With President Maithripala Sirisena boycotting the Cabinet meeting which was scheduled for June 11- a meeting where over 100 matters were expected to be discussed- Sri Lanka is now facing an unwanted crisis. This decision was taken as a protest to the functioning of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to probe on the Easter Sunday attacks. In a letter sent to the Speaker on Friday, the Attorney General’s Department has informed that the PSC
The establishment of the universities of Vidyalankara and Vidyodaya can be attributed to two main reasons. The first reason is the approval of the Sinhala Official Language Act in the Parliament, after the MEP assumed power in 1956. The second reason is the problems involved in the implementation of the Official Language Act. Due to the above situation there was unrest among intellectuals
He was named Dhana at birth. Born to a Brahmin family, having mastered Triveda, he entered the bhikkhu order in his old age, being impressed by a sermon of Lord Gautama Buddha. From the day he received higher ordination, a gaily dressed woman follows him wherever he goes, enters the village and departs with him. But she remains invisible to the monk.
At a time like the present when morality has been profoundly shaken throughout the civilized world and the curse of materialism has spread all over, it seems vital to find a cure for this malady that has brought so much unrest and misery to people of all countries.
As a world religion, Islam is facing a major identity crisis today. Islamic extremism (or militancy) is damaging and endangering the place of Islam and Muslims in the world. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2018, compiled by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), 18,814 deaths were caused by terrorists around the world last year and well over half were due to the actions of just four Islamic terrorist groups: Islamic State (IS), the
Sinhala Buddhist voters do not take kindly to communal parties, even when those parties represent their interests. The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) remains the most potent and effective Sinhala Buddhist political outfit, but its birth was preceded by several fruitless attempts at coming up with such an organisation.
It is the Thanthirimale season of the year. As I pen this, the staff of Wijeya Newspapers is already at the site. They went there a couple of days back lock, stock and barrel, leaving the comfort of their homes and relatively comfortable surrounding with colleagues in office.
You find them along pavements or near markets or even on trains, till in hand, raising funds to assist undergraduates and other students who cannot afford to even purchase an exercise book. However, the monies thus collected don’t actually go towards the purpose they tell you about, rather, it’s a ruse to raise money to build “thoran” (pandals) or even rent places to rag new batches of university students. For instance, one such Thorana had co
Mr. Ashan Malalasekera, the Founder and the Chief Executive Officer of the Malalasekera Foundation received the Global Buddhist Ambassador Award from the World Alliance of Buddhists based in Thailand on Vesak Day on May 18, at an International Award Presentation ceremony, held at the Global Buddhist Building (the Master Nun Chand Centenial Building) at Patumthani in Thailand.
Sagala Ratnayaka - a senior Cabinet minister and the International Secretary of the United National Party (UNP) - marks 20 years in politics as an elected representative. Hailing from the deep South, Deniyaya, Sagala had his education at Royal College Colombo. He graduated from the Lewis & Clark College USA with a degree in Economics and pursued a career in banking.
There is no doubt that the most powerful force and the strength in any country is its youth. It is essential to empower the young people with a correct vision through personality development to make them partners of social development. In order to do so it is necessary to evaluate their strengths and encourage them accordingly. The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Youth Award Programme founded and launched in 1956 on a concept of the Duke of
Finding solutions for the Earth’s destruction is a responsibility that has been thrust upon all its dwellers -not just upon the ‘experts’. Taking this fact into account, the Environmental Foundation Limited (EFL) launched ‘Green Conversations’ in 2018 -an initiative to create a space for environmentalists, the general public and organizations to discuss, debate and advocate on behal
“The One Who Loves You So”, a play by Arun Welendawe Prematilleke won the Gratiaen Prize 2018, for the best work of creative writing in English by a Sri Lankan writer living in Sri Lanka. The H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for Translation, which was also awarded yesterday, was won by Prof. Vini Vitharana for his translation of the much-acclaimed Sinhala classic Kav Silumina.
There is much debate going on in Social Media as to who should represent the country’s people in parliament. Most potential candidates for the presidency have already shortlisted the members of their probable cabinets while dreaming of a better and prosperous Sri Lanka. This is why this year and the following year are important; hence Sri Lankans must use their votes
The Manorama School of Communication (MASCOM) held its annual open day and exhibition which concluded on a grand note in Kottayam, in the Kerala State recently. It witnessed the participation of over 60 guests who admired the creativity of its students. The stude
Recently we visited the house of Mohamed Razik Mohamed Thasleem (37) in Danagama Mawanella. He is one of the first victims of Zaharan’s killing spree and is currently recovering from gunshot injuries. We visited him to inquire into his present condition. The vandalism on Bu
The period from 1848 to 1948 presents something of a paradox for the historian or scholar, who tends to rationalise a historical epoch in terms of rebellion or affirmation of political, economic, and social order. The uprising organised by Ihagama U
The role of education in bringing about harmony, tolerance and peace to our Nation cannot be overestimated in the current socio-political climate. The tragic events that devastated our country recently reiterate the urgent need for Sri Lankans to unite as one nation and one nationality.
It takes someone special to impress a young lad, I must say. As a child, I have met many doctors, but my impression on this exemplary doctor is unforgettable; tall, slim, a sporty look, long-sleeved shirt with a matching tie and a friendly personality are etched in my memory even to this day. His dispensary was situated on Galle Road in Dehiwala where Arpico is housed. But that was where my mother used to take us whenever ill-health was waving at
My wife and I started worshipping at Christ Church, Galkissa in 1975, a few years after marriage, when we came to live in Dehiwala. We attended the 6.00 a.m. service on Sunday and Dr. Thistle, Mrs. Jayawardene and the children were there every Sunday at the first service for the day -- I don’t think this family ever missed a Sunday service.
It was the renowned English philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626) who immortalised the saying “reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man.” When it comes to the brain, researchers have found there’s no better super-food than a good book.
When news of the first attack came through, the Twitterati were quick to pounce on the most obvious suspects: Sinhala Buddhists. There was then no talk of the presumption of innocence unless proven otherwise. Instead Sinhala Buddhists....
This article is written based on an interview with Professor Hemantha Senanayake, Head of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo and Former Chairperson of Sri Lanka College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Canada issues travel advisory over serious risk in Arugam Bay
More countries issue travel advisories
Sri Lanka Tourism invites global travellers for upcoming season
Russian embassy urges citizens to stay vigilant in Arugam Bay
US Embassy issues travel warning for Arugam Bay
Immigration authorities to crack down on overstaying Russians, Israelis
Sri Lanka may face another economic turmoil: Sajith