News

Three suspects have been arrested for aiding and abetting the shooting incident at Bodhiyawatte in Kohuwala, in which a 16-year-old girl was injured.

Two unidentified gunmen who arrived on a motorcycle opened fire in front of a house in the Kohuwala area on the night of January 30. 

During the incident, a 16-year-old girl sustained injuries and was admitted to hospital.

Following the shooting, the Kohuwala Police, along with the Moratuwa Police Special Task Force (STF), launched investigations into the incident.

Accordingly, a team of STF officers from the Moratuwa Police have arrested three suspects within the Dematagoda and Wellampitiya police divisions and had produced them to Kohuwala Police.

The suspects, aged 27, 32, and 35, are residents of the Colombo 09 and Colombo 12 areas, police said.

(Source - Adaderana)

Nearly all communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah in Sri Lanka suffered damage to homes, roads and other critical infrastructure, according to a new United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) assessment released on Wednesday, underscoring the scale of recovery needs and the urgency of accessible financing for the most vulnerable. 

The qualitative assessment, based on key informant interviews with 510 local officials, business leaders, and community representatives across 85 divisional secretariat divisions in the 22 most affected districts, found that 95% of respondents reported damage to residential, transport, industrial or community infrastructure within their area, with housing and roads most frequently cited.

Cyclone Ditwah struck Sri Lanka on 26 November 2025 and is the country’s deadliest disaster since the 2004 tsunami. An initial UNDP geospatial analysis released in December 2025 estimated that floodwaters inundated nearly 20% of the country’s land area, exposing approximately 2.3 million people.  Building on this analysis, the qualitative assessment findings point to deep and widespread recovery needs, with many communities lacking the materials, labour, and financing required to rebuild.

“We commend the Government of Sri Lanka’s announcement on plans to provide LKR 95 billion in support to MSMEs, including a 3% concessional loan scheme, which is a crucial step in accelerating recovery. At the same time, it is essential that we prioritize support for the many that operate outside formal systems—those who often remain unseen yet form the backbone of the local economy,” said Azusa Kubota, UNDP Resident Representative in Sri Lanka.

“The RAPIDA assessment underscores the importance of moving beyond short-term humanitarian assistance toward a comprehensive approach to early recovery and resilience-building. This is vital to ensure vulnerable populations do not fall back into poverty and get trapped in the cycle. Investing in recovery efforts that strengthen local economies—including targeted support for the informal sector—will be central to building disaster resilience and secure sustainable livelihoods for all.”

UNDP’s assessment highlights widespread economic fallout. A large majority of respondents (93%) reported that livelihoods had been affected in their area, citing crop and livestock losses, job losses and business closures, including in the informal sector, which employs a large share of Sri Lanka’s workforce. Key recovery needs include support for micro enterprises, access to low interest loans and capital for small businesses to rebuild their infrastructure and stocks.

More than half of those interviewed reported that vulnerable groups, such as older people, persons with disabilities and female-headed households, were among those affected. The most common coping mechanisms included government aid or support (reported by 76% of respondents), followed by assistance from international organisations at 45%, and informal lending at 40%. These patterns point to rising household debt stress, with implications for both household welfare and the pace of recovery for micro and small enterprises.  

Respondents also identified shortages of construction materials, limited availability of skilled labour, and funding constraints as obstacles to rebuilding damaged infrastructure, while citing delays in approvals and weak coordination between institutions as slowing recovery efforts.

Environmental and health risks emerged as additional concerns, with local officials reporting water contamination, soil erosion, and damage to ecosystems, pointing to longer-term climate and public health impacts.

Sri Lanka, like other countries in South Asia, is increasingly exposed to extreme weather events linked to climate change, including floods, cyclones and prolonged droughts.

UNDP said the findings highlight the need for continued support to restore infrastructure and livelihoods, particularly for informal workers and small businesses, while strengthening the climate and disaster resilience of enterprises and industries as the country transitions from emergency relief to recovery and reconstruction.

Source: adaderana.lk

The price of a cup of milk tea has been lowered by Rs. 10 with immediate effect, the All-Island Restaurant Owners’ Association announced on Thursday (16).

