Record-breaking heat bakes US, Europe and some parts of Asia
By Lucie Aubourg WASHINGTON (AFP) – Summer has just begun in the Northern Hemisphere but a brutal heat wave is already gripping parts of Europe, China and the United States, where record temperatures expected this weekend are a stark illustration of the dangers of a warming climate. Extreme heat advisories have been issued for more [...]
Ranil, beware the Greeks bearing gifts
Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra’s ‘short official visit’ to Sri Lanka was to prepare and work out arrangements for President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s upcoming visit to India, official Lankan government reports said. New Delhi is a capital visited frequently by leaders of world powers and its Foreign Ministry usually handles such visits quite routinely without [...]
NATO is ‘malicious poison’ – former Australian PM Keating
NATO has no place in Asia and should stick to its original focus, that is the security of the Transatlantic region, former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating has argued. The Labour politician, who served in office from 1991 to 1996, also warned against attempts to “circumscribe” China. In his statement published on Sunday, Keating appeared [...]
New academy offers post-grad programmes in leadership and public policy
The Bandaranaike Academy for Leadership & Public Policy held a fellowship on July 12th at the auditorium of the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) to discuss the vision and mission of the new academy. Representatives from academia, the government and corporate sectors, and civil society took part in the event. The new academy offers [...]
Turkiye decries FETO terrorism as it marks seventh anniversary of failed coup attempt
The embassy of Turkiye marked the seventh anniversary of the failed coup attempt on July 15, 2016, on Friday at the residence of Turkish Ambassador R. Demet Sekercioglu in Colombo. Addressing the gathering, Ambassador Sekercioglu recalled the cooperation between Sri Lankan and Turkiye in combating the menace of terrorism. Excerpts from her speech: Today, we [...]
Taekwondo contest and K-pop festival mark Korea Week
The Korean Embassy held ‘2023 Korea Week (K-Culture Festival),’ on July 8 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with great support from Hallyu fans in Sri Lanka. The Korea Week, composed of the Korean Ambassador’s Cup Taekwondo Championship and K-Pop World Festival, showcased a stunning blend of athleticism and cultural extravaganza. [...]
Russia and the long shadow of Versailles
By Barry Eichengreen NEW DELHI – The debate over using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction is coming to a head. The arguments in favour are compelling. The objections are weak. But there could also be unintended consequences. Canada has passed legislation allowing Russian assets to be redeployed on behalf of Ukraine. In the [...]