PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech miner New World Resources reported its biggest quarterly loss since its 2008 stock market debut on Thursday, as the weak global economy reduced steelmakers' demand for its coal.
New World Resources (NWR), which supplies the central European units of steelmakers ArcelorMittal and Evraz , said on Thursday trading was likely to stay tough in the first half of this year, but could improve thereafter.
"We are going to have a difficult first half, there is no doubt about that," Executive Chairman Gareth Penny told Reuters.
"Have we reached the bottom and are we on the way up? I believe so. It will take some time for that to feed through into the financials," he added.
NWR shares dropped as much as 7.3 percent on the results.
The $500-billion-a-year steel industry, a gauge of the global economy, slowed sharply last year as a moderation in China's economic growth compounded weak demand from austerity-ravaged Europe.
Global crude steel production rose just 1.2 percent in 2012, compared with 6.8 percent in 2011, although there are signs a pick up in growth from Asia could help deliver a better 2013.
NWR swung to a fourth-quarter net loss of 48.6 million euros ($65 million), hit by falling coal prices and a one-off loss of 15 million euros from an inventory revaluation.
That was worse than analysts' average estimate of a 35.6- million-euros loss in a Reuters poll, and compared with an 8.8-million-euro profit in the corresponding period in 2011.
NO DIVIDEND, BRIGHTER COKING COAL OUTLOOK
NWR, which owns hard coal mines in the north-east of the Czech Republic, said it would not pay a dividend for the second half of 2012.
Coal sales reached 9.7 million tonnes in 2012, down 9 percent on 2011, with an almost equal split between thermal coal and higher-margin coking coal.
NWR expects coking coal prices to improve in 2013 after a slight rise in the first quarter, but the thermal coal market will remain difficult, resulting in only a gradual sale of inventories during 2013, it said.
It ended 2012 with coal inventories of 1.3 million tonnes.
NWR reiterated guidance on coal production of 10 million to 11 million tonnes in 2013 after 11.2 million tonnes in 2012.
It said it was targeting sales of 9.5 million to 10.5 million tonnes, split equally between coking and thermal coal.
The company expects capital investments to range between 120 million and 130 million euros this year, including 10 million on a project to open its Polish mine Debiensko, after a technical revision of the site. However, the unfavourable market conditions warrant a cautious approach to the project, NWR said.
"In light of the current market conditions, we will limit our progress on site in 2013 to the purchase of surface properties and project value engineering," NWR said.
At 1045 GMT, NWR shares were down 3.6 percent at 84 crowns, compared with a 1.2 percent decline in Prague's PX <.px> index.
($1 = 0.7479 euros)
(Writing by Jana Mlcochova and Jason Hovet; Editing by David Goodman and Mark Potter)
A customer shops for a gun at Freddie Bear Sports in Illinois on Jan. 19. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
They say the best defense is a good offense.
As the president and some congressional Democrats urge federal action on gun violence, lawmakers in at least five states have introduced legislation to preemptively outlaw any federal bans on high-capacity magazines or certain semi-automatic rifles. Some of the proposed laws even go a step further, making it a state crime for any government official to enforce these hypothetical federal gun laws.
Bills introduced in Texas, Wyoming, Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri over the past month would declare void any federal laws banning high-capacity magazines or certain weapons. The Texas bill, for instance, introduced by Rep. John Otto of Dayton, says any federal attempts to tax, limit the magazine size of, or ban any weapon "infringes upon Texans' right to bear arms" and is thus "invalid" in the state. Any government employee who enforces such laws is committing a misdemeanor crime, the bill says.
These state laws would most likely be unenforceable, as federal gun control laws would preempt state laws. It would be up to the courts to decide whether gun control bills infringed on constitutional rights.
Proposals to ban certain types of semi-automatic weapons, limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds, and close loopholes that allow some gun buyers to evade criminal background checks are floating around Congress, but it's unclear if any will pass. President Barack Obama urged politicians in his State of the Union address to vote on the measures, saying victims of gun violence "deserve a vote."
