Features

Foreign snippets of news, mostly

Published

6 years ago

2020/12/18

The World Food Programme (WFP) was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize – richly deserved.

Cass listened to her favourite interview: that of Stephen Sackur in the BBC HARDTalk programme, on Sunday December 1. He interviewed Ex Republican Governor of South Carolina, David Beasly, now Executive Director of the WFP, who seemed extremely committed and concerned especially about refugee children in Yemen where he said the worst ever crisis was happening. He predicted that worse was to come. The WFP of US$ 15bn required annually was hardly available so they had to make do. Admittedly, countries, even the rich, are hard pressed economically so to how donate generously for charity overseas. And most of the poverty and hunger and harm to women and children were because of armed conflicts, within or between countries. There is no end or limit to leaders’ greed for power.

Sackur commented that Beasly had promoted and worked for Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Beasly admitted it. He seemed no longer enamoured of the man but he did not criticize Trump outright. He said the US had donated 4 b and that most countries were looking inward and thus organizations like the WFP suffer greatly, not being able to achieve half of what has to be done.

Sackur also commented on the fact that during a recent visit to a children’s hospital in Yemen. Beasly had to leave the ward as he just could not take any more of the suffering he saw. He admitted he was in tears after seeing how beautifully a 1 ½ year old girl, emaciated with starving, smiled lovingly at him.

Sackur and Beasly both agreed that billionaire individuals from all over the world should contribute to organisations such as WFP because nations are cash-strapped having their own unemployed people to see to.

Beasly said: “It is easy to feel hopeless, but we have to go on.”

Very rich being donors

Cass mentioned this fact or rather hope in the Sri Lankan context, in a Cassandra Cry column two weeks previous, when she commented how flat dwellers who are definitely suffering from restrictions imposed on them due to the surge of Covid-19 infection, protest and scream complaining that the government allowance of Rs 5000 to them was totally inadequate. True, but at least the government, also on the brink of you-know-what, cannot give more. So Cassandra reflected that Sri Lankans who have got extremely rich by earning through thriving businesses including many self-made, one-generation multi billionaires, should donate to help our daily workers out of job now. There are some who have amassed huge monies in other ways. Why not a bit of extra charity Cass dares to ask since one cannot spend much on high living in these bleak, restricted times.

This idea was expressed by Sackur too: Why not the world’s billionaires contribute to the WFP. Beasly agreed.

On the other hand there are so many un-rich Sri Lankans who do so much for the under privileged, most often banding together with others who feel for our poor.

Deforestation now in the public domain

All the shouting in Parliament debating the 2021 budget left Cassandra cold and unresponsive. Comment is useless, but many gems were shed in a few of the speeches. Sajith debates well with even temper and voice; Harsha and Eran are superb. How about the government side? The less said the better!

But one good thing is happening. The public and organisations that claim to be watchdogs for the public are getting vociferous about deforestation and illicit sand mining. The mining for limestone should cease immediately in Digana in the precincts of the Victoria Dam. People sometimes are worse than assess and jackals in their greed and resorting to cunning methods of exploiting resources; never they mind the danger to the country.

The Island

or its Sunday edition carried an article by Dr Sumith Pilapitiya and another about deforestation and over-use of resources. It was an article that every single MP should read and keep bulletin-boarded in offices that deal with wildlife. The two authors quoted the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres twice which quotes were very spot-on regarding our local deforestation and human-elephant conflict.

We in this tiny island have so many brilliant men and women of education, expertise, love of the country and personality. Cass suspects they are not brain-stormed or their abilities tapped. Cass caustically supposes political affiliations interfere and influence.

One very relevant story Cass heard was that during the previous regime, Nilame’s of temples and devales that conduct annual peraheras, wanted elephants loaned for their processions. It looks very much that numbers count for prestige; 15 to 25 elephants are not adequate for the parade. The Nilames met the then Prez Sirisena who summoned Dr Pilapitiya, wisely appointed Head of Wildlife, and said he must release elephants from orphanages. Dr P. was willing to lend from the Pinnawela Orphanage as those animals were to remain in the orphanage; but not from the Udawalawe Home as elephants in it were trained to return to the jungle. The Prez was adamant. (Did he only tongue whiplash or did he bring out his madu walige?) Pronto came letter of resignation from Dr P. Such a great loss for the Wildlife Department and the entire country. Mercifully he is here, maybe off and on since the UN has recognized him as a foremost expert on elephants, particularly.

Another plus

The Paris Agreement on a legally binding treaty on climate change adopted in Paris on December 12, 2015, with 196 Parties signing it, celebrated its fifth anniversary and via a virtual conference assessed what each country’s contribution had been, mainly on decrease of carbon emissions. The results were positive, but yet the urgent cry to save the planet must be heeded. One scientist proclaimed that at the rate pollution continues, the world will exist as it is, only for 100 more years.

