News in brief

SLAF truck turns turtle

An Air Force truck turned turtle near Morawewa SLAF camp last morning. Two airmen were killed and 14 others were wounded, in the accident which took place on Morawewa-Anuradhapura road yesterday.

US $ 1.76 b from migrant workers

Migrant workers have made a major contribution to Sri Lanka's foreign exchange earnings. They have remitted USD 1.76 billion home during the first eight months of this year. Over 180,000 Sri Lankans left for overseas employment during the first ten months of 2007.

31 Tigers, one soldier killed

Battles between the Security Forces and LTTE terrorists in the North left 31 Tigers and one soldier dead, the military said yesterday. Soldiers and Tigers exchanged artillery, mortar and small arms fire in the villages of Adampan and Parappakandal in Mannar district, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said.

Arms smuggling to SL: Indonesian in jail

An Indonesian caught in a sting operation trying to smuggle weapons to a Sri Lankan terrorist organisation was sentenced to little over three years in prison on Friday, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Haji Subandi, 70, was sentenced to 37 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake.

Astronaut here for B'day bash

World renowned Russian Astronaut Alexey Leonov will be in Sri Lanka as a special guest of honour at the 90th birthday celebrations of Sir Arthur C Clarke, which falls today. The ceremony, hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will be held at the Central Bank auditorium at 5.00 p.m. today.

'Press and push'

The resumed sixth session of the Human Rights Council which ended in Geneva on Friday concluded with no resolution moved or any action taken on Sri Lanka despite an intense campaign. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch in a joint open letter had called upon the Council to 'press' and 'push' Sri Lanka into accepting a UN human rights monitoring mission.