Lastnight World

Gotabhaya seeks Rs 1 bn damages

Colombo: Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has sought Rs 1 billion as damages from a newspaper for saying that he had ordered the killing of surrendering LTTE cadres. Gotabhayas attorney Sanath Wijewardane has sent a letter demanding Rs 1 billion to the Sunday Leaders chairman Lal Wickramatunga and editor Fredrica Jansz as damages for publishing articles defamatory of the Defence Secretary on December 6 and December 12,2009.

John Paul II a step closer to beatification

VATICAN CITY: Pope Benedict XVI has moved Pope John Paul II a step closer to possible beatification. Benedict on Saturday approved a decree attesting to John Pauls heroic virtues. The Pope still must sign off on a miracle attributed to John Pauls intercession before he can be beatified.

Karzai presents new Afghan Cabinet list

KABUL: Afghan President Hamid Karzais nominees for a new Cabinet provoked dismay among many Parliament members on Saturday but a cautiously positive response from the UN mission in the war-torn,corruption-plagued country. Karzais list keeps US favourites in several posts critical to the war and reconstruction and jettisons the heads of two ministries embroiled in corruption probes.

Major quake strikes Taiwan,4 injured

Taipei: An earthquake struck Taiwan on Saturday,causing injuries and damage in the capital of Taipei as well as damage near the quakes epicentre. The US Geological Survey said the 6.4-magnitude quake was centred off the eastern coast of Taiwan.