At least one state lawmaker is hoping to shut down debate over gun control laws altogether. Missouri State Rep. Mike Leara introduced a bill to make it a criminal act (Class D felony) for any state lawmaker to introduce gun control legislation. Rep. Stacey Newman, a Democrat who has sponsored legislation to expand background checks, wrote on Twitter about the bill: ?Counting on you all visiting me in prison re my background ck bill.?
The anti-gun control laws are trickling down to cities and counties, too. In League City, Texas, near Houston, the City Council approved a resolution by a vote of 7 to 1 that says the city will not enforce any laws passed by the federal government that ban high-capacity magazines or certain types of semi-automatic weapons.
Hammerstein Ballroom may be known for its long history as a concert venue, but tonight Sony's taking over to unveil the PlayStation ... something. All signs point to a reveal of the game console we've only known by its codename thus far, "Orbis," and we'll be on site liveblogging the whole shindig. But that's not all! Our intrepid EIC, Tim Stevens, is joining Joystiq's EIC, Ludwig Kietzmann, for a little pre- and post-show conjecture / analysis -- you can find the former here, and the latter right here. We've also got an embedded stream of the event, should you prefer to follow along visually while we break the news apart into so many digestible pieces. Our coverage kicks off around 4PM ET, and the event itself officially begins at 6PM ET -- all we expect from you is wonderful, wonderful GIFs. But then you already knew that, didn't you?
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) ? Cadaver dogs were searching through the smoldering rubble of a Kansas City restaurant after a gas explosion sparked a massive blaze Tuesday evening in an upscale shopping district.
More than a dozen people were injured in the blast and resulting fire, which occurred just after 6 p.m. and completely destroyed JJ's restaurant. But as of late Tuesday there were no reports of fatalities.
Despite that, Kansas City Fire Chief Paul Berardi said late Tuesday that cadaver dogs were called to the scene as a precaution because of the size of the conflagration.
"I would always fear there are fatalities in a scene like this," Berardi said.
He said results of the search would take hours and that he expected his crews would be working the scene through the night.
Earlier City Manager Troy Schulte said it appeared an accident by a utility contractor had caused the blast, and a statement from utility Missouri Gas Energy late Tuesday reiterated that possibility, but Berardi and others cautioned that the cause was still being investigated.
"This investigation is ongoing," Berardi said. "We do have reports that there was an odor of gas earlier. But, again, this investigation needs to be concluded before we want to speculate on any of that."
Indeed, the smell of gas was very strong in the area hours after the blast. Berardi said the gas utility, Missouri Gas Energy, stopped the flow of gas about 8 p.m., and utility workers could be seen working in the area after the blast.
Initially Kansas City police had said the blast had been caused by a car crashing into a gas main. Fire and city officials later said they were not aware of a crash being involved in the blast. Other witnesses noted street signs in the area indicated utility work was being done in the area, and a worker at a restaurant destroyed in the fire said the facility was being renovated at the time.
Mayor Sly James was at the scene after the blast, praising the work of first responders.
"The first thing we need to be concerned about is the people that are injured," James said.
Police Sgt. Tony Sanders said the manager of JJ's restaurant was unable to account for three people, but it was unclear whether they were caught in the blaze or had left earlier. Later on Tuesday evening, Jim Ligon, a JJ's bartender, said they were still waiting to hear from one co-worker, whom he declined to name.
The University of Kansas Hospital was treating six people injured in the blast, said spokesman Bob Hallinan. He said one person was in critical condition, two were in serious condition and two others were expected to be released. He said all of those injuries were traumatic, such as broken bones, rather than burns or smoke inhalation. The final patient there was a burn victim who was transferred from Truman Medical Center, Hallinan said.
