Vatican declares 167 victims of IS-inspired bombings in Sri Lanka witnesses of faith
Sri Lankan Catholics nuns carry portraits of the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks during its sixth anniversary commemoration in Colombo (Image: AP)
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's catholic church says the Vatican has named 167 of its faithful killed in Islamic State-inspired suicide bombings six years ago as witnesses of faith.
Hundreds, including Christian, Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic religious figures, attended a vigil Monday in memory of the victims at the church of St. Anthony, targeted in the attacks.
Archbishop of Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, told the attendees Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in the Vatican, has included the names of 167 catholics who died in the bombings in the churches of St. Anthony in Colombo and St. Sebastian in Negombo "in the catalogue of the witnesses of the faith in its order book, considering the context of their heroism."
He said they were chosen "due to violent opposition to their faith motivated by 'odium fidei,' the hate of the faith." Ranjith also said seven victims of other faiths were "respectfully remembered."
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You
Villas In Dubai | Search Ads
Get Rates
Undo
Witnesses of faith are those who sacrificed their lives for their belief.
Pope Francis
formalized in 2023 a new category of recognition by the church of people who lost their lives while professing the catholic faith and created a special Vatican commission to catalogue their cases. The commission, based in the Vatican's saint-making office, has gathered hundreds of cases, with a view to highlighting them alongside officially recognized martyrs of the church, who are on the path to possible beatification or sainthood.
More than 260 people, including 42 foreigners, were killed in the near-simultaneous bombings during Easter Sunday at three tourist hotels and three churches, two Catholic and one Protestant, on April 21, 2019.
The catholic church in Sri Lanka has demanded further probing in the attacks, particularly after British television Channel 4 interviewed a man who said that he arranged a meeting between a local IS-inspired group, National Thowheed Jamath, and a top state intelligence official to hatch a plot to create insecurity in Sri Lanka and enable former President
Gotabaya Rajapaksa
to win the
presidential election
later that year.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
35 minutes ago
- Time of India
Who is Ishan Tharoor? Meet journalist son of Shashi Tharoor who questioned father
In a moment that drew attention both in diplomatic circles and the Indian media, Ishan Tharoor, a Washington-based journalist and son of senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor , posed a pointed question to his father during an official engagement in the United States. The query revolved around Pakistan's role in the Pahalgam terror attack , which claimed 26 lives. As Shashi Tharoor led a multi-party Indian delegation on Operation Sindoor , Ishan, in his professional capacity, raised questions regarding international response and Pakistan's repeated denials—bringing family, politics, and journalism into one spotlight. Ishan Tharoor: Columnist at The Washington Post Ishan Tharoor is an established global affairs columnist at The Washington Post, where he regularly covers international diplomacy, geopolitics, and historical legacies shaping today's world. His journalistic career spans nearly two decades, starting with Time magazine before moving to The Washington Post in 2014. He has earned a reputation for his analytical and critical insights into complex global issues. Educational background and early life of Ishan Tharoor Born in Singapore in 1984, Ishan is the twin son of Shashi Tharoor, who was then serving as an international diplomat. He studied at Yale University, graduating in 2006 with a degree in history focused on race and migration. He was also awarded the prestigious Sudler Fellowship, a mark of distinction in the arts and humanities. Academic contributions Beyond journalism, Ishan has also engaged in academia. Between 2018 and 2020, he worked as an adjunct instructor at Georgetown University, where he taught a course titled Global Affairs in the Digital Age at the university's School of Foreign Service. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dermatologist: Just Add 1 Drop Of This Household Item To Any Dark Spot And Wait 3 Minutes Dark Spot Corrector Undo His academic focus aligns closely with his journalistic beat—global politics and historical narratives. The moment that made headlines During a public interaction in Washington, D.C., where his father was representing India in Operation Sindoor, Ishan asked Shashi Tharoor whether any of the countries visited demanded evidence of Pakistan's involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack. He also raised the issue of Pakistan's consistent denial of such allegations. The question sparked conversations across media for its boldness and irony—son grilling father on a sensitive geopolitical issue. US: Tharoor's Savage Reply After His Journalist Son Ishaan Confronts On Proof Against Pakistan Shashi Tharoor's response Shashi Tharoor responded that no country had asked for proof, citing a '37-year pattern' of Pakistani involvement in similar attacks. He emphasized that India's retaliatory measures were based on strong evidence and that global partners recognized this context. He humorously noted that he hadn't 'planted' the question, acknowledging Ishan's journalistic independence. Public reactions and legacy The father-son exchange has been widely discussed as a rare instance where professional duty intersected with personal ties on an international stage. It also reinforced Ishan Tharoor's standing as a credible journalist unafraid to ask tough questions—even to his own father.
