14 days in Punani
It was in March, amidst the COVID-19 outbreak that I flew to Dusseldorf airport for a 10-day training while completing my third semester examinations as an M.Sc student in laboratory animal science at the RWTH International Academy, Aachen University, Germany. Wearing a mask to safeguard myself against the virus, I approached a six-foot German in [...]
You’re not alone in these challenging times
United by the common goal of providing community support during times of need, the Community Crisis Response Team – Sri Lanka (CCRT-LK) has stepped up to the challenge of helping those who are gravely affected by the Covid-19 outbreak and the subsequent quarantine measures. Despite the challenges they face, this volunteer-based crisis response team is [...]
Letters to the Editor
Ban ragging in honoured seats of learning Brimming over with youthful vigour, Burning midnight oil, with lofty goals in sight. Clearing the hurdle to enter varsity, Rejoicing in the hard-earned fruits of toil. A heart full of hopes for the future, Setting foot on hallowed grounds. As joy disappeared, like dew on petals, Enveloped her [...]
APPRECIATIONS
A great legal luminary whose hallmark was his humility H.L. DE SILVA When I first met my senior, he was handling three massive election petitions simultaneously, following the 1983 by-elections for the then electorates of Kalawana, Akmeemana and Mulkirigala. I marvelled at how he could handle so much of work at the same time. He [...]
The breath of life
Do you ever pay attention to your breath? Probably not until smog, smoke, or the Covid-19 is in your face. Last year presented the world with all three of these deathly spectres, with the second, pollution, silently outdoing the killer virus by causing nearly seven million deaths worldwide while raising only a few eyebrows. Our [...]
Women ‘warriors’ in their own right
The first female farmer in her neighbourhood in the Puttalam district, A.M.Devika Nishanthi Dissanayake was given 30 cows by World Vision to start a dairy business. Despite protests and disapproval from her community, Devika persevered. Her diligence was rewarded; for not only did she carry off the Thambapanni Abhimani merit award in the Puttalam District [...]
Remembering and sharing their grief
Former Poet Laureate of the UK, late John Betjemen wrote about Easter: “The last year’s leaves are on the beech The twigs are black, the cold is dry To deeps beyond the deepest reach the Easter bells enlarge the sky” The phrase ‘to deep beyond the deepest reach’, describes the lowest point in Lent, the [...]
All about hand sanitizer
In the current corona virus pandemic that is sweeping the world, washing hands is still better than using hand sanitizer, but both help prevent the spread of disease. Here’s some handy information on hand sanitizer. 1. What is ‘hand sanitizer’? Hand sanitizer, also called hand antiseptic, or hand rub, is an agent applied to the [...]