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The Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Ranjith, has voiced serious concern over what he described as the gradual breakdown of family life in Sri Lanka, cautioning that the weakening of marriage poses significant risks to the country’s social fabric.

He made these remarks while addressing worshippers during the annual feast at Our Lady of Lourdes Church on Saturday. The Cardinal warned that the deterioration of family unity is spreading rapidly, comparing it to a dangerous and widespread social issue.

Highlighting the importance of the family as the foundation of society, he stressed that the overall well-being of communities depends on stable and committed households. He noted that many young couples today enter marriage based on temporary emotions or attraction, without fully understanding the long-term responsibilities involved.

Cardinal Ranjith also cautioned that some people no longer view marriage as a lifelong commitment, but rather as something easily abandoned. He emphasized that strong marital bonds are essential for creating stable families and maintaining a healthy society.

Referring to the teachings of the Catholic Church, he said faithful and committed family life plays a vital role not only in strengthening society but also in preserving the spiritual integrity of the Church. His comments come at a time when concerns are growing over changing social attitudes and the future of family life in Sri Lanka.

MP Namal Rajapaksa has voiced concern over the state of public security, arguing that safety cannot be assured when violent crimes occur close to the residence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Speaking to the media, Rajapaksa said government ministers had claimed success in curbing daily shooting incidents, but he alleged that those efforts had not delivered meaningful results. He questioned how authorities could guarantee public safety when serious crimes were still taking place, referring specifically to the recent killing of a lawyer and his wife in Akuregoda.

He also pointed to other recent incidents, including a fatal shooting inside a courtroom and an attack on a lawyer near a court premises. In addition, Rajapaksa mentioned an alleged incident in which a Member of Parliament assaulted a police officer during a raid targeting an illegal cannabis cultivation operation.

The MP further claimed that recent remarks by the Health Minister warning doctors about possible public backlash indicated an attempt by the government to use public opinion to pressure critics and dissenters.

Rajapaksa also referred to reactions surrounding the conviction of individuals found guilty of murdering former MP Amarakeethi Athukorala during the Aragalaya protests, noting that some groups had expressed dissatisfaction over the verdict.

He concluded by stating that the government would not succeed if it attempted to maintain its position by exerting pressure on institutions such as the judiciary, medical professionals, and other sectors.

The Sri Lankan Rupee showed marginal strengthening while mostly holding firm against the US Dollar across major commercial banks today (Feb 16), compared to last Friday’s rates.

At Seylan Bank, the dollar’s buying and selling rates were unchanged at Rs. 306.45 and Rs. 311.20, respectively. Similarly, NDB Bank reported no variation, maintaining its buying rate at Rs. 306 and selling rate at Rs. 312.50.

Meanwhile, People’s Bank recorded a slight dip in the buying rate, which moved from Rs. 305.79 to Rs. 305.74, while the selling rate remained steady at Rs. 312.48.

Exchange rates at Commercial Bank of Ceylon also remained stable, with the buying rate at Rs. 303.86 and the selling rate at Rs. 312.25. Likewise, Sampath Bank kept its rates unchanged, quoting Rs. 306 for buying and Rs. 312.50 for selling.

Overall, the Rupee’s performance reflects relative stability in the foreign exchange market, with only minimal adjustments observed among major banking institutions.

Iran is pursuing a nuclear agreement with the U.S. that delivers economic benefits for both sides, an Iranian diplomat was reported as saying on Sunday, days before a second round of talks between Tehran and Washington.

Iran and the U.S. renewed negotiations earlier this month to tackle their decades-long dispute over Tehran’s nuclear programme and avert a new military confrontation.

 The U.S. has dispatched a second aircraft carrier to the region and is preparing for the possibility of a sustained military campaign if the talks do not succeed, U.S. officials have told Reuters.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking at a news conference in Bratislava, said President Donald Trump had made it clear that he would prefer diplomacy and a negotiated settlement, while making clear that may not happen.

“No one’s ever been able to do a successful deal with Iran but we’re going to try,” Rubio said.

Iran has threatened to strike U.S. bases in the Middle East if it is attacked by U.S. forces but on Sunday took a conciliatory line.

“For the sake of an agreement’s durability, it is essential that the U.S. also benefits in areas with high and quick economic returns,” foreign ministry deputy director for economic diplomacy Hamid Ghanbari said, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.

“Common interests in the oil and gas fields, joint fields, mining investments, and even aircraft purchases are included in the negotiations,” Ghanbari said, arguing that the 2015 nuclear pact with world powers had not secured U.S. economic interests.

In 2018, Trump withdrew the U.S. from the pact that had eased sanctions on Iran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme, and re-applied tough economic sanctions on Tehran.

