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JVP flays govt. for bringing Ukrainian tourists without repatriating Lankan migrant workers

Published

5 years ago

2021/01/11

By Saman Indrajith

Sri Lankan migrant workers knew that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had two characters and he had a peaceful side and a dark side since he treated the migrant workers and Ukrainian tourists in two different ways, member of the JVP-led NPP member of the Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia Municipal Council Samanmalee Gunasinghe said yesterday.

Addressing the media at the JVP headquarters in Pelawatte, Gunasinghe said that the tourism industry contributed only around four billion rupees to the national economy while the migrant workers’ contribution was at seven billion rupees a year.

“The government overlooked bringing home the stranded Lankan migrant workers but rolled out the red carpet to Ukrainian tourists. There were COVID-19 infections among those tourists and that finally resulted in some Lankan hotel employees and drivers getting infected by the virus. The President welcomed the Lankan migrant workers who came down in planeloads to vote for his party.

Gunasinghe said adding that the Ukrainian tourists were given princely treatment while the government had allowed its friendly businessmen to exploit the Sri Lankan migrant workers who are brought home.

JVP-led NPP MP Dr Harini Amarasuriya said the repatriation of Sri Lankan migrant workers had become a big business for a handful of tycoons. “We are happy that many leading government members in and out of parliament last week said they too felt something suspicious about this process. Around 300 Lankan citizens died abroad because of the pandemic. The issue of stranded Lankan migrant workers is not a problem that came up last week. It started around 10 months back but its was only last week that the government expressed its willingness to bring them home. Now, the government says that only those who have registered themselves with the Foreign Employment Bureau would be brought home, but when they sent seven billion rupees home the government did not ask whether they were registered or not. Every person has a right to return to his or her home country. It is a universally-accepted human right. It is unfortunate that the government has no regard for that.”

Progressive Women’s Collective Chairperson, Saroja Savithri Paulraj said: “The government should take responsibility for every single Lanka migrant worker who died abroad because it failed to help those workers come home owing to the pandemic. Every other nation in the world has brought its citizens home.

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

Published

7 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

8 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

9 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.