Sri Lanka, South Africa, Japan.

Today's three stories you should know.

Jul 10, 2022

Sri Lanka

Protesters in Sri Lanka are vowing to stay camped inside the houses of the president and prime minister until both leaders step aside. Media organizations have reported, citing military sources, that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is hiding out on a navy ship off the coast. According to the parliamentary speaker, Rajapaksa will resign on Wednesday, though this has not been confirmed by the president himself. Sri Lanka’s protests have raged for weeks as shortages of food, fuel and medicine began to bite.

South Africa

Nineteen people have been killed after two bars in South Africa were attacked by gunmen in separate incidents. At least 15 people were shot dead in Soweto when attackers pulled up in a minibus and opened fire using high-calibre weapons. In the city of Pietermaritzburg, four people were killed when two men began firing indiscriminately at customers. Though gun crime is very common in South Africa, the random nature and similarities between the two incidents has raised alarm.

Japan

Japan’s ruling coalition today secured a comprehensive win in parliamentary elections, possibly party fuelled by sympathy votes after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition party, Komeito, looked set to win a majority and also an increase seats. Separately, police have admitted that there were flaws in Abe’s security arrangements.