Savithri Rodrigo

China and Russia gaining ground in Africa

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Johannesburg, South Africa (Commonwealth Union)_The general perception of Africa is a continent wrestling with poverty, hunger and the massive...

An undercover sting operation stalls massive pangolin trafficking operation

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Abuja, Nigeria (Commonwealth Union)_There is big money in pangolin trafficking, the most trafficked mammal on earth and catching the...

Women back at Ground Zero in Afghanistan

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Kabul, Afghanistan (Commonwealth Union)_When the Taliban returned to govern Afghanistan after seizing power on August 15th 2021, they promised...

Women back at Ground Zero in Afghanistan

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Kabul, Afghanistan (Commonwealth Union)_When the Taliban returned to govern Afghanistan after seizing power on August 15th 2021, they promised...

Paternity tests in Uganda are not a good idea

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Kampala Uganda (Commonwealth Union)_It all began when a business tycoon who had a host of wives and mistresses demanded...

Paternity tests in Uganda are not a good idea

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Kampala Uganda (Commonwealth Union)_It all began when a business tycoon who had a host of wives and mistresses demanded...
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Ghana’s inflation at a four-month high

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Accra Ghana (Commonwealth Union)_Having a meal a day is proving to be difficult in Ghana.  Inflation has skyrocketed, with...

Internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan artist remembers the un-remembered

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_Renowned for its natural beauty, Sri Lanka however, holds within its teardrop shape a plethora...

Surfing is not just for humans; it’s for dogs too!

CU Sports Savithri Rodrigo -
Linda Mar Beach, San Francisco (Global)_With fur flying, ears flapping and tails wagging, pooches from across the United States...

Asia’s only cowboy returns home to Sri Lanka

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_Asia’s only cowboy returned to his homeland of Sri Lanka recently in a bid to...

Sign language breakthrough in South Africa gives hope to the hearing impaired

Europe Savithri Rodrigo -
Johannesburg, South Africa (Commonwealth Union)_The power of hearing is a sense most take for granted but for those who...

Adidas in USD 1.1 Bn ten-year deal with Manchester United

Europe Savithri Rodrigo -
London, United Kingdom (Commonwealth Union)_Premier League Club Manchester United’s players will continue to be decked in Adidas kits for...

Britain declares national emergency as July becomes world’s hottest month on record

Europe Savithri Rodrigo -
London, United Kingdom (Commonwealth Union)_The temperatures in Europe, the US and China are scorching with these countries bordering on...

Britain declares national emergency as July becomes the world’s hottest month on record

News Savithri Rodrigo -
London, United Kingdom (Commonwealth Union)_The temperatures in Europe, the US and China are scorching with these countries bordering on...

Malaysia will not take legal action against Facebook parent, Meta Platforms

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Commonwealth Union)_In a new development on the plans by Malaysia to take legal action against Facebook...

Singapore executes first woman in twenty years

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Singapore (Commonwealth Union)_Singapore, which has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws is putting it to force fully as...

Singapore’s core inflation rises to 4.2 % YoY in line with forecasts

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Singapore (Commonwealth Union)_Core inflation in Singapore increased to 4.2 percent Year on Year (YoY) in June, albeit easing from...

Seeing Africa through the African lens

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
London/Africa (Commonwealth Union)_The world’s idea of Africa has more often than not historically been defined, shaped and moulded by...

World’s largest release of seahorses at Sydney Harbour

Pacific Savithri Rodrigo -
Sydney Australia (Commonwealth Union)_Hundreds of White’s baby seahorses were released into Sydney Harbour in the world’s largest release of...

Kenya’s doping scandal is actually…

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Nairobi, Kenya (Commonwealth Union)_ Rhonex Kipruto, Wilson Kipsang,  Abraham Kiptum, Jemima Sumgong,  Daniel Wanjiru, Asbel Kiprop, Elijah Manangoi are Olympic medalists,...

A treed skyscraper, serene mosque, hydrogen station among World’s Best Buildings 2023

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Singapore (Global News) _While the world’s first upcycled skyscraper won Australia the World’s best building for 2022 title, this...

The slowing global economy heralds an Australian unemployment increase

Pacific Savithri Rodrigo -
Sydney, Australia (Commonwealth Union)_Ever since the pandemic hit the world, Australia has been battling rising unemployment and with the...

