Newspaper
Sunday Island
The 2015 election and my entry to Parliament on the National List
One of the pleasures I derived from being MP for Kandy district was that I could interact with academic communities at Peradeniya and Polgolla. Polgolla was the venue of the Mahaweli Teacher Training institute as well as training institutes of the Cooperative and Rural Development Departments. This was in addition to a large number of private teaching institutions located there. In fact Polgolla or nearby Aruppola) was earlier considered as a possible site for our first residential university. The proponent of Polgolla was A. Ratnayake who was the dominant politician in the Kandy district during the DS Senanayake era. Polgolla was passed over for Peradeniya because more land was available there from a large tea estate which belonged to a British planter. Says the official history of Peradeniya Campus: The goverment acquired this site in 1938. The extent of land was about 700 hectares and a further 120 hectares were added later. About 150 hectares of the land were developed and landscaped to create the University park on which the University complex is now located while the rest of the land remains forested\".
9 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Aren't We All Cockroaches?
No matter how it is framed or softened in institutional language, what a section of India’s judiciary once said by comparing unemployed youth to “cockroaches” remains unacceptable in any serious democratic order.
5 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
French-Iranian Persepolis author Marjane Satrapi dies of ‘sadness’
French-Iranian author and film director Marjane Satrapi has died at the age of 56.
2 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Assistant manager, security officer held over Horana bank cash robbery
An assistant manager and a security officer attached to a state bank branch in Horana have been arrested in connection with the robbery of more than Rs. 30 million that was being transported to replenish automated teller machines (ATMs), Police said.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Rupee is returning to its “normal state”: deputy finmin
Sri Lanka’s rupee is returning to a normal state through the operation of market forces, Deputy Finance Minister Anil Jayantha said adding that it was “incorrect to try to portray the depreciation of the rupee to society as an economic crisis”.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Lankan-Canadian inducted to Toronto Sports Hall of Fame
Lankan-Canadian field hockey star Malinda Hapuarachchi has been inducted into the University of Toronto Sports Hall of Fame, in recognition of a distinguished career spanning school, university, national and international competition.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Rewiring Brain: Meditation to Break the Cycle of Craving
“Craving begets sorrow, craving begets fear. For him who is free from craving there is no sorrow; how can there be fear for him,” Dhammapada verse 216 states.
6 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
TNA MP calls for complete repeal of PTA
Trincomalee District TNA MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam has submitted a motion to Parliament calling for the immediate repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), arguing that the controversial law has enabled arbitrary detention, torture and the targeting of minority communities for more than four decades.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Marist Eco Friends distribute 5,000 saplings on Vesak to promote environmental stewardship
The ‘Marist Journey from Ego to Eco’ concept, highlighted at the 22nd Marist General Chapter, continues to guide a growing environmental initiative that promotes a shift from human dominance over nature towards stewardship and partnership with it.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Anti-corruption efforts must be accompanied by greater transparency
The recent meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of the Secretary to the President, Mr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, to review the functioning of Internal Affairs Units and the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan 2025-2029 is a welcome development.
4 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Lanka expands maternal health screening under ‘Triple Elimination’ programme
Sri Lanka last week launched its “Triple Elimination” programme across all maternal clinics island-wide, strengthening efforts to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases from mother to child.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Sri Lanka to play women's T-20 World Cup curtain-raiser
Sri Lanka women’s cricket team flew off to London this week to take part in the ICC T-20 World Cup that will get underway on the 12th June in Birmingham with Chamari Atapattu’s side playing England in the curtain-raiser.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Climate compliance pressure mounts on Lankan businesses
Lankan businesses are facing increasing pressure to strengthen climate governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks as climate-related disclosure requirements, investor expectations, and regulatory standards continue to evolve.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Violence is not power, and our leaders should stop confusing the two
To paraphrase the famous science fiction writer Isaac Asimov, the source of true power for a nation is the ability to get your way without having to resort to violence.
