Reshaping Sri Lanka’s foreign policy amidst a turbulent world order
Reshaping Sri Lanka’s foreign policy amidst a turbulent world order View(s):By Dr. Harinda VidanageThe mood in the global political landscape over the last few years of the conduct of international affairs between states, non-state and sub-state actors has been quite pensive. The necessity that drives Sri Lanka’s foreign policy future is finding ways and means to achieve a sort of strategic autonomy to navigate the above uncertainty by introducing a set of robust foreign policy pillars. There is a distinct emergence of a set of foreign policy pillars that were absent in Sri Lankan foreign policy articulations for a great period. Sri Lanka’s foreign policy administration was required to maintain a constant calibration of its approach to Delhi and swiftly make course corrections when necessary. In the absence of a framework or common set of pillars of foreign policy for a long time, the current efforts by President Wickremesinghe bear the hallmarks of an effort to forge a comprehensive foreign policy framework.
Source:Sunday Times
February 05, 2024 14:14 UTC
Maldives President Says Indian Troops To Leave Island Nation By May
Sticking to his anti-India stand, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu told the parliament today that the island nation will not allow "any country to interfere with or undermine our sovereignty". He said New Delhi and Male have agreed that Indian troops will leave The Maldives by May 10, according to local media reports. President Muizzu said Indian troops on one of the three aviation platforms in the island nation will leave by March 10, and those on the other two will pull out by May 10. India has 80-odd troops in the island nation to provide humanitarian aid and medical evacuation. Soon after taking over, President Muizzu visited China and met its President Xi Jinping.
Source:The Nation
February 05, 2024 06:27 UTC
Ayo Edebiri Addresses Past J.Lo Hate in SNL Hosting Debut
NBC/screengrabDuring a game show sketch called “Why’d You Say It?” first time Saturday Night Live host Ayo Edebiri took a brief moment to acknowledge a controversy that bubbled up this week between her and this week’s musical guest Jennifer Lopez. “OK, OK, we get it. It’s wrong to leave mean comments or post comments just for clout or run your mouth on a podcast and you don’t consider the impact because you’re 24 and stupid,” Edebiri’s character said near the end of the sketch that asked contestants to explain their online hate IRL. Read more at The Daily Beast. Source: www.thedailybeast.com
Source:The Nation
February 04, 2024 05:35 UTC
'My Life Is For My Nation': LK Advani On Bharat Ratna Honour, Remembers These 2 Stalwarts
Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Lal Krishna Advani expressed his deep humility and gratitude on Saturday as he accepted the prestigious Bharat Ratna award. "With utmost humility and gratitude, I accept the 'Bharat Ratna' that has been conferred on me today. #WATCH | Delhi | Government of India announces Bharat Ratna for veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani. pic.twitter.com/C0NLemHsZ2 — ANI (@ANI) February 3, 2024Earlier in the day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge welcomed the announcement. In Karnataka, political leaders across party lines hailed the decision to confer Bharat Ratna on Advani.
Source:The Nation
February 03, 2024 16:47 UTC
LK Advani to be honoured with Bharat Ratna, Announces Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi
Veteran leader, Shri Lal Krishna Advani will be conferred with Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award of the nation. Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has announced about this development through his X post. Shri Modi also spoke to Shri LK Advani and congratulated him on being conferred this honour. The Prime Minister posted on X;“I am very happy to share that Shri LK Advani Ji will be conferred the Bharat Ratna. The conferring of the Bharat Ratna on him is a very emotional moment for me.
Source:The Nation
February 03, 2024 16:08 UTC
Operations Secretariat to provide freehold land titles set up
Operations Secretariat to provide freehold land titles set upNewsWith an intent of granting freehold land titles to two million families, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake inaugurated the "Urumaya” National Operations Secretariat yesterday (01) at the President's Office in the Old Standard Chartered Building. The initiative aims to address long-standing concerns regarding land rights in rural Sri Lanka, which falls in line with President Ranil Wickremesinghe's vision of empowering farmers through land ownership, addressing concerns about land security for farmers. For assistance with grant deed issues and registration at the “Urumaya” National Operations Secretariat, contact 0114354600-1 or visit the e-form at http://tinyurl.com/yb98yheyAttending the event were Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism and Lands H.M.B.P. Herath, Secretary to the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing W.S. Sathyananda, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Chandra Herath, Director of Social Services of the President's Office, Priyantha Kumara, Land Commissioner General Bandula Jayasinghe, Surveyor General W.S.L.C.