Sri Lanka holds first-ever BIOthlon to promote sustainable tourism, biodiversity protection

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_ The very first BIOthlon organized by the European Union in Sri Lanka and the...

Canada to expand criteria for medically assisted deaths by…

Canada and Caribbean Savithri Rodrigo -
Toronto Canada (Commonwealth Union)_Canada is to expand the criteria for medically assisted death in March 2024, building on the...

Military – one of the biggest polluters; accounts for 5.5 percent of GHGs

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Global News_While countries, especially developing nations are facing the wrath of climate change, governments and their militaries though accounting...

Barbados PM fights climate change with…?

Canada and Caribbean Savithri Rodrigo -
Bridgetown, Barbados (Commonwealth Union)_’ Who will get up and stand up for the rights of our people?” stated an...

Taliya Peiris is the first Sri Lankan American to win Miss Teen California

Lady Commonwealth Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_Taliya Ariana Peiris becomes the first Sri Lankan-American to be crowned Miss Teen California. The...

Three-year prison sentence for…

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Accra, Ghana (Commonwealth Union)_The amendments to the anti-gay bill which was put forward by a cross-party group of MPs...

Taliban pushes women into an even darker space as beauty salons are banned across the country

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Kabul Afghanistan (Commonwealth Union)_In yet another blow for women’s rights, which have been on a cliffhanger since the entry...

Pakistan gets crucial USD 3 billion Stand-By Arrangement from IMF

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Islamabad, Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_Pakistan’s sovereign dollar bonds rallied sharply on Friday in early European Trade as the International Monetary...

Suwa Arana: Sri Lanka’s First Pediatric Palliative Care Center opens in Maharagama

Healthcare Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_A long-felt need in the annals of healthcare and the palliative care space in Sri...

Manuscript chronicling Sri Lanka’s history from 543 BCE listed in UNESCO’s Memory of International Register 2023

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_Chronicling history from 543 BCE, the Mahavansaya written in the ancient script of Pali text...

Safe among the high-rises – this critically endangered cockatoo lives in Hong Kong’s bustling cityscape

Environment Savithri Rodrigo -
Hong Kong (Commonwealth Union)_Hong Kong in rush hour is a den of noise pollution – from the screeching of...

Signed, sealed, delivered: world’s largest private collection of celebrity autographs go under the hammer

Entertainment Savithri Rodrigo -
Stansted Mountfichet, England (Commonwealth Union)_The world’s largest private collection of autographs owned by Clive Bullimore, known in England as...

Combating malnutrition with the right food, training & a little bit of care

Healthcare Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_The Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) is collaborating with the government...

Afghan women find power in Indonesia

Lady Commonwealth Savithri Rodrigo -
Afghanistan/Indonesia (Commonwealth Union)_Ever since the return to power of the Taliban, life for Afghan women borders on hell; persecuted,...

Traveling the world with muscles and wind

Healthcare Savithri Rodrigo -
Toronto Canada (Commonwealth Union)_Seven years is what it takes to travel to 29 countries without motorized transport.  Canadian firefighter...

Award-winning Luther and Wire actor Idris Elba calls for peaceful election in Sierra Leone

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Sierra Leone/England (Commonwealth Union)_Award-winning British actor Idris Elba OBE, best known for his roles as Nelson Mandela in the...

No-man’s-land in divided Cyprus becomes celebration venue for LGBTQ+ communities

Europe Savithri Rodrigo -
Nicosia, Cyprus (Commonwealth Union)_It’s Pride Week, and across the world, while LGBTQ+ communities unite, the Cyprus community decided to...

Amid a barrage of missiles, African leaders begin peace mission in Ukraine

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Ukraine/Africa (Commonwealth Union)_As a volley of Russian missiles pushed a barrage of strikes across the capital city of Kyiv,...

Ugandan government adds funds to the judiciary to build better efficient services

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Kampala, Uganda (Commonwealth Union)_Given the massive court case backlog faced by the Ugandan judicial system, the Government has allocated...

Reserve Bank of Australia owes its workers USD 770,000

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Sydney Australia (Commonwealth Union)_Australia’s Reserve Bank owes money – USD 777,975 in fact, just over AUD 1 million to...

With AI help, the last Beatles record to be released this year

Science & Tech Savithri Rodrigo -
London United Kingdom (Commonwealth Union)_John Lennon has been dead for 23 years and it would be somewhat eerie to...

