Dr. Milina -- the philanthropist who led a Buddhist revival

The late Dr. Milina Sumathipala was an outstanding woman who played a unique role in the religious, social and cultural fields of our country.

Greener campuses, higher rankings: Priority for SL Unis

Sri Lankan universities are moving to embed sustainability at the heart of their operations, governance, and academic strategy, aligning with international benchmarks to improve global rankings. A workshop led by the Open University of Sri Lanka and the Institute of Environmental Professionals spotlighted critical gaps, shared global best practices, and proposed a unified roadmap to foster greener campuses.

Bahuchithawadiya- cinematic discourse beyond ‘Toiya’ and ‘Baiya’

A key element of the political discourse on social media during the lead-up to the 2015 presidential election was the emergence of a classification of two groups who participated in this discourse: ‘Toiya’ and ‘Baiya’.

Today is World No-Tobacco Day Tobacco-Free Generation: A Vision for a Healthier Future for Sri Lanka

Tobacco kills. It often maims before it kills, as it is capable of harming all organs in the body. It robs the potential of its countless victims and their families.

Will delays in completing Airport terminal 2 cause major losses?

Bandaranaike International Airport is the main airport among the five international airports in Sri Lanka. It has three passenger terminals and terminal 1 was opened in 1967. Terminal 2 was planned for construction in 2020. Terminal 3 opened in November 2012. Terminal 1 is the largest and the oldest terminal. Terminal 1 has 12 gates, and all arrivals and departures take place through these gates. It is directly connected to the main building, wit

Silent protest demanding govt. to expedite OMP’s reconciliation mechanism

The Families of the Disappeared have expressed concerns regarding the deafening silence maintained by the government with regards to the Office on Missing Persons despite their remarks to strengthen the national mechanism to serve justice for victims of enforced disappearances.

Rotary Club of Colombo Mid Town celebrates 50 Years

‘The Rotary Club of Colombo Mid Town’ marked a historic milestone as it celebrated its 50th anniversary.This they did with a grand and heartfelt event that embodied the spirit of service, fellowship, and the enduring Magic of Rotary.Held at the Galadari Hotel, the evening brought together a vibrant gathering of Rotarians, distinguished guests, well-wishers, and sponsors, who joined hands to celebrate a journey of five decades rooted in compassion

Aqua Waves makes its printmaking debut An allegorical touch to the ambiguous elements of human nature

‘Aqua Waves’, Chiranthika Thanthreewaththa’s debut solo exhibition, was held at the Lionel Wendt Art Centre, from the 17th to the 18th of May. An assistant lecturer at the Faculty of Visual Arts, University of the Visual & Performing Arts, Chiranthika touches on thematic areas such as freedom, masculinity, figures, femininity, flora and fauna. She brings forth a vibrant colour palette, which greatly helps display the art pieces in a contrasting

Could the incumbent govt. resolve deep-rooted land conflicts in the North and East?

When incumbent President Anura Kumara Dissanayake visited Jaffna in January this year, he said that land belonging to people should rightfully remain with them and that the issue of land disputes in the Northern province is being reviewed. However, in March, the government issued a gazette notification (No. 2340) which gave three months’ time for people to claim their lands in what was termed as a land settlement gazette. If the ownership of 5941

The NPP changes system or vice versa

Public opinion is all powerful in any country. There is no escape for any government from it in furtherance of its policy implementations and decision making.

‘70 Years After Bandung’: Two-day conference to be held at BCIS

‘70 Years After Bandung: Challenges and Struggles on the Road to Self-Determination and South – South Solidarity’ conference will be held at Olympus Hall, Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) on the 2nd and 3rd of June 2025.

Blight menaces rubber industry with no remedy in sight

The fungus causing the blight called Colletotrichum tropicale in rubber cultivation has been identified for the first time in the world by a team of researchers of the Sri Lanka Rubber Research Institute.

The Rising Toll of Drowning in Sri Lanka

Water, which sustains life, can just as swiftly take it away. Sri Lanka’s natural landscapes and abundant water bodies are indeed a source of pride and economic prosperity through tourism and agriculture.

Smart cities for Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s cities face growing environmental and urban challenges. Smart Sustainable Clean Development offers a bold path forward, blending digital innovation with green infrastructure.

