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World leaders react to deadly Sri Lanka blasts

Scores of people have been killed across Sri Lanka in eighth deadly blasts. (File/AP)
Updated 22 April 2019
AFP
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World leaders react to deadly Sri Lanka blasts

  • Eight blasts were reported in different parts of Sri Lanka
  • Nearly 160 people were killed in the blasts
Updated 22 April 2019
AFP

COLOMBO: 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:

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia condemns the series of terror attacks in Sri Lanka, an official in the foreign ministry said, Saudi state agency SPA reported.

The country expressed their condolences and sympathies to the victims of the attacks, and wished a quick recovery for the injured, the official added.

The official said it is essential that the international community cooperates against terrorism, which threatens the peace and stability of places all over the world.

United States of America

US President Donald Trump said the US sends its heartfelt condolonces to the people of Sri Lanka, adding his country is ready to help.

Pope Francis

Pope Francis condemned the attacks as "such cruel violence" and said he was close to the Christian community, hit while celebrating Easter.

United Kingdom
British Prime Minister Theresa May described the attacks as “truly appalling.”
“The acts of violence against churches and hotels in Sri Lanka are truly appalling, and my deepest sympathies go out to all of those affected at this tragic time,” she tweeted.
“We must stand together to make sure that no one should ever have to practice their faith in fear.”

Netherlands

“Terrible reports from Sri Lanka about bloody attacks on hotels and churches on this Easter Sunday,” Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte tweeted after the attacks first emerged.
“Thoughts are with the victims and their relatives.”

Australia

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia was thinking of those killed in a “horrific terrorist attack.”
“To the beautiful people of Sri Lanka, Australia sends its heartfelt sympathies and our prayers and our support — and our offer to do whatever we can to support you in this terrible time of need,” he said in a statement.
“At this time as Easter Sunday draws to a conclusion here in Australia, our heart goes out to those Christians and all of those other innocents who have been slaughtered today in this horrific terrorist attack.”

New Zealand

A month after dozens of Muslims were killed in a shooting at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern described the attack as “devastating.”
“New Zealand condemns all acts of terrorism, and our resolve has only been strengthened by the attack on our soil on the 15th of March. To see an attack in Sri Lanka while people were in churches and at hotels is devastating.
“New Zealand rejects all forms of extremism and stands for freedom of religion and the right to worship safely. Collectively we must find the will and the answers to end such violence.”

Catholic Church in Jerusalem

The Catholic Church in Jerusalem said the blasts were particularly sad as they “came while Christians celebrate Easter.”
“We pray for the souls of the victims and ask for speedy recovery of the injured, and ask God to inspire the terrorists to repent of their killing and intimidation,” the statement said.
“We also express our solidarity with Sri Lanka and all its inhabitants in their various religious and ethnic backgrounds.”

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed solidarity with the fellow South Asian country, and said “there is no place for barbarism in our region.”

Pakistan

Imran Khan also took to Twitter to condemn the attacks, saying: “My profound condolences go to our Sri Lankan brethren.”

Iran

Iran's foreign minister says he is “terribly saddened” by the Easter Sunday bombings.

Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted that “terrorism is a global menace with no religion: it must be condemned & confronted globally.”

 

Lebanon

Lebanon's prime minister calls the attacks “blind terrorism” and offers solidarity to Sri Lanka's people.

Saad Hariri in a tweet asks for mercy for the “innocent victims” and speedy recovery for the injured.

France

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned Sunday the “odious” attacks that left 160 dead at churches and hotels in Sri Lanka. “We strongly condemn these odious acts,” he wrote on Twitter. “Full solidarity with the Sri Lanka people and our thoughts for all those close to the victims this Easter.”

