Pompeo’s anti-China campaign and questions for Lanka

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s whirlwind visit last week has left in its trail many unanswered questions.

Race to White House 2020: Biden-Harris or Trump-Pence?

The world is on edge as it awaits an official announcement of the next President of the United States(US). Results are still pending as....

How Covid-19 is further marginalising the vulnerable

Although the COVID-19 pandemic was initially described by many as a “great equaliser”, the societal and individual impacts it has on vulnerable sections of the society are not equal. If anything, it has thrust our society’s inequalities into sharp focus.

Army’s forward march delayed by technical shortcomings

With 21 deaths and 6065 active cases (as at November 2) Sri Lanka is experiencing another one of those troubled times. However, unlike in a war the enemy is common to all and more medical. Therefore battling it requires adequate technical g

Healthcare workers are stressed out

“Our workload is high and it’s extremely stressful,” – this is how Pushpa Ramyani de Soyza, Chief Nurse, National Coordinator (Training) and Triage Team Leader at Accident and Orthopedic Service at the Colombo National Hospital descr

Polonnaruwa at risk of COVID -19

The second wave of COVID -19 has already spread across Sri Lanka. Despite certain claims that it has not yet reached pandemic levels, the discovery of COVID-19....

First Sinhala novelist; Isaac de Silva

Recently, when a popular television quiz show asked to name the first Sinhala novelist, the answer was erroneously stated as Simon de Silva, and the novel as ‘Meena’.

Deepa Mehta gives Sri Lanka thumbs-up after Funny Boy

Award winning movie Director Deepa Mehta sees a lot of potential for Sri Lanka both for its actors and as a film location after her movie Funny.....

Expatriate Invasions and Local Retreats: Sri Lankan English Writing after Globalization

In the second half of the 1990s, Sri Lankan English writing began to witness globalization: a new phase where the arena came.....

Vap Poya and the hallowed ‘Katina’ offering

Yesterday was Vap Poya and members of the Maha Sangha made their way to the ‘Poyage’, or Chapter House, to relieve of their undertaking of observing ‘Vas’ at the different temples in the country. They were in ‘Vas’, or retreat, for the last three months at temples, invited by the devotees of the temples in which they spent their retreat. By Il Poya, the Katina ceremonies should be over.

Cancer Society educates the public during October the Breast Cancer Month

October being the Breast Cancer Month the Public Education Committee of the Sri Lanka Cancer Society launched a Pink Ribbon Campaign as the Pink Ribbon is the symbol of Breast Cancer.

Principles and Integrity Governed His code of honour

The 1st of November, 10 years ago, was a day of utter despair and unforgettable sadness for all those who loved Janaka.

Remembering Olga Crake on her birthday

Darling Mummy, we miss you so much every day We just want to wish you ‘Happy Birthday’ today

JMOs and Police conducting forced anal and vaginal examinations on LGBT people

The Justice Ministry employed Judicial Medical Officers (JMOs) and Sri Lanka Police have been accused of conducting degrading anal and vaginal....

Katinasansaya – Offering robes to Maha Sangha for rainy season

Katinasansaya is immeasurable and unmentionable merit acquired by the person who has offered wet season robes to a priest who had completed a period of rainy season sojourn.

Vap Poya heralds colourful Katina Pinkama

Poya usually falls only once a month. This year however, the month of October had two Poyas. The first fell on October 1 and the second falls today (October 30).

Damage control strategies at the eleventh hour?

With the emergence of more COVID-19 positive cases Sri Lankan health services have decided to introduce Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) to supplement the existing system of PCR testing. Although there are mixed views about this move,

Reaching the limits of managing the crisis

As a country, we’re in a moment of great peril. More than at any time during this pandemic.

Problems at premium quarantine

As many as 43,000 Sri Lankans stranded overseas have been repatriated to Sri Lanka and operations are underway to repatriate more once the prevailing situation is under control.

Wanton land grabbing in Nilgala Forest

Nilgala Forest, which is one of the four ecological zones native to Sri Lanka, including Uva Pathanbima, has been subject t

Mobile medical bed produced at Moratuwa University

The Mechanical Engineering Department of The University of Moratuwa has developed a multifunctional mobile medical bed which can be turned into a wheelchair, a Trolley or a clinical bed. The AuBiKTransMo

Great man who turned Kalutara Bodhiya into a Sacred place

“My father was a Notary. He travelled almost daily from his home in Velitota to his office in Ambalangoda in a bullock cart that he hired for the purpose.

EYES firmly SHUT !

With the second onslaught of CORONA, my mind goes back to the words of Stanley Kubrick when Gene D. Philips interviewed him and I quote:

BE A QUALITY TEACHER

On October 5 we celebrated the Universal Teachers’ Day. All those who are into the profession of teaching need to reflect seriously and see whether they fulfill the demands of the teaching profession. A quality teacher always fulfills the demands of his / her profession. A mediocre teacher exists to pass time and does not create any impact on the lives of students. A quality teacher always does otherwise.

A highly respected legal eagle

It was the year 1998 and I had just completed my final year of the four year Special Bachelor Degree in Law, at the Faculty of Law at the University of Colombo. At the beginning, in my mind, it was always an incredible success to obtain entrance to the Faculty of Law.

A leader ahead of his time

It has been a long time- 26 years to be precise-but it feels like yesterday that I was looking at him in our house in Dangolla, Kandy.

Hejaaz Hizbullah: It is time we woke up

At around 4 p.m. on April 14, a day after the New Year dawned, Hejaaz Hizbullah received a call from a man identifying himself as an official from the Ministry of Health.

‘Thermometer guns’ at point-blank : A misfired attempt?

Adjusting to the new normal also meant adjusting ourselves to be aimed at point-blank – not to be shot dead but to check if the body temperature.....

Unchecked fire in Vavuniya forest plains

State forest land in Mamaduwa, Vavuniya has been set ablaze for the third time, environmentalists allege. The State land estimated to be over 100 acres has been set on fire for the third time within weeks, which has led to the destruction of several hectares of forest plains. Following several inquiries, Vavuniya Police and area Forest Department officials who visited the area observed that fire had been set by a few locals on October 16 and 17.

Police, Judicial Officers should end arbitrary arrests, torture of LGBT people

Human Rights Watch released the below statement, following the Daily Mirror article ‘Persecution of the LGBTIQ Community: Does Sri Lanka’s Police have Nothing Better to Do?’ published on 03 October 2020.