Consul Rodrigo: Uniting Toronto’s diverse Sri Lankan diaspora

A tribute to Consul General Thushara Rodrigo, who won the hearts of all Sri Lankan communities in Toronto through his genuine efforts toward reconciliation

World’s longest Monkey Tapeworm found in a Lankan child in Kurunegala

An extraordinary discovery was made by the Parasitology team of the Medical Research Institute (MRI) when they found a parasitic worm belonging to the Bertiella genus. Commonly known as ‘Monkey tapeworm’ the parasitic worm which rarely infects humans was found in a 10-year-old boy in Kurunegala, and is the longest Bertiella worm (70cm) reported globally, according to available data.

Bus accidents caused by bad buses, driving and bad politics

The accident that occurred on May 11, when an SLTB bus plunged into a precipice in the Geradi Ella area of Ramboda, has so far claimed 22 lives. The Nuwara Eliya Senior Superintendent of Police confirmed to the media that 52 people injured in the accident are currently receiving treatment at hospitals in Kandy, Gampola, Nawalapitiya, Peradeniya, and other locations.

Malani Fonseka:“I came here today looking for love.”

Malani Fonseka was a legend in her life time. Now, after her death, that legend can only grow bigger and bigger.

The Atrophied Wife A book on urban middle class and family ties

MTE Ebell is a versatile writer with novels, short stories and poems published to her credit, and winner of the state literary award for best novel in 2014 and the same award for best short stories in 2008.

Reimagining National Security ; from rhetoric to reality

What is National Security? It is a question many ask. It was asked before and was always being asked. Quite recently when it was asked ‘rhetorically’ the question was too artificial, too oblique. However, the question is important because we live in a moment of human history where there are exponential changes and transformations into our way of life.

The unsung achievements of E.L.B. Hurulle

Edwin Lokubandara Hurulle was born on January 19, 1919. He served as the provincial governor of the Central Province, North Central Province,

Gymkhana Horse Track Pavilion:The establishment in Galle that serves all

Much is written about Galle. What one can find about it in the literature is mostly about the Dutch Fort in the Southern Town. However, few know about one building which has become a popular hotel in Galle.

Reimagining National Security ; from rhetoric to reality

For Sri Lanka, establishing a clear National Security Policy (NSP) is crucial to inform citizens and partners of its enduring approach, articulate a shared vision, and prioritize the effective utilization of resources.

Employees left in the dark amidst abrupt garment factory closure

Rights groups and trade union representatives have expressed their disappointment regarding the abrupt closure of apparel giant NEXT Manufacturing (Pvt) Ltd, at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone, which employed over 1300 workers. The company is being blamed for its failure to give prior notice to its employees while taking steps to inform the labour commissioner regarding their decision.

Child hero Madduma Bandara to be commemorated

The child hero seven year old Madduma Bandara who was beheaded mercilessly as part of revenge taking against his father Ehelepola Maha Adikaram 211 years ago is to be commemorated on May 17 at Ehelepola Raja Maha Viharaya in Matale.

How Indian lorry chassis and multi-sectoral lapses crashed Sri Lanka’s public transport sector!

Despite repeated revelations of importing lorry chassis for public transport, successive governments have turned a blind eye to this issue, reportedly in place of obtaining financial gains.

Brawl victims pose a problem to plastic surgery unit

Health authorities have expressed concern that the cost and burden of re-joining limbs seperated from the body in brawls is happening at the cost of accident victims.

Woman dancer breaks into male domain of demon dancing

The eighteen demon dances belonging to the tradition of low country dancing constitute a folk religion among those who believe such ritualistic dance performances can cure maladies ranging from fever to infertility by dispelling the malefic influence of evil spirits known as Yakkas (demons or devils).

Wishes bloom here

On World Wish Day, Sri Lanka proudly welcomed the launch of the Make-A-Wish Sri Lanka, a programme powered by the Indira Cancer Trust.

SL should do more for social, economic development: Top Chinese scholar

Senior Fellow and Director of Centre for South Asian Studies Prof. Liu Zongyi, in an interview with Daily Mirror, shared his views on the current regional developments, China – Sri Lanka relations. He is a leading Chinese scholar who heads this think-tank funded by the Chinese government and based in Shanghai, China. Excerpts: