What of the marginalised in our land?

Many years ago studying Shakespearean drama one heard of the remark made by Marcellus in “Hamlet.” Act I, Scene 4: stating that “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”  Perhaps it appears to our politicians, especially in the ruling party, that  a similar occurrence has taken place with the.....

Protecting the cradle - EDITORIAL

With Sri Lanka preparing to observe Children’s Day on October 1, the main focus this year will be on the disturbing increase in the number of abductions and abuse of children, especially girl children.

A new Cold War?

A couple of days ago I was on the Moscow Metro. In the interchange I asked two women the direction. Then they asked me did I like Russia? I asked them the same question and they said “no”.

Every child must gain equal access to education

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) that was inaugurated on November, 1989 proclaims that a child must be raised in the society with the essence of peace, tolerance, decorum, equality, freedom and solidarity.

US war on IS: Real target is Syria

Cartoonists in the United States and Britain are giving a spit and polish to Barack Obama’s claim...

How fair are the elections? - EDITORIAL

After what most election monitors see as a campaign marred by a relatively high degree...

eDITORIAL-Ice bucket and green chilLi challenges won’t ease suffering

Imagine a situation where President Mahinda Rajapksa has agreed to take an ice bucket bath or to eat ‘amumiris’ (green chillies) before TV cameras after...

Indian army: General dogsbody in any catastrophe

India’s Jammu and Kashmir is in the throes of the worst natural disaster in its history.  Unprecedented rain, swollen rivers,  indiscriminate deforestation,...

We belong to one nation, the Sri Lankan nation

Today we see the coming together of the Muslim community representing various professions and organisations, from diverse backgrounds.

Classical evenings and bizzarre past

It was a very pleasant Friday evening. The Chamber Music Society of Colombo, a symphony orchestra was playing film music opposite the World Trade Centre...

Mervyn de silva prophet and jester

Friday (Sept 5) was the 85th birth anniversary of Mervyn De Silva, doyen of journalism in Sri Lanka. In this article published in the Sunday Observer on June 27,...

The big crises NATO and protestors fail

Violence should have had its day. Look at its non-achievements: The US/British/French invasions of Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya.

eDITORIAL-Conflict of interest in battling kidney disease

Major but seldom spotlighted issues relating to professional ethics, integrity and conflict of interest came up on Thursday.

STREET HARASSMENT of women by the bucketful

An issue that has been referred to as ‘street harassment’ became a hot topic in the country last week. A  team that thought it was an opportune moment to listen to the views of women on the subject were in for a great surprise; around ninety- nine per cent of women said  they had been subjected...........

Pakistan: The politics behind Imran’s bouncers

Imran Khan appears to be in a mighty hurry to form a government in Pakistan, though undemocratically.  The speed...

EDITORIAL : Who should be blamed?

On Monday the electronic media reported the heart-rending story of a six-year old girl from...

Returning to our roots in education

If education is the soul of the society as a wise man once said, then what about the practices involved...

Retribution for dr. sex maniac

The wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine, they say. The wheels of justice for...

Indo-Lanka fishermen’s crisis still unsolved

The fisheries issue has clouded India - Sri Lanka ties. The fishermen, from both the countries get arrested constantly.

IS A NEW CONSTITUTION  THE NEED OF THE HOUR?

In recent months the debate as to whether we need to continue with the Executive Presidential form of government has indeed become a major issue,...

eDITORIAL-Farewell Comrade Bala: Love’s Labour is not lost

In the decades before and after independence and specially after the Pancha Maha Balawegaya revolution of 1956 Sri Lanka’s trade union movement was...

AIA Education Plan for anxious parents

Sri Lanka is among the countries with the highest literacy rates in South East Asia and this has spurred children to become more competitive. Higher education for their children is the biggest concern for today’s parents, whatever the age and aptitude of their offspring.

Union Assurance comes up with new 5-year life investment plan

Union Assurance has a long history of innovation and quality. Continuing in this vein, UA management has amped up the company’s product portfolio, by addressing a need that was observed in the market for a short-term investment plan.

No ruler should be allowed to be at the helm for 18 years

Amid a surge in election related violence in the Uva Province, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake,...

Men of the arena or men of straw

When liberal values are under attack, the first to react to the attack almost always happen to be the intellectuals, academics and artistes;

EDITORIAL - One-Health: humans, animals and the environment

Sri Lanka’s most prestigious Peradeniya University will be taking an important and enlightened step this week when it holds the One-Health International...

"my life is in danger"

How can I injure myself? How can I lie by the road side naked with my hands trussed up?  I was a Buddhist monk who had to go into hiding for about one year to escape harm

Modi’s wake-up message for Indians

On August 15, India celebrated her freedom from Britain.  Traditionally, the day begins with a speech by the Indian Prime Minister from the towering ramparts of the Mughal-era Red Fort in old Delhi.  First, the flag......

EDITORIAL - Rubber losing its bounce

The crisis in the local rubber industry has deepened as  prices continue to collapse. At the latest rubber auction in Colombo, the top grades -- Latex Crepe 1X and Latex Crepe 1, 2, and 3 were unquoted. The prices of Ribbed Smoked Sheet.......

Wariyapola girl teaches pervert a lesson

A video of a girl slapping a man at the Wariyapola bus stand went viral on social media sites recently. In a country where many women’s rights activists are active, so far none of the activists or such organizations had commented on the event.