [...]