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World Bank to lend $900m for recovery

Tuesday, 17 August 2010 09:29

Pakistan_floods The World Bank is to loan $900m (£574m) to Pakistan to help it recover from its worst ever flooding.

The devastating floods have affected up to 20 million people and left some 2,000 dead, say officials.

But the UN says international aid has been slow and that it has raised only a third of the $460m (£294m) needed for emergency relief.

Pakistan floods: army steps into breach as anger grows at Zardari

Written by News TM
Tuesday, 10 August 2010 09:37
Pakistan's fragile democracy has been severely damaged by the government's poor response to the worst floods in the country's modern history and the row over President Zardari's UK visit, while the military appears to have gained in stature with its relief work, analysts believe. The government's shambolic aid efforts have contrasted with the military's ability to deliver assistance, with the army rescuing more than 100,000 stranded people. Victims, many of whom have had their homes swept away, have complained bitterly about the lack of government help; its defenders say the scale of the challenge would have tested any administration.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:08
Read more... [Pakistan floods: army steps into breach as anger grows at Zardari]

Kosovo independence declaration deemed legal

Written by News TM
Friday, 23 July 2010 08:09
Kosovo's unilateral secession from Serbia in 2008 did not violate international law, the World Court said Thursday in a decision with implications for separatist movements everywhere. The non-binding, but clear-cut ruling by the International Court of Justice is a major blow to Serbia and will complicate efforts to draw the former pariah ex-Yugoslav republic into the European Union. It is likely to lead to more states following the United States, Britain and 67 other countries in recognizing ethnic-Albanian dominated Kosovo, which broke away after NATO intervened to end a brutal crackdown on separatism by Belgrade.
Read more... [Kosovo independence declaration deemed legal]

China Disputes IEA Data on Energy Consumption

Written by News TM
Tuesday, 20 July 2010 09:14
SHANGHAI—Data from the International Energy Agency showing that China surpassed the U.S as the world's largest energy consumer last year aren't accurate, a spokesman with China's National Energy Administration said Tuesday. "By our calculation, the U.S was still the world's largest energy user in 2009 [although] China was the largest primary energy producer," Zeng Yachuan told Dow Jones Newswires. The Paris-based IEA, whose forecasts are generally regarded as bellwether indicators for the energy industry, said China consumed a total of 2,252 million metric tons of oil equivalent last year, about 4% more than the U.S., which burned through 2,170 million tons of oil equivalent.
Read more... [China Disputes IEA Data on Energy Consumption]

Iranian nuclear scientist returns to Tehran

Written by News TM
Thursday, 15 July 2010 09:03
An Iranian nuclear scientist who went missing a year ago amid claims he had been kidnapped by the CIA received a hero's welcome when he returned to Tehran early this morning. Shahram Amiri said he had suffered extreme mental and physical torture at the hands of US interrogators, and claimed he would never have left his family behind in Iran if he had been a willing defector. But the US insists Amiri chose to leave Iran before changing his mind a year later. According to US media reports the CIA paid him $5m (£3.3m) to provide intelligence on Iran's nuclear programme. The Washington Post said Amiri had been working for the CIA for more than a year.
Read more... [Iranian nuclear scientist returns to Tehran]

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Sri Lanka cabinet backs change for president

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka's cabinet on Monday backed changing the constitution to allow President Mahinda Rajapakse to run for office for a third term, opening the way for a vote in parliament.

Rajapakse, who oversaw the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels last year after decades of civil war, has a firm grip on power and has been criticised for crushing dissent and opposition media.

The cabinet approved a proposal to remove the two-term limit for presidents, which would mean Rajapakse could stand again when elections are scheduled in November 2016.

"The cabinet backed a move to amend the constitution," an official at the president's office said, declining to be named.

Rajapakse came to power in 2005 and won a second presidential term in January. Read more...

Sri Lanka court martial convicts ex-army chief

A Sri Lankan court martial on Friday stripped the general who spearheaded the army's victory over Tamil separatists of his military ranks after finding him guilty of involvement in politics while in uniform.

General Sarath Fonseka's conviction, which had been widely expected, and sentence still have to be approved and signed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"He was found guilty of charges and sentenced to dishonorable discharge from rank and service, pending the president's approval," a military source said on condition of anonymity. Another military source confirmed the sentence. Read more...

Mahindra to expand business in Sri Lanka

The Mahindra group is all set to expand its business in Sri Lanka by venturing into hospitality and finance.

Group Vice-Chairman and Managing Director Anand Mahindra, who met President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other officials in the island nation, said Sri Lanka was poised to register a double digit growth in the post-conflict era.

“The Mahindra group has a long and enduring association with Sri Lanka which is a strategic market for us. As a diversified federation of companies with a presence in several industries, we see immense Read more...

World Bank to lend $900m for recovery

The World Bank is to loan $900m (£574m) to Pakistan to help it recover from its worst ever flooding.

The devastating floods have affected up to 20 million people and left some 2,000 dead, say officials.

But the UN says international aid has been slow and that it has raised only a third of the $460m (£294m) needed for emergency relief.

Facebook 'dislike' scam warning

Facebook users are being targeted in a scam that offers them a chance to install a "dislike" button.

The scam tricks users into allowing a rogue application to access their profile page, which then posts spam messages.

Sri Lanka's ex-Army Commander indicted on 41 more counts

Recently convicted ex-Army Commander of Sri Lanka General (Retired) Sarath Fonseka has been indicted on 41 counts, informed the Attorney General's Department to the Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singappuli as the case against Fonseka was summoned.

Sri Lanka vets go on strike over elephants

Sri Lankan wildlife veterinarians have gone on strike to protest at the alleged mishandling of elephant conservation which has resulted in an increase in deadly attacks, a union leader said Tuesday.

"There is no proper management of wild elephants who are being pushed into narrow habitats as the government allows people to encroach into traditional elephant homelands," Vijitha Perera, the secretary of the vets' union, told AFP.

Cricket-Sri Lanka apologise to India for Randiv's no-ball

Sri Lanka Cricket has apologised to India opener Virender Sehwag after he was denied a century by Suraj Randiv's no-ball in their tri-nations one-dayer at Dambulla on Monday.

Ashok Leyland bags Rs 120cr order from Sri Lanka

Hinduja group flagship firm Ashok Leyland today said it has bagged an order for 1,000 buses, worth around USD 26 million (about Rs 120 crore), from the People's Leasing Company in Sri Lanka. The order is the company's largest single order for buses from that country, Ashok Leyland said in a
statement.

Sri Lanka war probe credibility questioned

A government-appointed panel probing the final stages of Sri Lanka's civil war began work in Colombo on Wednesday, but rights bodies and lawmakers in the United States accused it of lacking credibility.

The eight-member panel will hear testimony from witnesses on five separate days in the capital and for two days in Vavuniya, near the former war zone.

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