Postage stamp in honour of Prof. Ponnamperuma

After three decades Vidya Jothi Prof. Cyril Ponnamperuma who led the Moon Soil Analysis Laboratory at NASA, USA under the Apollo Space Mission was honoured with a Postage Stamp at the 2018 Annual Review sessions of the Institute of Fundamental Studies (IFS), held at the IFS Auditorium

Traffic Congestion at Mahavidyala Mw.

Mahavidyala Mawatha is a main road which has light and heavy vehicles, containers, particularly Pettah bound buses, passing in hundreds every day. This road also leads to five government schools and is also a hardware commercial hub apart from being densely populated.

A new judicial mechanism cannot be established without amending the constitution

TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran’s statement to the Parliament made on the 22nd March is unconstitutional. He insisted the “Government” to implement clause 6 of the Geneva (UNHRC) resolution (30/1) or otherwise “we (they) will take steps to move Sri Lanka to the ICC or some other entirely international mechanism”... as “Tamil people will be left with no alternative”.

Kennels of Sri Lanka Police

When the Kennels of the Sri Lanka Police Service is celebrating its seventieth year in existence, it would be a timely opportunity to remember Sir Richard Aluvihare who revolutionized the Police Service. It was in his time that Sri Lanka Kennels were established in Colombo, in 1948 with German Shepherd Canine Sleuths Sheba and Rex trained locally by two Police constables

Three Scary Reasons To Ditch Aluminum Foil And What To Use Instead

Here’s one you should probably avoid like the plague: Aluminum foil. Believe it or not, every time you use aluminum foil in the kitchen, it’s seriously harming your health.

Learn overtaking, become a better driver

Defensive driving requires one to ‘look-ahead’ both literally and metaphorically; in Cricketing parlance, it’s like a great batsman who sees the ball that much earlier than others less skilled to either score or defend and never be caught off-guard! One of the critical areas in the armoury of ‘Defensive Driving’ is adjusting ones speed according to a plethora of factors and the

Request for a Drugs Sales Outlet of SPC

Our research suggests that more than 500,000 patients in Mount Lavinia and the suburbs are awaiting the quality service at all times Mount Lavinia is a residential area with mostly middle class communities. Our research indicates that the majority of residents obtain medications from the private pharmacies. There are about 20 Pharmacies in the city including the drugs stores

‘Dekala Purudu Kenek:’ Is she real or a sacred cow?

Marital infidelity, or assumption of it, isn’t a new theme to Sri Lankan cinema. The black and white era offers many examples of wives being treated unspeakably because their husbands imagined things. The wife was always a virtuous woman and the husband a drunkard. Of course, it would never occur to her to find comfort in the arms of another man. That would be sacrilege.

UoC Alumni Unity of 1960s The “Coffee Table” Book launch

In the history of Colombo University of Sri Lanka the first ever Coffee Table Book will be launched on April 7, 2019 at 11.30 am at the University of Colombo’s New Arts Theatre by the Alumni Unity of the 1960s of the University of Ceylon, Colombo. This Publication contains attractive photograph

She was, is and will be our Ammi ...

All human life, once born, has to reach its logical end, death. That eternal truth was taught to us by our eternal teacher, Gautama Buddha. Yet when it happens to your loved ones, it is difficult to bear. No person should compare the loss of his or hers to another else’s loss. It is condescending and I do not wish to indulge in such idle and patronizing laments. But my mother’s loss is great; it is, albeit unavoidable, just cannot be reconciled i

‘‘Sathmaga’’ A path to successful community development

Member of the Western Provincial Council Jayantha de Silva said dedication of the people was an integral part of the country’s development and meeting their requirements and pointing the accusing finger at others for the country’s ills would not serve any purpose. Addressing the annual general meeting of the “Sathmaga”community development society at Dabagre Mawatha in Narahenpita he expressed concern about the bad habit of several individuals

HOLY CROSS MEDITATION AND COUNSELLING CENTRE, A SPIRITUAL RETREAT

Jesus asked Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John; do you love me more than others do’? ‘Yes, Lord, He answered, you know that I love you. Jesus said to him, ‘Take care of my lambs.’ Centuries later, Jesus asked the same question from his chosen child, ‘Valence Mendis, ‘Do you still love me? and he replied. ‘Lord you know everything; you know I love you’. Jesus placed the staff in his hand and said, ‘Go unto to the world and look after my sheep

Colombo festival brings out the secular Bangladeshi film-making trend

The three-day Bangladeshi film festival organized by the Bangladesh High Commission here between March 29 and 31, had brought out the secular trend in film-making in that Islam-majority country. Subjects that would be considered sensitive in South Asia, such as religious beliefs crossing traditional boundaries and relations between religious groups are being taken up by Bangladeshi film-makers fearlessly. According to Tanvir Mokammel, the Direc

