Features
Leptospirosis – no longer the rural farmer’s disease
Making a breakthrough in the study of leptospirosis, a bacterial infection transmitted from animals, a team of Sri Lankan researchers in a collaborative endeavour has discovered six new genotypes of this largely undermined tropical disease. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Island, they throw light on the findings of their research which are now in international literature enabling new knowledge on the world’s commonest zoonotic disease.
by Randima Attygalle
No longer considered the ‘rural farmer’s disease’, leptospirosis, commonly called rat fever or mee una in Sinhala, is changing its dynamics, urging clinicians, health policy-makers and the public to revisit this common tropical disease of both humans and animals. The bacterium that causes leptospirosis is spread through the urine of infected animals, which can get into water or soil and can survive there for weeks or months. Many different kinds of wild and domestic animals carry the bacterium including cattle, pigs, rodents, dogs, horses and wild animals.
Humans can become infected with the bacterium either through contact with urine of an infected animal or with water or soil contaminated with the urine of infected animals. The bacteria can enter the body through skin, eyes, nose or mouth. Outbreaks of leptospirosis are usually caused by exposure to contaminated water, such as floodwaters. It is a serious occupational hazard for those working outdoors such as farmers, miners etc. and professionals such as veterinarians in close contact with animals. According to global research findings, around one million cases of leptospirosis and 58,900 deaths are estimated to occur worldwide each year. More than 70% of the deaths are reported from the tropical, poorest regions of the world.
A re-merging disease here at home, leptospirosis has gained much attention since the large outbreak in 2008. “The annual incidence of leptospirosis that had required hospitalization from 2008 to 2015 was 52.1 per 100,000 people, with an estimated case fatality rate of 7.0% according to National Health Bulletin data. In 2018 there was another resurgence in numbers. The disease is no more a ‘seasonal’ one as it was conventionally known to be, resulting in multiple outbreaks per year, notably during rainy seasons. Manifestations of the disease have also changed, with a wide array of new clinical entities such as pulmonary haemorrhage (bleeding into the lungs), pancreatitis, and myocarditis coupled with high case fatality. These shifts in the disease call for new strategies, new interventions and the need to reorganize ourselves as the health care sector,” says Dr. Panduka Karunanayake, Senior Lecturer from the Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Colombo.
The purpose of this research project between researchers from several local institutions (Medical Research Institute and Base Hospital Elpitiya under the Ministry of Health, and University of Peradeniya and University of Colombo) and Japan (National Institute of Infectious Diseases in Tokyo, and Graduate School of Infectious Diseases and Institute of Genetic Medicine of Hokkaido University) had been to identify the serogroups and genetic groups of Leptospira organisms that are found here at home. “This knowledge is important to better understand the new clinical manifestations for their early diagnosis and treatment, and to know the carrier animal for specific control measures, as this disease is carried by animals,” explains Dr. Karunanayake.
A laborious process, first, the organisms need to be ‘isolated’ (grown) in artificial culture, and thereafter artificially ‘maintained’ (kept alive) in culture media. This needs specialized laboratories with biosafety measures. The National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Leptospirosis at the MRI offers this service to hospitals routinely. “Organisms were isolated from blood of patients affected by the 2015-2017 leptospirosis outbreak from the Base Hospital in Elpitiya and animal kidney tissue from Kandy. Once they were successfully grown and maintained in culture, they were sent to Japan for the genetic characterization which was done for us by the Japanese collaborator (Dr. Nobuo Koizumi, National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID), Japan),” says Dr Karunanayake.
The genetic characterization and serogroup analyses were done in NIID, Japan which demonstrated that these strains belonged to three genetically-defined species. “When their genotypic strains were analyzed, it was found that the isolates belong to 15 different strains, of which six were not described before in the world literature, hence treated as ‘novel genotypes’. Of these, three were from patients treated at the Base Hospital in Elpitiya. They were causing multiple complications such as kidney, liver, heart and lung involvement and septic shock. However, all of these patients survived,” says Dr. Karunanayake.
Although leptospirosis had been prevalent in our country since the 1950s, it has been changing its nature in the last decade. “While the number of cases are increasing alarmingly, the clinical picture too is changing, with the identification of new and troublesome complications including pulmonary haemorrhage, pancreatic involvement, heart involvement, community-acquired sepsis, etc.” he said. The disease is also affecting a wider group of people, such as those living in urban areas and people exposed only briefly to stagnant waters or floods.