Nothing has changed in the gender equality formula in the last decade

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
United Nations_In a report released by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on Monday, June 12th, gender biases have...

The mammoth 12 meters high Wedding Cake is good enough to eat

Europe Savithri Rodrigo -
Waddesdon, England (Commonwealth Union)_No, you can’t eat it although it looks good enough to eat.  It’s the proverbial Hansel...

Sri Lanka pioneers PLANT – Preserving Land & Nature – to go beyond species conservation to ecosystem conservation

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_Sri Lanka is one of 34 biodiversity hotspots in the world holding the highest biodiversity...

The Taliban slashes through poppy fields in its war on drugs

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Helmand, Afghanistan (Commonwealth Union)_They come in droves, armed with AK47s and holding large sticks.  But this time the Taliban...

Kenyan shatters world 1500 meter record by three-hundredths of a second

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Florence Italy/Kenya (Commonwealth Union)_When Kenya’s Faith Kipyegon crossed that finish line in the 1500-meter race at the Florence Diamond...

Forex risk pushes Unilever to eye more inputs from Africa

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Alayide, Nigeria (Commonwealth Union)_From the pandemic to the Ukraine war to high inflation dampening retail markets and ensuing currency...

The van Gogh that trailed Caribbean tax havens, jailed billionaires, and dubious movie producers

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
New York USA (Global News)_There’s something very strange going on with that Still Life, Vase with Daisies and Poppies....

Global Plastics Treaty focuses on circularity to tackle plastic pollution

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Paris France (Global News)_ The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on Plastic Pollution is currently in the throes of discussion to...

‘Sri Lanka Tourism bounces back quicker than anyone can imagine: Gaurav Singh

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_With Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals showing extraordinary signs of bouncing back to pre-Easter attack levels...

Rwandan genocide suspect on trial for fraud in South Africa

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Cape Town South Africa (Commonwealth Union)_He is believed to have ordered the deaths of at least two thousand people...

Horn of Africa – the epicenter of one the world’s biggest climate emergencies

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Horn of Africa (Commonwealth Union)_While it’s more than evident that climate change is wreaking havoc across the world,  the...

Britain not expected to recede into recession this year: IMF

Europe Savithri Rodrigo -
London United Kingdom (Commonwealth Union)_With Britain’s GDP estimated to grow by a marginal 0.4 percent in 2023 albeit good...

The demon shark was discovered off the deep waters of Hobart, Australia

Environment Savithri Rodrigo -
Hobart Australia (Commonwealth Union)_Those eyes are piercing and they bring on memories of Halloween and ghost stories. A species...

They are Lesotho’s last cave dwellers and they are content

Environment Savithri Rodrigo -
Mateka, Lesotho (Commonwealth Union)_More than 1800 meters above sea level and not too far from the capital Maseru in...

The Codex Sassoon, the world’s oldest Hebrew Bible sells for a record USD 38.1 million

Entertainment Savithri Rodrigo -
New York USA (Global News)_It is 1,100 years old! The world’s oldest and most complete Hebrew Bible was displayed...

Gucci ramps up fashion to entice Korea’s wealthy, showing after eight years in Korea

News Savithri Rodrigo -
Seoul, Korea (Global News)_With the soundtrack of the Oscar-winning Korean movie Parasite in the background, the beating of traditional...

Nigerian chef cooks 100 hours non-stop to break the world record

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Lagos Nigeria (Commonwealth Union)_Imagine being on your feet for more than four days. That’s what Nigerian chef Hilda Effiong...

It’s been fifty years since Australia’s oldest national park saw a platypus

Environment Savithri Rodrigo -
Sydney Australia (Commonwealth Union)_Scientists were all agog at the Sydney Royal National Park this week.  For the first time...

The Canadian-funded project enables access to justice for SGBV victim survivors

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_There are rampant incidences of sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) in Sri Lanka, widespread across families,...

Kenya gears for electric transportation, adds charging points, battery-swapping stations

Science & Tech Savithri Rodrigo -
Nairobi, Kenya (Commonwealth Union)_Kenya is getting its private sector to lead the way for cleaner transportation, adding traction to...

A whopping 71.1 million people worldwide were internally displaced in 2022

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Global News_A very high 20 percent increase from last year has been observed in the number of Internally Displaced...