Awed, but not shocked: Reflections on the State Drama Festival 2019

By the time we entered the second half of the Festival, I had a gut feeling who’d win. Sometimes it’s good to trust your instincts. Grease Yaka Returns scooped up seven awards, one after the other, and went on to

Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies: Finally a place of its own for the PGIPBS

Forty-four years after its inception the Postgraduate Institute of Pali and Buddhist Studies (PGIPBS) of the Kelaniya University has finally got land to build its own premises thanks to the hard work of its present director, Venerable Professor Kotapitiye Rahula Thera.

138th Anniversary of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force - SLAVF: Strength to Army, nation

The historic Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force which was established on 01st April 1881 proudly celebrates its 138th Anniversary on 01st April 2019. The Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force....

Is this performance, or is this art?

What a performance it was. From Saturday, March 17 to Monday, March 19, there were strange happenings at the Borella Junction and its environs. There was a man with body paint....

39th Death Anniversary Handapangoda Upananda Batugedara

Handapangoda Upananda Batugedara was born on October 20, 1918 and passed away on March 29, 1980. He was a poet of second generation of ‘Colomaba Yugaya’ and he started poetic work from his school days at Ananda College Colombo and developed his talents by studying classical Sinhala and English poetry. He was influenced by prominent newspaper editors, as well as scholar Buddhist priests.

Remembering Jacob De Mel, a century later

V. Jacob de Mel the Patriarch of a well-known Sinhala family dominated the business and agricultural landscape of Ceylon during colonial times and died on April 1, 1919. His 100th death anniversary falls on April 1.

Royal Ceylon Air Force Batch 32 commemorates 50 years of joining in grand style

The 32nd Batch of the Royal Ceylon Air Force ( RCyAF) commemorated its Golden Jubilee on February 17, at the Galle Face Hotel in grand style with a gala lunch. Berty Widanagamage,

An Appreciation to Rev. Fr. Miller S.J. of Batticaloa

One of the greatest gifts Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) received from the Western world was the Jesuit missionaries. They came from USA, Italy and France. A prized import was Fr. Benjamin Henry Miller from New Orleans who came over to Batticaloa in 1948 at the young age of 23. This was the age at which his contemporaries back home in the US were living it up in luxury,

Price revision of vehicles subsequent to budget 2019

The much awaited proposed Budget 2019 presented by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera is being highly criticised claiming that it is a dream budget. On the other hand Budget 2019 is being showered with praise by several others.

Can this wanted suspect employed in Sri Lanka brew up more trouble?

A popular restaurant was recently raided by Colombo Municipal Council Health Inspectors. The video footage of the raid quickly went viral in social media platforms for storing food items unsuitable for human consumption.

Plans made to extend elders’ care centre

Amarapiya Memorial Elders’ Care Centre at Uda-Mapitigama in Dompe is one out of two elders’ centres dedicated to the Visually Impaired. The centre is managed by Sri Lanka Buddhist Association for the Blind in Yakkala.

HE WHO REACHES THE PEOPLE

On Sunday March 31, 2019, the Karaka Sangha Sabha of the Malwatta Chapter of the Siam Maha Nikaya, headed by most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangalabhidana Maha Nayaka Thera, will bestow the prestigious...

Fifth Generation 5G at your fingertips soon

We may have the highest speed mobile network at hand but it doesn’t stop us from wanting a mobile network which gives us more high speed. Futuristic movies such as ‘Terminator’ showed about a concept called SkyNet which sums up the world at fingertips.

Globalization issues and technology

Globalization is a process where countries in the world move closer together. It is by no means, a new concept, as it began with the age of the computer and the internet that had acted as the cornerstone in bringing societies...

A Tale of Missing Mothers and Fractured Families

Since the migration of her mother three years ago, 16-year-old Nilmini* is responsible for the well-being of her family. With her two younger sisters, Nilmini lives in Rasnayakapura, a town which belongs....

Darkness at noon (and at night)

Saumya Kumarawadu, President of the Engineers’ Union of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), says that they were right. There is a power crisis, and in all probability it will get (much) worse within the next two or three years.

USJP celebrates its Diamond Jubilee Commemorating History and forging ahead with Zeal

At its 60th jubilee, the distinguished University of Sri Jayawardenepura (USJP) celebrates an historic 145-year journey of serving the people of Sri Lanka. Amidst the milestone celebrations in special programmes planned for the following months, the occasion allowed a moment to view the university’s evolution, endeavours and ambitions.