4 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
NH Collection strengthens leadership with General Manager Kedar Dighe
NH Collection Colombo has appointed Kedar Dighe as General Manager, bringing with him extensive hospitality experience gained through leadership roles with internationally recognised brands, including Marriott International, Accor Group, and Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Trump says Iran cannot have nuclear weapon, warns attacks on US troops could restart war
SNS: A House-backed effort to limit Donald Trump's military authority over Iran has intensified political tensions as negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme continue.
2 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Sri Lanka comes to Delhi! Zetu brings Lankan flavours to India's capital
For decades, Delhi has embraced cuisines from across the world, from Japanese and Korean to Peruvian and Lebanese. Yet one notable culinary tradition was missing from the Indian capital's vibrant dining scene: Sri Lankan cuisine.
2 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
US and Lanka celebrate commissioning of SLNS Samudravijaya
Following a historic 12,000-nautical-mile voyage from Baltimore, Maryland—the longest ever undertaken by a Sri Lanka Navy crew to bring a vessel home and the Navy's first transit of the Panama Canal—US Chargé d’Affaires Jayne Howell joined President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Thursday at the Port of Colombo to celebrate the commissioning of SLNS Samudravijaya.
2 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Working past, present and future at the Geoffrey Bawa Trust
Visitors to Lunuganga, ahead of the southwest monsoon, may have noticed garden staff working in the water surrounding the estate's sundial— not an unusual sight given the nature of conservation work, but representative of the breadth and rigour that defines the Trust's approach.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Special dengue control programme planned for 14 districts
A special dengue mosquito control programme will be implemented on June 8, 9 and 10 across 74 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) divisions in 14 districts, the Ministry of Health said.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
XPeng G6 launched in Lanka, marking push into premium EV segment
Evolution Auto Private Limited, the authorised distributor for XPeng in Sri Lanka, has launched the all-new XPeng G6 electric SUV, signalling a new phase in the country’s premium electric mobility market.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Prez in the dock
The US has acted decisively to rein in a runaway Executive, as it were. The House of Representatives has passed a resolution curbing President Donald Trump’s powers to attack Iran without congressional authorisation.
3 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Serenity Tissa; Gateway to southern Sri Lanka’s timeless heritage
As Sri Lanka’s southern corridor continues to attract travellers from across the globe, Serenity Tissa stands out as a destination where comfort, culture and nature come together in perfect harmony, offering guests an unforgettable journey into the soul of the island, southern heritage.
2 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
India’s BRICS Moment: Can Food Loss Become a Shared Economic Agenda?
As India takes over the BRICS 2026 Chairmanship, an important but often-ignored issue is food loss, which is now entering global policy discussions.
4 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Sabina Yousuf shines as the face of Tiesh
Tiesh Sri Lanka, renowned for its exceptional craftsmanship, timeless elegance, and celebration of Sri Lankan gemstones, has appointed Sabina Yousaf as the newest face of the brand.
2 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
SPAR Sri Lanka Opens New Outlet in Kurunegala
SPAR Sri Lanka has expanded its retail network with the opening of a new outlet in Kurunegala, marking another milestone in the supermarket chain’s growth across the country.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Lamabadusuriya ranked No. 14 in international Scrabble rankings
Dr Harshan Lamabadusuriya, a Briton of Sri Lankan descent, has been ranked 14th in the world scrabble rankings.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Seeduwa eye clinic goes digital to cut waiting times
The “Eye Clinic Digitalisation Project” at the Seeduwa Vijaya Kumaratunga Memorial Hospital was officially launched and handed over to the public on Thursday (4), marking a significant step towards modernising eye care services under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media.
1 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Sleep sweet spot: 6.4–7.8 hours linked to healthier aging, Columbia study finds
Sleep is often described as one of the most basic biological needs, yet modern science continues to refine what “healthy sleep” actually means.
3 min |
June 07, 2026
Sunday Island
Will governments make tobacco industry pay for all the harms it causes?
\"How can we allow the tobacco industry to fill its coffers while we the people have to empty our pockets to fend for and suffer all the harms tobacco industry has caused?
4 min |