Sri Lanka declares curfew after eighth blast

Sunday, 21 April 2019 13:27

The Sri Lankan government has declared a curfew with immediate effect, and shut down all major social media and messaging services.

"A curfew will be imposed until things settle down," junior defence minister Ruwan Wijewardene told reporters in Colombo.

Government officials said Facebook and WhatsApp have been blocked to prevent misinformation and rumours.

Nearly 140 people have been killed and more than 400 people wounded after eight bomb blasts ripped through churches and hotels in the island nation on Sunday.

More from International News

Thailand frees 18 Cambodian soldiers as ceasefire holds

Thailand has released 18 Cambodian soldiers on Wednesday that it had detained since July under the renewed ceasefire the two countries agreed on the weekend to end a border conflict, Cambodian and Thai authorities said.
Head-on train crash near Peru's Machu Picchu kills driver, injures dozens

A train driver has been killed and 40 more people injured on Tuesday after two trains collided head-on on the railway leading to the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, the Andean nation's top tourist site that draws well over 1 million visitors each year.
MSF expects to be barred from Gaza after missing Israel deadline

Medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières expects to be barred from operating in Gaza once it misses Wednesday's deadline to comply with new registration rules for relief agencies that Israel says are meant to prevent Hamas from exploiting international aid.
Granddaughter of JFK Tatiana Schlossberg dies of rare form of leukemia

Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of the 35th US president, John F. Kennedy, has died on Tuesday at 35 years-old after revealing in a November essay that she had been diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia.
UK, France, others state Gaza humanitarian deterioration of serious concern

Britain, Canada, France and others have stated that the humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened again and is of serious concern in a joint statement on Tuesday that also called on Israel to take urgent action.

On Virgin Radio today

The Kris Fade Show
6:00am - 10:00am

Kris, Priti and Rossi host the UAE's biggest radio show. It's full of fun, laughs and it's Where The Stars Live.
The Vibe with Maz Hakim
10:00am - 2:00pm

Good vibes and loads of hit music!

Trending on Virgin Radio

If Craig David had a verse on Azizam
The legendary Craig David joins The Kris Fade Show for an unforgettable chat!
Will Smith & Martin Lawrence: Bad Boys: Ride or Die
From taking us down memory lane to a possible BAD BOYS 5 in Dubai?
Middle East Hot 30
Every weekend Kris Fade plays the biggest tracks in the Middle East. Check out this weeks chart...
ARN News Centre
Get the latest UAE and world news from our award winning team of journalists. The ARN News Centre is the country's most trusted source of information.