Supreme Court of India Redeems itself with judgments

It was only in January this year that the legitimacy of the Indian Supreme Court was under serious scrutiny following an unprecedented press conference held by four judges of the court led by Justice J. Chelameswar, second in the pecking order after Chief Justice Dipak Misra.

Land fragmentation and its fallout Plantations on chopping block ?

In a Cabinet decision mentioned at a weekly media briefing on December 12 last year, among 35 decisions announced was a proposal that was part of a process that would radically transform the land use patterns on Sri Lanka’s plantations.

The State Of The World’s Children - EDITORIAL

Today we celebrate Children’s Day. The day we as a nation renew our commitment to the rights of the country’s children. We use it to raise awareness of the rights of children and.....

A Day at Colombo’s Book ‘Carnival’

As I leisurely strolled down the pathways leading to the halls marked A to R at the BMICH last Tuesday, at September’s Colombo International Book Fair, without visiting any of the 400 plus BOOK Stalls....

October 1 - World Habitat Day: Solid Waste Management an integral part of Environmental Conservation

The World Habitat Day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in the year 1985. The day dedicated was Monday October 1 every year.....

Rupee Haemorrhage

The falling Sri Lankan Rupee is now at the centre of discussions about the economy. Is this problem due to the US Dollar strengthening along with increasing interest rates in the United States?

We are the bows – Children the living arrows

Sri Lanka celebrates World Children’s Day this weekend and on Monday October 1, though other countries have their celebrations on different days ranging from June 1 to November 20 when the day is celebrated by the United Nations and its affiliate the United Nations International, Childrens Emergency Fund (UNICEF).  

Children: Our future citizens

Naturally everyone born in this society has to pass through a number of stages such as infancy, childhood, youth, middle age and the old age provided of course one remains alive without facing death immature. During the infancy and the feeble old age one has to depend on others for survival. Life circle is such that babies in the human world and the offspring in world of animals depend on their parents for survival.. Old and feeble grandmothers a

War as seen by Sarajevo’s child photographers

In 1995, the Bosnian civil war which had torn apart former Yugoslavia was finally over. But the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo was in ruins. British photographer Chris Leslie who visited it in the late summer of 1996 was appalled. To him, the ruined city resembled a 20th century Dresden or Stalingrad.   

National Dengue Prevention Week: Don’t let dengue mosquitoes sting us

The dengue pandemic is once again trying to penetrate our nation. However, ‘The National Dengue Prevention Week’ campaign which commenced on September 26 is doing its utmost to eradicate and prevent the virus in Sri Lanka. The dengue prevention campaign is carried out jointly by the CMC, Health Ministry, Special Presidential Task Force, the Environment Police and the Tri-Forces.   

A story about reconciliation - EDITORIAL

President Maithripala Sirisena underscored the efforts taken by Sri Lanka to restore democracy when he spoke at the 73rd Session of the United Nation’s....

Maldives: Democracy restored, but more to be done

The Maldivian people have spoken loud and clear.  There is no place in democracy for an autocrat. The humiliating defeat was overwhelming, for he lost....

Playing politics with security

This is an amazing country where people play politics with the safety and security of political and military leaders, despite some of them being possible targets....

SAITM again with a ‘shamed GMOA’

“GMOA Secretary Haritha Aluthge told a news conference that their counsel were currently studying the facts included in the judgment and that the GMOA’s....

Notes for a Manifesto: environment, development, caricature and extremism

There are no two ways to think of the environment. This doesn’t mean there’s only one way. There are in fact countless ways of understanding and engaging with the world around us. The environmental cake, so to speak, can be cut in many ways; according to the ‘needs’ of the moment, envisaged futures, cultural habits, philosophical 

Dynamic society with the Right to Information

To be well informed with a balanced awareness of important national issues is not only a right but also the responsibility of citizens who are committed to the goals of eco-friendly, sustainable development and a vision of a just, peaceful and all -inclusive society.   

Rapid rupee depreciation A test for Government’s liberal economic policies

The rapid depreciation of the rupee value against the US dollar is forcing the Government to have a relook at its economic model, at least for the time being. It sounded certain when Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera requested people to stop luxury imports and to stick to locally manufactured products as much as possible as otherwise it would drain the country’s dollar reserves.   

Towards a prosperous Sri Lanka

The Opposition’s cries that this Government has failed have been reinforced by the rate at which the rupee is depreciating. Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa recently claimed that the foreign debt commitment during his regime was rupees 443 billion as compared to rupees 820 billion under the present Yahapalana regime. 

Media freedom and social responsibility - EDITORIAL

Twenty years have passed since the Colombo Declaration on Media Freedom and Social responsibility was signed by The Editor’s Guild of Sri Lanka (TEGOSL) in April 1998 together with the Newspaper Society of Sri Lanka and the Free Media Movement. 

Karu as candidate?

In the last few columns, I have tried, maybe in vain, to make a case for a plausible scenario in which a Presidential Candidate representing the same UNP-led coalition that brought current President Maithripala Sirisena to office could be successful again.  

Why public sector needs to be social media savvy

Sri Lankan public policy and public service have never been known to be moving with new trends. They are associated with archaic rules and regulations and snail’s pace work ethics.  Now these very same institutions are faced with adapting to times when download speeds determine everything. Imagine the situation of a public 

POLITICAL SCREWUPS AND MIRACULOUS COMEBACKS!

Aside from the Rajapaksa family do we not have any senior political figures or families in the SLFP or our country for Presidential contenders!!! Is it so blatantly obvious that MR does not hesitate to say that his brother Gota is the most likely and the most suitable candidate for the Presidency??? Apart from this contention, we are looking 

Response to Female Circumcision: An Islamic practice brings untold benefits to women Ban FGM in Sri

Over the past few years, activists and researchers have been explicitly highlighting the existence of the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sri Lanka.  

Let’s celebrate the diversity in our democracy

The Cable News Network (CNN)’s widely-respected analyst Fareed Zakaria in his programme Global Public Square on Sunday examined the response to the rise of populism or narrow-minded racist and religious thinking in Europe and said the United States and Europe should be celebrating the remarkable achievements of diversity 

President’s UN plea and misplaced obsession with war crimes

President Maithripala Sirisena who will address the UN General Assembly today, had earlier confided to the media bosses that he would, in his UN speech, seek a reprieve of war crimes against the government forces. 

Reflections on Binara Poya Buddhism:Least prejudiced against women

The Buddha’s open invitation for women to participate in the Sasana by making them eligible to enter the Bhikkuni Sangha– with ample opportunities for public life had greatly improved the status of women.

Failed Neo-liberal paradigm Poverty and inequality continue as persistent, unjust, socio-economic is

In his 2013 Apostolic Exhortation, EVANGELII GAUDIUM, Pope Francis, firmly and eloquently drew the attention of all global leaders, big and small, to fight poverty and growing inequality with the sharpest words and phrases ever, on the dominant economic system, which he pointed out derives from “the tyranny of unfettered capitalism and the ideology of money.”

America’s new Cyber Strategy and Space Force Whither future of global commons? US Sanctions on China

The Trump Administration unveiled its brand new strategy for cyber space on the International day of peace declared by the United Nations in 1982.   

The world’s longest running refugee crisis

The 73rd Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly opened on September 18, and the general debate which commences on 25 September is scheduled to continue for nine days.

Crime against the soul of our societies

India was in crisis this week after a seven-year-old girl became the latest victim in a country where a rape is reported to be taking place in every 13 minutes.