News

Unrest in Iran has killed more than 500 people, a rights group said on Sunday, as Tehran threatened to target U.S. military bases if President Donald Trump carries out his renewed threats to intervene on behalf of protesters.

With the Islamic Republic’s clerical establishment facing the biggest demonstrations since 2022, Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if force is used on protesters.

According to its latest figures - from activists inside and outside Iran - U.S.-based rights group HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested in two weeks of unrest.

Iran has not given an official toll and Reuters was unable to independently verify the tolls.

Trump was to meet with senior advisers on Tuesday to discuss options for Iran, a U.S. official told Reuters on Sunday. The Wall Street Journal had reported that options included military strikes, using secret cyber weapons, widening sanctions and providing online help to anti-government sources.

“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters travelling on Air Force One on Sunday night.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned Washington against “a miscalculation.”

“Let us be clear: in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all U.S. bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards.

AUTHORITIES INTENSIFY CRACKDOWN

The protests began on December 28 in response to soaring prices, before turning against the clerical rulers who have governed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iranian authorities accused the U.S. and Israel of fomenting trouble and called for a nationwide rally on Monday to condemn “terrorist actions led by the United States and Israel,” state media reported.

The flow of information from Iran has been hampered by an internet blackout since Thursday.

Footage posted on social media on Saturday from Tehran showed large crowds marching at night, clapping and chanting. The crowd “has no end nor beginning,” a man is heard saying.

Footage from the northeastern city of Mashhad showed smoke billowing into the night sky from fires in the street, masked protesters and a road strewn with debris, another video posted on Saturday showed. Explosions could be heard.

Reuters verified the locations.

State TV showed dozens of body bags on the ground at the Tehran coroner’s office, saying the dead were victims of events caused by “armed terrorists”, as well as footage of loved ones gathered outside the Kahrizak Forensic Medical Centre in Tehran waiting to identify bodies.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was shocked by reports of violence by the Iranian authorities and urged maximum restraint. “The rights to freedom of expression, association & peaceful assembly must be fully respected & protected,” he said on X.

Authorities on Sunday declared three days of national mourning “in honour of martyrs killed in resistance against the United States and the Zionist regime,” according to state media.

Three Israeli sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, said Israel was on a high-alert footing for the possibility of any U.S. intervention.

Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June 2025, which the United States briefly joined by attacking nuclear installations. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel and an American air base in Qatar.

‘RIOTERS AND TERRORISTS’

While the Iranian authorities have weathered previous protests, the latest have unfolded with Tehran still recovering from last year’s war and with its regional position weakened by blows to allies such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks against Israel.

Iran’s unrest comes as Trump flexes U.S. muscles internationally, having ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and discussing acquiring Greenland by purchase or force.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Israel and the U.S. were masterminding destabilisation and that Iran’s enemies had brought in “terrorists ... who set mosques on fire ... attack banks, and public properties”.

“Families, I ask you: do not allow your young children to join rioters and terrorists who behead people and kill others,” he said in a TV interview, adding that the government was ready to listen to the people and to resolve economic problems.

Iran summoned Britain’s ambassador on Sunday to the foreign ministry over “interventionist comments” attributed to the British foreign minister and a protester removing the Iranian flag from the London Embassy building and replacing it with a style of flag used prior to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Britain’s foreign office did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

Alan Eyre, a former U.S. diplomat and Iran expert, thought it unlikely the protests would topple the establishment.

“I think it more likely that it puts these protests down eventually, but emerges from the process far weaker,” he told Reuters, noting that Iran’s elite still appeared cohesive and there was no organised opposition.

Iranian state TV broadcast funeral processions in western cities such as Gachsaran and Yasuj for security personnel killed in protests.

State TV said 30 members of the security forces would be buried in the central city of Isfahan and that six more were killed by “rioters” in Kermanshah in the west.

US READY TO HELP, SAYS TRUMP

Trump, posting on social media on Saturday, said: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”

In a phone call on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of U.S. intervention in Iran, according to an Israeli source present for the conversation.

Some protesters in the United States took to the streets in support of the demonstrators in Iran. In the Los Angeles neighborhood of Westwood, a rental truck drove into a crowd of a few hundred people who were holding a rally in support of the Iranian protesters, the KNBC news outlet reported on Sunday.

Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah and a prominent voice in the fragmented opposition, said Trump had observed Iranians’ “indescribable bravery”. 
“Do not abandon the streets,” Pahlavi, who is based in the U.S., wrote on X.

Source:adaderana.lk

The Norwegian Nobel Institute said the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be transferred, shared, or revoked, following remarks by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado suggesting she might give her 2025 award to U.S. President Donald Trump.

