News Farmers urged to take precautions as El Niño gathers strength Published 2 mins agoon 2026/07/13 The Department of Meteorology says the El Niño climate phenomenon has emerged in the Pacific Ocean at a weak level but is expected to strengthen during October and November. Dire…
News Farmers urged to take precautions as El Niño gathers strength
Published 2 mins agoon 2026/07/13
The Department of Meteorology says the El Niño climate phenomenon has emerged in the Pacific Ocean at a weak level but is expected to strengthen during October and November. Director of Forecasting Meril Mendis said global forecasts indicate the developing El Niño could trigger climate irregularities and weather changes in several countries, including Sri Lanka. According to the department’s projections, there is a 63% probability that El Niño will strengthen into a very strong phase between November and January 2027. However, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates only a one-third chance of the phenomenon reaching that intensity. Mendis said the prevailing Southwest Monsoon could be affected by El Niño, although above-average rainfall is still expected during October and November. He said authorities are preparing to manage water resources efficiently by taking into account current reservoir levels and expected rainfall patterns to ensure sustainable supplies for agriculture, power generation and drinking water. Meanwhile, Environment Minister Dammika Patabendi said a special programme involving all relevant ministries will be finalised within the next two weeks to address potential challenges posed by El Niño. The minister also urged farmers to begin preparations for the upcoming Maha cultivation season ahead of schedule to minimise possible losses linked to the climate phenomenon. By Chaminda Silva
News Australian ABBA tribute band Björn Again to headline Maris Motor Rally 2026
Published 3 mins agoon 2026/07/13
Launch of MMR 2026 event: From left Primal Vithana (Gen Secy of Maris Stella OBA), Dhammika Fernando (OBA President), Manjula Mahadanaarachchi (Project Chair of MMR 2026), Nishendra Ekanayake and Erananda Weththasinghe Australian ABBA tribute band Björn Again will perform in Negombo on August 1 as the headline act of Maris Motor Rally 2026 (MMR 26), organised by the Maris Stella College Old Boys’ Association (OBA). The announcement was made by OBA President Dhammika Fernando at a media briefing in Colombo on Saturday. Fernando said the event, endorsed by the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, will be held at the Jetwing Blue beachfront and is expected to attract around 6,000 spectators. The concert will also feature performances by local bands, with organisers describing it as one of Sri Lanka’s biggest beach parties in the recent years. Björn Again, an internationally acclaimed ABBA tribute act, comprising performers from several countries, has staged more than 7,000 performances across 120 countries since its formation in 1988. The band’s name is a play on that of ABBA guitarist and vocalist Björn Ulvaeus.
Organisers said the performance is expected to strengthen Negombo’s tourism calendar by attracting both local and foreign visitors while boosting business for hotels, restaurants, transport providers and other enterprises in the area. “Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery needs strong destination-level experiences that connect visitors with local communities. MMR 26 is not only a rally or a music festival; it is a platform to promote Negombo as a complete weekend economy covering hotels, restaurants, entertainment, transport, small businesses and community initiatives,” Fernando said. “Negombo has the natural advantage of being close to the airport, having a strong hotel base, a rich cultural identity and a vibrant coastal economy. Through MMR 26, our objective is to help convert these strengths into real income opportunities for the local community while creating a positive image for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector,” Project Chair Manjula Mahadanarachchi said. With motorsport, music, hospitality partnerships, environmental action and community participation brought together under one umbrella, MMR 26 is expected to become a larger platform for tourism promotion, local livelihood development and economic activity in Negombo.
News How Arab News in Sinhala expands news access for Lankans in Middle East
Published 3 mins agoon 2026/07/13
A man reading Arab News in Sinhala in Colombo on July 8, 2026. (AN Photo) (Arab News) The newly launched Sinhala version of Arab News is making global and regional developments more accessible to Sri Lankan migrant workers in the Middle East, their representatives say, as for many, language has until now been the main barrier to obtaining news. The Sinhalese are the largest ethno-linguistic group in Sri Lanka, constituting about 75 percent of the multi-ethnic island nation’s population. Arab News launched its Sinhala version as part of the artificial intelligence-powered feature it introduced in 2025 to allow readers to translate articles into 50 languages. The launch was officiated in Riyadh on July 5, 2026, by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ameer Ajwad, who said it made the region’s “leading English-language newspaper more accessible to a large number of Sinhala-speaking Sri Lankan migrant workers in the Kingdom who are not proficient enough in English.” Some 1.2 million Sri Lankan workers are employed in the Middle East, mostly in the six GCC countries. To be able to read the most relevant news to the region where they live and work is a welcome development to them, said Nihal Gamage, a Sri Lankan entrepreneur who has been living in Saudi Arabia for over four decades. “Arab News understands the pulse of the various migrant communities who are working in these countries,” he said. “They can read global news in their own language.” As the publication offers coverage not only of global events, but also of the main news in their native country and developments that are related to expat communities in the region, it appeals to the Sri Lankan reader. “The Sinhala edition is good news to more than 75 percent of the population since they read Sinhala as their mother tongue,” said Dr. H. M. Rafeek, former president of the Sri Lankan Expatriates Society. “They are interested to know what is happening in Saudi Arabia and the problems, if any, faced by foreign workers. They are also eager to know the current US-Iran moves and Arab News is giving good coverage on the current affairs in the Middle East.”