The celebration was because the President to be, Biden announced that the US will rejoin the Paris Agreement from which it dropped out of solely due to Prez Trump being cheesed off by having to limit industrial activity.

And so the world spins around with the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine against Covid 19 being injected in people in the UK and now US, on priority basis. Singapore and India have placed their orders. Cass feels strongly Sri Lanka should go for the much cheaper and transportable Oxford vaccine. By the time we are ready to order a vaccine or have the WHO do it for us, the Oxford vaccine will surely be available.

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Features

The hard challenge of clinching a political settlement in the Middle East

Published

4 hours ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

Bruised hearts: Displaced Palestinian civilians in the Gaza.(Photo by Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Despite some sections of the Trump administration persisting with the view that the possibility could not be entirely ruled out of there being a diplomatic solution to the current US-Iran hostilities in West Asia, the skeptic could not be blamed for thinking otherwise. The intensity, scale and frequency of the tit-for-tat strikes by the antagonists over the past few days against selected military targets and civilian infrastructure in particular in West Asia make the adoption of this stance excusable.

The continuing hostilities render the mentioning of the MOU signed between the warring parties in mid-June a laughable matter. While it could very well be that the foes are wishing privately for a cessation of hostilities before long, what seems to be uppermost on their minds right now is to negotiate with each other from a position of strength. This strategy compels them to incapacitate each other militarily to the extent possible, lest they have to concede too much to each other during negotiations. Hence the stepped-up hostilities.

However, even on the question of there being a negotiated political settlement in the West Asian theatre in the longer term, the skeptic could come to be seen as scoring over the optimist. Developments on the ground account for this.

At the time of writing Israel’s Netanyahu government is going ahead in fairly care-free fashion with the establishment of more Jewish settlements in the Gaza and the West Bank, and it’s all happening under the apparently complacent gaze of the US. In fact, some quarters estimate that Israel is in control of some 65% of the Gaza Strip. Ethnic cleansing, that is, is being drastically stepped-up.

Accordingly, in terms of the power relations of West Asia, the world is almost back to the status quo of the late forties of the last century when the state of Israel was established and the Palestinians were reduced to a microscopic minority in the land they came to inhabit. Therefore, even the impartial observer would be compelled to ask: ‘Will a negotiated peace be ever possible in the Middle East?’

The humanist in the observer would prefer to answer this question in the affirmative and it is indeed the ideal stance to adopt considering the staggering human and material costs of the conflict. But the way ahead to peace could be expected to be highly hazardous and arduous. Among other odds, it would also prove an uphill endeavour to win minds and hearts.

The US’ Trump administration would need to be counted out in this pursuit. This is on account of the fact that it has been far too wayward in its management of West Asian affairs in particular over the past couple of years. Given its unpredictable character it is a matter for conjecture whether it could be counted on to live up to its commitments.

Moreover, Israel could be expected to ‘go it alone’ in the Middle East regardless of whether US help is coming or otherwise. It has indicated as much in recent times and Israel could be doubted on this score only at the doubter’s peril. Because time and again Israel has demonstrated that it could steadfastly defend its interests even single-handedly in the Middle East. History bears this out.

However, a durable alliance with the US would stand Israel in good stead. On the matter of military and intelligence assistance, for example, the US’s help proved invaluable for Israel in the past and going forward this is bound to be so as well. Moreover, it is unlikely that the Trump administration would give up on Israel, considering that a strong Israel is crucial for the furtherance of the US’ strategic and economic interests in West Asia.

But whether the above factors would have a considerable bearing on the question of working out a durable solution to the West Asian tangle is an entirely different matter. Israel, as in the case of the Palestinian enclaves, is acutely security conscious and would need to satisfy itself fully that it could live in a security environment that would guarantee its complete safety, going forward.

The Middle East is badly in need of another peace effort on the lines of the Oslo Accords of the mid-nineties that brought the key actors together and helped hammer out a solution that addressed some of their notable concerns. To be sure, that process did not prove to be the ideal answer to the tangle, but it yielded some respite to the region and drove home that one-time sworn foes could indeed negotiate with a degree of success. The West Bank authority, although falling short of fulfilling some key Palestinian aspirations, is testimony that a degree of success is possible if the intent is right.

Given the current realities of West Asia, peace-making is bound to be an uphill challenge. The violence faced in recent times by the Palestinian community, in particular, has been nothing less than mind-numbing. Merciless has been the violence visited on them by the Israeli side. In such circumstances, durable peace in the region could smack of an idealist’s dream.

Nevertheless, there needs to be urgently, a meeting of minds over the divides. The US would need to be counted out as an honest broker in bringing the sides together but the rest of the West would do well to step up to the challenge.

In this exercise the onus would be on the world’s democracies to take the initiative and doggedly stay the course. An acceptable combination would be the EU and the UN. Given their credentials, the main sides in West Asia ought to find them the least controversial.

