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Anuradhapura, Feb. 2, 2026 — A tragic road accident at the Matale Junction in Anuradhapura claimed the life of a woman this afternoon, police confirmed.

The incident occurred when the woman, believed to be around 65 years old, was crossing the road and was struck by a motorcycle traveling from Mihintale. The impact resulted in injuries to the woman and the two riders on the motorcycle, all of whom were rushed to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital for treatment.

Despite medical efforts, the woman succumbed to her injuries. Her identity has not yet been confirmed.

The Traffic Division of the Mihintale Police is conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) has announced that it will strengthen its ongoing trade union action starting from 8.00 a.m. today (02), after authorities failed to respond satisfactorily to a number of demands raised by the association.

The GMOA said the decision was taken due to the lack of meaningful solutions from the Ministry of Health, despite repeated appeals and discussions. As part of the intensified action, several additional measures will now be enforced across the government hospital system.

Under the new phase of the trade union action, doctors will suspend issuing prescriptions and recommendations for patients to obtain medicines and medical equipment from outside sources when such items are unavailable within hospitals. Recommendations for external laboratory tests will also be halted if those services are not accessible internally.

In addition, GMOA members will withdraw from voluntary participation in health camps and clinics organized by political groups. Doctors will also refrain from being assigned to newly opened hospital wards or units that do not meet the officially approved staffing requirements.

The association further stated that doctors will stop examining patients in situations where adequate facilities and support staff are not available to ensure patient safety and privacy. Specialist services will be limited strictly to the hospitals to which specialists are formally attached, with no coverage provided to other institutions lacking specialist doctors.

The GMOA initially launched island-wide continuous trade union action across government hospitals on January 26, following the presentation of several unresolved issues to the government. On the same day, the association’s Executive Committee granted the Minister of Health a 48-hour deadline to announce a positive resolution.

However, the GMOA said the Ministry failed to offer acceptable solutions within the given timeframe. An emergency meeting of the GMOA Executive Committee was held on January 31, during which it was decided to continue and further intensify the trade union action without interruption from today.

The Supreme Court has rejected seven Fundamental Rights petitions filed by 145 Chief Inspectors of Police who challenged promotions to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) called for in 2020.

Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, with the agreement of Justices Mahinda Samayawardena and Sampath Wijeratne, delivered the ruling after an extensive hearing.

The petitions claimed that although the Public Service Commission (PSC) conducted interviews and awarded promotions, the petitioners were denied advancement despite meeting all required qualifications. They also argued that the PSC had admitted errors in the interview marks and amended them afterward, which they alleged was beyond the Commission’s authority and caused them prejudice.

During proceedings, the Supreme Court reviewed the official mark sheets and accepted the Secretary to the PSC’s explanation for the changes, finding the process to be legally valid. The court further concluded that the petitioners’ claims lacked legal merit and did not demonstrate any violation of fundamental rights.

As a result, the Supreme Court dismissed all seven petitions without awarding costs, stating there were no sufficient grounds to grant the requested relief.

The Department of Meteorology says several spells of showers are expected today (02) in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces, as well as in the Hambantota district.

In addition, showers or thundershowers are likely to develop after 2.00 p.m. in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in the Galle and Matara districts. The Met Department noted that some areas could experience fairly heavy rainfall of around 50 mm.

Misty conditions are also expected during the early morning hours in parts of the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces, along with the Galle and Matara districts.

The general public has been urged to take necessary precautions to reduce potential damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning that may accompany thundershowers.

Four Buddhist monks, among them Ven. Balangoda Kassapa Thero, along with six other individuals, have been ordered to remain in remand custody until February 9, 2026, following a directive by the Trincomalee Magistrate’s Court.

The suspects are alleged to have placed a Buddha statue at the Trincomalee Bodhiraja Vihara on November 16, 2025, in contravention of existing coastal conservation regulations.

Court proceedings in connection with the case are ongoing, as authorities continue to examine whether the installation breached laws governing protected coastal zones.

“I was involuntarily undressed by Elon Musk’s Grok on X,” Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Ebba Busch said in a recent video on the platform. She is one of countless victims of a feature on X’s AI chatbot, Grok, that allows users to digitally strip women and children of their clothing. In less than two weeks, Grok generated three million sexualized images, including tens of thousands that appear to depict children.

