A three-year-old child died after being run over by a tractor in Murasumoddai, Kilinochchi, yesterday (21). Police stated that the child fell from the trailer while a relative was manoeuvring the tractor in the family’s yard. The child was taken to Kilinochchi District General Hospital but later died from the injuries. The tractor driver has been arrested.

 3-year-old child dies after tractor accident in Kilinochchi

The Colombo Crimes Division has recovered a revolver-type firearm from a deserted house in Sedawatta, Wellampitiya, based on information provided by organised crime suspect Kankanamage Dimuthu Chathuranga Perera, alias “Summitpura Chathu”. The 28-year-old suspect was extradited from Oman to Sri Lanka on 18 August and is being held under a detention order. The CCD had earlier recovered a revolver and 12 live rounds from a house in Mattakkuliya.

More details emerge from ‘Summitpura Chathu’ after Oman extradition

An 18-year-old man armed with a sword attacked students at ​a Swedish high school on Friday, killing one person and injuring three, and police shot and detained him as media reported the ‌attacker was a former student at the school.&nbsp;The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at the Brinell high school in the central Swedish town of Fagersta, which has about 13,000 residents. The school had just reopened after summer recess, and for some students, it was their first day.&nbsp;Police told a press conference that the suspect was an 18-year-old man whom they shot and took ​into custody on suspicion of murder.&nbsp;Local police chief Tommy Alriksson said officers responded quickly to the school, which has 450 students ages 16 to ​20.&nbsp;"The first patrol entered and let us know that the perpetrator was subdued with gunfire," he said.&nbsp;Public broadcaster SVT, ⁠citing unnamed sources, reported the attacker, wearing a helmet and carrying a sword, was a former student at the school with a previous conviction for ​assault.&nbsp;The local health authority said two victims were teenage boys who were severely injured. A third injured person was released from hospital.&nbsp;'FIRST IT WAS JUST ​A REGULAR DAY'&nbsp;"First it was just a regular day really. But then ... I saw a guy all covered in blood, at least down his back anyway. Then I saw the police and they flooded in," one Brinell student, Nellie, told Reuters alongside her mother Agnes Strandberg after a five-hour lockdown at the school.&nbsp;Another student, Abdulrahem Salmo, said he ​had seen a victim with a bloody stab wound in the arm.&nbsp;"Then people called the police and we just all ran from there because ​we were afraid," he told SVT.Several other schools and public buildings in Fagersta were also initially locked down.&nbsp;Fagersta Mayor Asa-Marta Sjostrom said the small town was shaken.&nbsp;"Our and ‌the school's ⁠main focus right now is to take care of our students and our employees," she told reporters. "We are working together ... to create safety and provide support to those who need it."&nbsp;Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson cancelled a speech he was due to hold on Saturday, news agency TT reported.&nbsp;"Our thoughts are with all those affected," he wrote in a post on social media platform X.&nbsp;Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf said in the statement released by the ​royal household that he received news of ​the attack "with dismay and sadness."&nbsp;Social ⁠Democrat leader Magdalena Andersson, whose centre-left coalition leads opinion polls for next month's parliamentary election, said: "All of Sweden stands together with Fagersta at this difficult time."&nbsp;PREVIOUS ATTACKS&nbsp;According to the Aftonbladet daily, police were investigating a TikTok account in ​connection with Friday's violence that posted a picture of a sword 20 minutes before the attack.&nbsp;Dagens Nyheter newspaper ​said the picture ⁠appeared to be taken in a restroom at the school based on details in the background.&nbsp;Before the month-old account was taken down on Friday, it contained videos that referred to two episodes of mass violence in Sweden along with Norwegian far-right mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik.&nbsp;Sweden's worst mass shooting occurred in February 2025 ⁠at a school ​in the south-central city of Orebro, when a gunman killed 10 people before turning ​the weapon on himself.&nbsp;In 2015, a masked swordsman killed a teaching assistant and two boys at a school in Trollhattan, western Sweden, before being shot dead by police, who later said ​the attack was racially motivated.&nbsp;Source: Reuters