“After 40 years since Dr. K. Nityananda’s work in the 1960s and 1970s at the NRL, we have been able to introduce new strains for the first time to the world literature on leptospirosis, again from the NRL,” observes Dr. Lilani Karunanayake, Consultant Clinical Microbiologist and Head/National Reference Laboratory for Leptospirosis at the Medical Research Institute. The emergence of new genotypes, as she points out, imply the importance of strict quarantine of imported cattle as well as other imported domestic animals that are potential reservoirs of leptospirosis. “Unintentional introduction of rodent reservoirs through improper garbage disposal and the existence of unidentified reservoir animals in the country also call for attention,” says the senior microbiologist who further says that new knowledge from this study will be valuable in future research for patient management and specifically-targeted control approaches for reservoir hosts in the prevention and control of leptospirosis in Sri Lanka. She extended her thanks to the clinicians from various hospitals who sent in samples, which enabled these discoveries in the best interest of people.
The National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Leptospirosis at the MRI which serves as the central referral laboratory in the country performs certain specific leptospirosis tests, samples for which are sent from hospitals island-wide. “Although certain tests could be performed at peripheral levels, some of the advanced cases need to be referred to the central lab,” notes Dr. Karunanayake, adding that the Teaching Hospitals at regional level should be strengthened with testing facilities for early detection.
Non-specific features of the patients such as fever, headaches, body aches, diarrhea which could mimic other conditions such as dengue has rendered early detection of leptospirosis very challenging, says Dr. Sajiv De Silva, Consultant Physician, Base Hospital, Balapitiya. “Hence kidney complications and the lung involvement are two specific features we give attention to in our investigations which often require intensive care. We also take serious account of the patient’s exposure to paddy fields and muddy water. In the Elpitiya patient cluster which we took as our research sample, the kidney complications and pulmonary haemorrhage were very severe which enabled us to add the new genotypes from this cluster to the world literature on leptospirosis.” He further remarks that these genotypes are more virulent than those found in the Western Province. Similar to the cluster in Elpitiya, more recent samples from patients in Galle, Balapitiya and Udugama in the Southern Province have reflected more severe complications, particularly lung and kidney complications which trigger rapid deterioration of the patient.
Patient demographic changes are also significant as the research reveals, points out Dr. De Silva. “Apart from farmers and miners who were traditionally identified as the most vulnerable to the disease, today we find a considerable percentage of young patients who had contacted it by merely visiting a paddy field or bathing in a river.” Diagnosing leptospirosis has become a “dilemma” for the physicians at the peripheral level, observes the Consultant who adds that, blurring lines between dengue and leptospirosis makes it more challenging. “In both situations platelets will drop. However in the treatment of dengue, while fluids need to be administered proportionate to the urine output, in the case of leptospirosis, fluids cannot be administered to mitigate pulmonary hemorrhage.”
Reiterating on the urgency of seeking early hospital care, the physician notes, “the earlier they come, faster the laboratory diagnosis would be.” Although clinical diagnosis of leptospirosis was not possible in the first few days of symptoms, today the availability of the PCR test (free in the state health sector) makes this possible, he adds. The toll the disease takes on families and the national health budget cannot be undermined. In a bid to create awareness on prevention of it by promoting safety footwear and early detection among the communities at rural level, a programme is now in place facilitated by the MOHs and PHIs says Dr. De Silva.
The breakthrough research is also a reflection of the validity of the ‘One Health’ concept where collaborative health efforts of multiple disciplines working nationally and globally can attain optimal health for people, animals and the environment, observes Dr. Chandika Gamage, Veterinarian and Senior Lecturer from the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya. “Pathogens isolated from rats and humans in a molecular study during the research had revealed same genetic strain types which have enabled us to enlarge our knowledge on leptospirosis,” explains Dr. Gamage.
Although traditionally leptospirosis had been considered a disease spread by rats (‘natural reservoirs’), it is now becoming clear that there are other animals, such as cattle, that harbour the bacteria and spread it, points out Dr. Gamage. The research had further thrown light on dairy cattle as a potent reservoir of the disease. They are often grazed on grassland infected with rat urine and can can set off a vicious cycle, says the Veterinarian. “One excretion of cattle urine can be an amplifier pathogen of leptospirosis.”
