TOKYO -- Nearly 60 percent of Japanese believe rice prices will decline following the appointment of Shinjiro Koizumi as farm minister, according to a Kyodo News poll.
The change comes after former minister Taku Eto resigned for saying he never buys rice as his supporters have sent him enough, a remark that sparked public outrage amid record-high rice prices. (Japan-Rice Price)
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COLOMBO -- Two teenage boys were killed in separate motorcycle accidents in Sri Lanka on Saturday, local police said on Sunday.
In the first incident, a 14-year-old boy died after the motorcycle he was riding collided head-on with a truck at the Hakmana-Beliatte road, Southern Province. The boy was pronounced dead upon admission to Tangalle Hospital, the police said. (Sri Lanka-Accident-Death)
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DHAKA -- The Bangladeshi interim government has hiked the prices of rawhide by five taka per square foot for procurement during the upcoming largest festival of animal sacrifice.
Bangladeshi Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin announced at a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday that this year the government sets the price of salted cow rawhide at 60-65 taka per square foot in Dhaka and 55-60 taka outside Dhaka. (Bangladesh-Rawhide)
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SUVA -- A 6.0-magnitude earthquake jolted 178 km SSW of 'Ohonua, Tonga at 23:49 local time on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. (Tonga-Quake) ■
