Dahaiyagala Elephant Corridor threatened by encroachment activities

“Based on our observations, approximately 600 to 800 wild elephants use this corridor annually. The Dahaiyagala–Bogahapattiya route is a major migration path for elephants. However, over the years, this corridor has been increasingly encroached upon by various individuals, causing a steady decline in its area. Additionally, political and administrative efforts to distribute land within this corridor to private individuals have severely impacted i

Sri Lanka’s Peacock Flower Hope for cancer patients ?

In the scrublands and home gardens of Sri Lanka, where fire-orange blooms dance in the tropical heat, a quiet revolution is taking place. The peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima), long admired for its beauty and revered in traditional medicine, may hold the key to a new frontier in cancer care.

How ‘Sri Lankan English’ adapted, borrowed and blended into the Oxford English Dictionary

Be it asweddumized fields or mallung in a rice and curry meal, kiribath for a special occasion, sizzling kottu, scrumptious watalappam or a happening baila song – each one of these examples provides a glimpse of Sri Lanka in a nutshell.

‘Missing Orchid resurfaces’ from Dumbara mountain range

A team of Sri Lankan researchers has been able to discover from Dumbara mountain range a variety of orchid endemic to Sri Lanka.

Jaffna protesters tell the President: ‘We want our land back’

A protest was organised in front of the Presidential Secretariat at Galle Face on the 15th of July by the people of Jaffna claiming that they had lost their lands due to the interference of the Sri Lankan government.

The Strategic Imperative

In an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape, Sri Lanka, strategically positioned at the nexus of vital Indian Ocean sea lanes, faces a profound choice regarding its future. A strategic recalibration, is not merely a diplomatic preference but an imperative for safeguarding the nation’s sovereignty, fostering internal cohesion, bolstering economic resilience, and ensuring enduring stability amidst the escalating competition that defines the

Don’t feed the elephant!

The chance to see wild Asian elephants is rare. Sri Lanka and India are home to some of the last abundant populations, making them top tourist attractions.

The quiet unraveling How IMF reforms are reshaping Sri Lanka’s economic future

Sri Lanka’s economic future is being quietly reshaped beneath the surface of fiscal targets and IMF scorecards.

Manel Liyanagama In appreciation of a remarkable woman

It is with immense gratitude and admiration that I pay tribute to my mother, Manel Liyanagama, a remarkable woman whose life has been defined by quiet strength, boundless compassion, and unwavering dedication to others.

Dambulla tax racketeers and their white-collar crimes

Crimes committed with technical expertise and professionalism are known as white-collar crimes. Such crimes have been observed in the process of disposing of government lands. In these cases, officials bypass existing land laws by engaging in the drafting of misleading official documents. They often gain undue benefits, making these deliberate and well-planned offences. A network engaged in land rackets is involved in these activities.

Nurdle Free Lanka Campaign protecting Sri Lanka’s shoreline from plastic pellets

‘The Pearl Protectors’, a youth-led marine conservation volunteer organisation, recently held a beach clean-up campaign at Kinross beach in Wellawatta, with the participation of the organisation’s volunteer collective and concerned individuals.

The Mirage of Mastery How the 12-Day War Reawakened the Ghosts of 1914

The genius of diplomacy is not in its mastery of force, but in its restraint from using it. Yet history, like a deaf sovereign, often favours the loudest actors. The 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025, overshadowed by media spectacles and spun as a “strategic victory” by its instigators, demands more serious attention. Beneath its tactical brevity lies a tectonic disturbance in international relations. It was not merely a regional sk

Malaysia: Where cultures meet and memories begin

In an era where travel is no longer a luxury but a lifestyle, Malaysians and Sri Lankans are finding common ground in shared experiences, vibrant cultures, and breathtaking destinations.

Unravelling the “Sitavaka” mystery

Was Sita held captive by Ravana in Sitavaka? Was the name Sitavaka coined after this fact? And did Ravana rule Sri Lanka five thousand years ago?

Can Rural Poverty Be Eliminated by Fuelling Human-Elephant Conflicts?

With the National People’s Power Government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake ascending to power with a large mandate, the public’s expectations around the oft-mentioned goal of “eradicating rural poverty” have significantly increased. To fulfill those expectations, minimising the human-elephant conflict—now widespread across much of Sri Lanka’s dry zone — must be made a national priority.