In a statement, the institute said the decision to award a Nobel Prize is final and permanent, citing the statutes of the Nobel Foundation, which do not allow appeals.
 
The organization also noted that committees awarding the prizes do not comment on the actions or statements of laureates after receiving awards.

“Once a Nobel Prize is announced, it cannot be revoked, shared or transferred to others,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee and the Norwegian Nobel Institute said on Friday. “The decision is final and stands for all time.”

On Monday, Machado, speaking to Sean Hannity on Fox News, said that presenting the prize to Trump would be an act of gratitude from the Venezuelan people for the removal of Nicolás Maduro, the country’s president, who was captured last week by the United States.

“Did you at any point offer to give him the Nobel Peace Prize?” Hannity asked. “Did that actually happen?”

She responded, “Well, it hasn’t happened yet.”

Trump, who has long expressed interest in winning the prize and has at times linked it to diplomatic achievements, said he would be honored to accept the prize if offered by Machado during a planned meeting in Washington next week.

Machado, a former National Assembly member, was barred from running in Venezuela’s 2024 general election by authorities aligned with Maduro.

She backed a stand‑in candidate who was widely considered to have won the vote, although Maduro claimed victory. Ballot audits by independent observers showed irregularities in the official results.

Source: adaderana.lk

The Department of Meteorology has issued a weather advisory stating that showers or thundershowers are likely to occur at intervals today (12 January) in the Northern, North-Central, Uva, Eastern and Central provinces, as well as in the Hambantota district.

According to the forecast, certain locations in the Eastern and Uva provinces may experience fairly heavy rainfall exceeding 50 millimetres. In addition, several other parts of the island could see showers or thundershowers developing after 1.00 p.m.

The Met Department further noted that isolated areas in the Northwestern, Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces could receive heavier rainfall of around 75 millimetres.

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

The public has been urged to take necessary safety measures to reduce the risk of damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning associated with thundershowers.

Five suspects have been arrested by the Special Investigation Unit of the Police Division attached to the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) for allegedly carrying out foreign employment scams using forged documents.

The arrests were made during coordinated raids conducted in Boralesgamuwa, Maharagama, Nittambuwa, and Wattala, according to the SLBFE.

During the operations, authorities seized 10 employment contracts purportedly issued for jobs in Dubai, 27 job application forms, and a computer used to produce fraudulent documentation.

Investigators also recovered a large cache of forged official seals, falsely attributed to principals of government schools, senior executive-grade public officials from several state institutions, and university lecturers.

In addition, fraudulently manufactured educational certificates and school-leaving certificates were among the items taken into custody.

The Bureau stated that investigations are ongoing to identify further individuals linked to the scam network.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday said no more Venezuelan oil or money will go to Cuba and suggested the Communist-run island should strike a deal with Washington, ramping up pressure on the long-time U.S. nemesis and provoking defiant words from the island’s leadership.

Venezuela is Cuba’s biggest oil supplier, but no cargoes have departed from Venezuelan ports to the Caribbean country since the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces in early January amid a strict U.S. oil blockade on the OPEC country, shipping data shows.

Meanwhile, Caracas and Washington are progressing on a $2 billion deal to supply up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to the U.S. with proceeds to be deposited in U.S. Treasury-supervised accounts, a major test of the emerging relationship between Trump and interim President Delcy Rodriguez.

“THERE WILL BE NO MORE OIL OR MONEY GOING TO CUBA - ZERO! I strongly suggest they make a deal, BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.

“Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of OIL and MONEY from Venezuela,” Trump added.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel rejected Trump’s threat on social media, suggesting the U.S. had no moral authority to force a deal on Cuba.

“Cuba is a free, independent, and sovereign nation. Nobody dictates what we do,” Diaz-Canel said on X. “Cuba does not attack; it has been attacked by the U.S. for 66 years, and it does not threaten; it prepares, ready to defend the homeland to the last drop of blood.”

The U.S. president did not elaborate on his suggested deal.

But Trump’s push on Cuba represents the latest escalation in his move to bring regional powers in line with the United States and underscores the seriousness of the administration’s ambition to dominate the Western Hemisphere.

Trump’s top officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have made no secret of their expectation that the recent U.S. intervention in Venezuela could push Cuba over the edge.

U.S. officials have hardened their rhetoric against Cuba in recent weeks, though the two countries have been at odds since former leader Fidel Castro’s 1959 revolution.

CUBA DEFENDS IMPORT RIGHTS

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said in another post on X on Sunday that Cuba had the right to import fuel from any suppliers willing to export it. He also denied that Cuba had received financial or other “material” compensation in return for security services provided to any country.

