November 30, 2016 Reading Time: 2 minutes
Italy reports record level of migrants. Image Credit - Leonid_Andronov / depositphotos
Reading Time: 2 min read
Sri Lanka seeks help from Yemen to rescue sailors
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Oman is reported to have requested Yemen’s assistance to rescue twenty-six sailors, including nine Sri Lankan nationals, from Yemeni pirates. The captives are being held aboard the Greek vessel ‘Fair Appollon’, which is anchored in the Yemeni port of Hodeidah.
The sailors were captured at sea between Yemen and Saudi Arabia, and the pirates have sought ransoms from the company that owns the vessel.
Fine imposed on foreign boats illegally in Sri Lankan waters
The Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development, Mahinda Amaraweera, has announced that a fine ranging from approximately LKR 6.5 million to LKR 370 million would be imposed on foreign boats that stray into Sri Lankan waters.
Previously, the Sri Lankan Navy had arrested trespassers and confiscated their boats, without imposing fines. The law would be amended to include the proposed penalty, and require owners to return to Sri Lanka to retrieve their boats.
Netherlands to support Sri Lankan farming
A 15-member delegation from the Netherlands has arrived for consultations with Sri Lanka’s dairy and poultry sector. The delegation signed an agreement to support the Sri Lankan dairy industry through knowledge and technology transfers.
The delegation is expected to meet with the Ministry of Livestock Development, and visit farms to understand business needs and opportunities. The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Netherlands Export Combination and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, has concurrently organised a seminar on ‘Innovative Technological Solutions in Agriculture from the Netherlands’.
Yemeni rebels announce formation of new government
Houthi rebels in Yemen have announced the formation of a new government in the country’s capital, Sana’a. Diplomats had hoped the Houthi rebels would form a unity government with the government of Yemeni President, Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, who is currently in exile in Saudi Arabia.
UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, has stated that the actions taken by the rebels would “complicate the search for a peaceful solution.”
EU-Indonesia PCA Joint Committee hold first meeting
The Joint Committee under the EU-Indonesia Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) has conducted its first meeting in Brussels. The Committee welcomed the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement negotiations between the EU and Indonesia.
High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, Federica Mogherini, stated that Indonesia was “an essential partner not only for bilateral issues, but also for building a more cooperative global and regional order.”
Italy receives record number of migrants
Italy has announced that the country has received its highest number of migrants this year. Approximately 171,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Italy in 2016.
A majority of migrants to Italy are from African countries, including 36,000 from Nigeria, 20,000 from Eritrea and 12,000 from Guinea. Italy’s asylum system is reportedly under strain, with more than 176,000 people in reception centres.
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