The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Kochchikade Police have succeeded in arresting 205 foreigners who came to Sri Lanka on tourist visas and were involved in various illegal activities including online scams.

Most of them are Indians and their number is 136, according to the CID.

These Indian nationals were arrested near Kochchikade and Battaramulla.

Investigations have also revealed that they have been engaged in online gambling related to the T20 Cricket World Cup series.

(dailynews.lk)

 (This story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

The Meteorology Department says several spells of light showers will occur in Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Galle and Matara districts.

Showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts in the evening or night, it said.

Strong winds of about 40-50kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills, Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Trincomalee, Hambantota and Monaragala districts.

Meanwhile, the Met Department has also issued a ‘Red’ alert for strong winds and rough seas for Naval and Multi-day Fisherman communities in the Arabian Sea. 

Very strong winds of 70-80kmph, and very rough seas are likely over Arabian Sea area (in sea areas bounded by (07N – 20N) and (55E – 68E)) due to the active south-west monsoonal condition, the department warned.

Furthermore, the department advised the naval and fishing communities not to venture into the sea areas marked in red on the map until further notice.  Those already in these regions should return to the coast or move to safer areas immediately.

The general public, along with the fishing and naval communities, are urged to take precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers. 

Additionally, they are requested to stay attentive to future forecasts issued by the Department of Meteorology.

Veteran Tamil politician and parliamentarian R. Sampanthan passed away yesterday (June 30).

He was aged 91.

According to reports, he had passed away while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.

One of the longest functioning MPs, Sampanthan had served in five parliaments since 1977.

He has also led the Tamil National Alliance since 2001.

He was the Leader of the Opposition from September 2015 to December 2018.

On April 2024, Parliament had granted him a leave of three months from attending Parliament sessions as he was receiving medical treatment.