Assassination Attempt
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ARMY CONVERTS APPAREL FACTORY MAKING OF A ‘FREE CRIME’ ZONE INTO COVID FACILITY AS SRI LANKA SCRAMBLES FOR BEDS MAY 07 - 09, 2021 UK AND FRANCE SEND NAVAL VOL: 4- ISSUE 246 SHIPS TO CHANNEL ISLAND IN . TENSE FISHING DISPUTE THE PRODUCTIVE PROFLIGATE 30 GLOCAL PAGE 03 EYE ON EUROPE PAGE 05 COMMENTARY PAGE 08 LITERARY LIVES PAGE 11 Registered in the Department of Posts of Sri Lanka under No: QD/130/News/2021 India’s neighbours close borders over virus rampage COLOMBO - Sri Lanka on Thursday (6) became the latest of In- dia's neighbours to seal its borders with the South Asian giant as it battles a record coronavirus surge. Bangladesh and Nepal have also banned flights and sought to close their borders with India, where a huge rise in numbers in the past three weeks has taken deaths past 230,000 and cases over 21 million. All three countries are fighting their own pandemic surg- es, which Red Cross leaders have described as a "human catastro- phe". The Sri Lankan government banned flight passengers from India entering, as the country reported its highest daily toll of 14 deaths and 1,939 infections in 24 hours. Sri Lanka's navy said it had stepped up patrols to keep away Indian trawlers, adding that on Tuesday (4) it stopped 11 such vessels which had crossed the nar- row strip of sea dividing the two neighbours. Bangladesh halted all international flights on April 14 because of its own surge and shut its border with India on April 26. It has reported 11,755 COVID-19 deaths and 767,338 cases, but experts say the real figures are higher in all South Asian countries. Nepal suspended international flights a week ago, until May 14. Just two return flights a week are allowed to India, to bring back stranded nationals. Most border crossings are also closed and only returning Nepalis can use those still open. Many hospitals in Nepal are overflowing with COVID-19 patients, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan are all experiencing record COVID-19 death rates, it added. Even the luxury tourist destination of the Maldives has tightened restrictions for Indian visitors, insisting on negative test results on entry. India is the largest tourist market for Sri Lanka and the Mal- dives, both of which now face huge losses from the fast-spreading Covid-19 new wave. Sri Lanka has reported 117,529 infections with 734 deaths since the start of the pandemic. The Maldives has re- ported 32,665 cases with 74 deaths. -AFP US, Iran could return to nuclear deal within weeks - Danish Siddiqui/Reuters/theguardian.com WASHINGTON - The United States and Iran could each come Urns containing ashes after final second deadly surge of COVID-19 of the COVID-19 cases reported said in its weekly epidemiological back into compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal within weeks, a rites of people including those who has seen hospitals run out of beds worldwide last week, the World report that India accounted for senior State Department official said Thursday (6), on the eve of died from the coronavirus disease and oxygen and left morgues Health Organization said, even as 46% of global cases and also what could be a final round of negotiations before an agreement % is brokered. It was the most optimistic signal yet by the Biden ad- await immersion, at a crematorium and crematoriums overflowing. the country's coronavirus deaths made up for 25 of global deaths ministration that an American return to the accord between Iran in New Delhi on Thursday (6). India's India accounted for nearly half rose by a record 3,780. The WHO reported in the past week and world powers was within reach. Briefing journalists on condi- tion of anonymity, the senior official described the likelihood of an agreement before Iran’s presidential elections in mid-June as both possible and doable. He said it potentially could come in the round of talks that begin Friday (7) in Vienna. Still, the official cautioned Former Maldives president injured in that the United States and Iran continued to diverge on the extent to which each side needed to comply with the original terms of the 2015 deal — namely, unwinding economic sanctions by Washington in exchange for Tehran scaling back its nuclear program. He would not describe specific sticking points. ‘assassination attempt’ The Trump administration withdrew from the deal in 2018 to pressure Iran into a broader agreement that would have also limited MALÉ - A bomb blast injured former Mal- They said he was being treated at the ADK was also taken to hospital. Residents in its missile program and military activities across the Middle East. dives president and current Parliament Hospital in Male. Male said the blast was heard across the Later that year, the United