Dr. Marc Larsen, medical director of the emergency room at St. Luke's Hospital, which is near the scene of the fire, said they had treated eight people, six of whom were walk-ins with minor injuries. He said two males were in critical condition and would be kept overnight. He said one had extensive burns and another had facial trauma.
A phone message left Tuesday seeking comment from Missouri Gas Energy was not immediately returned.
Ligon, a bartender who has worked at JJ's restaurant for five years, wasn't working Tuesday night but said he started getting texts and calls from co-workers minutes after the explosion.
He said the incident happened during the peak of weekday happy hour, when there is typically anywhere from 15 to 45 people in the bar area as well as three to five tables of diners at the restaurant.
"JJ's has a small staff, a family feel," said Ligon, 45, of Kansas City, Mo. "You see the same 100 people all the time ? a bar and restaurant for regulars. We're just really hoping we come out of here OK in terms of injuries."
Ligon said he was on his way Tuesday night to meet up with co-workers at another bar in town to talk about the incident.
The shopping area was established in 1922 by J.C. Nichols. Based on the architecture of Seville, Spain, it includes retail, restaurants, apartments and offices.
--
Associated Press reporters Heather Hollingsworth reported from Kansas City, and Jeff McMurray reported from Chicago.
The words ?cross-platform development? have a somewhat negative connotation within the mobile development community. When we think cross-platform, we immediately think of compromising designs and user experiences, with poor performance that caters to the lowest common denominator of device. There are so many people doing cross-platform development badly that we?ve started to assume that all cross-platform development is bad.
Like all things, there are bad examples of cross-platform development and design. But there are also some very good examples of applications that use cross-platform technologies and techniques.?
Companies like Xamarin offer great cross-platform development products
Before we can understand going across platforms, it?s important that we understand the platforms themselves, the fundamental differences and what sort of experience they create for the end user.?
iOS
The iOS that we see today is quite different from the original iPhone OS that we saw ship in 2008. With the introduction of the iPad Mini and iPhone 5, Apple broke away from its tradition of strictly adhering to single sizes and aspect ratios. Factor in the two different pixel densities created by retina and non-retina devices, and you end up with a considerably more diverse ecosystem.?
The iOS available today is more diverse than the original iPhone OS
When you examine the user experience of iOS, and the way that the user interacts with the device, you will quickly see that the operating system is very much?app-driven. Almost all functionality and information is housed within apps: the primary function of the operating system is to help the user move in and out of applications. This?experience-driver?is something that has to be taken into account when designing for iOS, because it's the core of the experience of the platform. Users expect their devices to function this way.?
Android
Android is, by nature, a more open and diverse beast than iOS. Because of its open source nature, Android is not limited to specific device classes or manufacturers. It is because of this that, when we design applications for Android, we do so with scalability and responsive layouts in mind.?
Android is designed to work on a wide range of devices
Because Android is fundamentally more open and diverse, it stands to reason that the experience-driver of Android is also different. Within the Android ecosystem, the device manufacturers play a very large role in designing the user experience of the particular devices. Because they are able to tweak and alter Android as they wish, what we are left with is a platform that is very much?device-driven, where the device is marketed first and foremost, and the operating system is more of a feature.?
Windows Phone
The interesting thing about Windows Phone is that, in some ways, it sits halfway between Android and iOS. While there are multiple companies shipping different Windows Phone devices (with and without keyboards, etc.), Microsoft has still drawn some guidelines around the Windows Phone operating system that prevent the ecosystem from becoming a free-for-all, while still providing users with options and choices at varying price points.?
Windows Phone?s interface helps users quickly find information
Just as Android?s experience-driver differs from that of iOS, Windows Phone?s experience-driver is also different. Because of the way that Microsoft creates a sort of controlled freedom within the Windows Phone ecosystem, device manufacturers are left to differentiate themselves with hardware instead of operating system tweaks.
Windows Phone?s interface and Live Tiles create an environment that is very?data-driven. Because the OS handles so much of the sharing and displaying of data, it more or less just gets out of the way of the user.?
