World Food Programme wins Nobel
UN – With the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize bestowed on the Rome-based World Food Programme (WFP), the United Nations and its affiliated agencies continue to hold a near-monopoly of one of the world’s most prestigious annual awards. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the WFP as the “world’s first responder on the frontlines of food insecurity.” [...]
In Sri Lanka, only a few patients with life limiting illness still receive proper palliative care
When Lalith’s wife, a medical officer, admitted him to the Institute of Palliative Medicine in Matara, he was in severe physical distress. He had suffered several brain haemorrhages, and had renal failure, fungal infections, an eye infection, pneumonia, a tracheostomy in his throat and a deep bedsore. Lalith had to be fed through a PEG [...]
Whither rule of law under 20A?
The governing law of a country is its Constitution. Two rudiments of Parliamentary democracy are: the Independence of the Judiciary and the independence of the Auditing Services Commission and the Procurement Commission. But, both independent commissions are to be abolished under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, along with many other provisions that stood for [...]
New office bearers of Lions Club -Wellawatte West
The Lions Club Wellawatte West recently held its 44th Charter celebrations and elected the following officials for the Lionistic year 2020/21. President: Lion Padmi Fernando Imm. Past President: Lion Manel Dabare Secretary: Lion Heshini Thilanka Treasurer: Lion Tilak Fernando. J.P. 1st Vice President: Lion Rupika Weerasinghe 2nd Vice President: Lion Damsith Weerasinghe [...]
Post-pandemic geopolitics
CAMBRIDGE – There is no single future until it happens, and any effort to envision geopolitics in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic must include a range of possible futures. I suggest five plausible futures in 2030, but obviously others can be imagined. The end of the globalised liberal order. The world order established by [...]