Even if the relevant institutional and political arrangements could be shored up to take a reconciliation process forward, winning hearts and minds for the peace drive would prove a grueling challenge. Over the past few years in particular tens of thousands of hearts and minds on both sides of the divide have been bruised badly in the runaway murderous violence that has come to define the Middle East.

These badly scarred personalities would need to experience healing without much delay. It is therefore a multi-faceted challenge that is at hand. Since wide-ranging expertise would be needed in the healing process, people’s participation in peace-making, ranging over the divides, would need to be made a durable reality. It will be a time for enthroning humanity and ensuring the rejection of all forms of violence and coercion.

Features

Amazing Thailand …right here in Colombo

Published

4 hours ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

For many Sri Lankans, Thailand is the go-to holiday — beaches, temples, food, and that famous warm hospitality.

In fact, I’ve been to Amazing Thailand 24 times myself, and was honoured with the Friends of Thailand International Media Award by the Tourism Authority of Thailand for promoting Thai tourism.

The good news I have for you today is that you don’t even need a passport to get a taste of Amazing Thailand.

The Royal Thai Embassy, in Colombo, is bringing a vibrant slice of Thailand, to the city of Colombo, with Thai Festival 2026 — a cultural experience like never before.

Whether you are an avid enthusiast of Thai culture, a total novice, or simply just interested in exploring foreign cultures, Thai Festival 2026 is going to be the perfect opportunity for you to get more than just a glimpse into one of the most celebrated cultural heritages in South East Asia. And ENTRANCE IS FREE.

The festival will be held on the 1st and 2nd of August, 2026, at Siam Nivasa, 43, C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha, Colombo 7, and the East Parking Area, of the Colombo Municipal Council, from 11:00am to 5:00pm.

Both days will be full of live entertainment, and dispersed throughout with Thai cultural displays, including exhilarating traditional dance performances and breathtaking Muay Thai demonstrations.

Exploring art and craft specific to Thailand, tasting irresistible authentic Thai cuisine, and playing arcade games, are just a few more fun-filled events available for visitors at the festival premises.

An array of Thai products will also be available for purchase.

While at the festival, you will find Sri Lankan Alumni from Thai universities sharing their experiences with you and willing to answer any questions you might have, related to studying abroad in Thailand.

You can also register for the Muay Thai workshop that will be happening on the 7th and 8th of August, 2026, in Colombo.

Irresistible authentic Thai cuisine

Visitors can also stand a chance to win traditional Thai souvenirs, get exclusive photo opportunities, and, the big one — to enter the raffle draw, at the end of each day, for the grand prize of an all-inclusive round trip to Thailand.

Be sure to avail yourself of this exceptional opportunity and add a cultural spin to your weekend.

To keep up with the latest updates on Thai Festival 2026, head over to the Thai Festival official social media pages.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo official webpage:

https://colombo.thaiembassy.org

Official social media:

Facebook: @RTEColombo

Instagram: @thaiembassysrilanka

Thai Festival official social media:

Facebook: Thai Festival in Colombo

Instagram: @thaifestival_colombo

TikTok: @thaifestival.incolombo

Features

Thicker, stronger hair …

Published

4 hours ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

Hair fall, in this heat, can be so frustrating, and noticing a thin patch is even more worrying. The good news is … yes, with a little care and kitchen ingredients, you can nourish your scalp and support healthy regrowth.

Try these four easy home remedies … even our grandmothers trusted:

* Coconut Oil and Curry Leaves Tonic:

Warm 04 tablespoons of coconut oil, with a handful of curry leaves, till the leaves turn black. Cool, strain, and massage into scalp 02-03 times a week. Leave for 01 hour, or overnight.

Why:

Coconut oil deeply nourishes, while curry leaves help strengthen roots and add shine.

* Onion Juice for Spot Treatment:

With cotton, dab the juice of 01 small onion, directly on the thin/bald patches. Leave for 20-30 minutes, and then wash with a mild shampoo. Use twice a week.

Why:

Rich in sulfur, onion juice helps boost blood circulation to the scalp.

* Aloe Vera and Castor Oil Mask:

Mix 02 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel and 01 tablespoon castor oil and apply to the scalp, focusing on thinning areas. Leave for 45 minutes, and then rinse with cool water.

Why:

Aloe vera soothes the scalp, while castor oil coats hair to make it look thicker.

* Fenugreek and Curd Strengthening Pack:

You will need 02 tablespoons fenugreek seeds, soaked overnight, and 02 tablespoons plain curd.

Grind to a paste, apply to scalp for 30 minutes, and then wash.

Why:

Fenugreek strengthens strands and reduces breakage.

Extra Tips for Healthy Hair:

Avoid tight hairstyles that pull on the scalp.

Eat iron and protein rich foods: greens, dhal, eggs, fish.

Use lukewarm water, not hot.

Be gentle when brushing and drying.