So we have platforms, and those platforms have users. But, can we just start firing off into the wild blue? Of course not!
This is where the Do's and Don'ts of Cross-Platform Mobile Design come in.
Do share
The entire purpose of cross-platform development is to be able to share code and resources between platforms. Not every company has the resources to hire a developer for each platform. With more and more companies allowing employees to bring their own devices (BYOD) and build internal applications, the need for more efficient mobile development is growing all the time. Sharing code and graphical resources, where appropriate, is a great way to reduce financial and developmental overhead.?
Don't share for the sake of sharing
While sharing is the foundation of cross-platform development, it?s important that we don?t get share-fever. Share-fever is an ailment that will cause developers and designers to disregard things likes the user experience, application performance and even overall application quality in favor of sharing as much code and graphical elements as possible.
Sharing of any kind is a tool above all else, not a goal. What we strive for should be a consistent, native experience on every platform that provides the user with some sort of engaging utility or content.?
Do stick to branding
When developing mobile applications for existing brands, it?s important that developers use existing branding resources wherever possible. No amount of graphical or cross-platform experience design can replace user familiarity. In a situation where the application is a representation of a larger entity (think CNN, as opposed to something like Cut the Rope), a sure-fire way to make the user feel at home is to use things like logos, fonts and colours wherever possible. This is especially true in iconography, particularly launcher icons and home screen icons. Launcher icons are doorways into applications, which are essentially doorways to brands. It?s vital to let the user know what lies behind the doors ahead.?
Don't overdo branding?
Like sharing, there's a dark side to branding. There's a side to branding where, like the dark side of sharing, the balance between the user experience, design and functionality is neglected and cast aside in favour of misguided marketing and desperate branding. In the mobile space, user experiences and features are just as powerful as fonts and colours. Release a bad app and see what has the more powerful impact (positive or negative) on your brand - that one shining example of negligence or the fact that the app used the same font as the logo and website? Show the user who you are, but let the experience and functionality speak for the brand.?
Do REST?
REST API, that is. I have long preached the gospel that API design is cross-platform design in its purest form. REST API?s are platform agnostic, and native to any platform (mobile or otherwise) as long as it can send and receive HTTP requests. When we build out server-side functionality, we allow for infinite growth in any direction because we are not tied to any particular platform or technology. Merge with that the ability to make cross-platform libraries and modules that work with multiple platforms, and the reasons not to develop server-side functionality quickly vanish.?
Don't neglect the presentation
While designing world-class server-side functionality is one of the most important things that a developer can do to ensure a consistent cross-platform experience, it?s important that we don?t forget about the presentation. No user is going to be seeing the inner workings of the API during regular application use, so we need to be sure to focus as much energy on our presentation of the APIs functionality as we do on the API itself.?
Do stay true
When we build software, it?s easy for us to forget that we build it for real people to use on real devices in the real world. Not every use case is going to be perfect, and someone somewhere is going to break the app and respond in a very vocal manner. The best thing we can do to avoid this is to always keep the end user in mind when designing and building applications.?
Not only should we stay true to the user, but to the platform as well. As we saw above, different platforms have different driving factors (experience-drivers) that fundamentally alter the core user experience of the device. By sticking to platform conventions and providing users with experiences native to their platforms, we not only meet their expectations, but often exceed them.?
Don't back down
Often developers and designers will be put into situations that require them to think a little more outside of the box than they usually would. For example, there are situations that may call for breaking existing interfaces or platform conventions to serve some greater purpose. When an idea calls for a bending or full-on breaking of the rules, developers and designers should always stand their ground. Don?t let someone else kill your idea.?