Concurrent studies in humans, animals and environmental sampling can determine how these interact to bring about disease in humans which validates the One Health approach, says the Veterinarian. Furthermore, diverse sero groups were found in this study to cause both human disease and that present in animals like cattle and buffalo, pointing towards the need for new preventive strategies to control human leptospirosis in Sri Lanka, he says. Research will also be extended to the study of domestic animals such as dogs and cats as potential carriers of the disease.
“It is imperative that we contribute to the control of leptospirosis through One Health perspective through preventive measures such as safe garbage disposal which would otherwise become breeding grounds for rats, vaccination of cats and dogs, use of preventive footwear in agrarian and other outdoor pursuits. While a patient infected with the disease may be treated, unless we adopt a holistic approach towards prevention, the environment around us could still be a catalyst of the disease hindering the control or even elimination of the disease.”
Six months into the term of office of the new government, the main positive achievements continue to remain economic and political stability and the reduction of waste and corruption. The absence of these in the past contributed to a significant degree to the lack of development of the country. The fact that the government is making a serious bid to ensure them is the best prognosis for a better future for the country. There is still a distance to go. The promised improvements that would directly benefit those who are at the bottom of the economic pyramid, and the quarter of the population who live below the poverty line, have yet to materialise. Prices of essential goods have not come down and some have seen sharp increases such as rice and coconuts. There are no mega projects in the pipeline that would give people the hope that rapid development is around the corner.
There were times in the past when governments succeeded in giving the people big hopes for the future as soon as they came to power. Perhaps the biggest hope came with the government’s move towards the liberalisation of the economy that took place after the election of 1977. President J R Jayewardene and his team succeeded in raising generous international assistance, most of it coming in the form of grants, that helped to accelerate the envisaged 30 year Mahaweli Development project to just six years. In 1992 President Ranasinghe Premadasa thought on a macro scale when his government established 200 garment factories throughout the country to develop the rural economy and to help alleviate poverty. These large scale projects brought immediate hope to the lives of people.
More recently the Hambantota Port project, Mattala Airport and the Colombo Port City project promised mega development that excited the popular imagination at the time they commenced, though neither of them has lived up to their envisaged potential. These projects were driven by political interests and commission agents rather than economic viability leading to debt burden and underutilisation. The NPP government would need to be cautious about bringing in similar mega projects that could offer the people the hope of rapid economic growth. During his visits to India and China, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake signed a large number of agreements with the governments of those countries but the results remain unclear. The USD 1 billion Adani project to generate wind power with Indian collaboration appears to be stalled. The USD 3.7 billion Chinese proposal to build an oil refinery also appears to be stalled.
RENEWED GROWTH
The absence of high profile investments or projects to generate income and thereby take the country to a higher level of development is a lacuna in the development plans of the government. It has opened the door to invidious comparisons to be drawn between the new government’s ability to effect change and develop the economy in relation to those in the opposition political parties who have traditionally been in the seats of power. However, recently published statistics of the economic growth during the past year indicates that the economy is doing better than anticipated under the NPP government. Sri Lanka’s economy grew by 5 percent in the year 2024, reversing two years of contraction with the growth rate for the year of 2023 being estimated at negative 2.3 percent. What was particularly creditable was the growth rate for the fourth quarter of 2024 (after the new government took over) being 5.4 percent. The growth figures for the present quarter are also likely to see a continuation of the present trend.
Sri Lanka’s failure in the past has been to sustain its economic growth rates. Even though the country started with high growth rates under different governments, it soon ran into problems of waste and corruption that eroded those gains. During the initial period of President J R Jayawardene’s government in the late 1970s, the economy registered near 8 percent growth with the support of its mega projects, but this could not be sustained. Violent conflict, waste and corruption came to the centre stage which led to the economy getting undermined. With more and more money being spent on the security forces to battle those who had become insurgents against the state, and with waste and corruption skyrocketing there was not much left over for economic development.