Topics: Sri Lanka Sri Lanka attack

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Tens of thousands take holy dip in India as Maha Kumbh festival begins

Updated 6 sec ago
Reuters
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Tens of thousands take holy dip in India as Maha Kumbh festival begins

  • Held every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh Mela attracts more than 400 million visitors, both Indians and tourists
  • The event offers a test in crowd management for authorities in the world’s most populous country
Updated 6 sec ago
Reuters
PRAYAGRAJ, India: Tens of thousands of Hindus seeking absolution of their sins immersed themselves on Monday in freezing waters at the confluence of sacred rivers, as India began a six-week festival expected to draw the world’s largest gathering of humanity.
Held every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh Mela or Great Pitcher Festival, as the religious event in the city of Prayagraj in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh is called, attracts more than 400 million visitors, both Indians and tourists.
As many as 40,000 police officers are on guard to provide security and help manage the crowds, while surveillance cameras equipped with artificial intelligence AI capabilities will ensure continuous monitoring.
“It is our festival,” said ascetic Hazari Lala Mishra, who immersed himself before sunrise, which is considered an auspicious time. “(It is) the only festival for hermits and monks, and we wait for it desperately.”
Authorities expect Monday’s first ritual dip to draw more than 2.5 million visitors, followed by a “royal bath” on Tuesday reserved for ascetics, in the belief that it absolves them of sin and confers salvation from the cycle of life and death.
Amid public warnings to walk in lines without halting anywhere, droves of marchers headed for bathing positions to await sunrise at the confluence of the three holy rivers, the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical, invisible Saraswati.
Advancing toward the waters’ edge in the winter morning fog, they chanted invocations such as “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Ganga Maiyya” in praise of the Hindu deities Lord Shiva and Mother Ganga, who personifies India’s holiest river.
“I am excited but now scared because I didn’t expect this crowd,” said Priyanka Rajput, a fashion model from Delhi, the capital, who accompanied her mother. “This is my first Kumbh and I came here only because my mother is very spiritual.”
The Kumbh originates in a Hindu tradition that the god Vishnu, known as the Preserver, wrested away from demons a golden pitcher that held the nectar of immortality.
In a 12-day celestial fight for its possession, four drops of the nectar fell to earth, in the cities of Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik, where the festival is held every three years in rotation.
The Kumbh held once in 12 years in this cycle has the prefix ‘maha’ (great) as its timing renders it more auspicious and it attracts the largest crowds.
CROWD MANAGEMENT
A showcase mix of religion, spirituality and tourism like no other in India, the event offers a test in crowd management for authorities in the world’s most populous country who must balance arrangements for millions while retaining its sanctity.
A temporary city sprawling over 4,000 hectares (9,990 acres) has sprung up along the river banks with 150,000 tents to house the visitors, and is equipped with 3,000 kitchens, 145,000 restrooms and 99 parking lots.
Authorities are also installing as many as 450,000 new electricity connections, with the Kumbh expected to consume more power than 100,000 urban apartments require in a month.
Indian Railways has added 98 trains to make 3,300 trips carrying festival visitors, in addition to regular services to Prayagraj.
Uttar Pradesh is governed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which hopes a successful Kumbh Mela will burnish its efforts to reclaim and glorify India’s religious and cultural symbols.
That has been a plank for the party’s Hindu base promised since Modi swept to power nationwide in 2014.
“The Maha Kumbh embodies India’s timeless spiritual heritage and celebrates faith and harmony,” Modi said in a post on X.

US, Japanese, Philippine leaders discussed China’s behavior in South China Sea, White House says

Updated 20 min 27 sec ago
Reuters
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US, Japanese, Philippine leaders discussed China’s behavior in South China Sea, White House says

  • The three leaders discussed trilateral maritime security and economic cooperation
  • Manila said the three countries agreed to further strengthen their ties
Updated 20 min 27 sec ago
Reuters

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden on Sunday met virtually with his counterparts from Japan and the Philippines to advance cooperation among the three countries, the White House said.
The three leaders discussed trilateral maritime security and economic cooperation, and China’s “dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea,” it said in a statement.
“The three leaders agreed on the importance of continued coordination to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
Biden spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. late on Sunday, a week before Biden leaves office and hands power to President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.
Manila said the three countries, which met for a trilateral summit in Washington in April, agreed to further strengthen their ties in the face of growing tensions in regional waters.
The South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, has been plagued by rising tensions for years. China claims almost the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration found Beijing’s sweeping claims had no legal basis.
The US has increased its security engagements with the Philippines under Marcos, securing expanded access to Philippine bases.
The White House statement made no mention of any discussion about Nippon Steel’s planned acquisition of US Steel, which Biden blocked on Jan. 3 citing national security concerns.
Japan’s foreign ministry said Ishiba asked Biden to allay concerns in the Japanese and US business communities over the decision, noting that cooperation among allies and like-minded countries was indispensable for establishing resilient supply chains.
The White House had no immediate comment on the reported discussion.