A great example of this is Instagram. When their Android app launched, I was insanely excited. Not because I used an Android device (I own an iPhone 4S and two Android phones, both for testing) but because I wanted to see how such a major player handled cross-platform design. When I saw Instagram for Android for the first time, I was hit with a huge wave of disappointment. Though the accepted convention on Android is to place tabs at the top, Instagram had placed them at the bottom, the way they appear in iOS. I felt like Instagram had made a mistake. But, they proved me wrong. Not only did its idea work, but it worked well enough for them to be acquired by Facebook less than a month after the release of their Android client. They didn't back down, and in the end succeeded.?
Platform-specific apps
With so many tools available today to make applications run across multiple platforms, it's easy to think that a user experience can translate well to all platforms. The fact of the matter is, users on different platforms have different expectations. What works on Android may not work on iOS, and what works on iOS probably won't transfer well to Windows Phone 7. Apps should make use of features and interface elements specific to their platform, and make the user feel right at home on every possible device.?
Taking centre stage at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show stand will be the all-new B-segment Peugeot 2008 urban crossover.
The Peugeot 2008 brings together the expertise and experience of two acclaimed Peugeot vehicles; as a compact crossover, it blends the success and design of the award-winning 3008 with all the features, performance and state-of-the-art engines of the new 208 supermini.
With a characterful on-the-road presence, the Peugeot 2008 is intended for young city-dwellers who love the urban environment but also enjoy escaping from it at every opportunity.
The latest-generation engines draw the very essence of the lightness and profiled silhouette to offer an exceptional driving experience combined with a true breakthrough in terms of fuel economy. Due to the technology of the e-HDi Diesel and new 3-cylinder petrol engines, the Peugeot 2008 urban crossover stands out from the competition with CO2 starting from just 99g/km.
The Peugeot 2008 is the first vehicle produced by the Marque that was designed and developed simultaneously by several international markets. Peugeot 2008 will be manufactured simultaneously in France (Mulhouse), in China (Wuhan) and in Brazil (Porto Real) for local consumption.
Order books for the Peugeot 2008 open at EU retailers in June and the new car will officially go on sale later in the Summer.
Peugeot 2008 HYbrid Air The goal was simple: substantial reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by means of affordable technology which can be applied to passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in the B and C segments in global markets. The result is HYbrid Air, and the most obvious way to demonstrate it is in the all-new Peugeot 2008.
It combines tried and tested systems from the new generation of three-cylinder petrol engines with innovation in the form of compressed air technology. More than 80 patents testify to the fact that Peugeot has again established itself as a true automotive pioneer.
HYbridAir technology is about combining two energies to achieve the highest efficiency in various situations. The compressed air system will assist, or even take the place of, the petrol engine during the phases which consume the most energy, i.e. acceleration and moving off. HYbrid Air uses components new to the motor industry but widely tested in other sectors such as aeronautics.
Peugeot 208 HYbrid FE: 49g/km yet 0-62mph in just 8.0 seconds Developed as a concept car to illustrate the direction Peugeot believes engine technology can take, the 208 HYbrid FE Concept will be making its world debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show.
The supermini benefits from a number of technical enhancements including a petrol/electric hybrid powertrain, optimised aerodynamics, a 200kg weight reduction and low rolling resistance wheels and tyres. Illustrating the unique relationship between Peugeot and Total Lubricants ? on-going since 1995 ? the car also features specially formulated advanced engine fluids.
The result is a car which emits just 49g/km of CO2, a figure which is two times less than the already very efficient Peugeot 208 1.0-litre VTi. Yet it will still accelerate from 0-62mph in just 8.0 seconds ? almost as quick as the 208 GTi.
Peugeot 208 XY and 208 GTi While the 208 GTi brings an iconic badge back to life? the Peugeot 208 XY is an exclusive and urban chic vehicle, both are displayed in Geneva as the ?jewels? in a now-complete 208 range.
Designed to promote the Marque?s strategy to move more upmarket, both feature three-door body styles, strong exterior identities, distinctive headlight signatures on their front faces, exclusive 17-inch alloy wheels and a sophisticated reworking of the cabin materials and colours. Both are also sculpted, athletic and elegant, revealing how Peugeot style has a genuine ability to turn heads.
