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A6 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 20 april 2022
Sri Lanka police open fire at protesters; 1 dead, 13 injured

By KRISHAN FRANCIS and creases at midnight Mon-
BHARATHA MALLAWARA- day.
CHI Thousands of protesters
Associated Press continued to occupy the
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) entrance to the president’s
— Sri Lankan police opened office for an 11th day Tues-
fire Tuesday at a group of day, blaming him for the
people protesting new fuel economic crisis.
price increases, killing one Sri Lanka’s prime minister
and injuring 13 others, in said Tuesday that the con-
the first shooting by secu- stitution will be changed
rity forces during weeks of to clip presidential powers
demonstrations over the and empower Parliament,
country’s worst economic as protesters continued to
crisis in decades. demand that the president
Fifteen police personnel and his powerful family quit.
were also admitted to hos- Prime Minister Mahinda
pital with minor injuries after Rajapaksa told Parliament
clashes with protesters. that the power shift is a
Police confirmed that they quick step that can be tak-
shot at the protesters in en to politically stabilize the
Rambukkana, 90 kilometers country and help talks with
(55 miles) northeast of Co- the International Monetary
lombo, the capital. Police Members of Sri Lanka’s opposition political party National People’s Power participate in an anti- Fund over an economic re-
spokesman Nihal Taldu- government protest rally in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Tuesday, April 19, 2022. covery plan.
wa said the demonstra- Associated Press President Gotabaya Ra-
tors were blocking railway The police in hospital had Chung and U.N. Resident People have endured japaksa, the prime minis-
tracks and roads and had minor injuries, possibly from Coordinator Hanaa Singer- months of shortages of es- ter’s brother, concentrated
ignored police warnings to being hit by stones, she Hamdy urged restraint from sentials such as food, cook- power in the presidency
disperse. He said protesters said.Sri Lanka is on the brink all sides and called on the ing gas, fuel and medi- after being elected in 2019.
also threw rocks at police. of bankruptcy, with nearly authorities to ensure the cine, lining up for hours to “While looking for solutions
Dr. Mihiri Priyangani of the $7 billion of its total $25 bil- people’s right to peaceful buy the very limited stocks to the economic problems,
government hospital in Ke- lion in foreign debt due for protest. available. it is important that we have
galle said 14 people were repayment this year. A se- Chung called for an inde- Fuel prices have risen sev- political and social stability
brought there with suspect- vere shortage of foreign ex- pendent investigation into eral times in recent months, in the country,” Prime Minis-
ed gunshot wounds and change means the country the shooting. resulting in sharp increases ter Rajapaksa said, adding
one had died. Three others lacks money to buy import- Police declared local cur- in transport costs and pric- that restoring more power
had undergone surgeries ed goods. few in Rambukkana after es of other essentials. There to Parliament will be a start
and were being monitored. U.S. Ambassador Julie the incident. was another round of in- to the reforms. q

South Africa launches relief for Durban flooding; 448 dead

By MOGOMOTSI MAGOME killed at least 448 people in placed by the floods and Visiting some of the flooded money,” he said.
Associated Press the eastern city of Durban mudslides caused by pro- areas last week, South Af- Ramaphosa’s remarks
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — De- and the surrounding Kwa- longed heavy rains, pro- rican President Cyril Ram- come after widespread
claring a national state of Zulu-Natal province. vincial officials said Tues- ophosa blamed climate graft was uncovered by the
disaster, South Africa has al- Nearly 4,000 homes have day. More than 40 people change for the unprece- state’s Special Investigating
located $67 million to help been destroyed and more remain missing and about dented rains, the heaviest Unit in state funds that were
those hit by floods that have than 40,000 people dis- 600 schools have been hit in at least 60 years. supposed to help the nation
with damages estimated at Announcing the state of di- respond to the COVID-19
about $28 million, accord- saster in a televised address pandemic.
ing to officials. Monday night, Ramaphosa Former Health Minister Zweli
South Africa’s military has pledged that government Mkhize resigned after the
deployed 10,000 troops in funds for the flood victims investigation found that
Operation Chariot to help will not be lost to corruption. businesses linked to his fam-
with continuing search and “There can be no room for ily benefited from inflated
rescue efforts, deliver food, corruption, mismanage- COVID-19 contracts from his
water, and clothing to flood ment or fraud of any sort,” department.
victims, and rebuild col- said Ramaphosa. Despite Ramaphosa’s
lapsed roads and bridges. “Learning from the expe- pledge, many South Af-
Water tankers have been rience of the COVID-19 ricans are skeptical that
sent to areas where access pandemic, we are drawing government funds for flood
to clean water has been together various stakehold- relief will not be diverted by
disrupted and teams are ers to be part of an over- corruption.
working to restore electric- sight structure to ensure all S e v e r a l b u s i n e s s e s ,
ity to large areas. funds disbursed to respond prominent South Afri-
Shipping containers are strewn beside the N2 Highway in Students shoveled mud out to this disaster are properly cans and charities have
Durban, South Africa, Wednesday, April 13, 2022. of some schools that had accounted for and that pledged money to private
Associated Press been flooded. the state receives value for organizations.q