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump's big bill also seeks to undo the big bills of Biden and Obama
Chiseling away at President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act. Rolling back the green energy tax breaks from President Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. At its core, the Republican "big, beautiful bill" is more than just an extension of tax breaks approved during President Donald Trump 's first term at the White House . The package is an attempt by Republicans to undo, little by little, the signature domestic achievements of the past two Democratic presidents. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Earn more with tax savings ICICI Pru Life Insurance Plan Learn More Undo "We're going to do what we said we were going to do," Speaker Mike Johnson said after House passage last month. While the aim of the sprawling 1,000-page plus bill is to preserve an estimated $4.5 trillion in tax cuts that would otherwise expire at year's end if Congress fails to act - and add some new ones, including no taxes on tips - the spending cuts pointed at the Democratic-led programs are causing the most political turmoil. Live Events The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said this week that 10.9 million fewer people would have health insurance under the GOP bill, including 1.4 million immigrants in the U.S. without legal status who are in state-funded programs. At the same time, lawmakers are being hounded by businesses in states across the nation who rely on the green energy tax breaks for their projects. As the package moves from the House to the Senate , the simmering unrest over curbing the Obama and Biden policies shows just how politically difficult it can be to slash government programs once they become part of civic life. "When he asked me, what do you think the prospects are for passage in the Senate? I said, good - if we don't cut Medicaid ," said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., recounting his conversation last week with Trump. "And he said, I'm 100% supportive of that." Health care worries Not a single Republican in Congress voted for the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare , in 2010, or Biden's inflation act in 2022. Both were approved using the same budget reconciliation process now being employed by Republicans to steamroll Trump's bill past the opposition. Even still, sizable coalitions of GOP lawmakers are forming to protect aspects of both of those programs as they ripple into the lives of millions of Americans. Hawley, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and others are wary of changes to Medicaid and other provisions in the bill that would result in fewer people being able to access health care programs. At the same time, crossover groupings of House and Senate Republicans have launched an aggressive campaign to preserve, at least for some time, the green energy tax breaks that business interests in their states are relying on to develop solar, wind and other types of energy production. Murkowski said one area she's "worried about" is the House bill's provision that any project not under construction within 60 days of the bill becoming law may no longer be eligible for those credits. "These are some of the things we're working on," she said. The concerns are running in sometimes opposite directions and complicating the work of GOP leaders who have almost no votes to spare in the House and Senate as they try to hoist the package over Democratic opposition and onto the president's desk by the Fourth of July. While some Republicans are working to preserve the programs from cuts, the budget hawks want steeper reductions to stem the nation's debt load. The CBO said the package would add $2.4 trillion to deficits over the decade. After a robust private meeting with Trump at the White House this week, Republican senators said they were working to keep the bill on track as they amend it for their own priorities. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the president "made the pitch and the argument for why we need to get the bill done." The disconnect is reminiscent of Trump's first term, when Republicans promised to repeal and replace Obamacare, only to see their effort collapse in dramatic fashion when the late Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, voted thumbs down for the bill on the House floor. Battle over Medicaid In the 15 years since Obamacare became law, access to health care has grown substantially. Some 80 million people are now enrolled in Medicaid, and the Kaiser Family Foundation reports 41 states have opted to expand their coverage. The Affordable Care Act expanded Medicaid to all adults with incomes up to about $21,500 for an individual, or almost $29,000 for a two-person household. While Republicans no longer campaign on ending Obamacare, advocates warn that the changes proposed in the big bill will trim back at access to health care. The bill proposes new 80 hours of monthly work or community service requirements for able-bodied Medicaid recipients, age 18 to 64, with some exceptions. It also imposes twice-a-year eligibility verification checks and other changes. Republicans argue that they want to right-size Medicaid to root out waste, fraud and abuse and ensure it's there for those who need it most, often citing women and children. "Medicaid was built to be a temporary safety net for people who genuinely need it - young, pregnant women, single mothers, the disabled, the elderly," Johnson told The Associated Press. "But when when they expanded under Obamacare, it not only thwarted the purpose of the program, it started draining resources." Initially, the House bill proposed starting the work requirements in January 2029, as Trump's term in the White House would be coming to a close. But conservatives from the House Freedom Caucus negotiated for a quicker start date, in December 2026, to start the spending reductions sooner. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer has said the changes are an Obamacare rollback by another name. "It decimates our health care system, decimates our clean energy system," Schumer of New York said in an interview with the AP. The green energy tax breaks involve not only those used by buyers of electric vehicles, like Elon Musk's Tesla line, but also the production and investment tax credits for developers of renewables and other energy sources. The House bill had initially proposed a phaseout of those credits over the next several years. But again the conservative Freedom Caucus engineered the faster wind-down - within 60 days of the bill's passage. "Not a single Republican voted for the Green New Scam subsidies," wrote Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, on social media. "Not a single Republican should vote to keep them." "REPEAL THE GREEN NEW SCAM!" reposted Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a Freedom Caucus leader.
Time of India
39 minutes ago
- Time of India
Delhi Police arrest Ghaziabad man who threatened to kill CM Rekha Gupta
Delhi Police 's North West District Special Staff has arrested a man from Ghaziabad for allegedly threatening to kill Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta , officials said on Saturday. According to officials, the accused, who was under the influence of alcohol at the time, first called to speak to his estranged wife, and later issued a threat to the Chief Minister. He is a law graduate and was reportedly upset after his wife left him. During the investigation, the man allegedly tried to mislead the police. Fake identity cards were also recovered from his possession. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Join new Free to Play WWII MMO War Thunder War Thunder Play Now Undo Officials said that they were further interrogating him. Delhi Police launched a probe on June 6 after receiving an alert from Ghaziabad Police about the threat. Late on June 5, Ghaziabad Police had received a call from an unidentified individual threatening to kill the Delhi Chief Minister, they said. Live Events Ritesh Tripathi, ACP Ghaziabad, said, "On the night of June 5, 2025, the Ghaziabad Commissionerate's Kotwali police station received a call from an unknown person who threatened to kill the Chief Minister of Delhi. The Ghaziabad control room immediately informed the Delhi control room." "Delhi's local police force promptly responded and reached the spot. However, the caller could not be contacted thereafter," he added. The police were further looking into the matter.