The 208 XY offers powerful and economical petrol and e-HDi diesel engines, with outputs between 92 to 155bhp. For the 208 GTi, its chassis can comfortably handle the full potential of the 1.6-litre THP 200bhp engine coupled with the manual transmission?s six close-ratio gears. That it does so with CO2 emissions of just 139g/km is a real achievement.
Peugeot 208 T16 Also on the Geneva Motor Show stand will be an illustration of Peugeot?s motor sport credentials. In its rally and track competition versions, the 208 is receiving an exceptional commercial reception and has already achieved successes, with a double at Monte Carlo 2013 in its class from the 208 R2.
A new chapter begins at Geneva 2013 with the world debut of a 208 complying with the latest R5 regulations. Glimpsed at the Paris Motor Show last Autumn, the sporting genes of the Marque can now also be seen in its name: 208 T16. Intended to succeed the 207 Super 2000, the 208 T16 is currently building up test miles with the aim of establishing itself as a strong force for winning national and international titles.
Peugeot RCZ R The stunning RCZ R Concept gives the strongest clues yet about the RCZ R production model, which will be unveiled later this year. Promising an intense dynamic experience, the Sports Coup? will benefit from bespoke suspension and wheels, plus a Torsen limited slip differential. That it echoes the colours of the Peugeot Onyx Concept car is intentional.
It will feature a new 1.6-litre THP 260bhp engine, with an efficiency that will set a new industry benchmark for this class of car. The target is for a specific power of 160bhp/litre, among the highest in the world for a production vehicle, and emissions expected to be just 155g/km.
Peugeot Onyx In the great tradition of Peugeot supercars, the Onyx will take the breath away of visitors to the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. Under its radical and sculpted silhouette hides the heart of an athlete: built on a carbon shell, the 3.7-litre 600bhp V8 HDi hybrid engine is mounted in a rear central position and mated to a six-speed sequential gearbox.
At 4.65m long and riding on 20-inch wheels, the bodywork stands out because of the contrasting materials and colours: pure copper for the wings and doors, matt black carbon for the other body panels.
Framed by aluminium arches, the ?double-bubble? glass roof reveals the carbon structure and an innovative passenger compartment.
With the Onyx, Peugeot continues its consideration of new and innovative materials for the future of automotive manufacturing. The car features ?newspaper wood?, produced from compressed used newspapers and used to shape the dashboard and centre console.
The latest innovations on the Peugeot stand in Geneva serve to demonstrate how it plans to move the brand more upmarket, with modern designs, clever technology and features that enhance desirability. Peugeot places great importance on remaining at the forefront for low CO2 emission vehicles, which it presently leads with an average of just 121.6g/km.
Storms, floods and droughts: predicting and
reporting adverse weather An upcoming Royal Society event - how do extreme weather
events arise, how should they be reported, "and how can the latest
research improve the forecasting of storms or flooding in the
future?". Climate modeller Tim Palmer will discuss with David
Shukman, science editor of the BBC, and Liz Howell, the head of BBC
weather. Royal Society
News:
"Don't put us at the mercy of Putin's children,"
warns Lord Deben Lord Deben, the chair of the Committee on Climate Change,
warns that if government energy policy doesn't satisfy
legally-binding emissions reduction targets, it could be left open
to judicial review. Clearer targets for decarbonisation would also
provide sufficient certainty to investors, he argues. BusinessGreen
Fracking is the only way to achieve Obama climate
change goals, says senior scientist The USA will only meet climate targets agreed by President
Obama if it enthusiastically develops domestic shale gas resources,
according to a scientific advisor to the
administration. The Guardian
Islands want UN to see climate as security
threat Low lying islands are asking for climate change to be
considered a security threat by the UN security council - but any
such move would face opposition from other security council
members. Associated Press
Commentary:
Ice-free Arctic Ocean in 2030? It's impossible to predict how long further Arctic sea ice
decline will take, argues Gerard Wynn of Reuters, because of the
complex interaction between a warming region, natural variation in
the climate and local weather. Natural variability could reverse,
bolstering the ice, but cumulative impact from greenhouse gases
could have the opposite effect, leading to further rapid ice
loss. Reuters
Natural gas isn't the only reason U.S. carbon
emissions are falling A report examining US emissions suggests that biomass and
wind power deserve credit for falling emissions in recent years.
