Britain’s Billionairesses Record 25 women are now in the ten-figure fortune club

Twenty-five women billionaires are for the first time among the 1,000 richest people in Britain. And there are now 150 women who have, or share, personal fortunes worth £120million or more. Among them are Hollywood star Salma Hay

The raspy voiced charmer

In many ways the life of country superstar Kenny Rogers resembled his schmaltzy ballads. One of eight children born to an alcoholic Texan carpenter and a strict Baptist mother, he knew sad times and bad times, but rose above it all to find fame, fortune and happiness with a former waitress called Wanda. His death at 8

Martin Wickramasinghe The celebrated wordsmith

The 130th birth anniversary of celebrated wordsmith Martin Wickramasinghe, who is regarded as one of Sri Lanka’s greatest authors, falls on May 29. He starte

They don’t write ‘em like this any more!

Maybe you’ve never had the time, or perhaps studying some of them at school put you off, but there has never been a better cha

WW2 Through the Eyes of the Silent Generation

Over the course of the years, Sri Lanka has seen many wars and insurrections, natural disasters and the spread of numerous infectious diseases. Sri Lanka’s silent generation, especially, have been exposed to many crises. Raised during a period of war and economic depression, they have lived through World War 2 (WW2) in British Ceylon from 1931-1945, the JVP insurrecti

QUARANTINE HOME BAKERS

The coronavirus and the two-month lockdown haven’t been great for a lot of businesses – especially restaurants and cafés relying on hungry customers and diners to make a profit. But turning adversity into opportunity is a special skill we Sri Lankan’s seemed to have mastered over the years and that is exactly what we’ve successfully done in times like these. In this series, we talk to people who turned their passion for food and baking into a bu

REDRESS DESIGN AWARD 2020 FINALISTS REVEALED

Ten finalist designers from nine regions demonstrate ways to keep fashion’s mounting waste crisis out of landfills. Redress, the leading NGO working to reduce fashion’s waste, announces the 10 Redress Design Award 2020 Finalist sustainable fashion designers whose innovative, textile waste-reducing designs triumphed over other talented hopefuls applying from 46 regions to win their places in the finals of the world’s largest sustainable fashion de

Maritime wrecks in Lankan waters Forgotten underwater heritage yet to be explored

Did you know that the Southern coastal waters are home to the Indian Ocean’s oldest shipwreck? This means that exploring shipwrecks could be the next big thing in marine tourism for Sri Lanka, particularly due to their rich archaeological value. Marine researchers believe that only 10-20% of all shipwrecks have been discovered so far. By discovering the rest, some interesting links to Sri Lanka’s trade relations of yesteryear could be explored an

Tissa Wijesurendra The heartthrob bids goodbye

Yesteryear Sinhala cinema heartthrob Tissa Wijesurendra who ignited the silver screen with his chocolaty charm, passed away last week and his funeral took place on Tuesday. The matinee idol who made his film debut in Kingsley Rajapaksha’s Kalana Mithuro in the early seventies, was 71 at the time of his death.

Forging a Legacy Professors Nimal and Savitri Gunatilleke

Professors Nimal and Savitri Gunatilleke, Professors Emeriti of the University of Peradeniya, are no strangers in the spheres of Botany, having contributed immensely to the field over the course of many years. The duo have been celebrated and feted for their contributions not only by numerous local bodies, but also by UNESCO, receiving the Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Preservation. More recently, they received the honour of having an orc

Unwinding the secrets of the elusive Indian Pangolin - Lecture by Dr Priyan Perera

The WNPS Monthly lecture will move to the online platforms until the social distancing rules are removed and public gatherings are allowed by the authorities. The society will commence the online lecture series from its May Lecture.

Tom Cruise is eager to get back to Venice to finish filming....

Tom Cruise is eager to get back to Venice to finish filming Mission: Impossible 7 as soon as coronavirus restrictions ease,

Maneuvering the chi

It was believed in the earlier times in China that Chi ( energy) had the power to convey blessings from the dead to the living. Benevolent wishes of the deceased were carried from the burial grounds to the residences of the living. The location of gr

Dr. Asela presents books to President

Well known lyricist and literary critic Dr. Asela Wijesundera recently presented the first copies of his books titled ‘Geethayakin Jeewithaya Kiyawamu’ and ‘Oba Yana Gamana Harida? Weradida?’ to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa .

Podi Pasan’s Patisserie Rising to meet the needs of the community

‘Adversity makes strange bedfellows’ goes the old adage and in the case of young Pasan Gunaratne, adversity presented him with the opportunity to utilize his skills and help his community. A kitchen apprentice at the Hilton, Colombo, w

A low-key Vesak amidst COVID-19

Vesak, a religious holiday that signifies the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha has become an occasion to go sight-seeing and visit dansals. Then there were those who were waiting for the Vesak season to make a living by con

VITHYA VISVENDRA BRINGING COLOUR AND DIVERSITY TO THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY

Bringing South Asia’s vivacious culture to the palette, Sri Lankan born Vithya Visvendra has carved a name for herself, mastering the art of creating the picture-perfect blushing bride. This beauty aficionado has over a decade’s worth of experience under her belt and has worked with celebrity icons including South Indian movie stars including the

Prosperous Interiors

Creating the right harmony and happiness in a home is not an easy task unless the immediate environment and the surroundings is harmonious and vibrant. To ensure that a space is filled with good energy and is vibrant the living space ha

Renuka says Producer ultimate victim

Last week, in the opening article of this series on how Covid-19 would impact our local cinema industry, renowned film producer said though there were about beneficiaries who profited from the income of a movie screening, during a crisis it wa

Youngest audio engineer creates ‘Corona’ song

Fifiteen-year-old Ayodhya Karunarathne is a promising prospect in Sri Lanka’

Challenges & bounce back strategies

While the government is preparing for an exit strategy many sectors are thinking on bounce back strategies. One of the biggest challenges is generating revenue and looking after employees during these trying times. Medics anticip

Life under lockdown impact on wildlife

When 25-year old A.M.S.P Bandara, a Wildlife ranger attached to the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) breathed his last d

social Cooking in a crisis

Living up to its reputation as a nation of serendipitous people, Co-Founder of Colombo Social Shaun Christie David stepped up to the plate and began helping Sydney’s vulnerable during the Covid-19 pandemic. Based in Sy

A chat with Maneka Gandhi “Animal welfare is not just about animals”

Full DNA today features Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi - Chairperson, People for Animals (PFA), also known as People for Animals India, which is India’s largest animal welfare organization, in a personal interview. Maneka Gandhi, who started

COVID-19 impact on our cinema industry

The COVID-19 pandemic has already gripped the entire world triggering a major health and economic crisis. No sector has been spared by the catastrophic and horrific effects of this pandemic but when will we see an end to this crisis? The world will slowly but surely limp back to normalcy in weeks or months to come. But where will entertainment or cinema in particular figure in the list of priorities, when it comes to restoring normalcy? Of course

FEA committed to protecting cinema halls and producers

The Film Exhibitors Association (FEA) recently submitted a series of proposals to the National Film Corporation (NFC) in a bid to ease the major impact triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and the eventual losses caused to the country’s cinema indus

The WHO- Addressing issues in Sri Lanka

Dr Razia Pendse took over as WHO Representative to Sri Lanka in May 2017. She has been with WHO since 2004 and has worked at WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia and WHO headquarters in Geneva. Born in Udaipur, Rajasthan India, she received her Doctor of Medicine (MD) in Pediatrics from the University of Rajasthan, India; and Masters in Public Health (MPH) from the University of London, UK. She is married to Dr Narayan Pendse. They have a 22-y

QUARANTINE In retrospect

Crossing off a month of compulsory curfew; what has self-isolation taught you? What are you grateful for the most? What have you learnt to live without? Our readers share their changed perspectives.

Preventing Sickness

The wellness of human beings is strongly influenced by the energy of the environment and the personal aura of the individual. Feeling good, healthy and happy is not just a frame of mind but the physical state

EASTER SUNDAY ATTACK

It was around 8.44am on April 21, 2019 – Easter Sunday. Some were immersed in prayer, some children were having their breakfast after the morning service and some were singing their favourite hymns. But it all ended as the clock struck. By 8.45am, a series of blasts have occurred around the country that lasted for a span of around 20 minutes. By 9.05am, everything was done. Or that’s what people thought. But two other explosions happened later in