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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

The U.S. government has issued an urgent advisory for American citizens to leave Iran immediately, according to a notice published Tuesday by the U.S. virtual embassy in Tehran.

“U.S. citizens should leave Iran now. Consider departing Iran by land to Türkiye or Armenia, if safe to do so,” the notice stated.

The advisory comes as Iran experiences its largest anti-government demonstrations in years.

U.S. President Donald Trump has voiced his support for Iranians on the streets, threatening action against Iran if killings of protesters continue. Trump has also maintanted ambiguous language when asked about potential military involvement, not ruling the scenario out.

Source:adaderana.lk

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

A meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya and representatives of teachers’ trade unions was held this afternoon (13) at the Presidential Secretariat.

At the meeting, the teachers’ trade union representatives stated that they accept the necessity of the new education reforms being implemented by the Government and pointed out that the Grade 6 curriculum needs to be revised. They also expressed their readiness to work together with the Government in the new education reform process.

They further proposed that these activities be carried out under the supervision of a formal mechanism comprising the National Education Commission, the National Institute of Education, educationists, lawyers, university lecturers and professors and representatives of trade unions in the education sector.

Emphasising that winning the trust of teachers and parents is essential for the success of education reforms and that transformation cannot be achieved amid suspicion or mistrust, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake invited the teachers’ trade union representatives to work together with the Government in implementing the new education reforms.

Briefing the trade union representatives on the new education reform process initiated by the Government, the President stated that while the reforms for Grade 1 are being implemented as planned, due to issues in developing modules, delays in teacher training and technical challenges, it is expected that the reforms for Grade 6 will commence in 2027.

The President also said that infrastructure such as smart boards; televisions and computers required for the reforms would be provided through Government funding and not at the expense of parents.

Attention was also drawn to issues relating to inter-provincial teacher transfers, promotions, salary anomalies and problems in the principals’ service. 

( source: newswire.lk)

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.

Greenland’s prime minister has said his people would choose Denmark over the US if they were asked to make such a choice “here and now”.

Jens-Frederik Nielsen’s remark at a joint news conference with Denmark’s prime minister is the strongest by a representative of the semi-autonomous Danish territory since US President Donald Trump renewed his plan to annex it.

Trump says the US needs to “own” Greenland to defend against Russia and China. The White House has suggested buying the island, but not ruled out the use of force to annex it.

Denmark is a fellow Nato member and Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that military force would spell the end of the trans-Atlantic defence alliance.

Asked later on Tuesday what he made of Nielsen’s comments, Trump said: “That’s their problem, I disagree with him... That’s going to be a big problem for him.”

Despite being the most sparsely populated territory, Greenland’s 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.

Trump has repeatedly said that Greenland is vital to US national security, claiming without evidence that it was “covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place”.

The US already has more than 100 military personnel permanently stationed at its Pituffik base in Greenland’s north-western tip - a facility 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 told reporters in Washington last week that a lease agreement was not good enough - the US “had to have ownership” and “Nato’s got to understand that”.

At the news conference in the Danish capital Copenhagen, Frederiksen did not mince her words as she condemned the “completely unacceptable pressure from our closest ally”.

She warned that “there are many indications that the most challenging part is ahead of us”.

The Greenlandic prime minister said they were “facing a geopolitical crisis”, but the island’s position was clear:

“If we have to choose between the United States and Denmark here and now, we choose Denmark,” he said.

“One thing must be clear to everyone. Greenland does not want to be owned by the United States. Greenland does not want to be governed by the United States. Greenland does not want to be part of the United States.”

The Copenhagen news conference comes a day before the Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt are due to travel to the US to meet Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Denmark’s Nato allies - major European countries as well as Canada - have rallied to its support this week with statements reaffirming that “only Denmark and Greenland can decide on matters concerning their relations”.

Stressing they were as keen as the US on Arctic security, they have said this must be achieved by allies, including the US, “collectively”.

They also called for “upholding the principles of the UN Charter, including sovereignty, territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders”.