On Friday, a source told Reuters that a U.S. delegation including envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would meet Iranian officials in Geneva on Tuesday, a meeting later confirmed to Reuters by a senior Iranian official on Sunday.

“Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be traveling, I think they are traveling right now, to have important meetings and we’ll see how that turns out,” Rubio said, without providing further details.

While talks leading to the 2015 nuclear pact were multilateral, the current negotiations are confined to Iran and the United States, with Oman acting as mediator.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi left Tehran for Geneva to take part in the indirect nuclear talks with the U.S. and meet the head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, and others, his ministry said.

OPEN TO COMPROMISE

Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi signalled Iran’s readiness to compromise on its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief, telling the BBC on Sunday that the ball was “in America’s court to prove that they want to do a deal.”

The senior official referred to the Iranian atomic chief’s statement on Monday that the country could agree to dilute its most highly enriched uranium in exchange for the lifting of sanctions as an example of Iran’s flexibility.

However, he reiterated that Tehran would not accept zero uranium enrichment, a key sticking point in past negotiations, with Washington viewing enrichment inside Iran as a potential pathway to nuclear weapons. Iran denies seeking such weapons.

In June, the U.S. joined Israel in a series of air strikes that targeted Iranian nuclear sites.

The U.S. is also stepping up economic pressure on Iran. At a White House meeting earlier this week, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed that the U.S. would work to reduce Iran’s oil exports to China, Axios reported on Saturday.

China accounts for more than 80% of Iran’s oil exports so any reduction in that trade would significantly lower Iran’s oil revenue.

Source:adaderana.lk

The National People’s Power Lawyers’ Association has strongly denounced the fatal shooting of Attorney-at-Law Buddhika Mallawaarachchi and his wife, urging authorities to take immediate steps to ensure justice and strengthen public safety.

In a statement issued on February 15, the association expressed profound grief over the deaths of the couple, who were killed in a shooting on February 13. The lawyers described the attack as a brutal act of violence against two civilians and stressed the urgent need to address what they called lingering elements of a violent “para-state” culture.

The group warned that such acts of violence could target various individuals, including journalists, law enforcement officers, members of the judiciary, and legal professionals. They emphasized that safeguarding citizens and upholding the rule of law remains a fundamental responsibility of the state.

The association called on authorities to expedite investigations, take preventive measures against further violence, and ensure that those responsible are brought before the law without delay. They also expressed confidence that the government would take the necessary steps to protect the safety, dignity, and rights of all citizens.Police investigations into the incident are currently ongoing.

The Department of Meteorology has predicted periodic rainfall in parts of the country today (16), particularly in the Central and Uva provinces, as well as in the districts of Ampara, Batticaloa and Hambantota.

In addition, isolated showers or thundershowers are likely to occur in some areas of the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

The department also noted that misty conditions may develop during the early morning hours in sections of the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces, along with the Galle and Matara districts.

Authorities have urged the public to remain cautious and take necessary safety measures to reduce the risk of damage from sudden strong winds and lightning that may accompany thundershowers

Sri Lanka will be represented by Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa at the swearing-in of the new Bangladeshi government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, officials confirmed.

The inauguration ceremony is scheduled for February 17 at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka, with an estimated 1,200 domestic and international guests expected to attend.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dharmapala Weerakkody, said Minister Jayatissa’s presence underscores the ongoing diplomatic ties and friendly relations between the two nations.

The event marks the transition following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s decisive win in the 13th parliamentary elections, granting Tarique Rahman the mandate to lead the new government. Regional representatives from at least 13 countries, including India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Nepal, and the Maldives, are also expected to participate.

The Students’ Union of the Faculty of Management at Rajarata University has raised serious concerns over a significant shortage of lecturers and professors, warning that the situation has become particularly critical at their faculty.

Union President Thilina Nirosh stated that while around 2,000 students are enrolled at the Faculty of Management, only 12 professors are currently available to conduct lectures and guide academic activities. He noted that this shortage has created major challenges for both teaching and research.

He further explained that the faculty is currently experiencing a staffing deficit of approximately 45%, which has negatively impacted students’ academic progress and overall learning experience.

According to the Students’ Union, the lack of qualified academic staff has also affected research supervision, as there are insufficient professors to provide the necessary guidance. With six departments operating within the Faculty of Management, the limited number of professors has made it difficult to adequately support the large student population.

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington, D.C., welcomed the ‘Walk for Peace’ on 10 February 2026, as a group of Buddhist monks continued their walk across the United States advocating world peace. The initiative drew participation from people across the United States and abroad.

