<a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/facebook" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Facebook</a> has gone down in what appears to be a huge outage. The problems took down Facebook <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/topic/messenger" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Messenger</a> as well as the main app and website. Other Meta services such as Instagram and WhatsApp appeared to stay largely online, despite using shared systems behind the scenes, though some products such as Instagram’s website also suffered from issues. Users were automatically logged out and found themselves unable to log back in. Instead, they were shown an error message indicating that “an unexpected error occurred”. The main Facebook website also showed a similar error. Visitors were told that “something went wrong” and that the company is “working on it and we'll get it fixed as soon as we can”. Meta does not operate an official status page for its consumer products. It does have one for its business tools, but at the time of publication it did not appear to have been updated to reflect the outage. Downdetector, a major tracking website that collects information on outages, appeared to have broken around the same time as the Facebook outage, though it was not clear whether it was connected. Before it went offline, it showed a huge outage starting around 6.45am local pacific time, or 2.45pm in the UK, and problems right across the world with all of Facebook’s products. Source : The Independent

Facebook down: Messenger and app not working in huge outage

Sri Lanka’s revised National Mineral Policy has come into effect, banning the export of mineral resources in raw form without value addition. Industry Minister Sunil Handunneththi stated that the new policy will regulate exploration, mining, processing and value addition to increase economic returns from the country’s mineral resources. The policy, which received Cabinet approval and was presented to Parliament, officially took effect yesterday(11).

Sri Lanka bans export of unprocessed mineral resources

Police arrested four bus drivers and two conductors during a drug detection operation carried out at the Horana Main Bus Stand yesterday (11). The operation screened 151 drivers and conductors of passenger buses operating from and through Horana. Police said the six suspects tested positive for narcotic substance use while engaged in passenger transport services. Four buses operated by the arrested drivers were also taken into custody. Investigations are continuing by Horana Police.

Six bus crew members arrested in Horana drug screening operation

Dilith urges Govt. to reconsider A/L exam schedule

Former State Intelligence Service (SIS) Chief Suresh Sallay is reportedly in deteriorating health, according to his family. Family members said after a visit today (12) that his condition is worsening and requires urgent attention. The Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter, Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thero, has also written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake regarding the matter. The letter refers to an appeal made by Sallay’s wife seeking assistance for his condition.

Family raises concern over Suresh Sallay’s health condition

Few business leaders have been as deeply embedded in popular culture as Elon Musk, the ambitious entrepreneur who has become a central figure in internet culture and amassed a fortune that has made him the world's first trillionaire.&nbsp;At a time when concerns about ​inequality are high and public attitudes toward the ultra-wealthy have soured, Musk has managed to retain a loyal following despite his stratospheric net worth and without the folksy persona that endeared other tycoons ‌such as Warren Buffett to the masses.&nbsp;Few business leaders have been as deeply embedded in popular culture as Elon Musk, the ambitious entrepreneur who has become a central figure in internet culture and amassed a fortune that has made him the world's first trillionaire.&nbsp;At a time when concerns about ​inequality are high and public attitudes toward the ultra-wealthy have soured, opens new tab, Musk has managed to retain a loyal following despite his stratospheric net worth and without the folksy persona that endeared other tycoons ‌such as Warren Buffett to the masses.&nbsp;"The second richest person has been hovering around $300 billion, so about less than one-third of what Musk can potentially be worth tomorrow," said Matt Durot, deputy ​editor at Forbes Wealth. "And only one other person, (Oracle founder) Larry Ellison, has ever been worth $400 billion.”&nbsp;Most of Musk's wealth now rests with SpaceX, where he holds a stake worth ⁠roughly $866 billion. Along with Tesla and the rest of his properties, his net worth will exceed $1.1 trillion when the stock begins trading Friday, according to Forbes and Reuters calculations based on company filings.&nbsp;Musk became a household name through ​Tesla and SpaceX before expanding his influence with the $44-billion acquisition of social media platform Twitter in 2022. The deal gave him a direct channel to hundreds of millions of users and made him a prominent voice on issues ranging from ​politics and immigration to government spending and free speech.&nbsp;His move into politics, particularly his role in U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency last year, has been among his most contentious ventures. The political fallout coincided with weakening Tesla sales in several international markets in 2025 as protests and consumer boycotts targeted the electric vehicle maker.&nbsp;THE ELON PREMIUM&nbsp;Musk, 54, was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to a Canadian mother and South African father. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1997.&nbsp;He took over as Tesla's CEO in 2008 with the ​conviction that electric vehicles could combine high performance with software-driven features, helping redefine the global automotive industry. Some auto-industry watchers say Tesla’s success – and its trillion-dollar-plus market cap – helped prod traditional automakers to pivot to electric cars.&nbsp;His move into politics, particularly his role in U.S. President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency last year, has been among his most contentious ventures. The political fallout coincided with weakening Tesla sales in several international markets in 2025 as protests and consumer boycotts targeted the electric vehicle maker.&nbsp;THE ELON PREMIUM&nbsp;Musk, 54, was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to a Canadian mother and South African father. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1997.&nbsp;He took over as Tesla's CEO in 2008 with the ​conviction that electric vehicles could combine high performance with software-driven features, helping redefine the global automotive industry. Some auto-industry watchers say Tesla’s success – and its trillion-dollar-plus market cap – helped prod traditional automakers to pivot to electric cars.&nbsp;Source: Reuters

SpaceX IPO makes Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire

A discussion chaired by Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara focused on expediting relief for military and police personnel who were disabled due to terrorist activities. The meeting reviewed measures to identify eligible beneficiaries, appoint medical boards and streamline assessments linked to pending relief claims. Officials also discussed decentralising medical board services to improve access for disabled veterans across the country and ensure benefits are provided without delay.

