Category: Other
‘s eastern coast
NEW DELHI, October 11, 2013 (AFP) – A cyclone barrelling towards India’s east coast intensified overnight, leading weather forecasters to warn Friday of a “very severe” storm that could cause widespread damage and flooding.Cyclone Phailin was expected to hit the impoverished states of Orissa and Andhra Pradesh on Saturday evening, accompanied by a storm surge […]
Miss Universe apologises to India over Taj photoshoot
NEW DELHI, October 11, 2013 (AFP) – Organisers of Miss Universe extended their “deepest apologies” to India over a photo shoot at the Taj Mahal that triggered a police case and accusations that she disrespected the famed monument to love. Reigning Miss Universe Olivia Culpo, a 21-year-old American from Rhode Island, visited the Islamic mausoleum […]
Lonely planet found floating without star
WASHINGTON, October 9, 2013 (AFP) – Astronomers said Wednesday they have found a lonely planet outside the solar system floating alone in space and not orbiting a star.Other telescopes in Hawaii showed that the planet has similar properties to those of gas giants orbiting around young stars, but PSO J318.5-22 lacks a host star. During […]
No Bribery
Oct 08, 2013 (LBO) – Ceylon Tobacco Company, a unit of British American Tobacco has denied media reports which gave the impression that it had attempted to bribe the island’s health minister to stop pictorial health warnings.Sri Lankan media carried reports last month attributed to health minister Maithripala Sirisena that the tobacco industry had attempted […]
‘s Bharti end joint venture
MUMBAI, October 9, 2013 (AFP) – Global retail giant Walmart and Indian firm Bharti said on Wednesday they were ending their partnership in the country’s retail sector and would now operate separate businesses.The companies said in a joint statement that they would “discontinue their franchise agreement in the retail business” in India and would “independently […]
Maldives Supreme Court annuls presidential vote
MALÉ, October 7, 2013 (AFP) – The Maldives Supreme Court Monday annulled the results of last month’s presidential elections, in a move likely to deepen international concern amid high tensions on the troubled Indian Ocean archipelago.The court annulled the first round of voting, which was held on September 7 and won by former leader Mohamed […]
Maldives asks for support after election annulled
MALÉ, October 8, 2013 (AFP) – The Maldives government on Tuesday urged all parties to support fresh elections after the Supreme Court annulled last month’s results, even though international observers had said those polls were free and fair. buy Hours before the ruling, six masked men set fire to a private television station that supports […]
Television channel set on fire amid Maldives crisis
COLOMBO, October 7, 2013 (AFP) – Unidentified attackers set fire to the main pro-opposition television network in the Maldives on Monday ahead of a crucial court ruling on whether suspended presidential elections should go ahead, officials said.At least six men stormed the offices of the Raajje television network in a pre-dawn attack and set fire […]
Maldives reject foreign pressure over vote hold-up
COLOMBO, October 2, 2013 (AFP) – Outgoing Maldivian president Mohamed Waheed vowed on Wednesday to resist international pressure to hold swift elections after the Supreme Court suspended a presidential run-off due last weekend.Waheed, in an address to the nation of 350,000 Sunni Muslims, said the court’s decision had plunged the country into “chaos”, but said […]
Decent Conditions
KATHMANDU, September 27, 2013 (AFP) – Rights groups urged South Asian governments Friday to demand proper protection for their migrant workers amid outrage over the deaths of dozens of Nepalis on projects linked to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.While Nepal’s government said it would not try to halt the flow of migrant workers after […]
Confusion over Maldives election as officials clash
COLOMBO, September 27, 2013 (AFP) – The Maldives’ Election Commission sparked confusion on Friday over whether elections originally scheduled for this weekend but suspended by the Supreme Court would go ahead on the troubled Indian Ocean archipelago. Nasheed, 46, won the first round comfortably with 45.45 percent of the vote and faced a run-off contest […]
Rare Canadian desert shrinking as vegetation takes over
WINNIPEG, September 27, 2013 (AFP) – As desertification creeps into parts of the world, a rare stretch of sand in Canada’s vast western plains is oddly doing the reverse — slowly sprouting with vegetation. Tufts of prairie grasses are emerging throughout Spirit Sands, a stretch of dunes steeped in local lore in a popular nature […]