News

JVP to meet IGP over MP Arundika’s allegations

Published

4 years ago

2022/05/22

The JVP is planning to meet the IGP on a statement by SLPP MP Arundika Fernando saying that 150 of some 400 persons taken into police custody for alleged involvement in backlash violence after SLPP goons attacked the Gotagogama protesters in Galle Face on May 9.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said Fernando is on record making a statement quoting the IGP that among those arrested for violent incidents were JVP members.

“We want the IGP to clarify who the others in the custody are if he has ascertained the political party memberships of 150 out of some 400 arrested. We hope that the IGP could explain to us the method he used to affix the party membership label on them. The IGP should give us the list of names of those in their custody.

“Government ministers are trying to apportion the blame for the violence on the JVP. There is a reason for that. None of those ministers can go out in public. They have to live in hiding. They are hiding from the people.

“Though they have ministerial positions they cannot go on the streets. They are afraid of people in gas, fuel and milk powder queues. They have shifted from luxury SUVs to small cars because of peoples’ anger. This public wrath is because people have understood the oppression that they had been forced to live with under these rulers.

“This is not a protest by a single political party. The ruling party politicians know that they cannot go out while our MPs still walk on the streets with the people.

“Police has been ordered to make arrests on the basis of lists given to them. These lists have not been prepared by the police or the CID. They have been made by provincial politicians of the SLPP. They have included the names of JVP regional leaders in their lists. We are consulting our lawyers to question this arbitrary manner of making arrests,” Silva said.

He said that his party has evolved facing similar situations in the past and is closely observing the next move in the government’s political witch-hunt.

“In 1983, there was a similar situation. The then government officially attributed the responsibility of triggering the Pogrom against Tamils in the South on us. In very recent history, they unsuccessfully tried to put the blame of Easter Sunday incidents on us.

“Now after two, three years, people know the truth about who carried out the Easter Sunday terror attacks. After the protests in Mirihana opposite President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s home, Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that JVP members set a bus on fire there. He’s still unable to prove his allegation.”

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

Published

2 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

3 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

4 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.