Topics: US Philippines Japan South China Sea China

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300 North Korean soldiers killed, 2,700 injured in Ukraine: Seoul

Updated 22 min 10 sec ago
AFP
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300 North Korean soldiers killed, 2,700 injured in Ukraine: Seoul

Updated 22 min 10 sec ago
AFP

SEOUL: Around 300 North Korean soldiers have been killed and 2,700 injured while fighting in Russia’s war against Ukraine, a South Korean lawmaker said Monday, citing information from Seoul’s spy agency.
“The deployment of North Korean troops to Russia has reportedly expanded to include the Kursk region, with estimates suggesting that casualties... include approximately 300 deaths and 2700 injuries,” lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun told reporters after a briefing from the spy agency.

Topics: Ukraine Russia war North Korea Seoul

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LA fire evacuees told no chance of return until at least Thursday

Updated 28 min 21 sec ago
AFP
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LA fire evacuees told no chance of return until at least Thursday

  • Frustrated evacuees have formed lines at checkpoints hoping to get into no-go zones
  • Many are desperate to get back to homes they had to flee with just a few moments’ notice
Updated 28 min 21 sec ago
AFP

LOS ANGELES, United States: Tens of thousands of people forced from their homes by enormous fires raking Los Angeles will not be able to return for at least four days, officials said Sunday.
Frustrated evacuees have formed lines at checkpoints hoping to get into no-go zones barricaded off amid the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire.
Many are desperate to get back to homes they had to flee with just a few moments’ notice to pick up medicines or clothes they did not have a chance to grab.
Others simply want to find out if their houses have survived.
But Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Sunday that gusting winds forecast this week mean the fire emergency is far from over.
“They can’t go home, simply because it’s not safe,” he told a press conference.
“It’s our collective priority... to be able to get residents back in their homes just as quickly as possible.
“That conversation is not going to occur until the end of the predicted red flag event that’s on its way,” he said, referring to the strong winds expected to last until Wednesday.
“Please rest assured that first thing Thursday, we will start talking about repopulation.”
Lines several city blocks long have seen people queuing for up to 11 hours for a short escorted visit to their home in an evacuation zone.
One woman, who gave her name as Janelle, told broadcaster KTLA she knew her house was gone, but she needed “closure.”
“I see the photos, I see the videos, and I just want to see it with my own eyes,” she said, her voice breaking.
“I know it’s gone, but... I just want to see it for myself.”
Editor Henry Levinson was trying to get to his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.
“I wanted to collect my dad’s ashes, which we had to leave behind, as well as my grandma’s ashes, which we also had to leave behind,” he said on Sunday.
But even those escorted visits were stopped Sunday, as firefighters fretted about strengthening winds and their potential to reignite smoldering embers.
Marrone said a system was being developed to allow evacuated residents to go online to view if their homes were damaged or destroyed.
Los Angeles City Councilor Traci Park said she understood the anguish of those affected, but conditions were simply too dangerous.
“These are hard decisions, and I know that many of my constituents are disappointed and frustrated, but safety must remain our top priority,” she said.
Around 100,000 people remain under compulsory evacuation orders in multiple fire zones, down from a peak of 180,000 last week.
Areas hit by fires have been devastated, with whole streets reduced to cinders, and infrastructure badly mangled.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his deputies would continue to keep people out of the zones.
“A lot of these areas still look like they were hit by a bomb. There are live electrical wires, gas lines and other hazards,” he said.
“I know there’s a lot of folks trying to get back to their houses. We are very empathetic and sensitive to those needs, but your safety comes first.”
The latest official death toll from the deadly blazes stood at 24, but was expected to rise as search teams with dogs go house to house.