Concerns over the future of the territory resurfaced after Trump’s use of military force against Venezuela on Saturday to seize its president, Nicolás Maduro.

Trump previously made an offer to buy the island in 2019, during his first presidential term, only to be told it was not for sale.

In recent years, there has been increased interest in Greenland’s natural resources - including rare earth minerals, uranium and iron - which are becoming easier to access as its ice melts due to climate change. Scientists think it could also have significant oil and gas reserves.

Source:adaderana.lk

The Sri Lankan Rupee recorded a slight depreciation against the US Dollar today (14 January) when compared to Tuesday, based on figures released by the Central Bank.

Official data shows that the Dollar buying rate edged up from Rs. 305.35 to Rs. 305.43, while the selling rate increased marginally from Rs. 312.88 to Rs. 312.97.

The Central Bank also noted minor fluctuations in the value of the Rupee against a range of other international currencies, including several Gulf currencies, reflecting modest movements in the foreign exchange market.

Ugandan authorities cut internet access and limited mobile services across the country on Tuesday, two days before an election in which President Yoweri Museveni will stand for a contentious seventh term after four decades in power.

The Uganda Communications Commission ordered mobile service providers to shut down public internet connections from 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Tuesday in order to curb “misinformation, disinformation, electoral fraud and related risks”, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

Security forces have detained hundreds of opposition supporters in the run-up to the election and repeatedly fired live bullets and tear gas at campaign events in support of Museveni’s leading challenger, pop star Bobi Wine.

“The UCC acknowledges the operational challenges this directive may impose and appreciates your full cooperation in upholding national stability during this sensitive period,” the UCC said in the letter dated Tuesday and addressed to Licensed Mobile Operators and Internet Service Providers.

The 81-year-old Museveni, who came to power in 1986 after leading a five-year rebellion, is Africa’s third-longest ruling head of state.

He has changed the constitution twice to remove age and term limits, and his dominance of Ugandan institutions means there is little prospect of an election upset in the East African country of 46 million people, political analysts say.

WATCHDOGS HAVE SPOKEN OUT ABOUT RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

Uganda’s internet went out at 6 p.m. local time, a Reuters witness confirmed.

The government also early on Tuesday ordered two local rights groups to cease operations before Thursday’s election, which the United Nations Human Rights Office says is taking place in an atmosphere of repression and intimidation.

The two groups had denounced the alleged arbitrary detention and torture of opposition supporters and journalists.

The state-run National Bureau for NGOs said in a letter to one of the groups, Chapter Four Uganda, that it was found to be involved in activities “prejudicial” to Uganda’s security and “should cease operations ... with immediate effect”. Robert Ssempala, who heads the Human Rights Network for Journalists-Uganda (HRNJ-U), told Reuters he had received the same letter ordering his organisation to stop operating.

Stephen Okello, head of the state NGO bureau, confirmed to Reuters that he had written the letters.

REPORTS OF ARBITRARY ARRESTS

The U.N. Human Rights Office said in a report on Friday that Uganda’s police and military had used live ammunition to disperse peaceful rallies, carried out arbitrary detentions and abducted opposition supporters ahead of the vote.

A Ugandan government spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the report.

Museveni’s government has defended the security forces’ actions as a justified response to what it called lawless conduct by opposition supporters.

Source: adaderana.lk

China-based Amber Adventures (Private) Limited has officially pulled out of the Ambuluwawa Cable Car Project, informing the Board of Investment (BOI) in writing yesterday (13 Jan).

According to media reports, the company, involved in Sri Lanka’s first cable car venture, has cited ‘regulatory obstruction and arbitrary state action’ for its decision. 

In its letter to the BOI, the Chinese company said it has decided to withdraw from the project due to arbitrary and unlawful actions by state authorities, including the suspension of construction by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) based on complaints circulating on social media, despite clearance from technical agencies.

Revealing that it had already invested US $ 3.5 million of the US $ 12.75 million in total investment, the company further said the investment was secured at the height of Sri Lanka’s 2022 economic crisis by a consortium of investors from Sri Lanka, China and the United States.

