News

Current govt. has no legitimacy, says Kiriella

Published

4 years ago

2022/06/1

By Saman Indrajith

The incumbent government was a lottery win for Ranil Wickremesinghe and a breathing space for the Rajapaksas, Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday.

Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s Office in Colombo, Kiriella said that the makeshift government would not be able to solve the problems the people were faced with.

“This government is without any legitimacy. It has MPs who have been bought off. It does not represent people’s wishes. As long as this government is in existence, the international community will not consider extending any meaningful assistance to this country to get out of the present predicament. To have a legitimate government we need a fresh election and fresh mandate from the people.”

Kiriella said that the leaders of the makeshift government had sought assistance from the international community. “A few countries have provided some assistance, but there is nothing substantial. Take a look at the statements issued recently by the World Bank, the IMF, the UN and leading countries. They all insist on two conditions to give assistance. They demand the government should submit its economic plan to get out of this crisis. Economic reforms are needed because our expenditure is three times our earnings. The second condition is that we should go for political reforms. This government may keep asking but there would be no assistance until we fulfil these two conditions,” Kiriella said, adding that the incumbent government could deliver nothing to achieve those conditions.

“We foresaw this economic disaster one and half years back. We warned the government of this. Not only us, the economists and many experts warned the government of an inevitable crisis and advised them to go to the IMF. The government was so arrogant that it did not give two hoots about the warnings. There had been a finance minister who kept bunking parliament for months. He did not come to parliament even after we demanded. Today we have neither dollars nor rupees. The government keeps dreaming that they will receive dollars. One ministry issued a statement that the World Bank would give us 700 million dollars. Within 24 hours, the World Bank issued a clarification that there was no such thing and they have not even commenced talks to consider the assistance to this country.

“This government has lost its credibility. How one could expect the international community to trust this government when not even the Lankan expatriates trust them. Lankan expatriates do not send dollars here because they do not trust the government.

“The only solution before us is to go for an election. If a new government is in power people will wait for solutions. The international community prefers to work with a new government. A new government cannot be made by buying over MPs of a parliament that has lost its legitimacy because people say that parliament no longer represents them,” Kiriella said.

Badulla District SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri also addressed the press.

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

3 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

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Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

6 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.