Redefining Sri Lanka’s Human-Elephant Conflict management strategy
By Eng P.W.C. Dayaratne In 2024, 386 elephants and 154 people died due to the Human–Elephant Conflict (HEC). This is a serious and growing crisis. A recent map (Figure 1) showing locations of human fatalities from elephant attacks between 2019 and 2021 reveals the widespread impact across the country’s dry zone. (The map was developed [...]
The lighter side of life at the Peradeniya campus
By Thalif Deen NEW YORK—The university campus at Peradeniya has long been a community of closed living. Going back to the 1950s and 60s, the university had its own social life, its own sense of values, its own medium of conversation, and most importantly, its own anecdotes and legendary stories—both on and off-campus. When we [...]
2024 riots: Englishmen drifting in confusion
By RubenThurairajah It was in the summer of 2024 that the riots began in England. One of the first victims was a man called Chanaka Balasuriya. His shop, Windsor Mini Mart, was looted by rioters in Southport, near Liverpool where it all started. Yet already, barely a year later, it is hard to say what [...]
Donald Trump could stop Gaza’s famine; instead he’s following Biden’s lead
A hunger-monitoring group has confirmed what we already knew about Palestinians’ suffering; the US has the power to end it By Mohamad Bazzi (The Guardian, UK) – A global hunger-monitoring group declared last week that Gaza’s largest city and its surrounding area were suffering from an “entirely man-made” famine, mostly caused by Israel’s deliberate starvation [...]
United Ventures Group celebrates 30th anniversary felicitating founder Afghar Mohideen
United Ventures Group, one of the leading travel and tourism sector companies, celebrated their 30th anniversary with a gala function on board the Banquet Boat of Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel last weekend. Specialising in travel, airline representation and destination management, United Ventures Group began in 1995 as United Holidays. As part of the celebrations, the founder [...]
Changing of the Guard at UK’s Friends of Sri Lanka Association
There has been a ‘Change of Guard’ at the helm of the Friends of Sri Lanka Association (FoSLA) in the United Kingdom with former British High Commissioner to Colombo Sir Dominick Chilcott taking over the Chair after a record-breaking 15 years by Sir Peter Heap who has decided to step down. FoSLA, which was founded [...]
NSBM’s Prof E A Weerasinghe named Most Visionary Leader at SLEOTY awards
Prof E A Weerasinghe, Founding Vice Chancellor of NSBM Green University, Honored as Most Visionary Leader – 2025 at the Sri Lankan Entrepreneur of the Year (SLEOTY) Awards Prof. E. A. Weerasinghe, the Founding Vice Chancellor of NSBM Green University, was honored with the prestigious Most Visionary Leader Award – 2025 at the Sri Lankan [...]
Modi’s billionaires in Trump’s crosshairs
By Jayati Ghosh, Project Syndicate, Exclusive to the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka NEW DELHI – The world’s largest corporations now rival most governments—not only in terms of revenue and assets, but also in their ability to shape political outcomes. Their power is reinforced by the immense personal fortunes of billionaires, which enable them to [...]