The government’s commitment to cut down on waste and corruption so that resources can be saved and added to enable economic growth can be seen in the strict discipline it has been following where expenditures on its members are concerned. The government has restricted the cabinet to 25 ministers, when in the past the figure was often double. The government has also made provision to reduce the perks of office, including medical insurance to parliamentarians. The value of this latter measure is that the parliamentarians will now have an incentive to upgrade the health system that serves the general public, instead of running it down as previous governments did. With their reduced levels of insurance coverage they will need to utilise the public health facilities rather than go to the private ones.
COMMITTED GOVERNMENT
The most positive feature of the present time is that the government is making a serious effort to root out corruption. This is to be seen in the invigoration of previously dormant institutions of accountability, such as the Bribery and Corruption Commission, and the willingness of the Attorney General’s Department to pursue those who were previously regarded as being beyond the reach of the law due to their connections to those in the seats of power. The fact that the Inspector General of Police, who heads the police force, is behind bars on a judicial order is an indication that the rule of law is beginning to be taken seriously. By cost cutting, eliminating corruption and abiding by the rule of law the government is removing the obstacles to development. In the past, the mega development projects failed to deliver their full benefits because they got lost in corrupt and wasteful practices including violent conflict.
There is a need, however, for new and innovative development projects that require knowledge and expertise that is not necessarily within the government. So far it appears that the government is restricting its selection of key decision makers to those it knows, has worked with and trusts due to long association. Two of the committees that the government has recently appointed, the Clean Lanka task force and the Tourism advisory committee are composed of nearly all men from the majority community. If Sri Lanka is to leverage its full potential, the government must embrace a more inclusive approach that incorporates women and diverse perspectives from across the country’s multiethnic and multireligious population, including representation from the north and east. For development that includes all, and is accepted by all, it needs to tap into the larger resources that lie outside itself.
By ensuring that women and ethnic minorities have representation in decision making bodies of the government, the government can harness a broader range of skills, experiences, and perspectives, ultimately leading to more effective and sustainable development policies. Sustainable development is not merely about economic growth; it is about inclusivity and partnership. A government that prioritises diversity in its leadership will be better equipped to address the challenges that can arise unexpectedly. By widening its advisory base and integrating a broader array of voices, the government can create policies that are not only effective but also equitable. Through inclusive governance, responsible economic management, and innovative development strategies the government will surely lead the country towards a future that benefits all its people.
by Jehan Perera
Former Minister Ali Sabry’s recent op-ed, “Why Sri Lanka must continue to pursue a non-aligned, yet multi-aligned foreign policy,” published in the Daily FT on 3 March, offers a timely reflection on Sri Lanka’s foreign policy trajectory in an increasingly multipolar world. Sabry’s articulation of a “non-aligned yet multi-aligned” approach is commendable for its attempt to reconcile Sri Lanka’s historical commitment to non-alignment with the realities of contemporary geopolitics. However, his framework raises critical questions about the principles of non-alignment, the nuances of multi-alignment, and Sri Lanka’s role in a world shaped by great power competition. This response seeks to engage with Sabry’s arguments, critique certain assumptions, and propose a more robust vision for Sri Lanka’s foreign policy.
Sabry outlines five key pillars of a non-aligned yet multi-aligned foreign policy:
- No military alignments, no foreign bases: Sri Lanka should avoid entangling itself in military alliances or hosting foreign military bases.
- Economic engagement with all, dependency on none
: Sri Lanka should diversify its economic partnerships to avoid over-reliance on any single country.
* Diplomatic balancing
: Sri Lanka should engage with multiple powers, leveraging relationships with China, India, the US, Europe, Japan, and ASEAN for specific benefits.
- Leveraging multilateralism
: Sri Lanka should participate actively in regional and global organisations, such as UN, NAM, SAARC, and BIMSTEC.
- Resisting coercion and protecting sovereignty
: Sri Lanka must resist external pressures and assert its sovereign right to pursue an independent foreign policy.
While pillars 1, 2, and 5 align with the traditional principles of non-alignment, pillars 3 and 4 warrant closer scrutiny. Sabry’s emphasis on “diplomatic balancing” and “leveraging multilateralism” raises questions about the consistency of his approach with the spirit of non-alignment and whether it adequately addresses the challenges of a multipolar world.
Dangers of over-compartmentalisation
Sabry’s suggestion that Sri Lanka should engage with China for infrastructure, India for regional security and trade, the US and Europe for technology and education, and Japan and ASEAN for economic opportunities reflects a pragmatic approach to foreign policy. However, this compartmentalisation of partnerships risks reducing Sri Lanka’s foreign policy to a transactional exercise, undermining the principles of non-alignment.