The project had obtained all required approvals, including from the CEA, Urban Development Authority, Cabinet of Ministers and the Ministry of Defence, and was structured as a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project. 

The company pointed out that under the agreement, the fully operational cable car system valued at over Rs. 5 billion was to be handed over to the Sri Lankan government free of charge after 13 years.

However, Amber Adventures said repeated interference, regulatory obstruction and harassment by state officials made the project commercially unviable.

Further rejecting claims of landslide risks, the company noted that the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) had inspected the site after Cyclone Ditwah and confirmed its stability.

The letter further revealed that the company is now considering international legal action to recover losses. 

Amber Adventures joins a list of other foreign companies that have exited Sri Lanka since 2022, such as Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation, French sporting goods retailer Decathlon, India-based food delivery platform Zomato and the Adani Group.

( Source : newswire.lk)

The Department of Meteorology has forecast an improvement in weather conditions across Sri Lanka from tomorrow (15), with the prevailing showery pattern expected to gradually subside.

According to the forecast, only a few showers are likely in the Uva, Eastern and Central provinces. In the Western province and the districts of Galle, Matara and Ratnapura, showers or thundershowers may develop at isolated locations after 2.00 p.m.

Elsewhere on the island, predominantly fair weather conditions are anticipated. However, misty conditions may form during the early morning hours in parts of the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces, as well as in the Galle and Matara districts.

The public has been advised to remain cautious, as temporary localized strong winds and lightning may still accompany thundershowers in affected areas.

With regard to marine weather, the Met Department noted that a few showers are expected in sea areas off the coast stretching from Kankasanthurai to Pottuvil via Trincomalee. Showers or thundershowers may also occur in other surrounding sea areas during the evening or night.

Winds are expected to be north-easterly at speeds of 25–35 kmph. However, wind speeds may increase to around 45 kmph at times in sea areas off the coast from Colombo to Mannar via Puttalam, and from Hambantota to Pottuvil.

Sea conditions in these areas are expected to be fairly rough at times, while other surrounding sea areas will generally be slight to moderate. Temporarily strong gusty winds and very rough seas may occur during thundershowers, the Department added.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has arrested a retired Navy Medical Assistant on charges of accepting a bribe in connection with a school admission.

According to the Bribery Commission, the suspect had demanded a total of Rs. 300,000 from the parents of a child, promising to arrange their daughter’s admission to Grade 1 at a well-known school in Colombo. Investigations revealed that Rs. 100,000 had already been obtained from the complainant.

The arrest followed a complaint filed by a resident of Wellawatte. CIABOC officials stated that the suspect was apprehended while attempting to collect the remaining Rs. 200,000 of the alleged bribe.

The suspect is due to be produced before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court for further legal proceedings.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has firmly stated that the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah will not be used as a justification to suspend or reverse the government’s official programs.

The President made these remarks at the inauguration of the national initiative titled “Rebuilding Sri Lanka,” a program launched to coordinate and manage post-disaster reconstruction efforts across the country.

He noted that although Sri Lanka was still in the process of recovering from recent economic hardships when the cyclone struck, the government had no intention of stepping back from its planned policies. Emphasizing continuity, President Dissanayake said the administration remains committed to addressing the crisis while adhering to its established policy framework.

Reflecting on past experiences, the President observed that previous disasters had often been used to justify delays or reversals in governance. However, he stressed that the current administration had consciously decided not to follow that path.

Providing details on the scale of the disaster, President Dissanayake said approximately 700,000 people were displaced due to the cyclone. Around 6,000 houses were completely destroyed, while nearly 110,000 homes suffered partial damage. A further 10,000 houses, though not physically damaged, were deemed unsafe, prompting the evacuation of residents.

The President underlined that he remains accountable to the mandate granted to the government and will not allow any external influence to weaken it. Parliament has approved a supplementary allocation of Rs. 500 billion to address cyclone-related recovery efforts.

From this allocation, Rs. 5,000 million has been set aside to reconstruct 2,500 fully destroyed houses, with plans in place to build more than 50,000 new homes by 2026 as part of the long-term recovery program.