Now, the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, has launched an investigation into Grok under the Digital Services Act, or DSA. The Commission said it would “assess whether the company [X] properly assessed and mitigated risks associated with the deployment of Grok’s functionalities into X in the EU.”

The investigation could set an important precedent in confronting US tech firms and protecting citizens from privacy violations. “If they can go up against Musk, that is huge,” Joanna Bryson, professor of ethics and technology at the Hertie School university in Berlin, told DW. “It tells everybody the EU is serious.”

EU has the laws to protect from AI harm

But how much power does the EU have? Under its laws, the bloc can regulate digital services much like physical products. Just as unsafe toys or appliances can be banned from the European market, online platforms that break EU rules can be forced to change — or be shut out entirely.

“The DSA is arguably the most powerful platform regulation in the world,” said Philipp Hacker, professor of law and ethics at the Viadrina University in Frankfurt an der Oder. Rather than targeting specific technologies, it addresses broad categories such as “systemic risks,” giving the European Commission flexibility to respond to new harms as AI evolves. Grok’s undressing function did not exist when the DSA entered into force in 2022.

The EU has two main enforcement tools. It can fine X up to 6% of its global annual turnover, a measure it already used in December, when it fined the platform €120 million ($143 million) for breaching DSA transparency rules. In cases of repeated violations, the Commission can also block the platform entirely within the EU. For now, a fine is seen as the more likely next step.

The EU’s leverage is strengthened by its market size. As one of the world’s largest consumer markets, it wields significant influence over global tech firms.

EU reportedly delayed start of Grok investigation

Still, experts question whether the Commission will push hard enough to set a lasting precedent. “We have a lot of provisions protecting fundamental rights. The problem is there enforcement, making sure they are not disregarded,” says Marco Bassini, assistant professor of Fundamental Rights and Articifical Intelligence at Tilburg University.

At a time of strained EU-US relations, Brussels has been cautious about fully deploying its regulatory power against American tech companies. According to reporting by the German newspaper Handelsblatt, the launch of the Grok investigation was delayed by the office of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen amid a tariff dispute between the EU and the US over Greenland. In the past, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick linked tariff reductions to weakening EU tech regulation.

“I think a big mistake was made,” Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Alexandra Geese told DW. “There was a lot of fear about the reaction from the US administration.”

Experts doubt how far the EU is willing to go
While the eventual launch of the investigation is seen as a positive signal, doubts remain over how far the Commission is willing to go. “One has to distinguish between the legal position and the geopolitical position,” said Bryson. “The Commission looks at both.”

There is also skepticism over whether a 6% fine would be enough to change the behavior of the world’s wealthiest man. “We should increase this number so companies really pay attention to what the legislature expects in Europe,” MEP Axel Voss told DW.

There is no concrete timeline on the investigation. According to experts, it could take months for the Commission to reach a result.

(Source:newswire.lk)

The Dalai Lama is now a Grammy winner, beating out Grammy Awards host Trevor Noah for the coveted award on Sunday, Feb. 1.

The Tibetan spiritual leader, 90, took the Grammy for best audio book, narration and storytelling recording for “Meditations: The Reflections Of His Holiness The Dalai Lama” at the 68th Grammys pre-ceremony. He joined fellow Grammy winner, director Steven Spielberg, in the first-time winner’s honors.

Musician Rufus Wainwright accepted the award on the Dalai Lama’s behalf during the ceremony that streamed on YouTube.

“OK, I am not the Dalai Lama, obviously,” Rufus Wainwright joked from the podium. “It was a privilege to participate in this project. It’s an honor to accept this recognition on behalf of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, whose wisdom is at the heart of this work.”

Who did the Dalai Lama beat out for a Grammy?

The Dalai Lama had serious competition in the award category, competing against Milli Vanilli’s Fab Morvan, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, and even Grammys ceremony host Noah.

The album features collaborations with Hindustani classical influences and includes remarks on themes such as mindfulness, harmony, and health.

Wainwright is one of several musicians who appear on the project, along with Maggie Rogers and Andra Day.

(source:newswire.lk)

At least 92 militants were killed on Saturday battling Pakistan’s security forces in multiple cities across the southwestern province of Balochistan, Pakistan’s military said.

The military said in a statement that 15 security personnel were also killed during clearance operations, while militants targeted civilians in several areas, killing at least 18 people, including women and children.

The attacks were carried out a day after Pakistan’s military said it killed 41 militants in separate raids in Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan and has faced a decades-long separatist insurgency.