Sabry’s framework, curiously, excludes China from areas like technology, education, and regional security, despite China’s growing capabilities in these domains. For instance, China is a global leader in renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and 5G technology, making it a natural partner for Sri Lanka’s technological advancement. Similarly, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) offers significant opportunities for economic development and regional connectivity. By limiting China’s role to infrastructure, Sabry’s approach risks underutilising a key strategic partner.
Moreover, Sabry’s emphasis on India for regional security overlooks the broader geopolitical context. While India is undoubtedly a critical partner for Sri Lanka, regional security cannot be addressed in isolation from China’s role in South Asia. The Chinese autonomous region of Xizang (Tibet) is indeed part of South Asia, and China’s presence in the region is a reality that Sri Lanka must navigate. A truly non-aligned foreign policy would seek to balance relationships with both India and China, rather than assigning fixed roles to each.
Sabry’s compartmentalisation of partnerships risks creating silos in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy, limiting its flexibility and strategic depth. For instance, by relying solely on the US and Europe for technology and education, Sri Lanka may miss out on opportunities for South-South cooperation with members of BRICS.
Similarly, by excluding China from regional security discussions, Sri Lanka may inadvertently align itself with India’s strategic interests, undermining its commitment to non-alignment.
Limited multilateralism?
Sabry’s call for Sri Lanka to remain active in organisations like the UN, NAM, SAARC, and BIMSTEC is laudable. However, his omission of the BRI, BRICS, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is striking. These platforms represent emerging alternatives to the Western-dominated global order and offer Sri Lanka opportunities to diversify its partnerships and enhance its strategic autonomy.
The BRI is one of the most ambitious infrastructure and economic development projects in history, involving over 140 countries. For Sri Lanka, the BRI offers opportunities for infrastructure development, trade connectivity, and economic growth. By participating in the BRI, Sri Lanka can induce Chinese investment to address its infrastructure deficit and integrate into global supply chains. Excluding the BRI from Sri Lanka’s foreign policy framework would be a missed opportunity.
BRICS and the SCO represent platforms for South-South cooperation and multipolarity. BRICS, in particular, has emerged as a counterweight to such Western-dominated institutions as the IMF and World Bank, advocating for a more equitable global economic order. The SCO, on the other hand, focuses on regional security and counterterrorism, offering Sri Lanka a platform to address its security concerns in collaboration with major powers like China, Russia, and India. By engaging with these organisations, Sri Lanka can strengthen its commitment to multipolarity and enhance its strategic autonomy.
Non-alignment is not neutrality
Sabry’s assertion that Sri Lanka must avoid taking sides in major power conflicts reflects a misunderstanding of non-alignment. Non-alignment is not about neutrality; it is about taking a principled stand on issues of global importance. During the Cold War, non-aligned countries, like Sri Lanka, opposed colonialism, apartheid, and imperialism, even as they avoided alignment with either the US or the Soviet Union.
Sri Lanka’s foreign policy, under leaders like S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike, was characterised by a commitment to anti-colonialism and anti-imperialism, opposing racial segregation and discrimination in both its Apartheid and Zionist forms. Sri Lanka, the first Asian country to recognise revolutionary Cuba, recognised the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of South Vietnam, supported liberation struggles in Africa, and opposed the US military base in Diego Garcia. These actions were not neutral; they were rooted in a principled commitment to justice and equality.
Today, Sri Lanka faces new challenges, including great power competition, economic coercion, and climate change. A truly non-aligned foreign policy would require Sri Lanka to take a stand on issues like the genocide in Gaza, the colonisation of the West Bank, the continued denial of the right to return of ethnically-cleansed Palestinians and Chagossians, the militarisation of the Indo-Pacific, the use of economic sanctions as a tool of coercion, and the need for climate justice. By avoiding these issues, Sri Lanka risks becoming the imperialist powers’ cringing, whingeing client state.
