Category: Other
Indonesia detains 1,300 migrants this year
JAKARTA, June 16, 2010 (AFP) – Indonesian police said Wednesday that more migrants are landing on its shores this year than before, intensifying the country’s struggle to crack down on people-smuggling. Close to 1,300 migrants were detained between January and June this year, many of whom were trying to reach Australia, national police security and […]
Sri Lanka mulls planting rubber in former northern war zone
June 16, 2010 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government is considering planting rubber in the former war zone in the north to increase production and meet growing demand from local industries, the plantations industries minister said. “The rubber industry says they have the ability to make more rubber products if raw material was available,” he […]
Sri Lanka to crack down on plastic use around capital
June 15, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s western province, where the capital Colombo is located will crack down on the use of plastics and polythene, especially for promotional activity and decorations, officials said. The regional administration is drafting new laws to ban the use of polythene for promotional purposes and impose heavy fines on people. […]
War Probe
June 15, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s top defence official challenged international rights groups Tuesday to produce evidence of war crimes allegedly committed in the final months of the country’s civil war. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse said those making the allegations should present evidence before Sri Lankan courts instead of talking to the international media. […]
Trade Debate
June 14, 2010 (LBO) – The recent protests in Colombo by a vocal group of businesses have brought to the fore the issue of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) and its merits and demerits in the Sri Lankan context. Any independent observer will agree that the debate has got shrouded in emotion, and at times, […]
‘s ISI and Taliban
LONDON, June 13, 2010 (AFP) – Pakistan’s ISI intelligence agency provides funding, training and sanctuary to the Taliban in Afghanistan, according to a study Sunday which claimed to have the strongest evidence yet of their links. However the report for the London School of Economics (LSE) was dismissed by the Pakistani military as “malicious and […]
India earthquake downgraded, local tsunami watch only: Pacific centre
June 11, 2010 (LBO) – The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has downgraded a watch bulletin taking Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia off its list saying a local tsunami is likely to only affect India. Indian authorities have said waves of only 50 centimetres are likely and there is ‘nothing alarming. ‘ Sri Lanka’s authorities […]
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NEW DELHI, June 12, 2010 (AFP) – India’s tsunami centre warned Sunday a major quake under the Indian Ocean would generate a 50-centimetre high (20-inch) surge in sea levels on the nearest islands, adding this was “nothing alarming. ” “This is nothing alarming but just a watch,” he added by telephone from the headquarters of […]
Japan asteroid probe to make historic return to Earth
SYDNEY, June 12, 2010 (AFP) – A tiny heatproof capsule which scientists hope contains some of the oldest dust in the universe will streak back to Earth and land in the Australian desert Sunday, ending a historic space mission. Japan’s Hayabusa spacecraft is due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere shortly before midnight (1400 GMT), completing a […]
Sri Lanka fisher community in efforts to rescue degraded estuary
June 13, 2010 (LBO) – Deepika Edirisinghe lives in the dry Kalpitiya area in the Sri Lanka northeast coastal district of Puttalam bordering a degraded coastal estuary which is now yielding a much lower fish catch than a decade ago. Her husband is a fisherman, whose catch from the lagoon has been dwindling over the […]
‘s Commonwealth Games face monsoon test
NEW DELHI, June 13, 2010 (AFP) – New Delhi residents can’t wait for the onset of the monsoon to bring relief from the summer heat, but the impending rains could spell further trouble for Commonwealth Games organisers. “There is no doubt everything will be ready on time, whatever anyone may say,” organising committee secretary-general Lalit […]
Bangladesh fans on rampage as power blackout cuts World Cup
DHAKA, June 13, 2010 (AFP) – Thousands of Bangladeshi football fans went on the rampage after power cuts blacked out television coverage of an eagerly-awaited World Cup match. He urged fans to understand the dire state of the Bangladeshi national grid meant shortages were inevitable. “The reality is that the country does not produce enough […]