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FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Vimlendra Sharan (left), Secretary to the Ministry of Environment K.R. Uduwawala at the signing ceremony along with representatives of the FAO and officials of the Ministry of Environment  

Key interventions include updating the national priority invasive species list for the first time since 2015, establishing a national digital monitoring system, and enhancing border controls through improved tools and enforcement capacity

Positioning the country among the first globally to move into large-scale implementation of bio diversity conservation, Sri Lanka has been endorsed for a project under the Kunming Biodiversity Fund (KBF) of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. 

The KBF project proposal was formally signed by the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment K.R. Uduwawala, and FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Vimlendra Sharan, at the Ministry of Environment recently. 

The Fund provides catalytic international financing that enables Sri Lanka to scale up biodiversity action, address long-standing investment gaps in invasive species management, and leverage FAO’s technical support. Community-based ecosystem restoration and inclusive livelihoods are central to the project’s approach. Activities will include site-specific eradication efforts, post-eradication monitoring, and innovative ‘eradication-through-utilisation’ models that generate economic opportunities for women, youth and vulnerable groups while restoring ecosystems.

Through the project Sri Lanka will strengthen policies, legislation and institutional coordination related to invasive species management. Key interventions include updating the national priority invasive species list for the first time since 2015, establishing a national digital monitoring system, and enhancing border controls through improved tools and enforcement capacity.

The KBF-supported project responds directly as an urgent, coordinated and system-wide national action in managing the invasive alien species that represent a critical and growing threat to Sri Lanka’s biodiversity, ecosystems, agriculture and livelihoods. The proposal is entirely homegrown, developed through close collaboration between the Ministry of Environment and national experts, ensuring that global commitments are firmly grounded in Sri Lanka’s national priorities and realities.

This marks a transformative shift from fragmented, project-based interventions to a unified national bio-security system. The initiative will institutionalise prevention, early detection, rapid response and long-term management of invasive species across the country. 

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has announced the implementation of an odd–even fuel distribution system, which will come into effect from tomorrow (19).

According to the CPC Chairman, fuel sales will be managed through a rotation based on vehicle registration numbers to ensure an orderly distribution process.

Under the new arrangement, vehicles bearing registration numbers ending in zero or any even digit will be permitted to obtain fuel on dates that fall on even numbers. Meanwhile, vehicles with number plates ending in odd digits will be allowed to refuel only on odd-numbered dates.

The system is expected to help manage fuel demand and streamline distribution across the country.

Esmaeil Khatib, Iran’s Intelligence Minister, has reportedly been killed in an overnight strike, according to Israel Katz.

Katz stated that Khatib was “eliminated” during the operation, although no official confirmation has been issued by Iran regarding his death.

The Israeli defence minister further noted that he, along with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has authorised the military to proceed with operations targeting other senior Iranian officials without requiring additional approval.

The reported killing comes amid a series of high-profile deaths within Iran’s leadership. Tehran has already confirmed the deaths of key figures, including national security chief Ali Larijani and the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Basij paramilitary wing.

Khatib was also among several officials recently identified by the United States Government, which had offered a reward of up to $10 million for information on individuals linked to the IRGC. The list included 10 officials, among them Larijani and Iran’s newly named supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei.

The situation continues to unfold as tensions remain high in the region.

Two people have been killed during an Iranian missile attack that struck “several” sites around Tel Aviv, local police said.

An emergency responder for Israel’s Magen David Adom (MDA) ambulance service has told AFP news agency they saw “smoke rising” from a building and “extensive damage and shattered glass”.

“We saw two unconscious casualties, with no pulse and not breathing, with severe injuries to their bodies,” they added.

Medics later confirmed the deaths of a man and a woman “with severe shrapnel injuries” in Ramat Gan east of Tel Aviv.

In the area of Bnei Brak, MDA teams also treated a man in “mild condition with shrapnel injuries to his hand” who was later sent to hospital.

Source: adaderana.lk

Litro Gas Lanka Limited has confirmed that Sri Lanka will continue to receive steady gas supplies, with vessels scheduled to arrive at regular three-day intervals.

Company officials stated that current reserves are sufficient to meet local demand until the end of April. These supplies are being supported by storage facilities located in Maldives.

