Briefs, November 29, 2012
COLOMBO - Students in Sri Lanka's former war zone clashed with troops and police yesterday over celebrations to commemorate defeated Tamil Tiger guerillas. At least 20 undergraduates were injured when troops and police beat up stone-pelting students outside Jaffna university. It was first major clash since security forces crushed Tamil rebels in May 2009. Police and troops had stormed university dormitories on Tuesday searching for Tamil Tiger propaganda. AFP
WASHINGTON - The US Embassy in Hanoi has deactivated its account on a popular Vietnamese website that's full of suspected pirated music and Hollywood movies. The US had used the site to promote American values, including respect for intellectual property rights. The State Department said the social media account with ZingMe was suspended after a review prompted by concerns about digital piracy on the site. Spokesman Mark Toner says the suspension is part of a dialogue with ZingMe's parent company about intellectual property rights. AP
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan test fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile with a range of 1,300 kilometres. The military described the Hatf-V Ghauri missile as a liquid fuel missile, which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. It was Pakistan's eighth missile test so far this year and comes two months after tests of a Hatf-VII with a range of 700 kilometres. Five of those tests were conducted within a few weeks of India's successful test of the Agni-V, which can deliver a nuclear warhead to anywhere in China. AFP
TOKYO - A wooden boat containing several rotting bodies and Korean characters on its side has been found on the rocky shore of a Japanese island. The 13-metre boat was discovered on Sado Island, which lies in the Sea of Japan, a stretch of water known as the East Sea by Koreans. "The bodies are decomposed badly and we still cannot confirm exactly how many of them there are," said a local police spokesman, adding that belongings and rubbish were scattered inside. Kyodo News said there were five bodies. AFP
SEOUL - South Korea's capital stands to lose one million people of working age over the next 20 years - a consequence of the country's status as one of the world's most rapidly ageing societies. Statistics released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government show the city's working population will fall from the current 7.64 million to 6.56 million by 2032. The number of residents over the age of 65 will more than double from 1.03 million to 2.6 million. AFP
