Globetrotting — Australian cabinet reshuffle

SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister John Howard today announced a major cabinet reshuffle after three of his ministers resigned. The reshuffl...

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SYDNEY: Australian Prime Minister John Howard today announced a major cabinet reshuffle after three of his ministers resigned. The reshuffle followed two weeks of bitter debate over parliamentary travel allowances. Federal employment and youth affairs minister Amanda Vanstone was one of the big losers as her cabinet post was lost to schools minister David Kemp, with senator Chris Ellison taking over Dr Kemp’s portfolio, the ABC reported.

Bangla strike

DHAKA: Over a 100 people were injured, many in police firing, as Bangladesh was today gripped by an Opposition called rail and road blockade disrupting normal life throughout the country. The eight-hour blockade called by the BNP to protest several government policies, including a ban on political rallies on the streets, was marked by clashes between rival groups and witnessed major shut downs in transport services.pLanka haze

COLOMBO: A haze has appeared over Sri Lanka, but experts have assured that the country is not the latest victim of Indonesia’s forest fires. The meteorological department and Central Environmental Authority had sent experts to the mountainous Norwood region, some 1,800 metres above sea level, on Friday following a press report of the phenomena.

Sunken ship

SINGAPORE: The Indian vessel ICL Vickramanwhich which sank in the Strait of Melaka is expected to be refloated within the next two to three days even as search for the missing 27 crew members of the ship was continuing today. A Singapore firm Smit Tak International would undertake the task to refloat the ship, Malaysian news agency said yesterday.