Topics: wildfire US

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Croatia populist president re-elected in landslide

Updated 13 January 2025
AFP
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Croatia populist president re-elected in landslide

  • It was the highest score achieved by a presidential candidate since the former Yugoslav republic’s independence in 1991
Updated 13 January 2025
AFP

ZAGREB: Croatia’s populist President Zoran Milanovic was re-elected in a landslide, defeating his conservative rival in Sunday’s run-off, official results showed.
Milanovic took more than 74 percent of the vote and Dragan Primorac, backed by the center-right HDZ party that governs Croatia, almost 26 percent, with nearly all the votes counted.
It was the highest score achieved by a presidential candidate since the former Yugoslav republic’s independence in 1991.
While the role of the president is largely ceremonial in Croatia, Milanovic’s wide victory is the latest setback for the HDZ and Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic — Milanovic’s political arch-rival — after a high-profile corruption affair in November.
“Croatia, thank you!,” Milanovic told his supporters who gathered at a Zagreb art and music club to celebrate his success.
“I see this victory as a recognition of my work in the last five years and a plebiscite message from Croatian people to those who should hear it,” he said in a reference to the HDZ-led government.
The outspoken Milanovic, backed by the left-wing opposition, won more than 49 percent of the vote in the contest’s first round two weeks ago — narrowly missing an outright victory.
Turnout Sunday was nearly 44 percent, slightly lower than in the first round, the electoral commission said.
The vote was held as the European Union member nation of 3.8 million people struggles with the highest inflation rate in the eurozone, endemic corruption and a labor shortage.

Even with its limited roles, many Croatians see the presidency as key to providing a political balance by preventing one party from holding all the levers of power.
Croatia has been mainly governed by the HDZ since independence.
The party “has too much control and Plenkovic is transforming into an autocrat,” Mia, a 35-year-old administrator from Zagreb who declined to give her last name, told AFP explaining her support for the incumbent.
Milanovic, a former left-wing prime minister, won the presidency in 2020 with the backing of the main opposition Social Democrats (SDP) party.
A key figure in the country’s political scene for nearly two decades, he has increasingly employed offensive, populist rhetoric during frequent attacks aimed at EU and local officials.
“Milanovic is a sort of a political omnivore,” political analyst Zarko Puhovski told AFP, saying the president was largely seen as the “only, at least symbolic, counterbalance to the government and Plenkovic’s power.”
His no-holds-barred speaking style has sent Milanovic’s popularity soaring and helped attract the backing of right-wing supporters.
Earlier Sunday, after voting in Zagreb, Milanovic criticized Brussels as “in many ways autocratic and non-representative,” run by officials who are not elected.
The 58-year-old also regularly pans the HDZ over the party’s perennial problems with corruption, while also referring to Plenkovic as “Brussels’ clerk.”

Primorac, a former education and science minister returning to politics after a 15-year absence, has campaigned as a unifier for Croatia. The 59-year-old also insisted on patriotism and family values.
“With my program, I wanted to send a clear message that Croatia can and deserves better,” he told supporters on Sunday evening as the official results confirmed his crushing defeat.
But critics were saying Primorac lacked political charisma and failed to rally the HDZ base behind him.
He accused Milanovic of being a “pro-Russian puppet” who has undermined Croatia’s credibility in NATO and the European Union.
Milanovic condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but has also criticized the West’s military support for Kyiv.
He is also a prominent opponent of a program that would have seen Croatian soldiers help train Ukrainian troops in Germany.
“The defense of democracy is not to tell everyone who doesn’t think like you that he’s a ‘Russian player’,” Milanovic told reporters on Sunday.
Such a communication style is “in fact totalitarian,” he added.
Meanwhile, young Croatians voiced frustration over lack of discussion among political leaders over the issues that interest them, such as housing or students’ standard of living.
“We hear them (politicians) talking mostly about old, recycled issues. What’s important to young people doesn’t even cross their minds,” student Ivana Vuckovic, 20, told AFP.

Topics: Croatia Zoran Milanovic Croatia presidential election

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