Bali bombing anniv

KUTA: Indonesians and foreigners on Bali marked the fourth anniversary of deadly bombings by Islamic extremists on Thursday with a series of emotional ceremonies and rituals on the resort island. The October 12, 2002 bombings on two nightclubs killed 202 people, mostly Western tourists, and were blamed on Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), the Al Qaeda-linked terrorist network. — AFP

Fire destroys factories

DHAKA: A raging fire destroyed about 100 small plastics-manufacturing factories in Dhaka on Thursday, a fire official said. At least 15 people, including firefighters, were slightly injured in the blaze in Dhaka’s congested Lalbagh area, local official Irin Parveen said. — AP

Ban on alcohol ads

BANGKOK: Thailand will ban alcohol advertisements from all forms of media including televisions, newspapers and even billboards in a bid to curb the rising number of underage drinkers, an official said on Thursday. The ban, which takes effect next week, does not include Internet. — AFP