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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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Abia Govt Begins Major Crackdown On Street Trading, Road Obstructions In Aba

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Abia State Government, through its Harmonized Taskforce, carried out an extensive enforcement operation in Aba, targeting street trading, illegal parking, road obstructions, and unauthorized loading and offloading of vehicles.

This decisive action, tagged “Operation Restore Absolute Sanity,” is to instill orderliness, cleanliness, and civility in the state.

The operation covered major junctions and roads, including Osisioma Junction, Tonimas, Enyimba, Double Pole, Ariaria Junction, and Park Road.

Traders and motorists who had encroached on public spaces and blocked drains were compelled to vacate these areas, as the taskforce dismantled illegal structures and cleared obstructions.

Led by Bob Wogu, the chairman of the Abia State Harmonized Taskforce, and joined by the Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Uzor Nwachukwu, the enforcement team showcased its resolve to restore sanity to the bustling commercial city.

Speaking during the exercise, Hon. Nwachukwu emphasized the government’s zero-tolerance policy towards activities that impede free movement and endanger public health and safety.

The taskforce had earlier issued warnings, urging residents and traders to voluntarily remove illegal structures and desist from trading on roads and gutters.

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Residents Rush To Scoop Groundnut Oil As Another Tanker Overturns In Niger, Three Days After 98 Were Killed In Explosion.

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Trending videos show dozens of residents in Bida town, Niger State, collecting groundnut oil after a tanker overturned near Shafa filling station in the Esso area.

According to reports, the incident occurred on Tuesday morning, just three days after the deadly tanker explosion on Dikko-Maje Road, near Badeggi filling station in Suleja Local Government Area, which resulted in the loss of 98 lives.

Reports indicate that those gathered to collect the spilling fuel were caught in an explosion, which also impacted those trying to assist the victims.

The fire spread across a large area, leaving behind charred remains and widespread destruction.

The explosion is said to have occurred around 9:00 am while efforts were underway to transfer PMS from the overturned tanker to another vehicle.

Despite the recent tragic incident in Suleja Local Government Area, new videos from Tuesday morning show residents in Bida approaching the fallen truck with jerry cans and buckets to collect the spilled groundnut oil near a filling station in the town.

 

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Ekweremadu’s wife returns to Nigeria after release from UK prison

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Mrs. Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has returned to Nigeria, according to the Vanguard Newspaper.

It will be recalled that Senator Ekweremadu, his wife, and Dr. Obinna Obeta were sentenced by a UK court on charges related to organ harvesting.

The former Deputy Senate President was sentenced to 10 years in prison, while Mrs Ekweremadu received a six-year sentence.

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