El Niño Preparedness: President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired a high-level meeting on El Niño readiness, with agencies reviewing risks to food security, drinking water and power generation, including reservoir levels and contingency steps. Water Security: Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre warned that severe drought could force emergency seawater purification and distribution if water sources run out. Renewables & Grid Stability: The government is pushing energy storage and grid upgrades, with procurement completed for 160MW battery storage and plans for additional projects, aiming to lift renewable power to 70% by 2030. Fisheries Cold Chain: Japan donated six refrigerated trucks to the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation and will install ice-making machines, targeting big reductions in post-harvest fish losses. Minerals Value Addition: Sri Lanka revised its National Mineral Policy after 27 years, aiming to stop exporting raw minerals and boost local processing for higher foreign exchange earnings. Energy Policy Critique: Environmental groups criticised Sri Lanka’s LNG power plans, saying LNG-ready plants are still running on diesel due to lack of an LNG terminal. Trade & Industry: Sri Lanka’s push to join RCEP gained attention at a roundtable, with diplomats pointing to export-market diversification and logistics potential. Global Shock Watch: UN-linked reporting warns the Iran war is worsening global hunger and food insecurity, with spillovers that can hit Sri Lanka’s import-dependent economy.