Fire at Musaeus College auditorium a deliberate act of arson

The Cinnamon Gardens Police informed the Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court that the Government Analyst’s report into the fire that broke out at the Musaeus College auditorium on November 4, 2016, had said it was a deliberate act of arson. So the Cinnamon Gardens Police told Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe Bandara that the Government Analyst …

2016 Saw Highest Natural Disaster Losses in 4 Years

Last year saw the highest costs from natural disasters since 2012, with a pair of earthquakes in Japan in April accounting for the heaviest losses, a leading insurer said Wednesday. Losses from natural disasters worldwide totaled $175 billion last year, some $50 billion of which was covered by insurance, Munich Re said in an annual …

Venezuela Searches for Missing Helicopter in Amazon Jungle

Venezuelan teams are searching in the Amazon rain forest for a military helicopter that went missing with as many as 13 people on board. So communications Minister Ernesto Villegas says the Russian-built aircraft was supposed to have landed in the tiny settlement of La Esmeralda on Friday. He didn't say how many people were on board, …

23 Dead After Ferry Catches Fire Near Indonesia’s Capital

At least 23 people were killed and 17 others were missing after a ferry caught fire Sunday off the coast of Indonesia's capital, officials said. The vessel was carrying more than 230 people from Jakarta's port of Muara Angke to Tidung, a resort island in the Kepulauan Seribu chain, when it caught fire, officials said. …

Queen Elizabeth II to Miss Church Service Due to Cold

Buckingham Palace said Sunday that Queen Elizabeth II will miss the traditional Christmas morning church service as she continues to recover from a heavy cold. So the church service near her Sandringham estate in rural Norfolk, 110 miles (177 kilometers) north of London, is an important part of the royal Christmas celebration. Local residents often …

Top 5 richest people in the world

1.Bill Gates The co-founder of Microsoft, tech magnate, entrepreneur, philanthropist, programmer, Bill Gates has a solid profile that makes him the richest individual, his worth marked $85.9 billion. Also the founder of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gates has made strides in every sphere he has touched. So he stepped down as CEO of Microsoft in …

ICC Oversight Chief Calls on South Africa, Burundi to Remain

​ Senegal's minister of justice, who is also the chief of the International Criminal Court's oversight board, has called on South AfricaandBurundito abandon their decision to withdraw from the court. So president of the ICC's Assembly of States Parties, Sidiki Kaba, said Monday that a dialogue must be opened to address issues the members states …

Airline Joins Carriers With Kid-Free Zones

An Indian discount carrier is offering a new amenity to childless fliers: quiet. Well, in theory. The designated Quiet Zones on IndiGo flights — rows 1 to 4 and 11 to 14 —are so named because no children under 12 are allowed to be seated in them. So children are also excluded from exit rows, …

Doubts Raised About Russia’s ‘Humanitarian Pause’ in Aleppo

  Russian and Syrian warplanes have halted strikes on the besieged Syrian city of Aleppo aday before a brief humanitarian pause is set to begin.Russia has called on rebel fighters and civilians to use the break in the bombing on Thursday to leave the rebel-controlled eastern side of the city. So but doubts have already …

Belgium Still Holding up EU Approval of Canada Trade Deal

European Unionnations are unlikely to back a landmark trade deal with Canada as scheduled on Tuesday, but remain optimistic they can do so by next week, when Prime MinisterJustin Trudeauis due to fly over to sign it. Belgian Foreign Minister Didier Reynders said that divisions within his nation over the deal remained even as EU …