Discussions held to speed up relief for disabled military and police personnel

Normal operations have resumed at the Pentagon after the building was earlier placed on lockdown following the detection of an "air quality issue" that sent hazardous material (hazmat) response teams to the scene. The building's systems detected on Thursday morning a "potential air quality issue, prompting immediate precautionary safety measures and evaluation", said Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell in a statement. "Subsequent testing confirmed no hazard exists, and normal operations have resumed," he said. Police in the building had been wearing gas masks and full chemical protective gear during the incident, US media reported. The Pentagon was assisted by Arlington Fire &amp; EMS, who posted on social media that they were responding to a hazardous materials incident. Earlier, Parnell had said "standard protection protocols, including a shelter-in-place order for the affected area" of the building, where the US Department of Defense is headquartered, were in place. Just before 11:00 EDT (16:00BST), the Pentagon Force Protection Agency sent an email to Pentagon personnel to shelter in place in four corridors from the second to the fifth floors, according to CBS News, the BBC's US news partner. The email told staff to comply with the directive and move in-person meetings to virtual meetings, according to CBS News. "We express our sincere appreciation to the first responders for their swift actions to ensure the safety of all personnel," Parnell said in his updated statement at around 13:30 EDT (18:30BST). The Pentagon, located in northern Virginia just outside Washington DC, has more than 20,000 government employees working in the building. Source : BBC

Air testing confirms 'no hazard exists' at Pentagon after lockdown incident

China warned communities in its ‌northwestern Xinjiang and nearby regions on Friday to prepare for “extreme floods” this summer, driven by abnormally high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and rapid glacier melt.&nbsp;Xinjiang’s Taklamakan Desert, China’s largest, experienced its first flood ​of the year in early June, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday, showing ​footage of water filling the typically arid dunes.&nbsp;While the Taklamakan has ⁠experienced similar floods since 2021, they typically occur in August, when temperatures peak.&nbsp;However, ​temperatures have surged much earlier this year. On June 12, Xinjiang was 7.3 degrees hotter ​than average for this time of year, reaching 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Reuters Climate Monitor.&nbsp;Western and southern Xinjiang have also seen more frequent rainfall recently. Precipitation in some areas has been double ​or even triple the historical average for early June, CCTV reported.&nbsp;GLACIERS AND SNOW ​MELTING&nbsp;The combination of intense heat and rainfall has triggered the desert floods. Large swathes of glaciers ‌and snowpack ⁠in the Tianshan and Kunlun mountains have melted, sending runoff rushing into the Tarim River, China’s longest inland waterway.&nbsp;The influx caused the river to burst its banks, spilling water into low-lying areas of the desert, the broadcaster said.&nbsp;While the seasonal floods can ​temporarily create short-lived ​oases, experts say they ⁠are unlikely to last because the Taklamakan Desert is situated far inland and surrounded by high mountains, so low moisture levels ​and extreme evaporation will quickly dry out the terrain.&nbsp;Though the ​water provides ⁠vital irrigation for local forests, officials warned of severe infrastructure risks.&nbsp;“Extreme floods can destroy roads, railways, and oil and gas facilities, posing a significant disaster risk,” Sun Qianqian, an ⁠analyst at ​the China Meteorological Administration, told CCTV.&nbsp;“During the flood ​season, residents and travellers in these regions should monitor official warnings closely, adjust their travel plans, and prioritise ​safety,” Sun added.&nbsp;Source: Reuters

Facebook down: Messenger and app not working in huge outage

Sri Lanka bans export of unprocessed mineral resources

Sri Lanka bans export of unpro ...

Six bus crew members arrested in Horana drug screening operation

Six bus crew members arrested ...

Dilith urges Govt. to reconsider A/L exam schedule

Dilith urges Govt. to reconsid ...

Family raises concern over Suresh Sallay’s health condition

Family raises concern over Sur ...

SpaceX IPO makes Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire

SpaceX IPO makes Elon Musk the ...

Discussions held to speed up relief for disabled military and police p ...

Discussions held to speed up r ...

Air testing confirms 'no hazard exists' at Pentagon after lockdown inc ...

Air testing confirms 'no hazar ...

China warns of risk of ‘extreme floods’ in desert regions

China warns of risk of ‘extrem ...

Sri Lanka bans export of unprocessed mineral resources

Sri Lanka bans export of unpro ...

Six bus crew members arrested in Horana drug screening operation

Six bus crew members arrested ...

Dilith urges Govt. to reconsider A/L exam schedule

Dilith urges Govt. to reconsid ...

Family raises concern over Suresh Sallay’s health condition

Family raises concern over Sur ...

SpaceX IPO makes Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire

SpaceX IPO makes Elon Musk the ...

Discussions held to speed up relief for disabled military and police p ...

Discussions held to speed up r ...

Air testing confirms 'no hazard exists' at Pentagon after lockdown inc ...

Air testing confirms 'no hazar ...

China warns of risk of ‘extreme floods’ in desert regions

China warns of risk of ‘extrem ...

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Sri Lanka bans export of unprocessed mineral resources

Sri Lanka bans export of unpro ...

Six bus crew members arrested in Horana drug screening operation

Six bus crew members arrested ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

Dilith urges Govt. to reconsider A/L exam schedule

Dilith urges Govt. to reconsid ...

Family raises concern over Suresh Sallay’s health condition

Family raises concern over Sur ...

SpaceX IPO makes Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire

SpaceX IPO makes Elon Musk the ...

Discussions held to speed up relief for disabled military and police p ...

Discussions held to speed up r ...