Thousands of students mob Sri Lanka PM's home over economic trouble

Thousands of Sri Lankan university students mobbed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa's home on Sunday demanding his resignation over the island nation's worsening economic crisis. Thousands of Inter University Students’ Federation students were seen sloganeering outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Wijerama Mawatha. Dozens were demonstrating from the parapet and boundary walls of the official residence - in images similar to that of a seize. The agitators demanded both President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Mahinda Rajapaksa resign. Facing off against rows of police holding riot shields, protesters tried to pull down the barricades preventing them from entering the residence. Some defaced the boundary walls with graffiti reading “Go home, Rajapaksa!” Thousands of demonstrators’ have hit the streets since April 9, as the government ran out of money for vital imports; prices of essential commodities have skyrocketed and there are acute shortages in fuel, medicines and electricity supply.

At least 10 of 26 people from sunken Japan tour boat dead

Rescuers said that 10 people who were retrieved on Sunday from the frigid sea and the rocky coast of a northern Japanese national park had died, a day after a tour boat with 26 aboard apparently sank in rough waters, triggering questions why it was allowed to sail. The search for the others is still ongoing after the boat sent a distress call on Saturday afternoon saying it was sinking. The location, near the Kashuni Waterfall, is known as a difficult place to maneuver boats because of its rocky coastline and strong tide. There were two crew and 24 passengers on board. AP

Restructuring complete after 2 years: HNA Group

HNA Group, the conglomerate that collapsed with billions of dollars of debt, has completed its restructuring work after a joint working group was set up more than two years ago to handle the task. All four restructuring plans related to HNA Group have been completed with court approvals, the conglomerate said on its official WeChat account. HNA was effectively seized in February 2020 by the provincial government of Hainan, after piling up one of China’s biggest corporate leverage loads. The firm reached agreement with creditors in October on a debt-restructuring plan. Bloomberg
 

Hunt on for Nigeria refinery owner after blasts kill 100

Nigeria’s president on Sunday said the country was in “shock and trauma” following the deaths of at least 100 people from an explosion at an illegal oil refinery. The police are now looking for the owner of the illegal refinery. President Muhammadu Buhari described the incident in Imo state, southern Nigeria, as a “catastrophe and a national disaster”.  Several people were feared burnt to death. Police said there had been an explosion at the site of the illegal refinery where operators and their patrons had gathered for business. Agencies