International news brief: Sri Lanka keeps schools shut; Ukraine war could last a 'long time'

Colombo, July 04: Sri Lanka extended school closures for one more week starting July 4 amid an unprecedented fuel crisis while Germany believes Moscow will be "able to continue with the war for a really long time."

Sri Lanka schools shut amid fuel crisis

Sri Lanka declared a holiday week from July 4 for all government and state-approved private schools, amid an unprecedented fuel crisis. The schools will cover the syllabus in the next vacation term.
Earlier too, on June 18, the Sri Lankan government had announced to shut down all schools for a week.

The Sri Lanka Education Ministry announced that "all government and government-approved private schools in Colombo city limits, as well as schools in other main cities in the other provinces, will be closed during the next week due to prolonged power cuts," Daily Mirror reported.

Event held in honour of Indian defence force veterans in US

Recognising the importance of Indian armed forces' veterans, the Indian Embassy here on Monday organised 'Varishtha Yoddha', an event to honour the ex-servicemen who are now living in the United States. More than 140 people, including some distinguished veterans who had fought in various wars and their families, attended the event here.

Several dead in Copenhagen mall shooting; suspect arrested

A gunman opened fire inside a busy shopping mall in the Danish capital on Sunday, killing several people and wounding several others, police said. A 22-year-old Danish man was arrested after the shooting, Copenhagen police inspector Søren Thomassen told reporters, adding there was no indication that anyone else was involved, though police were still investigating. He said it was too early to speculate on the motive for the shooting, which happened in the late afternoon at Field's, one of the biggest shopping malls in Scandinavia, located on the outskirts of the Danish capital.

Ukraine war could last a 'long time'

Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russia's decision to invade Ukraine was made "one year before it started or possibly earlier," adding that he believes Moscow will be "able to continue with the war for a really long time."

During an interview with CBS News' "Face the Nation," Scholz also defended Berlin's delays in delivering weapons to Ukraine.

He said the wait was due to the need to train Ukrainian soldiers in Germany.

West Africa leaders lift sanctions on military-led neighbours

West African leaders attending a regional summit Sunday lifted sanctions against three neighbours led by military governments that are now promising a return to democratic rule. The summit of the Economic Community of West African States resolved to lift all economic and financial sanctions imposed on Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso, although those countries remain suspended from the regional bloc, said Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, an Ivorian politician who has been serving as president of the ECOWAS Commission. The three nations' suspension from ECOWAS will remain in effect until elections are held, he told reporters, adding that regional leaders urge development partners to resume assistance to them.

with agency inputs