Dozens die in Ethiopia after lorry with wedding guests falls into river

Published

2 years ago

2024/12/30

Priyan

The vehicle fell into a river in the southern Bona district [BBC]

At least 71 people have died in southern Ethiopia after a lorry plunged into a river, officials say.

The vehicle, which was travelling through Sidama state on Sunday, fell into the river after it missed a bridge, a local official told the Reuters news agency.

Wosenyeleh Simion said many of the passengers had been guests at a wedding party.

Traffic police in the region reported the lorry was overloaded, which was likely to have caused the incident, Mr Simion said. Further investigations are under way.

Of the people known to have died, 68 were men and 3 were women, the Sidama Police Commission Traffic Prevention and Control Directorate said.

Blurred images shared on Facebook by the state health bureau show a group of people attempting to pull a damaged vehicle from a body of water in the district of Bona.

Other images shared by the bureau appear to show bodies, some covered in blue tarpaulin, lying on the ground.

Thousands of people are killed every year in road accidents in Ethiopia, with over-speeding and disregard for traffic laws often blamed.

[BBC]

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Spain leave it late to book semifinal date with France

Published

2 hours ago

2026/07/11

Priyan

Spain's Mikel Merino celebrates scoring their second goal (Aljazeera)

Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute from a rebound yielded by backup Belgium goalkeeper Senne Lammens, and Spain advanced to the World Cup semifinals with a 2-1 victory.

Merino was the late hero for the second straight match for Spain, who advanced to face tournament favourite France in the semifinals on Tuesday in Dallas.

Merino came on in the 86th minute and scored from his second touch of the match, charging into the box and pouncing after Lammens spilled a Pau Cubarsi shot from outside the area.

Spain's Mikel Merino scores their second goal — *Spain’s Mikel Merino scores their second goal [Aljazeera]*

The Arsenal forward also scored as a substitute early in injury time to secure Spain’s 1-0 victory over Portugal in the last-16.

Lammens, the Manchester United keeper, was forced into the match in the 71st minute after longtime Belgium keeper Thibaut Courtois left with an apparent thigh injury.

Belgium desperately pressed for an equaliser in the final minutes, but Aymeric Laporte volleyed their best chance out of the box.

Fabian Ruiz scored the opening goal in the 30th minute for Spain after Courtois had parried a shot from Dani Olmo from Pedro Porro’s cut-back from the right of the area, but Belgium forward Charles De Ketelaere scored the first goal allowed by Spain in the entire World Cup in the 41st minute.

His header from Timothy Castagne’s cross from the right ended a record streak of 649 minutes without conceding at the World Cup.

Belgium's Charles De Ketelaere scores their first goa — Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere scores their first goal (Aljazeera)(***ALJAZEERA***)

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Dharmaraja and Kingswood set for historic rugby clash on Saturday

Published

18 hours ago

2026/07/10

Priyan

Dharmaraja Rugby Captain Gayan Samarathunga, and Kingswood Rugby Captain Samantha Nadeesha. with William Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy.

The annual rugby encounter between Dharmaraja College and Kingswood College, played for the William Weerasinghe Memorial Trophy, is set to take place tomorrow (July 11, 2026), at 4:00 PM at the Bogambara Stadium, Kandy.

The official unveiling of the trophy took place this week at the Dharmaraja College premises with the participation of the Principals of the two schools, teachers-in-charge of sports, coaches, the Rugby teams, and several distinguished guests, including Dharmaraja College Old Boys’ Association President Mahesh Wijetunga, Kingswood College Old Boys’ Association President Muditha Abeykoon,

by S K SAMARANAYAKE