A Sri Lankan court on Thursday banned former prime minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, his politician son Namal and 15 allies from leaving the country over acts of violence against anti-government demonstrators.
The magistrate in the capital Colombo also asked police to investigate Monday’s mob attacks on peaceful protesters, which led to retaliatory violence that claimed nine lives and caused widespread destruction.
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Sri Lankans flee capital as political leaders meet to seek solution to crisis
Many Sri Lankans thronged buses in the main city Colombo on Thursday to return to their hometowns with leaders of political parties due to meet after the prime minister quit and went into hiding and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa warned of anarchy. Hundreds of people thronged the main bus station in the commercial capital after authorities lifted an indefinite curfew at 7 a.m. (0130 GMT). The curfew will be reimposed at 2 p.m.
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Slain Al Jazeera journalist was icon of Palestinian coverage
An Al Jazeera correspondent who was shot dead on Wednesday during an Israeli raid in the West Bank was a highly respected journalist in the Middle East whose unflinching coverage was known to millions of viewers. News of Shireen Abu Akleh’s death reverberated across the region. Al Jazeera and witnesses, including her producer who was shot in the back Wednesday, said she was killed by Israeli gunfire.
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‘Help us’: Trapped Ukrainian commander’s desperate appeal to Elon Musk
As Russia continues to bombard the strategic port town of Mariupol – home to the sprawling Azovstal steel mill where many Ukrainian troops remain trapped following weeks of resistance, a commander in the war-torn nation has now written to the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, urging him to intervene. Serhiy Volyna, who said he created a Twitter account for the sole purpose of reaching out to Musk is a commander of the 36th Separate Marine Brigade. He called on “every person on the planet Earth” to help ensure Musk saw his appeal.
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Sherpa woman climbs Everest for 10th time, breaks own record
A Nepali Sherpa broke Lakpa Sherpa’s own record as the most successful female climber of Mount Everest by reaching the summit of the world’s highest peak Thursday. Lakpa Sherpa and several other climbers took advantage of favorable weather to reach the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit early in the morning, her brother and expedition organizer Mingma Gelu said. He said she was in good health and was safely descending from the peak.
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NATO to welcome Nordic nations Sweden, Finland as Ukraine fights off Russia
Finland is expected to announce on Thursday its intention to join NATO with Sweden likely to follow soon after, diplomats and officials said, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine reshapes European security and the Atlantic military alliance. NATO allies expect Finland and Sweden to be granted membership quickly, five diplomats and officials told Reuters, paving the way for increased troop presence in the Nordic region during the one-year ratification period.