Fuelled by hard work & his father’s advice, Roy Ratnavel unveils a story that is brutal, unimaginable, awe-inspiring

Entertainment Savithri Rodrigo -
Canada/Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_His story is gut-wrenching, distressing, and awe-inspiring. Roy Ratnavel was just 18 when he fled to...

Lahore’s Safari Zoo has six new fur babies

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Lahore, Pakistan (Commonwealth Union)_Like all babies, the newest additions to the Lahore Safari Zoo are playful, curious, and full...

Kiribati is in danger of sinking; needs the help of wealthy nations

Pacific Savithri Rodrigo -
Tarawa, Kiribati (Commonwealth Union)_Scattered across a huge expanse of ocean in the Pacific are 33 coral atolls covering more...

Kenyan Christian cult leader accused of more than a hundred deaths

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Nairobi, Kenya (Commonwealth Union)_A Christian cult leader in Kenya sat in a packed courtroom this week facing charges of...

Vapes to be smoked out in Australia – rising incidences of teenage vaping grave concern

Pacific Savithri Rodrigo -
Canberra Australia (Commonwealth Union)_The smoke screen behind which vapes have been enjoying increasing popularity, especially among teenagers will soon...

Three Davids take on Goliath to halt overdevelopment in Nadur

Europe Savithri Rodrigo -
Nadur, Malta (Commonwealth Union)_It is never easy when David comes up against Goliath but that story had a good...

Eat more beans!

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Accra Ghana (Commonwealth Union)_When your mother says, “Eat your beans,” she really knew what she was talking about. In...

On the run with knuckle dusters and pepper spray

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Kabul Afghanistan (Commonwealth Union)_In most countries, the ability to train and practice any sport is taken for granted.  But...

Sri Lanka’s women in energy to be powered through WePOWER

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_While Sri Lanka has a considerable number of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics),...

Accordion wars lead to Lesotho having the world’s sixth highest homicide rate

Entertainment Savithri Rodrigo -
Maseur, Lesotho (Commonwealth Union)_Music is the universal language of love but not in Lesotho which has become the murder...

El Niño is back – making the world a hotter place!

Environment Savithri Rodrigo -
Brussels (Global News)_ El Niño is back and the world will feel the heat.  Temperatures across the world are...

Sri Lanka’s state-run ambulance service embarks on unique ‘Adopt an Ambulance’ campaign

Healthcare Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_1990, it’s an easy enough number to remember and it is the number that has...

Population explosion expected in India this year, overtaking China as most populous country

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
New Delhi India (Commonwealth News)_By mid 2023, India will become the world’s most populous country with over 1.4286 billion...

Population explosion expected in India this year, overtaking China as most populous country

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
New Delhi India (Commonwealth News)_By mid 2023, India will become the world’s most populous country with over 1.4286 billion...

Kenya joins the space race – sends first observation satellite into space

Science & Tech Savithri Rodrigo -
Nairobi Kenya (Commonwealth Union)_While the world’s agog at the exploits of Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, Kenya joined the space...

Kenya joins the space race – sends first observation satellite into space

Science & Tech Savithri Rodrigo -
Nairobi Kenya (Commonwealth Union)_While the world’s agog at the exploits of Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, Kenya joined the space...

Tagged at quarter of a million dollars, this is one of the world’s rarest and most desirable handbags

News Savithri Rodrigo -
Dallas Texas (Global News)_Fancy owning probably the rarest handbag in the world? If you pop into the Luxury Accessories...

Vanuatu in aggressive campaign to curb sexual assault

Pacific Savithri Rodrigo -
Port Vila, Vanuatu (Commonwealth Union)_April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month the world over and the Vanuatu Peace Corps is...

An epic egg rescue leads to baby loggerhead sea turtles returning home

Pacific Savithri Rodrigo -
New South Wales Australia (Commonwealth Union)_It was termed an epic egg rescue.  130 loggerhead turtle eggs, an endangered species,...

Morgan Stanley predicts Asia’s growth being faster than developed economies this year

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Asia Global (Business)_Morgan Stanley, the leading multinational investment Bank and financial services company predicts Asia overtaking developed economies in...

World’s richest person Bernard Arnault has net worth of USD 211 billion

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
New Jersey USA (Global News)_It’s not easy being rich especially if you’re constantly watching your back.  That’s what happened...

