Author: Buzzer Editorial

Warm weather conditions prevailing over the island are expected to continue, today (31), the Department of Meteorology said. Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts in the evening or night. Mainly dry weather will prevail over the other parts of the island, the Met. Department added. Misty conditions can be expected at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa and Uva provinces and in Galle and Matara districts during the early hours of the morning. The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong…

Israel’s parliament passed a law on Monday making death by hanging a default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of deadly attacks, fulfilling a pledge by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right allies.The law would only apply to Israelis convicted of murder whose attacks aimed at “ending Israel’s existence”, meaning it would mete out the death penalty for Palestinians but not for Jewish Israelis who committed similar crimes, critics say.The legislation has drawn international criticism of Israel, which is already under scrutiny for increasing violence by Jewish settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and its war in Gaza.NO…

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has decided to launch a nationwide token strike, today (31) at 8 a.m. based on several demands, including the alleged illegal transfers of doctors.The Secretary of the Government Medical Officers’ Association, Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa, stated that the strike will commence across all hospitals island-wide.However, he noted that the trade union action will not be carried out in maternity hospitals, children’s hospitals, the Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama, specialized kidney units, tri-forces hospitals, and the National Institute of Mental Health.Dr. Sugathadasa further warned that if the government fails to respond to their concerns, stricter trade union actions…

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has granted approval to increase electricity tariffs with effect from April 1.The Ceylon Electricity Board in February requested a 13.56% electricity tariff revision from the Public Utilities Commission for the second quarter of this year.Under the electricity revision announced by the PUCSL for domestic consumers:Meanwhile, the PUCSL has decided not to increase electricity tariffs for religious and charitable institutions that consume below 180 units monthly.The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has decided to approve a 9.6% increase in electricity tariffs only for consumption above 180 units in those sectors.Meanwhile, it…

The Department of Agrarian Development has decided to restrict the issuance of urea fertilizer exclusively to paddy cultivation, citing limited national stocks due to the ongoing crisis in the Middle East.According to the Department, unmixed urea fertilizer for the 2026 Yala season will be distributed solely for rice cultivation through Agrarian Service Centers.The Department has informed all Agrarian Development Officers islandwide of this decision and instructed them to issue fertilizer strictly based on the extent of land cultivated by each farmer.Accordingly, fertilizer will be released to farmers based on determinations made at seasonal cultivation meetings or upon verification of paddy…

The Chairman of the National Water Supply and Drainage Board (NWSDB), Chandana Bandara, has stated that, due to the prevailing dry and drought conditions in Sri Lanka, water supply may need to be restricted for several hours per day over the next two to three weeks.Speaking to the media, he further noted that although such water cuts have not yet been implemented, the current weather conditions may make it difficult to maintain a continuous 24-hour water supply in the near future.He added that the production capacity of water treatment plants, including the Ambatale Water Treatment Plant, has not yet been…

Chairman of the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, Professor T.M.W.J. Bandara, has emphasized the importance of managing and using energy efficiently and systematically under the current circumstances.He stated that electricity generation during the evening hours from 5 p.m. to early morning relies heavily on fossil fuels, making public cooperation essential at this time.Professor Bandara highlighted that minimizing electricity consumption would help reduce the use of fossil fuels, which are costly for power generation. Efficient use of electricity, he noted, would not only lower national generation costs but also help reduce consumers’ electricity bills.He further encouraged the public to shift towards energy-efficient…

The decision regarding the proposed revision of electricity tariffs for the second quarter of 2026 is scheduled to be announced today (30). The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) is set to officially release details pertaining to the revised electricity charges.Accordingly, the Commission is expected to make an official announcement regarding the second quarter electricity tariff adjustment at around 2:00 p.m. today.

A group of 125 Chinese nationals, who were detained by the Department of Immigration and Emigration in connection with online financial scams, has been deported.A spokesperson for the Department of Immigration and Emigration stated that following discussions with the Chinese government, a special aircraft from China was used to facilitate the deportation.The suspects had been arrested on March 17 while residing in several lodges in the Anuradhapura area, allegedly conducting financial scams online. The operation was carried out jointly by the military intelligence division and the Department of Immigration and Emigration.Investigations revealed that the Chinese nationals had entered the country on…

Australia will halve the tax on fuel and diesel for three months in a push to bring down costs that have surged due to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, Prime Minister Anthony ⁠Albanese said on Monday.The halving of the tax, known as the fuel excise, would reduce the cost of fuel by 26.3 Australian cents per litre, Albanese said.‘‘We understand the cost pressures for people are very real ⁠as the impact of the war on the other side of the world plays out right here,’‘ Albanese told ⁠a press conference in Canberra.The government would also pause the road user charge…