The Sunday Times Columns | Sunday June 01, 2008

	Political Column
	Cock and bull stories for trapped people
	By Our Political Editor
	Thirty-five years ago, the then Government of Prime Minister, Sirimavo Bandaranaike, had increased fuel prices by cents than rupees. Bus fares rose consequently. The official slogan then declared that bus fares were raised only by a new quarter (bus gaasthu aluth kaalakin). That averaged some ten to fifteen cents.
	5th Column
	Everything is going up scandalously......
	By Rypvanwinkle
	“Thaaththa,” Bindu Udagedera asked, .....
	Situation Report
	Situation Report will not appear this week.
	By Iqbal Athas

	Thoughts from London
	Profit from the lessons, not deny them
	By Neville de Silva
	If I return to the subject of the UN Human Rights Council election in which we lost out, it is not without cause. Since our defeat in New York failing to secure one of the seats for the Asian region much has been said and written. Some have been diatribes mainly against international and local NGOs that joined hands in an appeal to UN members not to ......
	The Economic Analysis
	Inflation: No light at the end of the tunnel
	By the Economist
	The control of inflation is becoming increasingly illusive. The inflation rate has now jumped from near 20 to near 30 and some of the factors exerting an important influence aren’t slowing down. Meanwhile theories and statistical calculations are aplenty. But these are of no avail in the practical task of controlling prices. In fact these theories and calculations impliedly tell us that prices cannot be controlled.
	Focus on Rights
	The media meets the terror of the unknown
	By Kishali Pinto Jayawardena
	Let me frame this discussion by stating at once, without demur, that this is the worst government that we have ever had in terms of protecting the right to freedom of expression and information. I have absolutely no hesitation in making this statement for several reasons as may be elaborated upon in this column, many of which are obnoxiously self-evident.
	Inside the glass house
	Poverty amidst prosperity: UN millennium goals .....
	By Thalif Deen at the united nations
	A long-term UN plan to reduce by half the number of people living in "extreme poverty and hunger" has hit a roadblock. The target date, set by world leaders to achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), is 2015. But as of now, that target seems elusive. The UN estimates that more than a billion people live in "absolute poverty" worldwide and about 800 million people go to bed hungry every night.

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