News

The Indian Army has successfully constructed a third Bailey bridge on Sri Lanka’s B-492 Highway, linking Kandy and Nuwara Eliya in the Central Province, restoring a critical lifeline that was severed for over a month following Cyclone Ditwah.

The bridge, measuring 120 feet in length and located at KM 15, was built by the Indian Army’s Engineer Task Force as part of ongoing efforts under Operation Sagar Bandhu.

Taking to social media X, India Army posted, “The Indian Army’s Engineer Task Force after successfully launching two critical Bailey bridges in the Jaffna and Kandy regions, have constructed, the third Bailey Bridge of length 120 feet at KM 15 on the B-492 Highway in Sri Lanka’s Central Province.”

“Linking the Kandy and Nuwara Eliya districts, the bridge will restore a vital lifeline which was cut off for over a month in aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah. This effort reaffirms India’s steadfast commitment to Sri Lanka and the Neighbourhood First policy,” the post added.

Earlier in January, the Task Force had restored connectivity at KM 21 and other strategic points along the B-492, which connects Kandy in the Central Province to Badulla in Uva Province—one of the worst-affected regions by the cyclone. The swift construction of these bridges has reconnected communities, reduced travel time, and facilitated the movement of essential supplies in the aftermath of the disaster.

The Indian Army emphasised that the construction of these bridges underscores India’s commitment to its Neighbourhood First policy and highlights the country’s role as a first responder in times of regional crises. Cyclone Ditwah, which struck Sri Lanka late last year, triggered widespread flooding, landslides, and large-scale infrastructure damage, overwhelming local disaster-response mechanisms.

Operation Sagar Bandhu, launched in November 2025, enabled India to provide urgent Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), including restoration of roads, bridges, and essential services. By swiftly reestablishing connectivity along the B-492, the Indian Army has not only facilitated daily life for affected communities but also strengthened bilateral ties and goodwill between India and Sri Lanka.

The third Bailey bridge at KM 15 marks another milestone in these relief efforts, demonstrating the Indian Army’s engineering expertise, rapid response capability, and continued commitment to regional humanitarian support.

Source:adaderana.lk

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)

US President Donald Trump has threatened to place tariffs on nations that do not go along with his ambitions to annex Greenland.

Trump said at a White House meeting that he “may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland”, which is a self-governing territory controlled by Denmark.

He did not say which countries might be hit with new tariffs, or what authority he would invoke to use such import taxes in pursuit of his goal.

Along with Denmark and Greenland, other countries oppose his plans, and many in the US have expressed scepticism about an acquisition. As Trump spoke, a bipartisan congressional delegation was visiting Greenland to show support for the territory.

The 11-member group included Republicans who voiced concerns about the president’s calls for the US to somehow acquire Greenland for national security reasons. They met MPs as well as Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and her Greenlandic counterpart Jens-Frederik Nielsen.

Group leader Senator Chris Coons, a Democrat, said their trip was to listen to the locals and take their views back to Washington “to lower the temperature”.

Trump has said Greenland is vital for US security - and Washington would get it “the easy way” or “the hard way” - an apparent reference to buying the island or taking it by force.

“I may put a tariff on countries if they don’t go along with Greenland, because we need Greenland for national security,” Trump said at Friday’s White House meeting on rural healthcare.

Greenland is sparsely populated but resource-rich and its location between North America and the Arctic makes it well placed for early warning systems in the event of missile attacks and for monitoring vessels in the region.

The US already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base - a missile-monitoring station on Greenland’s north-western tip that has been operated by the US since World War Two.

Under existing agreements with Denmark, the US has the power to bring as many troops as it wants to Greenland.

But Trump has said the US needs to “own” it to defend it properly against possible Russian or Chinese attacks.

Denmark has warned that military action would spell the end of Nato - the trans-Atlantic defence alliance where the US is the most influential partner.

Nato works on the principle that allies have to aid each other in case of attack from outside - it has never faced an option where one member would use force against another.

European allies have rallied to Denmark’s support.

They have also said the Arctic region is equally important to them and that its security should be a joint Nato responsibility - with the US involved.

To this end, several countries including France, Germany, Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Netherlands and the UK have dispatched a small number of troops to Greenland in a so-called reconnaissance mission.

French President Emmanuel Macron said “land, air, and sea assets” would soon be sent.

The visit of the US congressional delegation comes days after high-level talks in Washington failed to dissuade Trump from his plans.

