Thousands evacuated as Cyclone Sidr hits Banglahdesh

Tropical Cyclone Sidr hit Banglahdesh's southern coast yesterday.The cyclone has battered coastal areas of Bangladesh.Earlier yesterday, the authorities in Bangladesh and India raced to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people. The area is also home to the endangered Royal Bengal tigers.

Power5ful quake rocks Chile

A powerful earthquake hammered the country's north on Wednesday, killing at least two people and injuring more than 150. The 7.7 magnitude quake, centered in Chile's Atacama desert, 1,260km from it capital Santiango, was so strong that it was felt on the other side of the continent in Sao Paulo, Brazil.It damaged thousands of houses, blocked roads, crushed cars and knocked out power across northern Chile.

Three Philippines bimb-blasts suspects arrested

Philippines police killed three people, including a suspected Muslim militant , and detained three others in a raid yesterday linked to a deadly explosion outside the country's congress.Police officers and army operatives were trying to serve a warrant of arrest when they were fired upon.They shot back, killing the suspected militant and two others.

Japanese pay to listen to Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama arrived at Narita airport near Tokyo to start his 10-day visit at the invitation of a Buddhist group. The 5,000 tickets for a lecture he is delivering next week in Yokohama,near Tokyo, sold out within hours.One person who initially missed out even bought a pair of tickets through an online auction site for 53,500yen($700).
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Woman fine $4k for making maid work on balcony ledge

There is no protective grille or barricade around the balcony ledge- a lethal 10-storey drop to the ground. Tang Cheong Kim had ordered her maid to climb out of the ledge on several occasions to water and rearrange the potted plants. For failing to provide a safe working environment, Tang was fined $4,000 in court on Nov 6.Employers who fail to provide a safe working environment for their maids can be fined up to $5,000 and jailed for up to six months.They will also be debarred from employing another maid.