Recruitment of healthcare workers halted by the UK

Healthcare Savithri Rodrigo -
United Kingdom/Nigeria (Commonwealth Union)_The UK Government has made a decision to stop the recruitment of Nigerian healthcare workers to...

The lady who makes brooms – a story of courage

Lady Commonwealth Savithri Rodrigo -
Buttala Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_In the rural environs of a village in the Uva province of Sri Lanka is...

The lady who makes brooms – a story of courage

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Buttala Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_In the rural environs of a village in the Uva province of Sri Lanka is...

Johnson & Johnson to settle USD 8.9 billion on cancer claims

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
New Jersey USA (Global News)_US pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson which has been embroiled in over forty thousand lawsuits...

USD 4 million is what New Zealand is spending to deal with teenage heartbreak

Pacific Savithri Rodrigo -
Auckland New Zealand (Commonwealth Union)_New Zealand has budgeted USD 4 million to help teenagers deal with the mental issues...

Colombo showcases Sri Lankan dance for first time at dedicated weekly performance

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_The drum rhythm is infectious; the lilt of the background voice soothing and the skill...

DNA from Beethoven’s hair unlocks medical and family secrets

Science & Tech Savithri Rodrigo -
In an undated image provided by Joseph Karl Stieler, via Beethoven-Haus Bonn, a contemporary portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven,...

The inspiration for award winning film Hotel Rwanda has prison sentence commuted

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Kigali Rwanda (Commonwealth Union)_It is not every day that a hero who inspired a movie, languishes in a prison...

A male-dominated sport gets its infusion of ‘girl power’

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Dakar, Senegal (Global)_It’s definitely a moment which will go down in the history books of drag racing. Senegalese amateur...

After months of trepidation, Sri Lanka gets the much-awaited IMF Bailout

Asia Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_The much-awaited and anticipated bailout package of USD 3 billion for the economically beleaguered island...

Ahoy there – a first-in-the-world three-year cruise gets its sea legs

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Canberra Australia (Commonwealth Union)_If you’re an explorer and love voyages and if spending an inordinate time on the sea...

Re-discovering a little bit of the Jurassic at Jurassic

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Arkansas USA (Global News)_The small town of Fayetville in Northwestern Arkansas is suddenly in the news – there are...

Nigeria’s tech industry gears to become hub for Africa’s techpreneurs

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
the French Government and the Islamic Development Bank will invest USD 618 million to spur the country’s techpreneurs which...

Guyana allocates USD 185 million for Agricultural Innovation Programme

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Georgetown Guyana (Commonwealth Union)_Guyanian President’s Agricultural Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme (AIEP) allocated USD 185 million for the procurement of one...

Women are the secret weapon to combat climate change

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Global News_Leaving half the world’s population behind in a bid to tackle a catastrophic global problem is by far...

The Phantom to finally go off into the night next month

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
New York USA (Global News)_When the curtains come down on show No. 13,781 of The Phantom of the Opera,...

Toxic Indian cough syrup believed to be cause of death of Gambian children

Africa Savithri Rodrigo -
Banjul Gambia (Commonwealth Union)_When three year old Lamin Sagnia developed a fever, his mother gave him a paracetamol syrup...

Progressive steps in equality being taken in recognizing caste discrimination in Canada’s education system

Canada and Caribbean Savithri Rodrigo -
Toronto Canada (Commonwealth Union)_The Toronto District School Board took a revolutionary step this week when it became the first...

Internationally renowned performers unite in aid of unique project to fund education of prisoners’ children

Global Savithri Rodrigo -
Colombo Sri Lanka (Commonwealth Union)_Sri Lanka saw the collaboration of two internationally renowned performers on a single stage in...

Dr Chandanamali PunchihewaMolecular Geneticist & CEO of Genelabs Medical (Pvt) LimitedWoman Entrepreneur of the Year 2022

Lady Commonwealth Savithri Rodrigo -
Having always had a passion for science since her school days, Dr Chandanamali Punchihewa coupled that passion for science...

Former President of the Seychelles Danny Faure is Chair of Commonwealth of Learning Board

News from the Commonwealth Secretariat Savithri Rodrigo -
Seychelles (Commonwealth Union)_The Commonwealth of Learning has a new chair for its Board of Governors, the former President of...