One killed, three injured when man attacks Swedish school with sword

At least 13 Tunisians are missing after a migrant boat sank off ​the Tunisian coast while sailing towards Italy, and two ‌people were rescued, the head of a migrant rights group said on Saturday.&nbsp;The boat set off early on Thursday, Mostafa Abdelkebir, the head of the ​Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, told Reuters.&nbsp;One of the ​two survivors told rescuers in a local boat they had ⁠been stranded at sea for hours after their vessel capsized. ​The second survivor was in critical condition, said Abdelkebir, whose group ​monitors migration issues.&nbsp;Tunisia was once a major departure point for migrants crossing the Mediterranean, but departures have fallen sharply over the past two years amid ​a crackdown and tighter maritime controls, backed by European funding and ​modern border-monitoring equipment, particularly from Italy.&nbsp;Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and dozens of ‌other ⁠human rights and humanitarian groups said in a statement last month that the EU-Tunisia migration deal had fuelled and normalised serious abuses against migrants and asylum seekers in Tunisia.&nbsp;The groups called on ​the EU to ​suspend funding for ⁠migration and border-control activities involving Tunisian security forces.&nbsp;Tunisia has not commented on the statement but has ​repeatedly said it is bearing the brunt of a ​major ⁠migration influx. President Kais Saied said in 2023 that the influx was aimed at changing the country's demographic makeup.&nbsp;The central Mediterranean route is ⁠one ​of the world's deadliest migration routes, used ​by migrants from Africa and the Middle East seeking to reach Europe, often in ​overcrowded or unseaworthy boats.&nbsp;Source: Reuters

At least 13 Tunisians missing after migrant boat sinks off Tunisia, group says

Iran said on Friday that its response to any new ​U.S. threats would be "devastating" after Washington pledged to impose the toughest financial penalties in history with the aim of toppling the Iranian leadership.&nbsp;U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott ‌Bessent said he would give details on Monday of the planned sanctions, after President Donald Trump warned of economic consequences against any country that provided "any type of lifeline to Iran."&nbsp;The chief of staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Major General Ali Abdollahi, said the Islamic Republic's reaction would be broad and decisive.&nbsp;"With preparedness across land, sea, air, air defence and cyberspace, Iran's armed forces will respond to the enemy's new threats with crushing, punishing and devastating responses," Abdollahi ​was quoted as saying by Iranian media.&nbsp;Iranian leaders and Trump alike have issued triumphant and threatening statements even as each side has yet to prevail in the war ​that the U.S. and Israel started nearly six months ago, killing thousands of people while drawing in other Gulf nations and pushing up ⁠global fuel prices.&nbsp;U.S. attacks have severely diminished Iran's economy and its conventional forces, but Tehran maintains enough missile and drone capability to impede oil tanker traffic in the Strait of ​Hormuz and attack regional rivals.&nbsp;AN UNPOPULAR WAR&nbsp;Trump, meanwhile, has yet to achieve objectives he set at the start of the war such as dismantling Iran's nuclear programme and creating conditions for ​Iranians to overthrow their clerical rulers. The war has driven up gas prices and weighed heavily on his popularity, which fell to the lowest point in his current term in a Reuters/Ipsos poll this week.&nbsp;Iran's parliament speaker, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the country's main negotiator in mediated talks with the U.S., said Washington appeared to have concluded it could not prevail in its direct military confrontation.&nbsp;"We must make plans to deal with the unjust sanctions ​so that we can overcome them," he said in neighbouring Iraq.&nbsp;But, speaking to Iranian and Iraqi businesspeople late on Thursday, Qalibaf acknowledged the strain on Iran's economy.&nbsp;"No matter how much ​military power we have, we won't survive if people are hungry and we don't have financial turnover, economic growth and national production," Qalibaf said, according to official news agency IRNA.&nbsp;OIL UP ON SANCTIONS THREAT&nbsp;International and ‌U.S. crude ⁠oil futures rose on Friday after the U.S. threatened economic sanctions on Iran's trading partners, raising expectations of tighter supply in the coming weeks.&nbsp;Bessent told CNBC he would provide details on the new sanctions at a press conference on Monday, adding, "We are going to collapse this regime."&nbsp;Iran has weathered near-continuous economic sanctions for nearly 50 years, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, but its people are suffering high inflation, a weakening currency and energy shortages along with damaged infrastructure.&nbsp;Tighter sanctions could have wider international implications.&nbsp;Bessent said China got half its energy from the Gulf so it would ​make sense for them to "get with the program."&nbsp;China, opens new tab ​buys more than 80% of Iran's ⁠shipped oil, according to 2025 data from analytics firm Kpler, but further U.S. economic warfare with Beijing, which has eased earlier restrictions, opens new tab on exports of its vital rare-earth minerals, risks retaliation, opens new tab.&nbsp;China's embassy in Washington said, "Sanctions and pressure do not help resolve the problem" and called for diplomacy.&nbsp;There are other risks, especially ​to U.S. allies in the Gulf, some of whose energy facilities and the desalination plants they depend on for drinking water have come ​under Iranian attack.&nbsp;The U.S. ⁠and Iran have twice announced ceasefire deals, in April and June, aiming to restore the free flow of ships through Hormuz, which before February carried about a fifth of all traded oil.&nbsp;Iran and Oman, which lies just across the narrow strait, have been in separate talks with a stated purpose to resume navigation, but the U.S. has opposed any deal that would impose a toll on ships.&nbsp;NATO's top commander, ⁠U.S. Air Force ​General Alexus Grynkewich, convened a videoconference of allies at the chief of defence level on Wednesday to discuss ways ​to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, his spokesperson told Reuters on Friday.&nbsp;The spokesperson said the effort was not a NATO mission but given the alliance's capabilities, "it makes sense for NATO to facilitate in this way."&nbsp;Source: Reuters