Shale gas development and economic slowdown also contributed. With
natural gas prices rising, though, the authors suggest coal may
take back market share. Washington Post Wonkblog
How much are emissions reduced by
renewables? A new study suggests that renewables have played a
significant role in reducing US emissions, combined with the impact
of a shift from coal to shale gas. This post looks at some of the
detail of energy use in the USA to see how the argument stands
up. Carbon Counter?
Science:
Going negative: Scientists explore new
technologies that remove atmospheric CO2 Curbing global warming may require more than just reducing
CO2 emissions, according to a new report from Standford University.
It could also require developing carbon-negative technologies that
remove large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere. Phys Org
LG's forthcoming flagship, the 5.5 inch Optimus Pro G, has been confirmed for the U.S. market. Writing in a release on its website (translated from Korean by Google Translate), LG said the device will be released in international markets including North America and Japan in the second quarter of this year. Pricing has not been confirmed.
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Myanmar nationals rescued from a sinking ship by the Sri Lankan Navy have told of throwing 98 people overboard after they died of starvation and dehydration, Sri Lanka's police said on Monday.
Sailors rescued 31 adult males and a boy on February 16 when their damaged wooden ship began to sink about 250 nautical miles off Sri Lanka's southeastern coast, Sri Lanka's navy said on its website (www.navy.lk).
"They said they had carried food and water for only one month and they had been in the sea for two months after the ship engine stalled," police spokesman Prishantha Jayakody told Reuters. "Their captain and 97 others have died due to dehydration and starvation. They also said they had thrown the dead bodies into the sea."
The survivors said they were aiming to seek asylum in Indonesia and Australia and identified themselves as Muslims from a border village between Myanmar and Bangladesh, Jayakody said, without elaborating.
Fifteen survivors are still in hospital in southern Sri Lanka while 17 of them have been discharged and detained after appearing in court, he said.
An estimated 800,000 Rohingya Muslims live in Myanmar but are officially stateless. The Myanmar government denies them citizenship, regarding them as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, which does not recognize them either.
The United Nations estimates about 13,000 boat people, including many Rohingyas, fled Myanmar and neighboring Bangladesh in 2012, a sharp increase from the previous year.
On February 2, the Sri Lankan navy rescued 127 Bangladeshis and 11 Myanmar nationals in an overcrowded wooden vessel that had begun to sink 50 nautical miles east off Sri Lanka's eastern coast.
The members of this group of 138 people are still in a detention center near the capital Colombo, police said.
We wouldn't have foreseen thumb drives figuring prominently into our President's Day observations, and yet... here we are. In sync with the holiday, Mimoco has kicked off a US Presidents collection of Mimobot storage that lets Americans carry their national pride on their USB 2.0 ports. Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are the only current options -- what, no William Henry Harrison model? -- but the 8GB to 64GB of capacity should keep either stick useful once the novelty wears off. As long as you're prepared to spend between $20 to $130 to pick one up, either of the Mimobots is a decent choice for a drive. Just hurry if you want a flash-based replica of the country's key founder -- there's only 1,000 Washington drives to go around.
LG's forthcoming flagship, the 5.5 inch Optimus Pro G, has been confirmed for the U.S. market. Writing in a release on its website (translated from Korean by Google Translate), LG said the device will be released in international markets including North America and Japan in the second quarter of this year. Pricing has not been confirmed.