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Java quake kills over 40 & injures hundreds

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An earthquake has struck the main Indonesian island of Java, leaving more than 40 people dead and hundreds injured, say local officials.

The 5.6 magnitude quake struck Cianjur town in West Java, at a shallow depth of 10km (6 miles), according to US Geological Survey data.

The tremor could be felt in the capital Jakarta about 100km away, where people in high-rise buildings were evacuated.

Officials warn of possible aftershocks and say the death toll could rise.

The area where the quake struck is densely populated and prone to landslides, with poorly-built houses. Rescuers have been trying to evacuate people from collapsed buildings, and managed to save a woman and her baby, according to local reports.

Herman Suherman, the head of administration in Cianjur town, told local media at least 46 people had been killed.

“Victims kept coming from many areas. Around 700 people were injured,” he told Kompas TV.

(BBC News)

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, arrives in SL (Update)

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UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has arrived in the island for an official visit.

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The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights – Volker Türk, is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka today (June 23).

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, he is to remain in the country until June 26.

This is the first visit by a UN Human Rights Chief to Sri Lanka since February 2016.

During his stay, he is expected to meet with the President, Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, several other Cabinet Ministers, Members of Parliament, senior Government officials, religious leaders, representatives of civil society, members of the diplomatic community and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.

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Sri Lanka grants clearance for FAO ship

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Sri Lanka has officially granted clearance for a research vessel operated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to conduct scientific research in Sri Lankan territorial waters, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism said.

The vessel is scheduled to carry out its mission from August 15 – August 20, 2025.

Dr. Fridtjof Nansen is a research vessel that conducts surveys, collecting vital data on fish stocks, biodiversity, and oceanographic conditions. It sought to carry out research activities in Sri Lankan waters, but the government had earlier denied access for it in the absence of standard operating procedures (SOPs) for foreign research vessels.

This posed the possibility of a cancellation, which could have deprived Sri Lanka of over USD 01 million worth of support while affecting future Green Climate Fund initiatives. It was also reported that the next possible deployment would not occur until after 2030.

A year-long moratorium on foreign research vessels expired in December 2024 followed by a cabinet decision in late January to appoint a special committee to amend the SOP for granting diplomatic clearance to foreign research vessels in Sri Lanka.

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Anuradhapura Prison chief granted bail

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The Superintendent of the Anuradhapura Prison – Mohan Karunaratne who was in remand custody, has been granted bail.

The Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court granted bail under two sureties of Rs. 500,000 each and imposed an overseas travel ban on him.

Karunaratne was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on June 08 over the alleged unauthorized release of an inmate convicted of multiple counts of fraud and corruption under a presidential amnesty.The case is to be taken up again on Aug. 04.

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