Iran threatens military response to US sanctions

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake paid his final respects to veteran musician Visharad Nanda Malini at her residence in Nawala yesterday (21). The final rites of Nanda Malini are scheduled to be held today (22) at 5.30 p.m. at the Borella General Cemetery. Nanda Malini passed away on 20 August at the age of 82.

 President pays last respects to Nanda Malini

The final rites of veteran Sri Lankan singer Nanda Malini will be held at the Borella General Cemetery today (22). Her remains are at the Nanda Malini Sangeetha Ashramaya in Nugegoda for public viewing until 3.30 p.m., with the funeral procession scheduled to leave at 3.30 p.m. The cremation is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the Borella General Cemetery.

Final rites of Nanda Malini to be held today

Several spells of showers are expected in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts today (22). Showers or thundershowers may occur in parts of Ampara, Monaragala and Batticaloa after 2 p.m. Winds of 30–40 kmph are expected at times in several areas. The public has been advised to take precautions against strong winds and lightning.

Showers expected in several areas today

A meeting of the Special Cabinet Sub-Committee and Officials’ Committee appointed to address the impacts of the El Niño climate phenomenon was held this morning (21) at the Presidential Secretariat, under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.&nbsp;The President reviewed the challenges arising from the current El Niño conditions, the progress of measures taken to address them and arrangements to ensure adequate water supplies for drinking and other domestic needs, as well as for agricultural activities, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officials of the Ministry of Agriculture noted that crop losses had remained relatively low during the previous Yala season due to advance preparations and timely cultivation. It was also noted that measures had been taken to meet the drinking water requirements of the public.&nbsp;According to forecasts issued by the Department of Meteorology, severe dry weather is expected to affect the entire country again during February, March and April next year.&nbsp;&nbsp;The President therefore reviewed the potential impact on agriculture, plantation industries, freshwater fisheries, water supply and electricity generation, as well as the plans prepared to address these challenges, the PMD stated.&nbsp;&nbsp;The President emphasized the need to ensure the uninterrupted provision of essential goods and services throughout the period that may be affected by the dry conditions.&nbsp;&nbsp;He also stressed the importance of implementing programmes to support people affected by the adverse conditions until their livelihoods and economic activities recover and instructed officials to formulate these programmes in coordination with the Disaster Management authorities.&nbsp;The President also reviewed the current water levels in the major reservoirs, measures to ensure a continuous supply of drinking water, arrangements to provide water for agricultural activities, future cultivation plans and measures being taken to safeguard national food security, the statement said.&nbsp;The President highlighted the need for a comprehensive database providing accurate information on the proportion of consumers supplied by major reservoirs, minor irrigation schemes and small tanks.&nbsp;&nbsp;He also stressed the importance of identifying in advance areas most vulnerable to prolonged dry conditions, the PMD stated.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the event that water restrictions become necessary, he instructed officials not to wait until reservoirs are completely depleted, but to engage with affected communities and establish an orderly and systematic programme in advance.&nbsp;President Dissanayake further emphasized the need to identify areas where tanks, rivers and streams are likely to dry up completely and to map the associated risks and make preparations accordingly, noting that people living in such areas would require water not only for drinking but also for other essential daily needs.