COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Trade unions and political activists rallied in Sri Lanka’s capital on Friday against anti-terrorism and anti-crime bills, saying they would give sweeping powers to law enforcement authorities and could lead to abuses.
The bills — the protection of the state from terrorism and prevention of organized crimes — were submitted to Parliament, which has scheduled a debate and vote in the coming weeks.
Human Rights Watch said that the proposed counterterrorism law is too broad in scope and provide inadequate judicial oversight, sweeping powers of search and arrest for the armed forces, and executive authority to curtail freedom of speech and movement.
The bill seeks to replace legislation that critics say has enabled arbitrary detention and the torture of detainees for decades in Sri Lanka.
Government spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa on Tuesday rejected the allegations by rights activists and said that the proposed laws would not harm trade unions or media freedoms.
"These are clearly draconian laws,” trade union activist Saman Rathnapriya said, adding that “anyone can be turned into a terrorist by these laws."
He said the government had no right to bring such oppressive laws because "they have protested against such laws when they were in the opposition.”
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s National People’s Power alliance came to power in 2024, pledging to abolish “all oppressive laws.”
Dissanayake’s victory in the presidential election that year was seen as a rejection of the political old guard that was blamed for an unprecedented economic crisis following decades of mismanagement and corruption.
Rathnapriya said the government has failed to revive the economy.
“Fearing that people might revolt against them, the government is now attempting to bring in tough laws in a bid to suppress any future public protests,” he said, adding that protests would continue if the bills were not withdrawn.
Trade union members representing opposition political parties protest against a proposed anti-terrorism law in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Friday, Nov. 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)
TOKYO (AP) — A strong earthquake shook central Japan early Sunday, shattering store windows, causing people to flee buildings and leaving at least 22 people injured, according to local media.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency put the quake’s magnitude at 5.7, while the U.S. Geological Survey reported it at magnitude 5.5. Smaller aftershocks were reported.
A wide area near Aichi Prefecture was affected, including the city of Hamamatsu, the ancient capitals of Kyoto and Nara and nearby prefectures of Yamanashi, where Mount Fuji is located, as well as Gifu.
Japanese TV footage showed shattered store windows and scattered shards of glass on the streets. A bookstore was left with mounds of books that had flown off the shelves. The injuries included people who fell from stairs while they were trying to flee.
The quake, which struck at 1:04 a.m., was located about 40 kilometers (25 miles) below the earth's surface in Shizuoka Prefecture. Aichi and Shizuoka are neighboring regions. They are far enough from Tokyo that the quake was not felt there. The most violent shaking was felt in Aichi, according to official seismic assessments.
The meteorological agency warned people to brace for possible strong quakes in the coming week, especially the next two to three days.
“Please be on the lookout for mudslides, falling rocks and the possible effects from rainfall,” Ayataka Ebita, an agency official, told reporters.
He said no apparent change was detected so far to the Nankai Trough plate, where scientists say a megaquake can possibly hit.
The Shinkansen bullet trains were running at slower speeds in the affected areas as a precautionary measure. Sometimes quakes can damage the railways the trains run on.
Japan is located in an area that is prone to earthquakes. Authorities frequently instruct people to stock up on bottled water, food and batteries, have plans ready to hide under tables and keep comfortable walking shoes at hand.
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama
Shattered windows are seen at a car dealer following a strong earthquake in Toyohashi, Aichi prefecture, central Japan Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
An employee crouches amid books fallen from shelves following a strong earthquake in Toyota, Aichi prefecture, central Japan Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)
A staff member of Japan’s Meteorological Agency speaks at a news conference in Tokyo Sunday, Nov. 8, 2026, following a strong earthquake in central Japan. (Kenzaburo Fukuhara/Kyodo News via AP)
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