Thirty-two members of Cuba’s armed forces and intelligence services were killed during the U.S. raid on Venezuela. Cuba said those killed were responsible for “security and defense” but did not provide details on the arrangement between the two long-time allies.

Cuba relies on imported crude and fuel mainly provided by Venezuela, and Mexico in smaller volumes, purchased on the open market to keep its power generators and vehicles running.

As its operational refining capacity dwindled in recent years, Venezuela’s supply of crude and fuel to Cuba has fallen. But the South American country is still the largest provider with some 26,500 barrels per day exported last year, according to ship tracking data and internal documents of state-run PDVSA, which covered roughly 50% of Cuba’s oil deficit.

Havana produce vendor Alberto Jimenez, 45, said Cuba would not back down in the face of Trump’s threat.

“That doesn’t scare me. Not at all. The Cuban people are prepared for anything,” Jimenez said.

It’s hard for many Cubans to imagine a situation much worse. The island’s government has been struggling to keep the lights on. A majority live without electricity for much of the day, and even the capital Havana has seen its economy crippled by hours-long rolling blackouts.

Shortages of food, fuel and medicine have put Cubans on edge and have prompted a record-breaking exodus, primarily to the United States, in the past five years.

MEXICO BECOMES KEY SUPPLIER

Mexico has emerged in recent weeks as a critical alternative oil supplier to the island, but the supply remains small, according to the shipping data.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum last week said her country had not increased supply volumes, but given recent political events in Venezuela, Mexico had turned into an “important supplier” of crude to Cuba.

U.S. intelligence has painted a grim picture of Cuba’s economic and political situation, but its assessments offer no clear support for Trump’s prediction that the island is “ready to fall,” Reuters reported on Saturday, citing three people familiar with the confidential assessments.

The CIA’s view is that key sectors of the Cuban economy, such as agriculture and tourism, are severely strained by frequent blackouts, trade sanctions and other problems. The potential loss of oil imports and other support from Venezuela could make governing more difficult for Diaz-Canel.

Havana resident and parking attendant Maria Elena Sabina, a 58-year-old born shortly after Castro took power, said it was time for Cuba’s leaders to make changes amid so much suffering.

“There’s no electricity here, no gas, not even liquefied gas. There’s nothing here,” Sabina said. “So yes, a change is needed, a change is needed, and quickly.”

Source:adaderana.lk

Nearly one in four people in Sri Lanka is living in poverty, according to findings from surveys conducted by the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), said Dr. Ganeshan Wignarajah, Senior Fellow at ODI Global.

Speaking at the launch of the report titled “Sustaining Transformational Economic Growth in Sri Lanka 2025–2030,” Dr. Wignarajah emphasized that Sri Lanka must undertake wide-ranging reforms across multiple sectors of the economy in order to effectively address the poverty challenge.

The report, jointly supported by the Centre for Poverty Analysis and ODI Global, was prepared by an independent research team and was unveiled recently at a Colombo-based institution.

It presents a policy framework focused on structural reforms and poverty reduction, aimed at supporting Sri Lanka’s post-crisis economic recovery and ensuring long-term, inclusive growth.

Adding to the discussion, Yvette Fernando, former Senior Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, highlighted the absence of a coordinated national strategy to drive such reforms.

She noted that while various groups are currently implementing fragmented initiatives—some of which are producing positive outcomes—the lack of central coordination limits their overall impact. Fernando stressed that bringing these efforts under a unified national plan, with proper oversight, monitoring, and accountability, would significantly enhance results.

She further proposed that the government should take the lead by working closely with the private sector, establishing dedicated committees and a commission to oversee the implementation of a centralized national action plan, a recommendation also outlined in the report.

The remaining papers of the 2025 GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination, which were delayed due to the prevailing disaster conditions in the country, recommence today (12 January), the Department of Examinations announced.

Commissioner General of Examinations, Indika Kumari Liyanage, stated that the rescheduled examinations will be conducted from today through January 20, adhering to the previously announced examination times without any changes.

A total of 2,086 examination centres have been set up island-wide to facilitate candidates, supported by 325 coordination centres and 32 regional centres to ensure smooth administration.

The Department of Examinations has also introduced special provisions for candidates who lost personal identification documents such as National Identity Cards, driving licences, or passports due to the disaster. These candidates will be permitted to sit the examination upon presenting a temporary identification document issued by the relevant authorities.

Candidates have been reminded to report to their respective examination centres at least 30 minutes prior to the start of each paper to avoid any inconvenience, the Commissioner General added.

