Taipei - Kaohsiung Harbour's 2008 container volume will drop due to the global economic slump, an official said Wednesday.

In the first 11 months in 2008, the Kaohsiung Harbour's container volume totalled 8.97 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent unit), down 3.9 per cent from 2007's same period, Huang Kuo-ying, deputy director of the Kaohsiung Harbour said.

Total 2008 container volume is expected to reach 9.9 million TEUs, down 2.9 per cent.

The Kaohsiung Harbour's 2007 container volume rose 4.7 per cent from 2006, but business fell in 2008 due to the global financial crisis.

Washington, Dec 17 : New satellite data has revealed the impact of the pollution control strategy that China took during the Olympics, which resulted in the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) plunging nearly 50 percent in and around Beijing in August 2008.

The lowering down of the NO2 levels was a result of strict traffic restrictions instituted by Chinese government officials in preparation for the Olympic Games.

The measures included temporarily shutting down some factories and banishing many cars in a pre-Olympic sprint to clean up Beijing's air.

NASA researchers have since analyzed data from their Aura and Terra satellites that show how key pollutants responded to the Olympic restrictions.

London, Dec 17 : Jim Carrey has revealed that he is keen to star in a play on Broadway.

Before his movie career took off, Carrey was a stand-up comic.

And the actor admits that he has would love to go back to the stage to test his acting skills.

"I would love to do it. I hope I could do it. I wonder if I would get tired of saying the same words over and over again," the Daily Express quoted him, as telling U. S. talk show host Larry King.

London, December 17 : Neighbours of George Michael have reportedly asked the singer to help tackle knife crime in the area by supporting a proposal looking to encourage kids to express themselves through music rather than violence.

The former `Wham!' frontman was said to have received a letter from residents and school officials in Highgate, north London to help children turn to a pen rather than a blade.

"In the interests of discouraging knife crime, a safer neighbourhood group in Highgate have written to George to ask for help," the Daily Star quoted a source as saying.

"They're trying to get local children to focus on the challenges they face living in the area and express it in creative songwriting instead of violence.

Colombo - Fighting between government troops and Tamil separatist rebels intensified in northern Sri Lanka as troops pressed into rebel strongholds, military officials said Wednesday.

More than a dozen rebels were killed Tuesday night in Ampakamam, Mullaitivu, 380 kilometres north-east of Colombo, the military said.

Government troops were consolidating positions after heavy fighting left at least 120 rebels and 25 soldiers dead and 10 soldiers missing Tuesday in clashes outside Kilinochchi, 370 kilometers north of the capital.

The Defence Ministry said more than 250 rebels and 160 soldiers were injured in clashes on Tuesday, but the pro-rebel Tamilnet website said 130 soldiers had been killed and 24 bodies had been recovered.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang arrived in Beijing Wednesday for talks with China's leaders over the effects of the global economic slump on the former British colony.

Tsang is to meet President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao and other top officials during his annual reporting trip to the Chinese capital, which was expected to be dominated by the impact of the recession.