By Suresh Pattali

#247, Galle Road, Bambalapitiya, Colombo 04.

At a very young age, when I was still grappling with the spelling of my own hometown in India, I could memorise this Colombo address. Just as my dad finished the ritual of dictating his monthly letter, words dripping love, nostalgia and lots of politics — national and familial — I would fold the blue-coloured foreign envelope and jot down my maternal uncle’s Colombo address from memory. To everyone’s surprise, I even knew “Galle” is pronounced “Gol”, not “Gally” as a sizeable number of Indians still do.

Continue reading Remembering Sri Lanka, when it was the Dubai of the pre-oil era →

By Kelly Clarke

“Disaster has struck. The guy I was meant to interview for my column has cancelled and rescheduled for Sat. I’m in panic mode. What to do?!”

Continue reading Dear Ms Wagner, your Dh69 writing contest really hits home →

By Allan Jacob

I feel sorry for British Prime Minister Theresa May. I really do. The more I think of the dilemma she is facing, the more I admire her for ‘keeping her head when those all around her are losing theirs’.

Continue reading Why I wouldn’t want to be in May’s shoes →

By Keith Pereña

On the day Miss Philippines Catriona Gray was crowned Miss Universe, I was watching a video of Filipinos react to her victory. In the clip, I noticed families, friends and colleagues coming together, all huddled around their televisions. Life stood still in the Philippines. Nobody was doing anything other than watching the pageant. When Gray took the crown, everyone had their eyes glued to the screen. When she was proclaimed the winner, the video showed a good portion of the country going bonkers.

Continue reading How a Miss Universe win affected the Philippines →

By Nivriti Butalia

I don’t know if Donald Trump goes for walks. I know he likes golf carts and exclamation points and red ties and Moscow, but I don’t know if he likes walking. I don’t seem him as a walker. I don’t see him enjoying time minus his phone. Not that photos of a President sitting in a stretch limo imply he can’t or doesn’t enjoy walking, but it seems silly to opt out of stretching your legs for 0.2 miles.

Continue reading When you can arrive in a limo, why walk 250 yards, right? →