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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian warned on Sunday that any attack on Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei would be considered a declaration of “all-out war” against the Iranian nation, following a sharp exchange of rhetoric with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Pezeshkian’s comments, posted on social media platform X, come amid heightened tensions after Trump told Politico on Saturday that it was “time to look for new leadership in Iran.”

“Any attack on our great leader will be tantamount to an all-out war against the Iranian nation,” Pezeshkian wrote.

The Iranian president also blamed Washington for the country’s economic struggles, citing “longstanding hostility” and “inhumane sanctions” imposed by the United States and its allies as the primary drivers of hardship for the Iranian people.

The diplomatic spat intensified earlier on Saturday when Khamenei labeled Trump a “criminal,” holding him responsible for casualties and damages sustained during recent periods of domestic unrest in Iran.

Relations between Tehran and Washington have remained fraught since Trump’s return to the White House, characterized by a continuation of the “maximum pressure” policy and frequent verbal confrontations between the two leaderships.

(Source : adaderana.lk)

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.

Doctors attached to government hospitals across Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province will recommence their strike action from 8.00 a.m. today (19), the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has announced.

According to the association, the decision was taken after authorities failed to address the issues raised by medical professionals. The industrial action had been temporarily halted in view of the Thai Pongal festival, but will now resume as planned.

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

Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in two regions in the south of the country on Sunday as raging wildfires forced at least 20,000 people to evacuate and left at least 18 people dead.

According to Chile’s CONAF forestry agency, firefighters were battling 24 active fires across the country as of Sunday morning, with the largest being in the regions of Ñuble and Bío Bío, where the government declared the emergency. The regions are about 500 km south of the capital, Santiago.

“In light of the serious ongoing wildfires, I have decided to declare a state of catastrophe in the regions of Ñuble and Biobío. All resources are available,” Boric said on a post on X.

At least 18 people have died as a result of the fires, Boric said on Sunday evening after a meeting with mayors of affected municipalities in the southern city of Concepcion.

Fires have consumed nearly 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) in the two regions so far, endangering multiple communities in the region, leading authorities to declare evacuation orders.

Chile’s Senapred disaster agency said that nearly 20,000 people had been evacuated and at least 250 homes have been destroyed.

Authorities say adverse conditions like strong winds and high temperatures helped wildfires spread and complicated firefighters’ abilities to control the fires. Much of Chile was under extreme heat alerts, with temperatures expected to reach up to 38 C (100 F) from Santiago to Bío Bío on Sunday and Monday.

Both Chile and Argentina have experienced extreme temperatures and heat waves since the beginning of the year, with devastating wildfires breaking out in Argentina’s Patagonia earlier this month.

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)

Sri Lanka is expected to experience largely dry weather across most parts of the island today (19), according to the Department of Meteorology.

The department has warned of a potential occurrence of ground frost in certain areas of the Nuwara Eliya District during the early morning hours. In addition, misty conditions are likely to develop in several regions, including the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North Western, North Central and Uva provinces.

Similar misty weather may also be observed in parts of the Galle, Matara and Ampara districts during the early hours of the day, the Met Department noted.

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 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)