Sri Lanka declares emergency from midnight
Colombo: Sri Lanka will enforce a state of emergency from midnight Monday in the wake of the deadly Easter blasts that killed 290 people and wounded more than 500 others, enhancing the counter terrorism powers of of the security forces.
The decision was made during a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by President Maithripala Sirisena.
The NSC has announced plans to impose a "conditional state of emergency" from midnight, said a statement from the president's media unit.
It said the measures would target terrorism and would not limit freedom of expression. The government has declared Tuesday as a national day of mourning.
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Three drown after Holi celebration at separate places in Odisha
Bhubaneswar (PTI): At least three persons, including a boy, drowned while taking a bath after celebrating Holi at separate places in Odisha on Wednesday, police said.
While two incidents took place in Jajpur district, the third one happened in Cuttack district.
A report from Jajpur said that a man, identified as Sangram Ajitabh Das (40) of Padmapur area under Jajpur Road police limits, drowned while bathing in the Kharasrota river after the celebration of Holi in Byasanagar area in the afternoon.
His body was recovered and sent for postmortem examination.
In another incident from the same district, a youth identified as Hiranya Kumar Behuria of Bari area, also drowned in the Brahmani river at Khari Padia in Jajpur.
A report from Cuttack district said that a boy, identified as Jeevan Behera, drowned while bathing in the Mahanadi river in Baramba area along with friends. He was swept away by the river current, police said.
Fire Service personnel found the minor and took him to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival, police said.
