EDITORIAL-Tweet is not always sweet

Aluthgama’ is now semi-officially a name for many things such as inter-religious tensions, inciting violence and failure of state authorities.

What we need is a change of mindset

According to Bloom’s taxonomy, a comprehensive education should encompass three key aspects: knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Govt. has failed to address plight of milk farmers

Sri Lanka is a country which has an abundance of cattle for milk. Unfortunately none of the governments managed to make the maximum use of it. The farmers were in a continuous struggle to get a reasonable price for their milk but they never got it.

“BOAT PEOPLE” TO AUSTRALIA………NO CHANCE OF REACHING THE SHORE!

The sorry saga of numerous Sri Lankan people being duped into making the treacherous life threatening journey by sea to Australia appears to be on the rise once again. The many who think that they could find the end of the rainbow.......

Govt. playing politics with national question: UNP

The following is a statement issued by the United National Party (UNP) on the appointment of an investigative team to inquire into allegations of violations of human rights by both parties during the last stages of the war:

EDITORIAL - Great religions are torn apart by shortsightedness

Responding to criticism against the 14th Amendment to the Constitution that provided for the awarding of citizenship to people of Indian origin in Sri Lanka in 1988, the then President J.R.Jayawardene questioned whether his critics wanted him to dump those people into the Indian Ocean.

We are under threat and pressure

Rumy Marzook, the Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) told Daily Mirror that he was under pressure and threats of many companies in performing his duties.

Playing with the lives of young people

Unrest among youth leading to political violence has been a major feature of the political landscape in the country over the last several decades. A National Youth Commission comprising several distinguished persons was appointed in....

EDITORIAL-Restore Police honour

It is indeed depressing to continually bring out the appalling actions by Sri Lanka Police. The most recent incident is the gunning down of a 24-year-old youth for no apparent reason. According to Police the reason for shooting was that the........

Between vengeance and forgiveness

In his first public comments on his role in Sri Lanka since being appointed as President Jacob Zuma’s special envoy to Sri Lanka, Cyril Ramaphosa has said that South Africa’s post-Apartheid success in building a new nation that embraced democracy and human rights had endeared the....

‘Mankading’ the almost invincible

In recent weeks, Sri Lankan cricketer Sachithra Senanayake has leapt into the limelight from being a relatively low-profile national sportsman into the newspapers, websites and television screens of the international media.

Education: The only way forward for our politicians - EDITORIAL

The standard of politics has declined so much in Sri Lanka that we must seriously consider the need for high educational qualifications for those who wish to enter politics at parliamentary, provincial and local council levels.

Al-Baghdadi’s ISIL redraws Mideast map

Iraq is in the midst of mayhem and bloodshed. It has been so for the past few months though in April the Nouri al-Maliki government managed to hold general elections. With the attention of the world’s big powers and the western media being focused largely on the.....

Thanthirimale Ancient temple in a valley of scenic beauty

 The ancient place of Buddhist worship, Thanthirimale Raja Maha Viharaya is situated in a picturesque valley in the North Central Province, not far away from Anuradhapura, the glorious ancient capital of Sri Lanka.

Seed Act: A shame on our kings - EDITORIAL

For centuries, our plate of rice or ‘Buth Patha’ has provided us not only a wholesome meal but has become part of our culture and traditions. Now unknown to most people, often because they are not bothered to know, a serious danger is lurking and it might affect not......

Remembering Ven.Bowatte Indraratana Thera

A little over a year ago on Vesak Day, May 24, 2013  to be exact, Ven. Bowatte Indraratana Thera made the supreme sacrifice by giving up his precious life opposite the Dalada Maligawa.

Practice of Buddhist Wisdom and loving Kindness

In the Karaniya Metta Sutta, Buddha has indicated many ways of leading a happy and contented life here on earth and also hereafter which ultimately leads to the eradication of all suffering.

Buddhist ethics is the only way to an ideal society

Brilliant senior surgeon of a bygone era now 93 years, whose surgical assistant I was for many years with whom I still maintain an affectionate teacher  - student  relationship, having read my article on Vesak Day asked me why I chose to  write about the Buddha’s  advice on family life and

Ariya Samatha as Expounded by Buddha

Samatha refers to the serenity of mind. It has a much deeper meaning in the Buddhist tradition as opposed to what is popularly referred to as Samatha today. First it is important to understand what causes mental turbulence or agitation which results in loss of serenity.

Owners and Custodians - EDITORIAL

Vesak is universally celebrated by Buddhists.  Poson is different in that it is of special significance to Buddhists in Sri Lanka.  Even though it is now acknowledged that the word of the Buddha reached the island before the arrival of Arahat Mahinda it is hard to dispute that the.....

They called us cheats

Jo Butler had moved far out - a yard out of the crease on Sky Television replays [Not mere inches]- indeed audacious after two warnings...

Tamil thinking needs a Paradigm shift

Velupillai Prabhakaran had a dream until it turned out to be a terrible nightmare that kept on haunting the forlorn hearts and minds of the people in the North in particular and the majority Sinhalese in the South for nearly thirty punishing years.

Engineering: Beware of overlapping

While there should be interaction between the three legs each bearing its own weight for stability...

The outcome of terrorism - EDITORIAL

The attack on the Pakistan’s biggest airport, the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Sunday that killed more than 20 people would have caused to flash the memories of the attack on the Bandaranaike International Airport by the LTTE on July 24, 2001 across the minds of many Sri Lankans.

‘Monks need not enter p’ment to change society’

With the direct involvement of Buddhist monks in the social political issues in the country, there is social discourse whether this direct involvement of monks is appropriate for Buddhism and for the monks. In this backdrop, Ven. Prof. Kotapitiye Rahula Thera......

The deep sea-bed and its resources - The common heritage of mankind

In the decade of the 1960s, scientists reported that the bed of the deep seas could yield virtually limitless mineral wealth (see for example, J. Mero, The Mineral Resources of the Seas, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1965).

EDITORIAL - Act now before it is too late

Just as the prophetic Pope Francis in a dramatic new Pentecost initiative held prayerful talks in the Vatican  with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Buddhist and other religious leaders in Sri Lanka need to play a more active......

Executive Presidency erodes democracy

Political activist and former President of the Federation of University Teachers’ Association (FUTA), Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri spoke to the on the revival of the FUTA campaign to win academics’ demands, the need to revisit the electoral.......

Organic Path to Health and Sustainable Living

Industrial civilization that flourished in the West over the last two centuries has made significant inroads into the rest of the world, particularly over the last few decades on the back of neo-liberal economic reforms adopted even by so-called socialist regimes.

EDITORIAL-Targets set but not met; what’s gone wrong?

Investment Promotion Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena during a recent news briefing announced that Sri Lanka was setting up a US$2 billion Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) target for 2014, but wasn’t US$2 billion the target set for last year as well?