The Department of Meteorology reports that the depression over the southwest Bay of Bengal was located about 20 km east of Mullaitivu at 11:30 a.m. today (10).

The system is expected to cross the Mullaitivu coast later this evening and is likely to weaken into a low-pressure area by tomorrow.

Very strong winds of about 50–60 km/h, gusting up to 70 km/h, can be expected at times over the Northern Province, the Met. Department said, issuing a strong wind advisory for the next 24 hours.

Strong winds of about 40–50 km/h may occur at times over the North Western Province and in the Matale, Trincomalee, and Nuwara Eliya districts, it said.

Cloudy skies are expected over the northern half of the island. Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern Province and in the Puttalam, Anuradhapura, and Trincomalee districts, with a heavy rain advisory in effect for the next 24 hours.

Heavy rainfall above 100 mm is likely at some locations in the Northern Province, it added

The Department of Meteorology says intermittent showers may occur tomorrow (12) in the Northern, North Central, Uva, Eastern and Central Provinces, as well as in the Hambantota District.

In other parts of the country, scattered showers or thundershowers are likely after 1.00 p.m.

Some locations in the Eastern, Uva and Sabaragamuwa Provinces may experience heavy rainfall exceeding 50 millimetres.

Misty conditions are expected during the early morning hours in parts of the Western, Sabaragamuwa and Central Provinces, and in the Galle and Matara Districts.

The Department of Meteorology urges the public to take necessary precautions to minimise damage caused by temporary strong winds and lightning associated with thundershowers.

Meanwhile, showers may occur at times in the sea areas off the coast from Kankesanthurai to Pottuvil via Trincomalee. Elsewhere around the island, isolated showers or thundershowers may develop during the evening or night.

Winds in the sea areas around the island will blow from an easterly to north-easterly direction, with speeds of around 25–35 km/h.

Wind speeds may increase up to 45 km/h in the sea areas off the coast from Chilaw to Kankesanthurai via Mannar, and from Galle to Pottuvil via Hambantota.

These sea areas may become fairly rough at times, while the remaining sea areas around the island are expected to be slightly rough.

An avalanche of garbage and debris buried or trapped workers in low-slung buildings at a landfill in the Philippines, killing one person, injuring a dozen and leaving 38 others missing, officials said Friday.

Dozens of rescuers retrieved 13 people alive overnight and were searching for the missing still trapped after the mountain of garbage, earth and debris collapsed on them Thursday afternoon in the village of Binaliw in Cebu city, officials and police said. Landfill workers were among those affected, but it’s not clear if there were neighboring residents or others involved as well.

One of those rescued, a female landfill worker, died while being brought to a hospital, regional police director Brig. Gen. Roderick Maranan told The Associated Press, adding the rest survived with injuries and were hospitalized.

Jaylord Antigua, a 31-year-old office worker in the landfill, said the collapse of the mountain of garbage unfolded rapidly without warning and in good weather. The avalanche of rubbish destroyed his office, where he managed to extricate himself with bruises in his face and arms by crawling under the rubble and debris.

“I saw a light and crawled toward it in a hurry because I feared there will be more landslides,” Antigua told The Associated Press. “It was traumatic. I feared that it was my end so this is my second life.”

Search and rescue efforts were continuing for 38 missing, Cebu Mayor Nestor Archival and the Office of Civil Defense said Friday.

“All response teams remain fully engaged in search and retrieval efforts to locate the remaining missing persons with strict adherence to safety protocols,” Archival said in a statement posted on Facebook.

“The city government assures the public and the families of those affected that all necessary measures are being taken to ensure safety, transparency, accountability and compassionate assistance as operations continue,” Archival said.

Pictures released by authorities showed rescuers with earth-moving equipment scouring a building devastated by the massive slide with its twisted tin roofs and iron beams.

Relatives waited in anguish as the search and rescue proceeded. A woman wept openly and asked the rescuers to speed up the search.

Authorities and officials at the waste management facility, which has 110 employees, were to hold an emergency meeting Friday, Archival said.

One of the buildings hit by the wall of garbage that cascaded down in the landfill was a warehouse where workers separated recyclable waste and rubbish, Maranan said, adding that it remains unclear if nearby houses were also affected.

Such landfills and open dumpsites have long been a source of safety and health concerns in many cities and towns in the Philippines, especially in areas close to poor communities, where residents scavenge for junk and leftover food in the garbage heaps.

In July 2000, a huge mound of garbage in a dumpsite in a shantytown in suburban Quezon City in metropolitan Manila collapsed after days of stormy weather and the avalanche also ignited a fire.