The banned separatist group Baloch Liberation Army claimed responsibility for Saturday’s attacks, saying it had launched them simultaneously across the province.

The BLA said it had killed 84 Pakistani security personnel, and that the ongoing operation had continued for 15 hours.

The military’s media wing, ISPR, said the attacks were carried out by Indian-sponsored militants and that security forces had thwarted attempts to seize control of any city or strategic installation.

“Intelligence reports have unequivocally confirmed that the attacks were orchestrated and directed by terrorist ringleaders operating from outside Pakistan, who were in direct communication with the terrorists throughout the incident,” the statement said.

It said the attacks were launched across Quetta, Mastung, Noshki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar and Pasni.

Pakistan Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attacks and praised security forces for repelling them, saying in a statement they had killed dozens of militants.

Security officials said armed men launched attacks in several urban areas, including the provincial capital Quetta and the port city of Gwadar, prompting operations by the army, police and counterterrorism units.

Hospitals were placed on emergency footing in some districts, officials said.

MIGRANT WORKERS TARGETED IN GWADAR

In Gwadar, militants attacked a camp accommodating migrant workers, killing 11 people, Atta-ur-Rehman, a senior police officer, said. Those killed included five men, three women and three children.

Security forces killed six militants in Gwadar after responding to the attack, he said.

Officials said the situation was critical in Noshki, a district of Balochistan, after militants abducted the area’s top civil administrator. He said in a social media video that he was in the custody of the militants. Reuters could not independently verify the video.

Armed men briefly blocked roads in parts of Quetta and a blast was heard near a high-security area, authorities said, though they later said the situation had been brought under control.

Security officials said in text messages that forces had responded effectively to the attacks and that clearance operations were still underway.

Balochistan is Pakistan’s largest but poorest province and has faced a decades-long insurgency by ethnic Baloch militant groups. Pakistan says the violence is backed by foreign actors, a charge denied by India.

Source:adaderana.lk

Mawathagama Police have taken 14 individuals into custody in connection with the theft of an ancient Buddha statue from a temple located in Kahapathwala.

Police said investigations were launched after receiving information on 28 January 2026 regarding the disappearance of a Buddha statue from the monks’ residence at the Kebilithigoda Purana Raja Maha Viharaya, which falls under the Mawathagama Police Division.

Further inquiries revealed that on the night of the incident, four suspects had arrived at the temple posing as officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Claiming that the statue was required for official investigations, they had allegedly removed the 1½-foot-tall gold-colored Buddha statue from the premises.

Following extensive investigations, Mawathagama Police arrested 14 suspects in relation to the incident yesterday (31). Authorities also recovered the stolen Buddha statue along with two vans believed to have been used during the operation.

Police noted that the suspects, aged between 22 and 56, are residents of Minigamuwa, Theldeniya, Monaragala, Matugama, Matale, and Rideegama.

The suspects were produced before the Pilessa Magistrate’s Court yesterday and were remanded until 13 February 2026. Further investigations are continuing.

Sri Lanka is set to call for investment proposals to redevelop the historic Bogambara Prison, with plans to transform the former jail into a commercially viable project while preserving its architectural and historical heritage, officials said.

Authorities said investment opportunities will be invited shortly to redevelop the 135-year-old complex, potentially as a hotel or mixed-use development, in a manner that safeguards its original structure and distinctive architectural features. The prison comprises three floors, each containing 108 cells.

Bogambara Prison, constructed on reclaimed land after the filling of the Bogambara Lake, was officially closed on January 1, 2014. The building is noted in historical records as having been architecturally designed by F Vine.

The prison holds a significant place in Sri Lanka’s penal and political history. It is recorded as the country’s only prison equipped with a gallows capable of carrying out two executions simultaneously. Among those executed at the facility were W.A. Siripala, widely known as “Maru Sira,” and the famed outlaw Utuwankande Sura Saradiyel.

Historical accounts note that during executions, all entry gates to the prison were kept open to allow any last-minute reprieve orders to be delivered without obstruction, even at the final moment.

Several prominent political figures were also imprisoned at Bogambara, including Colvin R. de Silva, Philip Gunawardena, and William de Silva.

Officials said the proposed redevelopment aims to reimagine the historic site for modern use while ensuring its past is carefully preserved and interpreted for future generations.

(Source: Newswire)