The Embassy joined a dana organized by the Sri Lankan community in the DMV area at the National United Methodist Church, where more than 200 Buddhist monks were present. Traditional Sri Lankan cuisine was served at the event.

At the invitation of District of Columbia Secretary Kimberly A. Bassett, Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe attended an interfaith ceremony at the Washington National Cathedral. Thousands gathered at the Cathedral in support of the Walk. The Ambassador was accompanied by Deputy Head of Mission Madhuka Wickramarachchi.

The Head Priest and participating monks also visited the Embassy. During the visit, the Ambassador presented an Atapirikara and ceremonially pinned the Sri Lankan flag on the robe of Ven. Pannakara. Embassy staff and members of the Sri Lankan community offered flowers and extended greetings. The Embassy also distributed water bottles to participants.

 (Source:Newswire)

A global artificial intelligence summit kicks off in New Delhi on Monday with big issues on the agenda, from job disruption to child safety, but some attendees warn the broad focus could diminish the chance of concrete commitments from world leaders.

While frenzied demand for generative AI has turbocharged profits and share prices for many technology companies, anxiety is growing over the risks that it poses to society and the environment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday afternoon inaugurate the five-day AI Impact Summit, which aims to declare a “shared roadmap for global AI governance and collaboration”.

It is the fourth annual gathering addressing the problems and opportunities posed by AI, after previous international meetings in Paris, Seoul and Britain’s wartime code-breaking hub Bletchley.

Touted as the biggest edition yet, the Indian government is expecting 250,000 visitors from across the sector, including 20 national leaders and 45 ministerial-level delegations.

Also in attendance will be tech CEOs including Sam Altman of OpenAI and Google’s Sundar Pichai, although unforeseen circumstances have reportedly led Jensen Huang, head of US chip titan Nvidia, to cancel his planned appearance.

Modi will seek to “strengthen global partnerships and define India’s leadership in the AI decade ahead” in talks with the likes of France’s Emmanuel Macron and Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, organisers say.

But whether they will take meaningful steps to hold AI giants accountable is in doubt, Amba Kak, co-executive director of the AI Now Institute, told AFP.

Industry commitments made at previous events “have largely been narrow ‘self regulatory’ frameworks that position AI companies to continue to grade their own homework”, said Kak, a former AI advisor to the US Federal Trade Commission who is taking part in the summit.

AI safety

The Bletchley gathering, held in 2023 -- a year after ChatGPT stunned the world -- was called the AI Safety Summit.

The meetings’ names have changed as they have grown in size and scope, and at last year’s AI Action Summit in Paris, dozens of nations signed a statement calling for efforts to flank AI tech with regulation to make it “open” and “ethical”.

But the United States did not sign, with Vice President JD Vance warning that “excessive regulation... could kill a transformative sector just as it’s taking off”.

The Delhi summit has the loose themes of “people, progress, planet” -- dubbed three “sutras”.

Even so, AI safety remains a priority, including the dangers of misinformation such as deepfakes.

Last month saw a global backlash over Elon Musk’s Grok AI tool because it allowed users to produce sexualised pictures of real people, including children, using simple text prompts.

“Child safety and digital harms are also moving up the agenda, particularly as generative AI lowers the barrier to harmful content,” AI Asia Pacific Institute director Kelly Forbes told AFP.

“There is real scope for change” although it might not happen fast enough, said Forbes, whose organisation is researching how Australia and other countries are requiring platforms to confront the issue.

AI for ‘the many’

Organisers highlight this year’s AI summit as the first to be hosted by a developing country.

“The summit will shape a shared vision for AI that truly serves the many, not just the few,” India’s IT ministry has said.

Last year India leapt to third place -- overtaking South Korea and Japan -- in an annual global ranking of AI competitiveness calculated by Stanford University researchers.

But despite plans for large-scale infrastructure and grand ambitions for innovation, experts say the country still has a long way to go before it can rival the United States and China.

Neither Donald Trump nor Xi Jinping will attend the summit, but both countries are sending high-level tech policy officials.

Seth Hays, author of the Asia AI Policy Monitor newsletter, said talk at the summit would likely centre around “ensuring that governments put up some guardrails, but don’t throttle AI development”.

“There may be some announcements for more state investment in AI, but it may not move the needle much -- as India needs partnerships to integrate on the international scene for AI,” Hays told AFP.

Source:adaderana.lk

Waruna Sri Dhanapala has been formally appointed as Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The appointment letter was handed over this afternoon (13) at the Presidential Secretariat by Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

Mr. Dhanapala, a Special Grade officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, had been functioning as the Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Digital Economy since 29 November 2024 prior to receiving his permanent appointment.