The path forward
Sabry’s use of the term “multi-alignment” reflects a growing trend in Indian foreign policy, particularly under the BJP Government. However, multi-alignment is not the same as multipolarity. Multi-alignment implies a transactional approach to foreign policy, where a country seeks to extract maximum benefits from multiple partners without a coherent strategic vision. Multipolarity, on the other hand, envisions a world order where power is distributed among multiple centres, reducing the dominance of any single power.
Sri Lanka should advocate for a multipolar world order that reflects the diversity of the global South. This would involve strengthening platforms like BRICS, the SCO, and the NAM, while also engaging with Western institutions like the UN and the WTO. By promoting multipolarity, Sri Lanka can contribute to a more equitable and just global order, in line with the principles of non-alignment.
Ali Sabry’s call for a non-aligned, yet multi-aligned foreign policy falls short of articulating a coherent vision for Sri Lanka’s role in a multipolar world. To truly uphold the principles of non-alignment, Sri Lanka must:
* Reject compartmentalisation
: Engage with all partners across all domains, including technology, education, and regional security.
* Embrace emerging platforms
: Participate in the BRI, BRICS, and SCO to diversify partnerships and enhance strategic autonomy.
* Take principled stands
: Advocate for justice, equality, and multipolarity in global affairs.
* Promote South-South cooperation
: Strengthen ties with other Global South countries to address shared challenges, like climate change and economic inequality.
By adopting this approach, Sri Lanka can reclaim its historical legacy as a leader of the non-aligned movement and chart a course toward a sovereign, secure, and successful future.
(Vinod Moonesinghe read mechanical engineering at the University of Westminster, and worked in Sri Lanka in the tea machinery and motor spares industries, as well as the railways. He later turned to journalism and writing history. He served as chair of the Board of Governors of the Ceylon German Technical Training Institute. He is a convenor of the Asia Progress Forum, which can be contacted at asiaprogressforum@gmail.com.)
by Vinod Moonesinghe
Cancellation of shows has turned out to be a regular happening where former Backstreet Boys Nick Carter is concerned. In the past, it has happened several times.
If Nick Carter is not 100 percent fit, he should not undertake these strenuous world tours, ultimately disappointing his fans.
It’s not a healthy scene to be cancelling shows on a regular basis.
In May 2024, a few days before his scheduled visit to the Philippines, Carter cancelled his two shows due to “unforeseen circumstances.”
The promoter concerned announced the development and apologised to fans who bought tickets to Carter’s shows in Cebu, on May 23, and in Manila, on May 24.
The dates were supposed to be part of the Asian leg of his ‘Who I Am’ 2024 tour.
Carter previously cancelled a series of solo concerts in Asia, including Jakarta, Mumbai, Singapore, and Taipei. And this is what the organisers had to say:
“Due to unexpected matters related to Nick Carter’s schedule, we regret to announce that Nick’s show in Asia, including Jakarta on May 26 (2024), has been cancelled.
His ‘Who I Am’ Japan tour 2024 was also cancelled, with the following announcement:
Explaining, on video, about the
cancelled ‘Who I Am’ shows
“We regret to announce that the NICK CARTER Japan Tour, planned for June 4th at Toyosu PIT (Tokyo) and June 6th at Namba Hatch (Osaka), will no longer be proceeding due to ‘unforeseen circumstances.’ We apologise for any disappointment.
Believe me, I had a strange feeling that his Colombo show would not materialise and I did mention, in a subtle way, in my article about Nick Carter’s Colombo concert, in ‘StarTrack’ of 14th January, 2025 … my only worry (at that point in time) is the HMPV virus which is reported to be spreading in China and has cropped up in Malaysia, and India, as well.
Although no HMPV virus has cropped up, Carter has cancelled his scheduled performance in Sri Lanka, and in a number of other countries, as well, to return home, quoting, once again, “unforeseen circumstances.”
“Unforeseen circumstances” seems to be his tagline!
There is talk that low ticket sales is the reason for some of his concerts to be cancelled.
Yes, elaborate arrangements were put in place for Nick Carter’s trip to Sri Lanka – Meet & Greet, Q&A, selfies, etc., but all at a price!
Wonder if there will be the same excitement and enthusiasm if Nick Carter decides to come up with new dates for what has been cancelled?
Prof. Gananath Obeyesekere passes away aged 95
Acceptance of nominations for Punakiri, Mannar and Dehiattakandiya local authorities ends at 12 noon on Thursday (27th March 2025)
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