Sri Lanka declares April 23 national day of mourning

By Faruk Zorlu </p> <p>ANKARA (AA) – Sri Lanka has declared April 23 a national day of mourning after a series of deadly bombings over the weekend, local media reported Monday.</p> <p>The decision was taken during a meeting of the National Security Council chaired by Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena.</p> <p>Sirisena is also expected to meet with foreign diplomats to seek international assistance.</p> <p>Three children of Danish retail billionaire Anders Holch Povlsen were killed in the bombings.</p> <p>Povlsen, 46, Denmark's richest man, is the main shareholder in British online fashion retailer Asos and the CEO of wholesale fashion business Bestseller.</p> <p>&quot;We have no further comment and we ask that the family’s privacy is respected at this time,&quot; Jesper Stubkier, the communications manager for Bestseller, said in a statement.</p> <p>At least 290 people were killed and more than 500 injured in a series of bomb blasts targeting churches and luxury hotels in three Sri Lankan cities on Easter Sunday.</p> <p>The blasts struck churches in Colombo’s Kochchikade district and Negombo and Batticaloa cities as well as the Kingsbury, Cinnamon Grand and Shangri-La hotels.</p> <p>Thirty-nine foreign nationals, including two from Turkey, were killed in the attacks. </p> <p>No group has claimed responsibility so far.