Sri Lanka has bolstered its judicial framework with the swearing-in of four new Supreme Court justices, marking a significant step toward enhancing the country’s legal system. The ceremony, held at the Presidential Secretariat, was officiated by President Ranil Wickremesinghe on January 12, 2025.

Former Minister Indradasa Hettiarachchi has passed away at the age of 94. The veteran politician and statesman died at his residence in Colombo on January 12, 2025.

The upcountry train service in Sri Lanka has been temporarily disrupted due to a landslide near the Rosella railway station, according to railway officials. The landslide occurred on January 12, 2025, and has blocked the railway tracks, halting operations on this crucial route.

Sri Lanka has grappled with a concerning suicide rate for decades. According to the Global Burden of Disease Study (1990-2013) published in The Lancet, suicide ranks as the second most common cause of death in the country. Mental health issues, although not always directly linked to suicide, are undeniably a critical factor in self-harm and suicide cases. The question remains: is Sri Lanka adequately addressing this pressing issue?

A Russian vessel described as a "shadow ship" has been immobilized in the Baltic Sea, according to German authorities. The ship, believed to be part of Russia’s surveillance operations, remains stuck amid heightened regional tensions.

Jack Smith, the special counsel appointed to oversee federal investigations into former President Donald Trump, has resigned from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). His departure follows the completion of his final report on the investigations.

Ukraine has reportedly captured two North Korean soldiers injured during combat on Russian soil, according to statements from Ukrainian officials. The alleged incident adds a new layer of complexity to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, raising questions about North Korea's role in the war.

A teenage girl lost her life after falling from the 12th floor of a residential building in Borella, Colombo. The tragic incident occurred under circumstances that are still under investigation.

The Sri Lankan government has announced the reinstatement of excise duty on vehicle imports, effective immediately. The decision marks a significant shift in the country’s import policy, with authorities aiming to manage fiscal challenges and regulate the inflow of foreign vehicles.

IndiGo, India's leading low-cost airline, has solidified its position as the largest foreign carrier operating out of Sri Lanka. The airline currently operates 54 weekly flights connecting Sri Lanka to four major Indian cities: Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Mumbai. These flights serve two key destinations in Sri Lanka—Colombo and Jaffna—highlighting IndiGo's commitment to enhancing connectivity between the two nations.

Sri Lanka's tea industry is projected to experience cautious growth in 2025, according to an analysis by Forbes and Walker Tea Brokers. This outlook comes after several years of declining production, with expectations of a tight supply of Orthodox Large Leaf teas due to a production shortfall in India in 2024.

Sri Lanka has witnessed a significant increase in road traffic fatalities over the past five years, with over 12,000 lives lost due to road accidents. This concerning trend highlights the urgent need for enhanced road safety measures and public awareness campaigns.

Sri Lanka continues to grapple with transboundary air pollution, significantly impacting air quality levels across the nation. This issue arises from pollutants originating in neighboring countries, notably India and China, which are transported to Sri Lanka during specific monsoon periods.

The recent surge in Islamophobic incidents across the United States has raised significant concerns among Muslim communities and human rights organizations. Notably, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a 70% increase in anti-Muslim incidents in the first half of 2024, coinciding with heightened tensions following the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Sri Lanka has witnessed a concerning surge in organized crime-related shootings, resulting in 66 fatalities across more than 100 incidents since January 2024. Notably, 13 of these deaths have occurred in the past three months, underscoring an escalating trend.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry by expediting the discovery of new drugs, particularly for challenging diseases. Traditionally, drug development has been a time-consuming and costly endeavor, often taking over a decade and billions of dollars to bring a new medication to market. AI-driven approaches are now streamlining this process by identifying potential drug candidates more efficiently.

The United States and the United Kingdom have jointly imposed extensive sanctions on Russia's oil industry, intensifying efforts to curtail revenue streams that support Moscow's military actions in Ukraine. These measures, announced on January 10, 2025, represent some of the most significant actions taken against Russia's energy sector to date.

The U.S. Supreme Court appears poised to uphold a law that could lead to a nationwide ban on TikTok due to national security concerns over its Chinese ownership. The Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACAA), signed into law by President Joe Biden in April 2024, mandates that TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, divest from the app by January 19, 2025, or face a ban in the U.S.

Meta and Amazon have recently announced significant reductions in their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, aligning with a broader trend among major U.S. corporations to reassess such programs. This shift comes amid changing political landscapes and increasing scrutiny of DEI efforts.

UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves has embarked on a significant visit to China, aiming to strengthen economic ties and enhance trade relations between the two nations. This trip marks the first official visit by a UK Chancellor to China in nearly a decade.

The Elephant Pass saltern, a decades-old salt production facility in northern Sri Lanka, is set to resume full-scale operations to address the country's growing salt shortage. This initiative marks a significant step in revitalizing local production and reducing reliance on imports.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has issued an administrative stay, temporarily halting the plea proceedings of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the alleged mastermind behind the September 11, 2001 attacks. This decision comes in response to the Biden administration's efforts to block a plea deal that would have allowed Mohammed to avoid the death penalty in exchange for a guilty plea and life imprisonment without parole.

As of January 11, 2025, Los Angeles County is grappling with multiple wildfires that have collectively scorched over 35,000 acres, resulting in at least 10 fatalities and the destruction of more than 10,000 structures.

The Sri Lankan government has announced the completion of its rice import initiative, with 167,000 metric tonnes (MT) imported by the set deadline. The program was launched to address the nation’s rice shortage and stabilize market prices amid ongoing challenges in the agricultural sector.

Traders have raised concerns about mill owners not supplying rice at affordable prices, just as Sri Lankans prepare to celebrate Thai Pongal, a harvest festival of great cultural significance. The escalating rice prices threaten to dampen the festivities for many households.

Major U.S. corporations are making substantial contributions to President elect Donald Trump's inauguration fund, with Boeing and Google each donating $1 million. Boeing, which has a history of supporting presidential inaugurations, stated that this donation continues its bipartisan tradition.

Benin’s armed forces endured significant losses in a deadly attack near its northern border with Niger and Burkina Faso, regions troubled by insurgency. Colonel Faizou Gomina, the national guard’s chief of staff, described the assault on one of the country’s best-equipped military positions as a "hard blow."

Donald Trump has announced that plans are underway for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, though no specific timeline has been disclosed. Speaking from his Mar-a-Lago resort, Trump stated, "He wants to meet and we are setting it up," emphasizing the urgency of resolving the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Severe smog and dense fog have brought travel to a standstill in Delhi, with visibility in some areas dropping to zero on Friday morning. Over 150 flights were delayed, and dozens of trains are running behind schedule, as road, rail, and air transport grapple with hazardous conditions caused by the weather and pollution. The disruptions have left passengers frustrated, with many taking to social media to voice complaints about the chaos at Delhi airport.

Galagodaatte Gnanasara, a prominent and controversial Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka, has been sentenced to nine months in prison for making derogatory remarks against Islam. The Colombo Magistrate's Court handed down the sentence on Thursday, marking a rare conviction of a Buddhist monk in the country. Gnanasara, a leader of a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist group and a close ally of ousted former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, was convicted for remarks he made in 2016 during a media conference. The court emphasized that the Constitution guarantees freedom of belief to all citizens, irrespective of religion.