A shipment carrying 88,000 metric tons of gas from the United States is expected to reach the Maldives tomorrow. In addition, another vessel with the same capacity is scheduled to arrive on April 20.

The company emphasized that all necessary steps are being taken to maintain a stable supply chain and ensure uninterrupted availability of gas across the country.

A drone attack targeted the U.S. embassy in Baghdad and an explosion was heard in the area, security sources said early on Wednesday, a day after a series of ⁠strikes.

Security sources had said on Tuesday that rocket and drone attacks had targeted the embassy, triggering sirens with an explosion heard near the diplomatic compound.

At least three explosive drones also targeted a ⁠U.S. diplomatic facility near Baghdad International Airport, activating C-RAM air defence systems, the sources said on Tuesday.

Tehran-backed ⁠militias have been attacking U.S. interests in Iraq in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli war on ⁠Iran that began on February 28.

There were no immediate ⁠reports of casualties or damage.

Source:adaderana.lk

The Sri Lankan Rupee showed a slight improvement against the US Dollar in today’s trading (18), based on the latest figures released by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

The dollar’s buying rate decreased from Rs. 307.73 to Rs. 307.54, while the selling rate also edged down from Rs. 315.30 to Rs. 315.07.

In addition to gains against the US Dollar, the local currency also recorded appreciation against a range of other foreign currencies, including those from Gulf countries.

An international cybercrime operation targeting phishing, malware and ransomware has seen the INTERPOL take down more than 45,000 malicious IP addresses and servers, the organisation has announced.

Law enforcement from 72 countries and territories took part in Operation Synergia III (18 July 2025 – 31 January 2026), coordinated by INTERPOL, it said, noting that the operation led to the arrest of 94 people, with another 110 individuals still under investigation.

During the operation, INTERPOL, according to a statement, said it transformed data into actionable intelligence, facilitated cross-border collaboration, and provided tactical operational assistance to member countries.

Preliminary investigations, it said, led to a series of coordinated actions by national authorities, including raids on key locations and the disruption of malicious cyber activities.  In total 212 electronic devices and servers were seized, it announced.

According to the organisation, participating countries and territories included: Nigeria, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, France, Gambia, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guyana, and Honduras.

Others were: Iceland, India, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Macao (China), Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Moldova, Mongolia, Niger, North Macedonia, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, South Africa, South Sudan, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Tanzania, Togo, Türkiye, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

INTERPOL’s Director of the Cybercrime Directorate, Neal Jetton, commenting on the development said: “Cybercrime in 2026 is more sophisticated and destructive than ever before, but Operation Synergia III stands as a powerful testament to what global cooperation can achieve.

“INTERPOL remains at the forefront of this fight, uniting law enforcement agencies and private sector experts to dismantle criminal networks, disrupt emerging threats and protect victims around the world.”

Although several investigations are still ongoing in participating countries, preliminary reports of key cases, it said, demonstrate the breadth of the criminal tactics employed, including fraudulent websites, romance scams and credit card fraud.

For instance, law enforcement in Macau, China identified more than 33,000 phishing and fraudulent websites, related to fake casinos and critical infrastructure, such as official bank, government and payment service sites.

“Victims are defrauded by topping up their accounts via the fraudulent sites or by having their personal information and credit card details stolen,” the INTERPOL noted.

Besides, police in Togo arrested 10 suspects operating a fraud ring from a residential area. Some specialised in technical crimes such as hacking social media accounts, while others carried out social engineering schemes including romance scams and sextortion.

“After gaining access to an account, the criminals contacted the victim’s online contacts, impersonating the account holder to build fake romantic relationships or deceive friends and family members. Their ultimate goal was to persuade these secondary victims to make money transfers.

“In Bangladesh, police arrested 40 suspects and seized 134 electronic devices related to a large range of cybercrime schemes, including loan and job scams, identity theft or credit card fraud,” it added.

During Operation Synergia III, INTERPOL said it worked closely with its partners, Group-IB, Trend Micro and S2W, to track illegal cyber activities and identify malicious servers.

(Source:adaderana.lk)

A fatal road accident in Weerawila has claimed the lives of at least four individuals after two buses collided head-on along the Ambalantota–Kataragama road, police confirmed.