The disaster left more than 200 people dead and many more missing, damaged scores of shanties and prompted the enactment of a law, which required the closure of illegal dumpsites and better waste management by authorities.

(Source:adaderana.lk)

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the Government has commenced necessary measures to maintain preschool education under a framework, align preschool education with a unified curriculum, conduct teacher training in a systematic manner, and ensure quality standards.

The Prime Minister made these remarks today (10) at the Temple Trees, participating in the launch of the National Communication Programme for Child Health Promotion, aimed at promoting social and behavioural change (SBCC) among early childhood children. 

The programme is jointly organized by the Health Promotion Bureau, the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, UNICEF, and the Clean Sri Lanka Programme.

Addressing at the event, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:

“Early Childhood Development (ECD) has a major impact on a country’s human development and future progress. It is a widely accepted fact that a child’s future depends largely on early childhood development. Many aspects essential for a child’s growth occur within the first five years of life. The experiences, care, and love a child receives during this period are decisive.

“The social integration, relationships, and environmental influences experienced in early childhood form the foundation for shaping an individual as an adult. Early childhood development influences life to an extent that it becomes difficult to change when it grows into the adulthood.

“The responses of adults to children’s actions, the way they interact with them, and the care they provide are extremely important. Therefore, early childhood development should never be viewed as the sole responsibility of parents. It is a collective responsibility of all citizens. 

“No child can be raised into a good citizen by parents alone. In all our lives, beyond our parents, there have been many who influenced us, showed us love, and provided care. It is due to the collective support of all these individuals that we have reached where we are today. The Government views child care as a social responsibility. Supporting a child, providing care, ensuring protection, education, and health facilities are social responsibilities. In this regard, the intervention of the Clean Sri Lanka Programme to communicate these values to the public is important.

“The role of the Preschool teachers plays a special and vital role for children. The love, care, attentive listening, and responses children receive during this stage are decisive for their development. Teachers carry out a crucial intervention in the lives of children. An education policy on early childhood development has been formulated, with UNICEF providing technical assistance. Steps are being taken to operate preschool education under a single framework, align it with a unified curriculum, systematically conduct teacher training, and ensure quality standards.

“Recognising early childhood development as a specialised area within education, the Prime Minister affirmed that the relevant interventions will be made accordingly.”

Addressing the event, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Ms. Saroja Paulraj, stated that the Ministry has identified the standardisation and development of early childhood development as a primary goal for the year 2026. 

She noted that children who leave the warmth of their mother’s embrace and father’s shoulder and come to preschool teachers expecting the same love and care from their teachers. 

Conveying that warmth through words and expressions is a responsibility entrusted to teachers. The love and safe environment children receive shape their ability to love the environment and respect others, the minister said.

Minister of Health and Mass Media, Mr. Nalinda Jayatissa, also addressed the gathering, stating that the goal of the government is to build a beautiful future generation capable of leading the country, free from the various hardships and challenges faced today. 

He emphasised that creating a healthy population is a challenge, particularly in preventing non-communicable diseases. Children aged three to five today will become a generation aged 18 to 20 by 2040. Continuous and comprehensive programmes such as this are essential to protect that generation from non-communicable diseases. In some instances, interventions are required even during the preconception and prenatal stages.

He further highlighted that preschool and early childhood development centre teachers shoulder a tremendous responsibility in driving a major transformation in the country’s future.

#Source:Adaderana.lk

India’s trade pact with the United States was delayed because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not make a telephone call to President Donald Trump to close a deal they were negotiating, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Friday.

The trade talks fell apart last year and Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods in August to 50%, the world’s highest rate, including a levy of 25% in retaliation for India’s purchases of Russian oil.

“It’s all set up and you have got to have Modi call the President. And they were uncomfortable doing it,” Lutnick said in an interview on the All-In podcast, a U.S. show by four venture capitalists that focuses on business and technology.

“So Modi didn’t call.”

The comments came after Trump stepped up the pressure for talks with a warning this week that tariffs could rise further unless India curbs its Russian oil imports.

That step pushed the Indian rupee to a record low and spooked investors waiting for progress in two-way negotiations for a trade deal that remains elusive.

India still seeks a tariff rate between Washington’s offers to Britain and Vietnam that had formerly been agreed but the offer has expired, Lutnick added.

India’s trade ministry did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment on Lutnick’s remarks.

New Delhi and Washington were very close to a trade deal last year but a communication breakdown led to the collapse of any potential pact, Reuters reported.

It cited an Indian government official involved in the talks as saying that Modi could not have called Trump, for fear that a one-sided conversation would put him on the spot.

(Source:Adaderana.lk)