Red flags over adolescents
Disturbing’ facts with regard to school-aged adolescents are out in the open, begging urgent attention and action to break and reverse these trends. An increasing trend in psychosocial issues, substance abuse, unhealthy dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles including physical inactivity have been recorded. Aggravating these critical challenges are malnutrition and also high rates of smoking [...]
Intrepid educator with a soft heart
The First World War had ended several years earlier. But the political rumblings in Europe, particularly with the rise of Hitler and increasing drum beats of Nazism, suggested that more was likely to come. But to those in our part of the world, Europe still seemed far away. South and Southeast Asia, mostly under British [...]
From two girls to thousands: Suwasetha Seva Society’s fifty-year journey
For five decades now a proverbial Nuga tree under whose benevolent shade the needy have been fostered and nourished, the Suwasetha Seva Society of Sarvodaya looks back this Sunday on their long journey, with a celebration when beneficiaries will flock to the headquarters; with well-wishers, donors and friends from around the world. Ahead of the [...]
Letters to the Editor
Senior citizens struggling with FD rates and hidden taxes In early September 2024, a month before the Presidential election, when banks were offering around 10–11% on FDs, then as a Presidential hopeful Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with senior citizens at the NYC Hall, Maharagama and promised to restore the 15% interest rate on FDs up [...]
Appreciations
A life well lived Rohini de Mel “Aunty Ro” was the daughter of my grandfather, Sir Henry’s youngest brother F. B. de Mel. My earliest memories were of her friendship with my parents. I remember her taking my young brother and I along with her nieces to Galle Face Green when my parents were abroad; [...]
Bringing a familiar flavour to sci-fi
For the Sri Lankan science fiction geek, picking up Yudhanjaya Wijeratne’s books is like a breath of fresh air. Rather than entering the rubble of New York or some other famous western city in a dystopian future, a reader finds themselves at home, weaving through the dilapidated hotels at Galle Face Green. Imagined alien (literally [...]
Protecting the bat
A total of 31 bat species, belonging to eight families, have been documented in Sri Lanka but bats are among the most endangered mammals, due to decline in prey availability, pesticide use, roost destruction and deforestation. ‘Winged mammals, nocturnal mysteries: Their beauty & our responsibility’ is the topic of this month’s Nations Trust Wildlife and [...]
Pretty in pink, their show has begun!
Tabebuia rosea Common/English name: Tabebuia Family: Bignoniaceae (The Jacaranda family) (Sinhala & Tamil: No names known) This is an ornamental tree, planted along roadsides in urban areas. This deciduous tree is about 20 m tall, with branches which originate very low on the trunk and, most often, extend upwards more or less [...]
Fresh hope through the Jaffna Jaipur Centre
The Jaffna Jaipur Centre for Disability and Rehabilitation was established in 1987 in response to the great need for a centre that could cater to the many who had lost limbs due to the civil war. Since those early years it has continued to provide artificial limbs and mobility devices to the many thousands who [...]
Don’t miss a “visual safari” with photographer and conservationist Paul Goldstein
Acclaimed photographer and conservationist Paul Goldstein, who counts over three decades in wildlife photography will be in Sri Lanka next month to present ‘The Impossible Shot’ – his wildlife photography experience on April 6 at the Celestine Ballroom, Level 22, at Cinnamon Life at 5 p.m. Goldstein who ran the London Marathon for eight years [...]
Chill Colombo, a new culinary, nightlife experience at Port City Colombo
Chill Colombo at The Mall at Port City Colombo, opened its doors last week. The two-storey restaurant, bar and café caters to various dining preferences from casual brunches and wholesome family meals to refined dining experiences and lively nightlife. The restaurant’s chic interiors, designed by a Spanish architect complement its bohemian-inspired outdoor seating. With seating [...]
Team well versed in Kandyan dance and local culture from US College to visit Sri Lanka
Not every tourist who visits the country can exhibit in-depth academic understanding of Sri Lanka’s culture and the Kandyan dance, or be able to sing a song from a renowned Sinhala drama. The 22-member group from Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia, comprising faculty and students who are due to visit Sri Lanka shortly, are impressively [...]
Colour theme at Ikebana show
A vibrant display of floral exhibits will be presented by the enthusiastic members of the Ikebana International Sri Lanka Chapter at the Cinnamon Grand’s Ivy Room on March 29 and 30. Colours is their theme this time and the members will display more than 50 stunning arrangements capturing the beauty of flowers in different colours and [...]