Sri Lanka Attacks: BBC

A series of suicide bombings targeted crowded churches and hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday and Monday. The government blamed a local jihadist group, arresting 24 individuals, and declared a national emergency. This included a curfew and limits on social media. The attacks killed almost 300 people and injured 500. The country is reaching out to the international community for assistance on investigating possible international support and links. “Sunday's attacks were the deadliest in Sri Lanka since the end of the country's civil war in 2009,” reports BBC News. “The war ended with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, who had fought for 26 years for an independent homeland for the minority ethnic Tamils.” Since 2009, the nation has experienced occasional ethnic violence including attacks on Buddhist monuments and Muslim mosques. Economic growth has dipped recently in Sri Lanka, with concerns about debt and budget deficits. Tourism represents about 6 percent of GDP. – YaleGlobal