Astrologer held COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities have arrested a popular astrologer who predicted the president would be ousted from office, police said on Friday, fanning fears of a government crackdown on dissent following its victory over separatist rebels last month. A police spokesman said astrologer Chandrasiri Bandara told an opposition meeting last week that the prime minister would take over as president on September 9, and the opposition leader would become prime minister. It was not clear what he thought would happen to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Police arrested Bandara on Wednesday night to investigate the source of his prediction, police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekera said. — AP

G8’s plea to Israel TRIESTE: G8 foreign ministers called on Friday for a freeze on Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories to create a climate conducive to peace. The Group of Eight “calls on both parties to fulfil their obligations under the roadmap, including a freeze on settlement activity,” they said in a final declaration, which also called for “an unequivocal end to violence and terrorism”. The Group of Eight reiterated support for the creation of a Palestinian state “living in peace with Israel and its other neighbours within secure and recognised borders.” — AFP