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SLPP ally demands restoration of price control
State Minister Jayantha Samaraweera on behalf of the National Freedom Front (NFF) yesterday (23) urged the government to re-introduce price control to ensure the importers pass on the duty concessions received from the government to consumers. The NFF is a constituent of the ruling SLPP.
Addressing the media at NFF office, Pita Kotte, the lawmaker cited how sugar importers, in spite of the reduction of Rs 50 a kilo duty on a kilo of imported sugar to 25 cents jacked up the prices. The government was helpless as price control on rice, sugar, flour, milk powder and other essentials had been done away with.
State Minister Samaraweera urged the government to recover ill-gotten money from unscrupulous importers and double Samurdhi benefits to genuine recipients.
According to him, the cash-strapped Treasury had lost billions of rupees as a result of tax concessions though the consumers didn’t receive any relief. Responding to another query, lawmaker Samaraweera said that the recently dissolved Finance Commission chaired by MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa took up the sugar duty fraud. But, nothing happened in spite of the overwhelming evidence people were denied relief through massive concessions given to sugar importers (SF)
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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts
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.
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]
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.
(Prime Minister’s Media Division)
Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts
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China approves ‘ethnic unity’ law requiring minorities to learn Mandarin
Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere
Chinese national arrested over attempt to smuggle 2,000 queen ants from Kenya
Attacks reported on three more cargo ships in Gulf, with oil price back near $100
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