Lanka extends emergency

A state of emergency was extended by Sri Lanka's President yesterday, going back on pledges to relax the tough laws introduced after the Easter Sunday attacks that killed 258 people.

Maithripala Sirisena said in a decree he believed there was a "public emergency" in the country, and was invoking provisions of the public security act extending the state of emergency.

The tough laws, granting sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest and detain suspects, were due to expire yesterday.

Just over 100 people, including 10 women, are in custody in connection with April's Easter Sunday suicide attacks against three churches and three luxury hotels in Colombo.