They include senators and members of the US House of Representatives who are fervent supporters of Nato.

Though Coons and the majority of the group are Democratic staunch opponents of Trump, it includes moderate Republican Senators Thom Tillis and Lisa Murkowski.

Greenlandic MP Aaja Chemnitz said the meeting with US legislators had made her “hopeful”. She told the BBC: “We need friends. We need allies.”

Asked about the wide gulf between the view of the White House and the position of Greenland and Denmark, she said: “It’s a marathon, not a short sprint.

“The pressure from the US side is something that we’ve seen since 2019. It would be naive to think that everything is over now.”

She added: “It’s changing almost hour by hour. So as much support as we can get, the better.”

Murkowski is one of the sponsors of a bipartisan bill aimed at blocking any attempt to annex Greenland.

A Republican congressman has also introduced a rival bill in support of annexing the island.

Trump’s envoy to Greenland, Jeff Landry, told Fox News on Friday the US should talk with Greenland’s leaders, not Denmark.

“I do believe that there’s a deal that should and will be made once this plays out,” he said.

“The president is serious. I think he’s laid the markers down.

“He’s told Denmark what he’s looking for, and now it’s a matter of having Secretary [of State Marco] Rubio and Vice-President JD Vance make a deal.

“The United States has always been a welcoming party. We don’t go in there trying to conquer anybody and trying to take over anybody’s country.

“We say, ‘Listen. We represent liberty. We represented economic strength. We represent protection.’“

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met Vance and Rubio at the White House on Wednesday.

According to a Danish official who spoke to the BBC on background to discuss the meeting, the US vice-president proposed finding a “middle ground” that would satisfy Trump and Denmark and Greenland.

The official said the possibility of a US military takeover of Greenland had not been raised in the White House meeting.

“We have never been in any discussions with any senior official or minister about the prospects of the United States sending in” troops to Greenland, the official said.

Still, the Danish official said Denmark was taking Trump’s stated goal to seize Greenland seriously.

“It is our working hypothesis that on this issue what he says is what he means,” the official said.

Source: adaderana.lk

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)

The Department of Meteorology says that mainly dry weather is expected to prevail over most parts of the island.

However, the department warns of a possibility of ground frost in some areas of the Nuwara Eliya District during the early hours of the morning.

Meanwhile, misty conditions are likely to occur at several locations in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-Western, North-Central and Uva Provinces. Similar conditions can also be expected in parts of the Galle and Matara districts during the early morning hours.

The public is advised to take necessary precautions, especially in areas prone to frost and misty weather.

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 White House has announced names of the so-called “Board of Peace” that will, under President Donald Trump’s plan, supervise the temporary governance of Gaza.

The names included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff, former British prime minister Tony Blair and Mr Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, the White House said. 

Trump is the chair of the board, according to his plan revealed late last year.

The committee’s leader, Ali Shaath, an engineer and former Palestinian Authority official from Gaza, pledged to get to work quickly to improve conditions. 

He expects reconstruction and recovery to take about three years and plans to focus first on immediate needs, including shelter.

Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas signed off in October on the Trump administration’s plan, which says a Palestinian technocratic body will be overseen by the international board.

Rights experts: ‘Board resembles colonial structure’

The board also includes private equity executive and billionaire Marc Rowan, World Bank President Ajay Banga and Robert Gabriel, a Trump adviser, the White House said.

The former UN Middle East envoy, Nickolay Mladenov, will have the role of high representative for Gaza, the White House said.  

It is unclear what the responsibilities of each member will be. 

Many rights experts and advocates have previously said that Mr Trump overseeing a board to supervise a foreign territory’s governance resembled a colonial structure.

Major General Jasper Jeffers, a former US special operations commander, was appointed commander of the International Stabilization Force, the White House said. 

A UN Security Council resolution, adopted in mid-November, authorised the “Board of Peace” and countries working with it to establish that force in Gaza.

Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violations in Gaza, where more than 440 Palestinians, including more than 100 children, and three Israeli soldiers have been reported killed since the start of the truce in October.

Israel’s assault on Gaza since late 2023 has killed tens of thousands, caused a hunger crisis and internally displaced Gaza’s entire population. 

Multiple rights experts, scholars and a UN inquiry say it amounts to genocide. 

Israel has said it took action in self-defence after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people and took over 250 hostages in their October 2023 attack.

Source:adaderana.lk

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

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.