Association Chairman Harsha Rukshan said the reduction follows a decrease in the cost of imported milk powder, allowing eateries to pass on the benefit to consumers.

Milk powder importers have agreed to cut the price of imported milk powder by Rs. 125 per kilogram starting today. As a result, the price of a 400-gram packet will be reduced by Rs. 50, according to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development.

The price adjustment is expected to provide some relief to consumers amid rising living costs.

The Department of Meteorology has announced that the current showery weather affecting much of the island is likely to diminish from today (15 January).

According to the forecast, isolated showers or thundershowers may develop after 4.00 p.m. in the Kalutara, Galle, Matara and Ratnapura districts. Outside of these areas, predominantly fair weather conditions are expected to prevail.

The Met Department also noted that misty conditions are likely during the early morning hours in parts of the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-Western provinces, as well as in the Galle and Matara districts.

Residents are advised to remain mindful of reduced visibility in mist-prone areas during the morning hours.

The United States Government has transferred ten operational TH-57 Sea Ranger helicopters, a military variant of the renowned Bell 206B-3 Jet Ranger, manufactured by Bell Helicopter Textron USA,  to Sri Lanka.

According to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington D.C., these highly capable helicopters are currently undergoing final preparations for shipment and are slated to embark on their journey to Sri Lanka at the beginning of February.

The transfer addresses a critical and long-standing operational requirement for the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF), bolstering its fleet with versatile aircraft essential for a wide array of general-purpose missions. 

The TH-57 Sea Ranger has a distinguished service history with the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard since 1968, proving its reliability and adaptability. Globally, this helicopter model is highly valued for diverse roles including advanced pilot training, passenger transport, disaster response, maritime search and rescue, and various humanitarian operations. The SLAF itself has a rich history of operating Bell 206 Jet Rangers since 1969, making these new additions a natural and highly complementary fit for their existing infrastructure and expertise.

The profound strategic importance of this donation was underscored by Dr. Andrew Byers, Deputy Assistant Director of War, who remarked: “The transfer of these ten TH-57 helicopters marks another important step in U.S.-Sri Lanka defense relations—much like the December transfer of a former U.S. Coast Guard cutter as well as the disaster relief provided by U.S. Department of War service members and aircraft to the people of Sri Lanka in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. We look forward to working with the Sri Lankan Air Force as they begin to field this new capability.”

The Sri Lankan Embassy noted that these sentiments highlight the enduring and strengthening partnership between the United States and Sri Lanka in enhancing regional security, disaster preparedness, and humanitarian assistance efforts.

The integration of the helicopters into the SLAF fleet is anticipated to significantly elevate the nation’s capacity for rapid response, humanitarian aid delivery, and overall air domain effectiveness.

The Sri Lankan Embassy added that Sri Lanka is thankful to the United States for consistently assisting the country at times of need.

 (Source: Newswire)

The Sri Lankan Rupee recorded a slight depreciation against the US Dollar today (14 January) when compared to Tuesday, based on figures released by the Central Bank.

Official data shows that the Dollar buying rate edged up from Rs. 305.35 to Rs. 305.43, while the selling rate increased marginally from Rs. 312.88 to Rs. 312.97.

The Central Bank also noted minor fluctuations in the value of the Rupee against a range of other international currencies, including several Gulf currencies, reflecting modest movements in the foreign exchange market.

The Welisara Magistrate’s Court yesterday (14 Jan) imposed fines totalling Rs. 300,000 on three traders in the Gampaha District after they admitted guilt in cases filed by the Consumer Affairs Authority for selling rice above the maximum retail price.

According to the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), each offender was imposed a fine of Rs. 100,000.

According to court proceedings, the raids revealed the following violations:

• Ekala area, Ja-Ela: A shop was found selling Keeri Samba rice at Rs. 308 per kilogram, exceeding the approved price. Fine imposed: Rs. 100,000.
• Ja-Ela public market: A trader was caught selling Samba rice at Rs. 275 per kilogram, exceeding the approved price. Fine imposed: Rs. 100,000.
• Palliya Road, Kandana: A shop was detected selling Keeri Samba rice at Rs. 280 per kilogram, exceeding the approved price. Fine imposed: Rs. 100,000.

The Consumer Affairs Authority confirmed that strict legal action will continue against traders violating controlled price regulations. 

(Source:Newswire)

China-based Amber Adventures (Private) Limited has officially pulled out of the Ambuluwawa Cable Car Project, informing the Board of Investment (BOI) in writing yesterday (13 Jan).

According to media reports, the company, involved in Sri Lanka’s first cable car venture, has cited ‘regulatory obstruction and arbitrary state action’ for its decision. 

In its letter to the BOI, the Chinese company said it has decided to withdraw from the project due to arbitrary and unlawful actions by state authorities, including the suspension of construction by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) based on complaints circulating on social media, despite clearance from technical agencies.

Revealing that it had already invested US $ 3.5 million of the US $ 12.75 million in total investment, the company further said the investment was secured at the height of Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis by a consortium of investors from Sri Lanka, China and the United States.

The project had obtained all required approvals, including from the CEA, Urban Development Authority, Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Defence, and was structured as a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project. 

The company pointed out that under the agreement, the fully operational cable car system valued at over Rs. 5 billion was to be handed over to the Sri Lankan government free of charge after 13 years.

However, Amber Adventures said repeated interference, regulatory obstruction and harassment by state officials made the project commercially unviable.

Further rejecting claims of landslide risks, the company noted that the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) had inspected the site after Cyclone Ditwah and confirmed its stability.

The letter further revealed that the company is now considering international legal action to recover losses. 

Amber Adventures joins a list of other foreign companies that have exited Sri Lanka since 2022, such as Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation, French sporting goods retailer Decathlon, India-based food delivery platform Zomato and the Adani Group.

( Source : newswire.lk)

A crane collapsed in Thailand on Thursday, crushing two vehicles and killing two people, police said, a day after a crane accident in the northeast caused the deaths of 32 train passengers.

The latest incident took place in Samut Sakhon province near the capital Bangkok, where a crane involved in the construction of an elevated highway fell onto the road beneath, according to Police Colonel Sitthiporn Kasi, superintendent at the local district police station.

Another police official from the station told Reuters that five people had also been injured in the accident.

It was the latest in a series of fatal accidents caused by construction projects in Thailand, and comes after a train was derailed on Wednesday in northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima province by the collapse of a crane involved an elevated high-speed rail project.

As well as the 32 fatalities, 66 of the 195 passengers on the train were also injured, authorities said. An investigation is ongoing.

Source:adaderana.lk

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has arrested a retired Navy Medical Assistant on charges of accepting a bribe in connection with a school admission.

According to the Bribery Commission, the suspect had demanded a total of Rs. 300,000 from the parents of a child, promising to arrange their daughter’s admission to Grade 1 at a well-known school in Colombo. Investigations revealed that Rs. 100,000 had already been obtained from the complainant.

The arrest followed a complaint filed by a resident of Wellawatte. CIABOC officials stated that the suspect was apprehended while attempting to collect the remaining Rs. 200,000 of the alleged bribe.

The suspect is due to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court for further legal proceedings.

The United States is withdrawing some personnel from bases in the Middle East, a U.S. official said on Wednesday, after a senior Iranian official said Tehran had warned neighbours it would hit American bases if Washington strikes.

With Iran’s leadership trying to quell the worst domestic unrest the Islamic Republic has ever faced, Tehran is seeking to deter U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to intervene on behalf of anti-government protesters.

The U.N. Security Council is due to meet on Iran on Thursday at the request of the United States.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the United States was pulling some personnel from key bases in the region as a precaution given heightened regional tensions.

“All the signals are that a U.S. attack is imminent, but that is also how this administration behaves to keep everyone on their toes. Unpredictability is part of the strategy,” a Western military official told Reuters later on Wednesday.

At the White House, however, Trump suggested he was adopting a wait-and-see posture toward the crisis.

Trump told reporters that he has been told that killings in the Iranian government’s crackdown on the protests were subsiding and that he believes there is currently no plan for large-scale executions.

Asked who told him that the killings had stopped, Trump described them as “very important sources on the other side.”

