News

The daily issuance of driving licenses at the Hambantota District Office of the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) has been disrupted following a breakdown of telephone connections at the Hambantota Administrative Complex, the Commissioner General of Motor Traffic Transport confirmed.

Authorities said that efforts are underway to update the affected phone line, and steps will be taken to reactivate the online driving license issuance process shortly.

The DMT urged the public to be patient as services are restored.

(Dailymirror)

Four people have been arrested in Jaffna following the discovery of a large stock of prescription medicines that were allegedly being sold without authorization.

The arrests were made during a joint operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Jaffna Police Special Task Force. The raids took place at the Jaffna Central Bus Stand and in the Nayanmarkattu area of Kayts Island.

During the operation, officers seized 860 prescription drugs believed to have been intended for illegal sale. A motorcycle suspected to have been used in the activity was also taken into custody.

The suspects, aged between 22 and 29, are residents of several areas in Jaffna, including Ottamadam, Sankani, Nallur and Koiyathodimum, the Navy stated.

All four individuals, along with the seized medicines and the motorcycle, have been handed over to the Jaffna Police Station to continue investigations and initiate legal action.

A seaplane preparing to land in Gregory Lake, Nuwara Eliya, crashed into the water at around 12:30 p.m. today (07).

According to local reports, the aircraft was on a scheduled arrival to pick up a group of tourists visiting the area when the incident occurred. The two pilots on board sustained injuries and were immediately taken to the Nuwara Eliya District Hospital for treatment.

Police said the pilots were rescued from the lake by people operating recreational boats on Gregory Lake, whose prompt response helped prevent further harm. Investigations into the cause of the accident are currently underway.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Tuesday raised strong objections in Parliament to the government’s proposal to increase electricity tariffs, warning that such measures would further strain the public at a time when many are already struggling due to natural disasters and rising fuel costs.Speaking under Standing Order 27(2), Premadasa said the current administration came to power with a clear pledge to cut electricity bills by 30 percent within three years by shifting away from fuel-based power generation toward more affordable renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydropower. However, he argued that the government has since abandoned these commitments and is acting contrary to the expectations of the people.

The Opposition Leader noted that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has sought approval from the Public Utilities Commission for an 11.57 percent tariff increase for the first quarter of 2026, citing financial losses. He questioned whether the government had properly evaluated the impact of such an increase on low- and middle-income families, as well as public institutions.

Premadasa also asked why the administration has failed to honor its promise of reducing electricity tariffs by one-third through a transparent pricing formula. He added that the limited timeframe allocated for public feedback on the proposed energy policy was unreasonable, particularly while the country is dealing with multiple crises.

He further warned that removing competitive tariff structures for industries would be unfair to large-scale consumers using more than five million units of electricity, calling for comparative studies to be made public if subsidies are to be withdrawn.

The Opposition Leader also criticized the recent fuel price increases, pointing out that they come despite declining global prices. He accused the government of repeatedly breaking its election pledges and claimed it is constrained by International Monetary Fund conditions, leading to higher fuel and electricity costs that continue to worsen the financial burden on the public.

Members of the parliamentary opposition have started signing a no-confidence motion targeting Minister of Education Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, citing concerns over the government’s education policy changes.

An initial discussion on the proposed motion was held this morning at the Opposition Leader’s office in Parliament, chaired by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.

Opposition representatives claim the initiative is driven by what they describe as serious weaknesses in the ongoing education reforms. These include learning material considered inappropriate for schoolchildren, multiple factual and content-related errors, and what they say is the government’s inability to address these problems in a timely and structured manner.

According to opposition MPs, the no-confidence motion is intended to hold the minister accountable and prompt corrective action within the education sector.

Sri Lanka Customs officers have arrested three Indian nationals at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) after uncovering a large consignment of Kush cannabis during routine inspections.

Authorities said approximately 50 kilograms of the narcotic substance were seized, with the total value of the haul estimated at around Rs. 500 million. The detection was made shortly after the suspects arrived at the airport.The individuals, aged between 25 and 27, had traveled to Sri Lanka on a flight arriving from Bangkok. Further investigations are being carried out to identify possible links to an international drug trafficking network and to determine whether others were involved in the operation.

