Information on the weights and measures used in ancient and medieval Sri Lanka are found in Abhidhanappadipika, Navanamavaliya and the stone inscriptions. Nagalavava village in Sigiriya-Dambulla region, surveyed in the 1990s, was using measures that could be traced back to earlier times. Its system of measuring grain and medicine was common to other purana settlements and also certain urban areas. …

Bernie Sanders’ team is pressing the Democratic Party to do something it’s never before done: adopt an official party platform plank referring to Israeli “occupation” of the West Bank. It would mark yet another significant step in Democrats’ growing abandonment of their historic support of Israel dating back to President Harry Truman. Then again, Sanders’ hand-picked members of the platform …

Veteran trade unionist turned politician Seyed Ahmed Seyed Alavi Moulana who passed away during the holy month of Ramadhan on Wednesday 15 June 2016 was buried at the Dehiwala Burial ground following day. Discussing about Moulanaa friend of mine TilakJayasingha, Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to Palestine, reminded me that his uncle,Communist Party Trade Union Leader M.G.Mendis who later became RatgamaMP, …

Franklin Templeton Investing   The world of Islamic finance and investing represents an exciting world of opportunities for Muslims all over the world, and one we think should likely continue to grow. I recently had the pleasure of attending the Global International Islamic Finance Forum (GIFF) in Malaysia and had the opportunity to share our team's views as well as …

Maximus Jayantha Anandappa (MJA) has marshalled compelling inferential evidence which leaves little doubt that Sunil Santha (SS) was the Creator of "Hela Sangeethaya" or genuine Sinhala Music (The Island 1st June). Sunil Santha’s senior contemporary Ananda Samarakoon (AS) might be regarded as the forerunner of the "Hela" musical tradition, but the flavor of his music was more Bengali than "Hela". …