The president did not rule out potential U.S. military action, saying “we are going to watch what the process is” before noting that his administration had received a “very good statement” from Iran.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Wednesday “there is no plan” by Iran to hang people, when asked about the anti-government protests.

“There is no plan for hanging at all,” the foreign minister told Fox News in an interview on the “Special Report with Bret Baier” show. “Hanging is out of the question,” he said.

According to the Norway-based Iran Human Rights Society, hangings are common in Iranian prisons.

TIMING REMAINS UNCLEAR

Two European officials said U.S. military intervention could come in the next 24 hours. An Israeli official also said it appeared Trump had decided to intervene, though the scope and timing remained unclear.

Qatar said drawdowns from its Al Udeid air base, the biggest U.S. base in the Middle East, were “being undertaken in response to the current regional tensions”.

Three diplomats said some personnel had been told to leave the base, though there were no immediate signs of large numbers of troops being bussed out to a soccer stadium and shopping mall as took place hours before an Iranian missile strike last year.

Britain was also withdrawing some personnel from an air base in Qatar ahead of possible U.S. strikes, The I Paper newspaper reported. The British defence ministry had no immediate comment.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in support of protesters in Iran, where thousands of people have been reported killed in a crackdown on the unrest against clerical rule.

Iran and its Western foes have both described the unrest, which began two weeks ago as demonstrations against dire economic conditions and rapidly escalated in recent days, as the most violent since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that installed Iran’s system of Shi’ite clerical rule.

An Iranian official has said more than 2,000 people have died. A rights group put the toll at more than 2,600.

Iran has “never faced this volume of destruction”, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Abdolrahim Mousavi said on Wednesday, blaming foreign enemies.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described “the most violent repression in Iran’s contemporary history”.

Iranian authorities have accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting the unrest, carried out by people it calls armed terrorists.

IRAN ASKS REGIONAL STATES TO PREVENT A US ATTACK

Trump has openly threatened to intervene in Iran for days, without giving specifics. In an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, he vowed “very strong action” if Iran executes protesters. He also urged Iranians to keep protesting and take over institutions, declaring “help is on the way”.

The senior Iranian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Tehran had asked U.S. allies in the region to prevent Washington from attacking Iran.

“Tehran has told regional countries, from Saudi Arabia and UAE to Turkey, that U.S. bases in those countries will be attacked” if the U.S. targets Iran, the official said.

Direct contacts between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff have been suspended, the official added.

The United States has forces across the region including the forward headquarters of its Central Command at Al Udeid in Qatar and the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain.

GOVERNMENT DOESN’T SEEM NEAR COLLAPSE, WESTERN OFFICIAL SAYS

The flow of information from inside Iran has been hampered by an internet blackout.

The U.S.-based HRANA rights group said it had so far verified the deaths of 2,403 protesters and 147 government-affiliated individuals, dwarfing tolls from previous waves of protests crushed by the authorities in 2022 and 2009.

The government’s prestige was hammered by a 12-day Israeli bombing campaign last June - joined by the U.S. - that followed setbacks for Iran’s regional allies in Lebanon and Syria. European powers restored U.N. sanctions over Iran’s nuclear programme, compounding the economic crisis there.

The unrest on such a scale caught the authorities off guard at a vulnerable time, but it does not appear that the government faces imminent collapse, and its security apparatus still appears to be in control, one Western official said.

The authorities have sought to project images showing they retain public support. 

Iranian state TV broadcast footage of large funeral processions for people killed in the unrest in Tehran, Isfahan, Bushehr and other cities.

People waved flags and pictures of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and held aloft signs with anti-riot slogans.

Source: adaderana.lk

The U.S. government has issued an urgent advisory for American citizens to leave Iran immediately, according to a notice published Tuesday by the U.S. virtual embassy in Tehran.

“U.S. citizens should leave Iran now. Consider departing Iran by land to Türkiye or Armenia, if safe to do so,” the notice stated.

The advisory comes as Iran experiences its largest anti-government demonstrations in years.

U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced his support for Iranians on the streets, threatening action against Iran if killings of protesters continue. Trump has also maintanted ambiguous language when asked about potential military involvement, not ruling the scenario out.

Source:adaderana.lk