UNHRC Resolution - No triumphant victory for sl experts point out loopholes

One of the not-so-surprising decisions taken by the present Government was to withdraw from co-sponsoring the landmark United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution 30/1.

Time to dispel some myths about the disease

Every day nearly 4000 people globally lose their lives to Tuberculosis (TB). In Sri Lanka TB is the second most common infective disease and annually 8000-9000 TB patients are reported. “But the WHO estimates around 13 000- 14 000 patients should be reported annually,”

The dangerous twist which can end you up in sub-fertility

Ever thought that a simple pain in the scrotum with or without trauma, not addressed on time can result in permanent sub-fertility? Sounds scary, but that is the bitter truth behind testicular torsion-which is a serious surgical emergency, accounting for at least 0.5% of all the cases and one quarter of the scrotal complaints, presenting to the emergency department.

Do’s and Don’ts of COVID-19 Vaccines

Since the invention of the Small Pox vaccine by Dr. Edward Jenner in 1796, vaccines have saved millions of lives that would have otherwise perished because of infections.

Debt-driven suicides continue unabated in Sri Lanka 

Sometimes a loan obtained to save a life can end up taking another life, in the debt-stricken villages of Sri Lanka. A 24-year-old mother killed her child and committed suicide two months ago due to her inability to repay a loan of Rs. 400, 000 to a micro-finance company.

Monarchs of the wild losing battle of destruction

Sri Lanka’s tuskers are a rarity with only 7% of male elephants on the island carrying tusks. Every individual animal is precious.

Passara bus accident: Trading accusations on road to investigation

Those with a skewed walk habitually check if we are walking straight,” read the slogan detached from the Lunugala-Colombo bus....

Zahran Hashim, Kattankudy and the Islamic State in Sri Lanka

The final report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Easter Sunday attacks was handed over to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by the Chairman of the Commission, Supreme Court Judge Janak de Silva at the Presidential Secretariat on February 01, 2021.

Johny, Johny Yes Papa?

An alleged loss of Rs. 15 billion in tax revenue following the government’s decision to slash taxes imposed on Sugar in October 2020....

Sanga defends his name in Sigiriya land dispute

The sport of cricket continues to attract bad publicity and this time its retired cricketer Kumar Sangakkara whose name is linked with a an alleged fraudulent land sale in Sigiriya Mailaththawa area. The story unfolds of how an elderly and ailing couple was approached by an individual who has promised them help in return for being granted powers as the caretaker of the land apart from being given possession of the documents that supports ownersh

BEYOND THE SCREEN: I felt like I just can’t sing - Adithya Weliwatta

In just one night, sixteen-year-old Adithya Weliwatta stole the hearts of a nation with her performance for the blind auditions of Voice Teens, a reality TV show that kicked off in the thick of the pandemic in 2020.

It’s a long way to gender parity - Hirunika

Women’s participation in politics has been a topic that has been subject to debate. Increasing the female quota in Parliament is still a goal Sri Lanka....

A masculine attack on a Women’s Day protest

Participants at a peaceful march organised by Free Women, a leftist women’s movement in a struggle to achieve women’s freedom....

BEYOND THE SCREEN: “I don’t read comments” - MP Harini Amarasuriya

“I thought the obvious choice was Bimal,” Harini Amarasuriya recalled. “He was on the list, he was our number one. He was my choice.

Thalaimannar, Maldives and now Iranaithivu…

After more than 300 days since cremation was made mandatory for the COVID- 19 deceased, the Government of Sri Lanka reversed the decision through Gazette 2216/38 on February 25, by allowing the burial of those who succumbed to COVID- 19.

Mineral sands extraction project in Oluvil: Worrisome future for Sri Lanka’s coastal stretches?

This Island Nation blessed with an abundance of coastal stretches has attracted many investors, both local and foreign eyeing to extract.....

Khaki fury at Peliyagoda Police rattles law fraternity

Torture and murder at police stations are nothing new in Sri Lankan history. Though many international human rights organizations......

Porn and Nudes: Delving into Cyber Exploitation in Sri Lanka

The images and videos are distressing. Non-consensual sharing of intimate images and privacy breaches began to cause problems several years ago. But, it has never been this bad. Sexual content of Sri Lankan girls, even as young as 15 years old, keeps growing exponentially on the internet, preying on countless victims.

People at a loss as.... COVID vaccination programme hits a snag

The much awaited vaccination drive for Sri Lankan healthcare staff began on January 29. The National Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases....

42 trees felled; Ambagamuwa PS Chairman - a law unto himself ! Unjust enrichment via natural resources

Ambagamuwa Pradesha Sabha (PS) Chairman Jayasanka Perera was allegedly accused of haphazardly felling 42 trees prior to widening Diyagala – Nallatanniya road without informing any state institute. We reported on this in the Daily Mirror recently.

The Man Behind Moves to Form the “BJP” in Sri Lanka

The flower bud is the accredited electoral symbol of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) which is ruling Sri Lanka. However, the image of that flower bud resembles the lotus flower bud. In fact, a lot of lotus buds are used to decorate platforms of the SLPP known in popular parlance as the “pohottuwa” party.

Is it a giant leap backwards in the name of patriarchy?

154 years after the Sri Lanka Police was established, an Acting Woman Deputy Inspector General (WDIG) took office last October.

DIG Bimshani talks about patriarchal beliefs and perceptions towards women

On September 21, 2020 The National Police Commission granted approval to promote a female Police Officer as Deputy Inspector General of Police. The decision paved way to the appointment of DIG Bimshani Jasin Aarachchi making her the first female DIG in the country. Many applauded and felicitated, as DIG Bimshani came with glowing recommendations owing to her work with the Child and Women Bureau of the Police Department.

Ecocide – Another pandemic in disguise

COVID-19 wasn’t the only pandemic that struck Sri Lanka in 2020. A mass scale Ecocide began and is continuing much to the dismay of environmental....

Focus on new COVID variants: Strengthening ‘herd immunity’ before B117 gets on top of us

Initially, the UK B117 VOC didn’t seem to be more fatal (although we learnt in past weekit is), but its ability to infect more people means that it will kill more people.

Tamil “P2P” Protest of 2021 and the Tamil “Satyagraha” of 1961

The “Pottuvil to Poligandy” (P2P) Protest that ended last week was a watershed moment in the political history of Sri Lankan Tamils.

Myanmar diary: Dealing with impermanence and a ruthless junta

Myanmar, formerly Burma, a Buddhist nation, is in tears because the military has taken over the administration of the country once again.

Why are fewer women than men in science?

The landmark Declaration, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on December 10, 1948, reaffirms that, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights and that everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, birth or other status”. Then, why are there fewer women than men in science?

Cutting up infants to save a tradition

When one thinks of FGM/C (Female Genital Mutilation/ Cutting), many think it is only prevalent in the African region. However, recent media reports and research show that the practice also prevails in Sri Lanka, especially among certain sects of the Muslim community and the Dawoodi Bohra community, around the island. The earliest available report of FGM/C in the country dates back to 1996.

Your Covid-19 vaccination questions answered

The Health Ministry recently briefed media on several pertinent questions on the Covid-19 vaccine programme. Excerpts: