SriLankan Airlines welcomes first wide-body aircraft in seven years

SriLankan Airlines yesterday welcomed an Airbus A330-200 wide-body aircraft to its existing fleet of 22 aircraft, aiming to expand its services. The state-run airline expects to add at least two more aircraft by the end of this year.

“I faced criticism and negativity on social media But I endured it all for my country” Anudi Gunasekara

Anudi Gunasekara, who represented Sri Lanka at the Miss World 2025 pageant, in her maiden interview with the print media upon her return said that although she didn’t make it to the final four at the Miss World, she created history for Sri Lanka by becoming the first contestant to win in three different categories at the pageant, held in India this year- Head-to-Head Challenge (Top 20), Talent (Top 5 in Asia), and Multimedia (Runner-up). No

World Vision Lanka: NZ under-85s delivers a winning assist to youth and children in the North

The New Zealand Under-85s donated their sports equipment to Every Mind Matters—an initiative by World Vision Lanka aimed at uplifting the mental well-being of children in North, Sri Lanka, through sports.

Reflecting on the spirit of Bandung, 70 years later

Bandung 1955 was a historical marker that broke the ground for third-world internationalism to develop against the logic of cold-war geopolitical monopoly. It preceded the non-aligned movement that expanded Asian-African solidarity to Latin America.In view of its 70th anniversary, a two-day conference was recently held under the title ‘70 Years after Bandung: Challenges and Struggles on the Road to Self-Determination and South-South Solidarity’.

Celebrating the 191st Feast of St. Anthony of Padua at Kochchikade

St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, a revered national heritage site, is often called a “shrine of peace” for uniting Sri Lanka’s beloved multiethnic and multireligious communities. Known as a sacred place of prayer and miracles, it draws pilgrims from around the world who come to ‘pray for the lost and the found’ and personal intentions, making it a lasting symbol of healing and devotion.

English Speaking Union of Sri Lanka Teaching English to underprivileged students

The English Speaking Union of Sri Lanka launched its new project recently to teach English to underprivileged students, without charging a fee. The event was held at Sugatha Dharma Ayathanaya in Mount Lavinia. Twenty-five students aged 14 to 16 were chosen for this course from the suburbs of Colombo. They were boys and girls from all religions and ethnic groups. This project was sponsored by the Soroptimist International of Colombo.

Geopolitics: Sri Lanka further under pressure to walk a fine line

Sri Lanka enjoys multiple advantages globally due to its strategic positioning in the region, with easy access to key markets and major shipping lanes that account for a significant portion of transnational trade worldwide. The country has the potential to be developed as a naval and air hub, and investments in the development and expansion of the country’s seaports and airports are farsighted moves. The country matters to the rest of the world,

Crucial medical equipment worth Rs. 6 million donated to Monaragala hospital

Under the guidance of the Director of the Hospital Services Board, Most Venerable Rajavelle Subhūthi Thero, a donation programme of medical equipment worth approximately 6 million rupees was held at the Handapanagala Regional Hospital in the Monaragala District. This programme was organised under the leadership of the Chief Incumbent of the Thanamalvila Kitulkotay R

A Whispered Dream: The Birth and Growth of St. John’s Girls’ School, Panadura

In 1885, as Amelia Jansz awaited her second child, she nurtured a vision she could no longer contain. One evening, she whispered to her husband, Cyril Arnold Jansz, the distinguished Eurasian Burgher educator who had led St. John’s College since 1879: “What of our girls? They deserve their own haven where minds can flourish”. Cyril acted decisively. He leased land opposite the Town Hall on Galle Road and built a simple cadjan-roofed structure. Wi

Tax Registration is vital for enhancing tax compliance

Taxes are very important in building a robust economy and play a vital role in implementing good fiscal policies. Government policies on taxation that are governed by any country play a key role in determining a country’s vulnerability in providing health, education, etc., for its public. Any government in the world, whether it is developed or not, needs sufficient revenue to overcome financial difficulties.

Sex education a must as cases of sexual abuse rise

The issue of sexual violence in the education sector has been gathering momentum and the incidents of sexual violence have been increasing in leaps and bounds. It has steadily moved up in the agenda of administrators, law enforcement authorities, child protection agencies and civil rights organisations.

Appreciation on Tissa Mannakkara The visionary who laid the foundation of CIMA

In 1985, ICMA London (which is now CIMA) had a competition for all the branches. At that time, the prominent branches were the ones in Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Sydney, Melbourne, Dhaka, Mumbai, New Delhi, Calcutta, Madras and Colombo. There was an office in Toronto and, of course, several branches in England. The branches were asked to courier an illustrated report of the work it was doing together with a note on finance.

Esoteric Science A Path to Determining Success

It is unlikely that today you can meet a person who, at least once in his life, has not asked the question of what “esoteric science”, means, because this word is often heard on international TV screens.

Retired Flag Rank Officers holds 27th AGM

The Association of Retired Flag Rank Officers (ARFRO) held its 27th Annual General Meeting (AGM) recently at the Regimental Officers’ Mess of the Sri Lanka Corps of Military Police, Polhengoda, Colombo 5.

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.