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Israel issues travel warning to parts of Sri Lanka over terrorism threat

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FILE PHOTO: A fisherman throws his line in the morning in Arugam Bay, east of Colombo, Sri Lanka. REUTERS/Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/File Photo © Thomson Reuters
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JERUSALEM/COLOMBO (Reuters) -Israel’s national security council called on Israelis on Wednesday to immediately leave some tourist areas in southern Sri Lanka over the threat of a possible terrorist attack.

The agency said the warning pertained to the area of Arugam Bay and beaches in the south and west of Sri Lanka, and stemmed from “current information about a terrorist threat focused on tourist areas and beaches”.

The security council did not specify the exact nature of the threat and called on Israelis in the rest of Sri Lanka to be cautious and refrain from holding large gatherings in public areas.

“The Israeli security establishment … is in close contact with the security authorities in Sri Lanka and is following the developments,” it said.

The U.S. embassy in Sri Lanka also released a security alert stating it had received “credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area”.

“U.S. citizens are strongly urged to avoid the Arugam Bay area until further notice,” it added but did not give details.

Police security has been beefed up in the area and officials are on high alert, police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa said in a video statement released in Colombo.

“This area is a popular spot for surfing and this has attracted a large number of Israeli tourists. We are working to ensure they remain safe,” Thalduwa said.

Sri Lanka, famed for its pristine beaches, tea plantations and historic temples, is seeing a resurgence in tourists as the island nation recovers from a severe financial crisis.

In the first eight months of this year, 1.5 million tourists arrived in Sri Lanka, including a total of 20,515 from Israel, government data showed.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch;Editing by Alison Williams, Christina Fincher and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)

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Two women drown, die in Kano puddle

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Two women have tragically lost their lives in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State after reportedly falling into a puddle while attempting to wash their bodies after work at a zobo processing factory.

The incident which occurred on Monday evening, was confirmed in a press release issued on Tuesday by the Kano State Fire Service Public Relations Officer, Assistant Chief Fire Officer Saminu Yusif Abdullahi.

According to the statement, the fire service received an emergency call at about 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday from the commander of a local vigilante group in Gezawa, who reported that the women had entered the puddle with the intention of washing their bodies after closing from work.

“According to their relatives, they are workers in a zobo processing company and entered the water with the intention of washing their bodies after closing from duty, which resulted in the loss of their lives,” the statement said.

Although a search for the victims began on Monday evening, their bodies were only recovered on Tuesday morning. They were found unconscious and handed over to Officer Musa Garba of the Gezawa Police Division.

The fire service did not release the names of the deceased, and further details surrounding the circumstances of the incident remain unclear.

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Pascal Dozie, Founder Of Diamond Bank Passes Away At 85

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The founder of the defunct Diamond Bank Plc, Pascal Gabriel Dozie, has died at the age of 85.

According to Business Day, Dozie passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

His death came just a day before his 86th birthday, following a battle with an age-related illness.

Dozie was best known as the founder of Diamond Bank, one of Nigeria’s most innovative financial institutions before its merger with Access Bank.

He served as the bank’s chairman before handing over leadership to his son, Uzoma Dozie.

Dozie is survived by his wife Chinyere Dozie, and five children among other relatives.

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Security forces foil kidnapping in Katsina, one civilian killed

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A kidnapping attempt was foiled in the early hours of April 5, 2025, in Gidan Yan Ali, Kurba Village, Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, after security forces engaged armed bandits in a fierce gun battle.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the assailants believed to be part of a larger criminal network stormed the village around 11:45 p.m., setting corn stalks ablaze and attempting to abduct women and livestock.

Prompt deployment of security personnel led to a swift response, forcing the bandits to flee into the nearby bush.

During the confrontation, a villager identified as 40-year-old Murtala Dayyabu Sidi was shot and killed by the attackers.

The intervention of security forces ensured the safe rescue of the kidnapped women and the recovery of stolen animals, which were returned to their rightful owners.

Investigations into the attack are ongoing.

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