Fifty years in Priesthood, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith

Sri Lanka’s second Cardinal after Cardinal Thomas Cooray, Cardinal Malcolm was ordained as a priest on June 29, 1975, by Pope Paul VI in St. Peter’s Square in Rome

Healthcare waste, a burden for residents in Anuradhapura

The healthcare waste management crisis at Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital surfaced once again when media reports indicated massive piles of waste dumped in an adjacent land named ‘Paldoruwa’. Medical experts point out that the non-inclusion of a healthcare waste management system – which is an integral part of any national health system has been a major drawback in national planning policies. Environmentalists have cautioned the potential impact o

Chess queen Devindya battles challenges to make Sri Lanka proud

For Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana (13), chess is something more than a board game. What began as a pastime to beat her sister at the game had transformed her life to a point where she now has no challenge in facing local chess competitions.

Understanding numerology: The power of numbers

Numerology is important to understand that everything in the world is dependent on numbers. Numerology can assist you to have a better understanding and further improve the relationships with your family members, relatives, friends and superiors, to lead a serene, tranquil, peaceful and fulfilled life.

Young Writers Shine at S. Thomas’ College All-Island Essay Competition

As part of its 175th Anniversary commemorations, S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, hosted the final round of its nationwide English essay competition, welcoming 175 finalists from schools across Sri Lanka.

SLASSCOM’s year of purpose and progress

As the curtains fall on an eventful year for SLASSCOM, outgoing Chairman Nishan Mendis reflects on the past 12 months with a powerful blend of introspection, pride, and optimism. Against a backdrop of national recovery and global challenges, SLASSCOM’s story this year was one of recalibration, resilience, results and impact.

Krishanthi Kumaraswamy case and Chemmani mass grave : A landmark case and a prosecutor’s call for accountability

Ongoing excavations at the Chemmani mass grave reveal harrowing atrocities committed during the war. But this mass grave site would have been a secret buried under Lankan soil if not for a statement made by a death row convict. The convict, who is the main accused in the Krishanthi Kumaraswamy case, revealed the Chemmani mass grave in 1998 upon being sentenced to death. Recently, the Supreme Court rejected a petition filed by this convict and oth

Electoral Irony A system JVP/NPP once championed stands in its way

Sri Lanka’s recent local government elections have laid bare a striking paradox. The JVP/NPP, the dominant force in national politics following their landslide victory at the last General election, has now run into unexpected headwinds—created not by their political rivals, but by an electoral system they themselves once strongly endorsed. Despite an overwhelming electoral performance across the country—where they secured the highest number of wa

Cancerous corruption and land grab aided by govt institutions

Corruption, especially within the government sector and the political system, has been endemic over the years despite continuous regime change. The issue is so serious that it’s become a cancer in Sri Lankan governance. The National People’s Power (NPP) government which came to power mainly on an anti-corruption campaign finds it so hard to battle it. The main stumbling block had been some of the state institutions themselves and their officials

In support of tortured victims Realities of torture in Sri Lanka

June 26 marked the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. It is a day dedicated to recognising and supporting those who have endured acts of torture and also calls for accountability and justice.

Crisis response needed regarding plastic pollution in Sri Lanka

Plastic waste is a growing issue worldwide. According to United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) a truck load of plastic waste enters the ocean every minute we spend on this planet.

Attachment to the machine and detachment from family

It’s time we move beyond the once-revered motto from Silicon Valley to “move fast and break things”. This quote-turned-operating mode is widespread across the world; you might even see it on the office walls of some IT companies in Colombo. The result? The digital products rolled out fueled by this idea have successfully broken our societies, democracies, planet, and our willingness to experience life or, at the extreme, to live at all. Yet, thes

Kandy’s dirty pretty things

In the emerald heart of Sri Lanka, cradled by hills, lies Kandy-a city steeped in ancient lore and sacred traditions. Yet, even here, a pervasive struggle unfolds. Daily, an ever-growing tide of human refuse threatens to overwhelm this venerable urban ecosystem. From vibrant festivals to the quiet rhythm of daily life, waste accumulates, a stark testament to humanity’s footprint on this delicate and beautiful landscape.

Trek from north to South Taking a peep into the history of Pada Yatra

Pada Yatra pilgrimage or the journey by foot from the North and East and the hill country to attend Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devala Esala Festival has a long history that dates back as far as the ancient times History has recorded that during the reign of Buwanekabahu IV, who ruled in Gampola, bands of pilgrims from India had ferried by sea to the North and from there proceeded by foot to Kataragama through thick jungles teeming with wild beasts.

Jaffna Islands expand as mangrove project thrives

My former Personal Security Officer (PSO), Commander Chatura Gamage, RSP and five Bars, injured Officer from elite Sri Lanka Navy Special Boat Squadron, who has MSc in GIS and Remote Sensing from Peradeniya University gave me a call with much delight. “Sir, it’s working ! I can see our Jaffna islands growing in size !. I will get you the google pictures soon.