The Chief of the Army Staff of India, General Upendra Dwivedi, arrived in Sri Lanka earlier today on a two-day official visit, according to a statement issued by the Indian Ministry of Defence.

During his stay, General Dwivedi is expected to hold discussions with senior military and civilian officials, including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, the Deputy Minister of Defence and the Defence Secretary. Talks will focus on key areas of cooperation such as joint training initiatives, capacity enhancement and regional security concerns.

As part of his itinerary, the Indian Army Chief will address officers at the Defence Services Command and Staff College and engage with officers and trainees at the Army War College in Buttala. These interactions highlight India’s continued emphasis on defence education and professional exchanges with Sri Lanka.

General Dwivedi will also visit the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) War Memorial to pay tribute to Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

Sri Lanka Railways has announced the resumption of the Pulathisi Intercity Express Train and the Ella Odyssey tourist train, as well as special trains for school students. 

According to the Railway Department, the Pulathisi Intercity train service will resume operations from January 9, 2026. 

It will run every Friday from Colombo Fort to Batticaloa, and every Sunday from Batticaloa to Colombo Fort. Plans are in place to increase the number of train compartments in response to passenger demand.

Train operations:

• Train No. 6075 departs Colombo Fort at 12:45 pm and arrives in Batticaloa at 8:07 pm.
• Train No. 6076 departs Batticaloa at 4:00 pm and arrives in Colombo Fort at 11:30 pm.

Meanwhile, the Ella Odyssey tourist train will resume operations from January 7, 2026. 

It will run every Saturday from Colombo Fort to Badulla and return from Badulla to Colombo Fort. Plans are also in place to increase the number of train compartments in response to passenger demand.

Train operations:

• Train No. 1043 departs Colombo Fort at 1:30 pm and arrives in Badulla at 4:15 pm.
• Train No. 1044 departs Badulla at 7:45 am and arrives in Colombo Fort at 10:58 am.

The Railway Department further states that special trains for school students will operate on January 5 and 6, 2026, between Nawalapitiya and Hatton, and between Waththegama and Kandy. 

These services are arranged to facilitate students travelling for school term examinations.

Train operations:

• Waththegama – Kandy: departs Waththegama at 5:45 am, arrives Kandy at 6:30 am.
• Kandy – Waththegama: departs Kandy at 2:00 pm, arrives Waththegama at 2:39 pm.
• Hatton – Nawalapitiya: departs Hatton at 5:00 am, arrives Nawalapitiya at 6:29 am.
• Nawalapitiya – Hatton: departs Nawalapitiya at 2:12 pm, arrives Hatton at 3:11 pm.

Sri Lanka Railways states that the above train services have been introduced to meet the increased demand from the public.

(Source:Newswire)

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday (Jan 6) that Venezuela’s interim government will deliver up to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, and that the proceeds “will be controlled by me” as president.

“The Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.

“This oil will be sold at its market price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the US.”

US crude fell more than 1 per cent ⁠on Wednesday following Trump’s announcement.

US West Texas Intermediate ⁠crude (WTI) fell 88 cents, or 1.54 per cent, to US$56.25 a barrel by 1.14am GMT, extending its decline after closing down US$1.19, or 2.04 per cent, on Tuesday.

Raising crude output from Venezuela, which sits on the world’s largest oil reserves, is a top objective for Trump after US forces seized the country’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, in a raid on its capital Caracas on ⁠Saturday.

The US president said after Maduro’s arrest that Washington would take control of the oil-producing nation and that the US ⁠embargo on all Venezuelan oil remained in full effect.

Trump is expected to meet with oil company executives at the White House later this week to discuss ways to revive Venezuela’s tattered oil sector, according to sources familiar with the matter. 

Oil analysts and executives have been sceptical about a quick revival of Venezuela’s oil sector, pointing out that its degraded infrastructure would require billions of dollars and years to rebuild.

Venezuela’s oil reserves are also among the world’s costliest to develop because the oil is so thick and heavy that it requires specialised equipment to extract, transport and refine into usable fuels.

Administration officials have dismissed this scepticism, saying there were ways to quickly boost the country’s oil sector with fresh equipment and technology.

(source: adaderana.lk)

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Arun Hemachandra, highlighted key initiatives for 2026 aimed at enhancing Sri Lanka’s foreign relations and improving the welfare of migrant workers. His remarks came during a media briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday .

The Deputy Minister pointed out that the existing Foreign Service Appointments Act, which has been in place for decades, contains several gaps. He announced that it will be revised and reintroduced as a new Foreign Employment Act later this year.

To support migrant workers, a range of welfare measures is planned, including the provision of housing loans up to Rs. 10 million. Discussions are also underway to establish a pension scheme for migrant workers, with Deputy Minister Hemachandra pledging to personally oversee the resolution of their concerns.

In addition, migrant workers will soon be able to submit complaints through social media platforms. A dedicated investigation unit will be set up to address these complaints, and a WhatsApp service will be introduced in the future to streamline communication.

Intense snowfall and icy weather conditions have caused widespread travel disruption across Europe, with six reported killed in weather-related incidents on the continent.

Five people died in two separate regions of France as a result of treacherous driving conditions, authorities said, while one woman was also killed in Bosnia’s capital, Sarajevo, after 16in (40cm) of snow fell on the city.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled across Europe, with thousands left stranded at airports in Paris and Amsterdam.

Disruption is expected to continue into Wednesday.

In France, three people died in two separate incidents in Landes, in the south-west, due to black ice, authorities said.

Two more died in separate motor accidents in the Paris region. One was the result of a collision between a driver and a heavy goods vehicle in east Paris, police said.

The other was killed after a taxi driver hit a kerb due to snow and plunged into the Marne river, the outlet said.

The Balkans has also seen snow and heavy rain. A woman died in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo on Monday after a tree weighed down with wet snow fell on her, police said.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said more snow was expected in the country on Tuesday night and Wednesday. He called on people to travel as little as possible on the roads and to work from home.

France’s national weather service said 38 districts would be placed on orange alert for snow and black ice on Wednesday. Many train services were cancelled in parts of the country.

In France’s capital, authorities said Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport would see 40% of its flights cancelled for several hours on Wednesday morning, so that staff could clear snow from the runways. The capital’s Orly airport planned to cancel a quarter of its flights during the same time period.

More than 400 flights were cancelled at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport on Wednesday, causing widespread disruption to travel plans.

Hundreds of passengers were stranded, with many unable to join connecting flights. Long queues formed at airline counters as people waited for information about when flights would resume.

Many of the cancelled flights were operated by Dutch airline KLM, which warned it had nearly run out of de-icing fluid for its aircraft. It blamed the “extreme” weather conditions and supply delays.

At Schiphol airport, many travellers complained of long lines and a lack of information.

Spanish passenger Javier Sepulveda, who was trying to fly from Amsterdam to Norway, told Reuters news agency the situation at the airport was “chaotic, unacceptable, frustrating, annoying” and “totally unacceptable.”

He said he started queuing at the KLM help desk at 06:30 local time (07:30 GMT) on Tuesday and that six hours later he was still far from the front of the line.

Schipol airport said its “snow crews are working around the clock to keep the runways clear, and aircraft are being carefully de-iced to ensure everyone can travel safely.”

A further 600 flights scheduled to take off from Schiphol on Wednesday have also been cancelled, Dutch broadcaster NOS reported.

Rail journeys were also disrupted.

On Tuesday morning, all train services in the Netherlands stopped for a short period after an IT outage.

Some trains started running after 09:00 local time (10:00 GMT) but problems persisted during the day. Eurostar services to Paris from Amsterdam were either cancelled or running late.

(Source:adaderana.lk)

The Sri Lankan Rupee experienced a slight depreciation against the US Dollar at commercial banks today , with most banks reporting a selling rate of approximately Rs. 313.

At Seylan Bank, the US Dollar’s buying and selling rates remained stable at Rs. 307.05 and Rs. 311.80, respectively. NDB Bank recorded a modest increase, with the buying rate at Rs. 306.75 and the selling rate at Rs. 313.25.

Similarly, People’s Bank reported a small uptick, noting the buying rate at Rs. 306.43 and the selling rate at Rs. 313.19. Commercial Bank showed an increase as well, with the US Dollar trading at Rs. 304.74 for buying and Rs. 313.25 for selling. Meanwhile, Sampath Bank maintained its rates at Rs. 306.75 for buying and Rs. 313.25 for selling.Overall, the market reflects a slightly weaker Rupee amid relatively stable currency trading conditions across major commercial banks.