News

AJBP eyes NL slot for Ven. Gnanasara

Published

6 years ago

2020/08/6

Sahan Weerasooriya

…20 ex-lawmakers seek entry uncontested

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya (AJBP) conducted a unique campaign at yesterday’s general election to win a National List slot for one of its co-leaders, Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara.

The party urged the electorate to help Ven. Gnanasara enter parliament to save the nation from what it called extremist invasion, a reference to those behind the Easter Sunday carnage.

Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya contested the general election under the flag symbol.

Party spokesperson Dr. Saranga Alahapperuma told The Island yesterday (5) that the initiative was launched in the wake of unfortunate rejection of four of their nomination lists for Colombo, Moneragala, Kalutara and Kurunegala on technical grounds. Ven. Gnanasara was on their rejected Kurunegala list.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena paved the way for Ven. Gnanasara to team up with former UNP National List MP Ven. Athureliya Rathana to contest on Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya by granting him a presidential pardon in early last year. At the time of the presidential intervention, the Ven thera was serving a jail term for contempt of court.

Ven. Rathana is in the fray in the Gampaha district.

Dr. Alahapperuma said that altogether they had fielded about 30 monks.

Dr. Alahapperuma acknowledged that their original plans weren’t realistic.

Of the 225 lawmakers, 29 are appointed through the National List. In the last parliament, the UNP had 13 NL slots, the UPFA 12 and the JVP and the TNA two each.

Ven. Rathana as a Jathika Hela Urumaraya nominee received a UNP NL slot.

President Sirisena accommodated ten defeated candidates through the UPFA National List.

According to the NLs submitted by the SLPP, SJB, UNP and the JVP-led Jathika Jana Balavegaya to the EC, there are 20 former lawmakers seeking re-entry. Interestingly all four lists are led by former lawmakers Prof. G.L. Peiris (SLPP Chairman), John Amaratunga (UNP), Bimal Ratnayake (JJB) and Tissa Attanayake (SJB).

SLPP NL included former national cricketer Tilakaratne Dilshan as well as Wimal Giganage, who handed over his registered political party re-named as SLPP to enable it to contest the 2018 Local Government polls, field Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the presidential candidate and then contest the general election.

The SJB NL included nominees of the SLMC, JHU and ACMC. SJB nominees included Mayantha Dissanayake, younger brother of Navin Dissanayake, who contested Nuwara Eliya on the UNP ticket. Mayantha entered parliament on the UNP ticket from Mahanuwara at the last general election though he switched his allegiance to Sajith Premadasa.

Of the 20 ex-lawmakers, the SJB accommodated seven in its NL (Tissa Attanayake, Harin Fernando, Imthiaz Bakeer Marker, Mayantha Dissanayake, Earl Gunasekera, Eran Wickramaratne and its General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara).

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

Published

5 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

6 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

8 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.