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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Eight people have been arrested in connection with a string of deadly blasts that killed more than 200 people in Sri Lanka on Sunday, the country’s prime minister said. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said “so far the names that have come up are local,” but that investigators would look into whether the attackers had any “overseas links”. He also acknowledged that “information was there” about possible attacks. “While this goes […]
by Ishara Kodikara in Colombo and Lakruwan Wanniarachchi in Batticaloa Agence France Presse COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — A series of eight devastating bomb blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, killing nearly 160 people, including dozens of foreigners. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the attacks — the worst act of violence since the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war a decade ago — as “cowardly”, […]
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — World leaders have condemned a series of blasts in Sri Lanka that killed more than 150 people on Sunday, including dozens of foreigners — with British, Dutch and American citizens believed to be among them. Hospital sources also said Japanese citizens were among those injured by the bombs which ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services. Here is a summary of the reactions: – Britain: ‘Stand together’ […]
Horrific scenes unfolded in Sri Lanka after deadly blasts that ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding Easter services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, killing at least 156 people, including 35 foreigners. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the attacks as “cowardly” and said the government was working to “contain the situation”. The Catholic Church in Jerusalem issued a statement condemning the blasts. “We pray for the souls of the victims and ask for speedy […]
A string of blasts ripped through high-end hotels and churches holding services in Sri Lanka on Sunday, killing at least 156 people, including 35 foreigners. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe condemned the attacks as “cowardly” and said the government was working to “contain the situation”. Images circulating on social media and local news stations showed extensive damage at one of three churches targeted in the near simultaneous blasts on Sunday morning. Much of the church […]
A fresh blast hit a hotel in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo on Sunday, killing at least two people, a police spokesman said, after a string of explosions at churches and hotels. Police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said the blast hit a hotel in the southern Colombo suburb of Dehiwala. It was the seventh attack to hit the country on Sunday, with police saying more than 150 people have been killed. Agence France Presse
(Eagle News) — Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Wednesday, Jan. 16, hailed President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war anew, saying it should serve as “an example” to the whole world. “The war against crime and drugs carried out by you is an example to the whole world and personal to me. Drug menace is rampant in my country and I feel that we should follow your footsteps to control this hazard,” Sirisena said during the state banquet […]
(Eagle News) — The Philippines and Sri Lanka on Wednesday, Jan. 16, inked several agreements during Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena’s state visit to the country. The Palace said signed were: a memorandum of understanding between the Philippines’ Department of National Defense and the Ministry of Defense of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on defense and military education and training and exchanges of defense and military delegations a memorandum of understanding on academic cooperation […]
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Sri Lanka’s parliamentary speaker had to be escorted into the chamber ringed by police Friday as violence broke out for a second day, with lawmakers throwing chilli powder and furniture in the melee between rival factions in the island’s constitutional crisis. The Indian Ocean nation has been paralyzed since October 26 when President Maithripala Sirisena sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapakse. Speaker […]
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Police arrested Sri Lanka’s petroleum minister Monday, a day after a man was killed when bodyguards opened fire to rescue him from a group loyal to the country’s president, officials said. Arjuna Ranatunga, captain of Sri Lanka’s 1996 cricket World Cup winning side and an ally of ousted prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, was taken in after trade unions accused him of ordering the shooting. Sunday’s shooting was the first […]
by Amal JAYASINGHE Agence France Presse COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena suspended parliament Saturday to forestall a challenge against his surprise ouster of the prime minister, deepening a sudden swell of political turmoil in the island nation. Police cancelled all leave as tensions heightened in Colombo a day after the president dismissed Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with controversial former strongman leader Mahinda Rajapakse, who ended the country’s long […]
by Amal JAYASINGHE Agence France Presse COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AFP) — Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has declared victory in the Maldives’ presidential election Sunday, following a controversial campaign observers said was rigged in favor of strongman President Abdulla Yameen. Solih had the backing of a united opposition trying to oust Yameen but struggled for visibility with the electorate, with local media fearful of falling afoul of heavy-handed decrees and reporting restrictions. “I call on Yameen to […]