States re-imposed sanctions on Iran’s Speaker Mohamed Nasheed on Thursday Officials said the Maldivian Parliament, capital. key financial sectors, including its lucrative oil industry, to squeeze (6), officials and residents said. which was in recess, called an emergency Nasheed is a former Amnesty Interna- its economy and try to force Tehran back to the bargaining table. The 53-year-old pro-democracy pio- meeting following the attack. tional prisoner of conscience who became Instead, Iran resisted the pressure campaign by accelerating its neer was about to get into his car in the The blast came just before a night cur- the country's first democratically elected nuclear program and raising its prospects for building a weapon. congested capital when a bomb rigged to few was due to go into effect in the capital president in the first multi-party elections President Joe Biden has pledged to rejoin the nuclear accord — a motorcycle was detonated, officials said. as part of measures to contain the spread in 2008. but also has called for negotiating a “longer and stronger” deal af- "Nasheed escaped an assassination at- of coronavirus. The archipelago of 26 at- He was toppled in a coup in 2012 and terward to curb Iran’s missile program and its support for proxy tempt," a Maldivian government official olls is battling a surge in infections con- was sentenced to 13 years prison in 2015 forces in places such as Iraq, Syria and Yemen. told AFP by telephone. "He is injured, but centrated on Male. on terrorism charges slammed as politi- -NYT his condition is stable." A family member said Nasheed had sus- cally motivated by civil rights groups. Armed police units and security forces tained several wounds. President Abdulla Yameen let him leave cordoned off the area where the attack "They have put him under anaesthesia. for medical treatment and Nasheed went US-Germany rift as Berlin opposes took place. There is a deeper cut on one of his arms," into exile in Britain, but he returned home The Indian Ocean nation of 330,000 the family member told AFP, speaking on in 2018. plan to ditch Covid vaccine patents Sunni Muslims is known for its regular po- condition of anonymity. Nasheed became parliament speaker, litical turmoil as well as its luxury holiday He said Nasheed was responsive and the nation's second most powerful posi- WASHINGTON - The US and Germany are at odds on the issue of resorts. Police confirmed that Nasheed spoke with doctors as he was taken in with tion, following 2019 polls. waivers for patents on COVID-19 vaccines, as Berlin argued a waiv- sustained injuries but did not give details. shrapnel injuries. One of his bodyguards -AFP er would not increase production and would inhibit future private sector research. The disagreement is the first major rift between the two economic powers since Joe Biden took office, and threatens to deadlock dis- cussions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and sour relations Trending News Quote for Today within the G7 group of major industrialized democracies. Any WTO More law, less justice. decision on a waiver would have to be by consensus, so Germany Afghanistan: The Pentagon says US Jerusalem, amid a controversial land rights -Marcus Tullius Cicero opposition is a major obstacle to intellectual property rights on vac- military has deployed more heavy bomb- case over the fate of Palestinian families threat- cines being suspended. The Biden government’s announcement on ers and fighter jets to protect withdraw- ened with eviction. Word for Today Wednesday (5) that it would back a waiver on vaccine patents was ing American and coalition troops, welcomed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a step to- Africa: The WHO warns of a new wave of Hardscrabble [hahrd-skrab-uhl] wards greater global equity at a time when poor countries have lit- USA: President Joe Biden warns Con- COVID-19 infections in Africa due to delayed -adjective- providing or yielding tle access to vaccines and south Asia has been hit by a devastating gress needs to adopt his multi-trillion vaccine supplies, a slow rollout and new vari- meagrely in return for much effort; outbreak. dollar spending plans to renew the econ- ants. demanding or unrewarding India accounted for 46% of the new COVID-19 cases recorded omy because China is “eating our lunch.” Malawi: The government orders thousands around the world over the past week, and there are signs the wave Brazil: At least 25 people are killed after of long-integrated refugees to return to its Today in History is spreading to Nepal, Sri Lanka and other neighbouring states. But heavily armed police stormed one of Rio sole but badly overcrowded refugee camp, in 1945 - Germany signs uncondition- Angela Merkel’s government came out against a waiver on Thurs- day.