Source:Sunday Times
February 03, 2024 03:43 UTC
Minister Keheliya arrested
Minister Keheliya arrestedNewsMinister Keheliya Rambukwella was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) a short while ago over the substandard Human Immunoglobulin import issue. Mr. Rambukwella went to the CID at around 9 a.m. and provided his statement for over 11 hours. He is to be produced before courts tomorrow. You can share this post!
Source:Sunday Times
February 03, 2024 03:43 UTC
Study reveals genes regulating lotus flowering
Source: phys.orgLotus is one of the top 10 traditional flowers in China with high ornamental value. Flowering behavior in lotus marks the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth, and flowering time is also an important determinant of its market value.
Source:The Nation
February 03, 2024 00:19 UTC
Asteroid making its closest approach to Earth this week
Source: phys.orgOn 4 February, asteroid 2011 MD will make its closest approach to the Earth. Though it will not be visible with the naked eye, the asteroid will pass 15,000,000 km away from Earth—much closer than those in the asteroid belt and less than 10% of the distance from Earth to its next nearest planet, Mars.
Source:The Nation
February 02, 2024 19:07 UTC
Ferry Services Suspended Due To Weather
February 1, 2024 | 0 CommentsDue to the inclement weather, all ferry services will be suspended today [Feb 1] as of 5.30pm. A Government spokesperson said, “The Department of Marine and Ports Services has advised that due the inclement weather all ferry services will be suspended as of 5:30 pm today, 1 February. “The Department will resume service tomorrow morning. For updates public can contact Ferry Terminal at 295-4506.”Read More About#FerryBoats #WeatherCategory: All, News
Source:The Nation
February 01, 2024 23:22 UTC
Former Health Secretary and five others further remanded
Former Health Secretary and five others further remandedNewsFormer Health Ministry Secretary Janaka Sri Chandraguptha and five others held for importing substandard Immunoglobulin were remanded until February 15 by the Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court today (1). However, the Health Ministry Medical Supplies Division’s Store Keeper was granted bail. You can share this post!
Source:Sunday Times
February 01, 2024 21:39 UTC
Solving mysteries of metallic glass at the nanoscale
Source: phys.orgThe matter of how metals deform or respond to external stresses has been extensively studied among metallurgists for centuries. When it comes to conventional metals—the crystalline kind with atoms that line up in neat patterns—the process is fairly well understood. But for the deformation of metallic glasses and other amorphous metals, easy answers have been elusive, particularly when it comes to how things work at the nanoscale.
Source:The Nation
February 01, 2024 15:36 UTC
China executes couple for murder of toddlers that shocked the nation
China has executed a couple for throwing two toddlers out of a high-rise apartment window, in a case that provoked nationwide outrage. Ye saw Zhang’s two children as an “obstacle” to them getting married and a “burden on their future life together,” the court heard. She repeatedly urged Zhang to kill the toddlers and threatened to break up with him if he didn’t. His study shows that Chinese people who express political views online tend to show greater support for the death penalty. Wednesday’s execution also brought into focus the main method used in China to carry out the death penalty: lethal injection.
Source:The Nation
February 01, 2024 13:59 UTC
Army deployed in state-run hospitals
Army deployed in state-run hospitalsNewsThe Army has been deployed in 22 state run hospitals to assist in providing services to patients as a strike by health workers is underway. At least 600 soldiers have been deployed in 22 hospitals so far. An estimated 100,000 workers were due to take part in the strike which commenced at 6.30 a.m today . They are demanding an allowance similar to that of doctors granted recently. Meanwhile Navy and Air Force personnel too are to be deployed in hospitals.
Source:Sunday Times
February 01, 2024 13:32 UTC
A new way to visualize brain cancer at the nanoscale level
Source: phys.orgResearchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have unveiled unprecedentedly detailed images of brain cancer tissue through the use of a new microscopy technology called decrowding expansion pathology (dExPath).Their findings, published in Science Translational Medicine, provide novel insights into brain cancer development, with potential implications for advancing the diagnosis and treatment of aggressive neurological diseases.
Source:The Nation
February 01, 2024 09:04 UTC