&nbsp;The possibility of authorizing Divisional Secretaries to arrange the cleaning and rehabilitation of water sources that have become unusable was also discussed, the PMD added.&nbsp;&nbsp;It was noted that, with the first rains expected in October, preparations are planned to begin by making use of rainwater to prepare agricultural land rather than waiting for water to be released from reservoirs. The President emphasized the need for the Irrigation Department and the Mahaweli Authority to work according to a coordinated plan in this regard.&nbsp;The President also reviewed arrangements to ensure the availability of seed paddy and fertilizer required for the upcoming Maha season, the statement said.&nbsp;&nbsp;The potential impact of El Niño conditions on the freshwater fisheries sector and fish production, as well as measures for advance preparedness, were also discussed. The President instructed officials to formulate programmes to support affected fishing communities until their livelihoods are restored.&nbsp;The meeting also discussed the potential impact on the plantation sector and the measures being prepared to address these challenges, as well as steps that could be taken to ensure adequate water supplies for wildlife in protected areas.&nbsp;The President further stressed the need to expedite the rehabilitation of irrigation systems so that maximum water storage capacity can be secured during the rainfall expected from October onwards, according to the PMD.&nbsp;The meeting also discussed plans to maintain a strategically planned reserve of electricity generation capacity above normal requirements to ensure an uninterrupted power supply throughout this year and to address potential energy risks arising from depleted reservoirs during the February - April period next year.

3-year-old child dies after tractor accident in Kilinochchi

More details emerge from ‘Summitpura Chathu’ after Oman extradition

More details emerge from ‘Summ ...

One killed, three injured when man attacks Swedish school with sword

One killed, three injured when ...

At least 13 Tunisians missing after migrant boat sinks off Tunisia, gr ...

At least 13 Tunisians missing ...

Iran threatens military response to US sanctions

Iran threatens military respon ...

President pays last respects to Nanda Malini

President pays last respects ...

Final rites of Nanda Malini to be held today

Final rites of Nanda Malini to ...

Showers expected in several areas today

Showers expected in several ar ...

President stresses uninterrupted supply of essential goods and service ...

President stresses uninterrupt ...

More details emerge from ‘Summitpura Chathu’ after Oman extradition

More details emerge from ‘Summ ...

One killed, three injured when man attacks Swedish school with sword

One killed, three injured when ...

At least 13 Tunisians missing after migrant boat sinks off Tunisia, gr ...

At least 13 Tunisians missing ...

Iran threatens military response to US sanctions

Iran threatens military respon ...

President pays last respects to Nanda Malini

President pays last respects ...

Final rites of Nanda Malini to be held today

Final rites of Nanda Malini to ...

Showers expected in several areas today

Showers expected in several ar ...

President stresses uninterrupted supply of essential goods and service ...

President stresses uninterrupt ...

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More details emerge from ‘Summitpura Chathu’ after Oman extradition

More details emerge from ‘Summ ...

One killed, three injured when man attacks Swedish school with sword

One killed, three injured when ...

Bringing the news paper to your fingertips

At least 13 Tunisians missing after migrant boat sinks off Tunisia, gr ...

At least 13 Tunisians missing ...

Iran threatens military response to US sanctions

Iran threatens military respon ...

President pays last respects to Nanda Malini

President pays last respects ...

Final rites of Nanda Malini to be held today

Final rites of Nanda Malini to ...