The crash involved two buses operated by the Sri Lanka Transport Board, leaving approximately 40 passengers injured. Authorities stated that the wounded are currently being transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.

Preliminary information indicates that a bus traveling from Colombo to Kataragama collided with another SLTB bus en route from Tissamaharama to Karapitiya.

Police have launched further investigations to determine the cause of the accident.

The International Atomic Energy Agency says Iran has reported that a projectile hit a nuclear power in the southwest of the country.

In a statement, the IAEA, a UN body that oversees nuclear technologies, said Iran reported the incident at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant on Tuesday evening.

“No damage to the plant or injuries to staff reported,” the statement noted. “Director General Rafael Grossi reiterates [his] call for maximum restraint during the conflict to prevent risk of a nuclear accident.”

Source: adaderana.lk

Naval escorts will not guarantee safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and could even present a target for Iran as it attempts to leverage control of the vital shipping lane, the head of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has warned.

Speaking at the start of a two-day emergency meeting of the UN maritime agency’s governing council in London, secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez told Sky News “de-escalation” was the only sustainable way to restore the flow of shipping.

The Strait of Hormuz - in normal circumstances the conduit for a fifth of global oil demand - has effectively been closed for more than two weeks since the US-Israeli offensive against Iran.

Tehran responded to the assault by attacking tankers and other energy infrastructure, paralysing traffic and triggering a price shock on global energy markets.

‘Not a long-term solution’

US President Donald Trump has called on allies including the UK to provide naval support for tankers to reopen the shipping lane, but Mr Dominguez warned that would not be enough to restore the flow of oil, cargo, fertilisers and food to and from the Gulf.

“The reality is that a ship can still be targeted even with an escort vessel next to it, and it doesn’t really provide the guarantees, not even on insurance or to the seafarers, that trade can continue to come back. It’s not a long-term sustainable solution,” he said.

Asked if he was concerned that a naval convoy could present a target, he replied “absolutely” and said it was unlikely that traffic would resume without a formal ceasefire.

“I can’t see that because it’s too risky, and I will not be calling on anyone to take the risk to send innocent ships and innocent seafarers in particular through the Strait of Hormuz when there are no guarantees from all the parties involved that it is safe to do so.

“We need to de-escalate the situation. It’s the only solution. And this is why we meet here at IMO. We actually believe and trust multilateralism and dialogues. And that’s how we find solutions.”

‘Cowardly’ attacks threaten industry

The emergency meeting was called by members of the IMO’s 40-strong council, which includes the UK and the US, as well as Gulf states that have faced retaliation from Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar.

Representatives of Iran and Israel will be present as observers at the meeting in London, which takes place at the IMO’s headquarters on the south bank of the Thames opposite the Palace of Westminster.

Describing the Iranian attacks on shipping as “cowardly”, Mr Dominguez said that commercial vessels and their crews had been put at unacceptable risk.

“Shipping should have never been put in this situation. Those are very cowardly attacks on a sector that doesn’t take part in these geopolitical conflicts,” Mr Dominguez said.

“The reality is that everybody’s affected, not just the countries in the region.”

(Source:adaderana.lk)

Tehran has confirmed that its top security official Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, has been killed.

The Supreme National Security Council of Iran announced the death of Larijani in a statement early Wednesday local time, describing him as having been killed and “martyred” following a lifetime of public service.

It comes after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Larijani had been “eliminated” Monday night.

The council said Larijani, who had emerged as one of the most important figures in Iran in recent months, died alongside several others, including his son and security personnel.

The statement praised Larijani’s long political career, describing him as a figure who “until the very last moments of his life” worked toward the advancement of Iran and called for unity in the face of external threats.

Earlier Tuesday, Iran also confirmed the head of its Basij paramilitary force, Gholamreza Soleimani, had been killed in what it called “a terrorist attack by the American-Zionist enemy.”

Funerals for both Larijani and Soleimani will be held on Wednesday, according to Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency.

Iran’s Fars news agency said President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed “deep sorrow and regret” at Larijani’s death.

“I saw nothing from him but benevolence, insight, companionship, and foresight,” Fars quoted him as saying. “Undoubtedly, it is very difficult to compensate for this loss.”

Source:adaderana.lk