At least 38 killed in DR Congo ethnic violence: govt

KINSHASA: A total of 38 people died in ethnic violence in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo at the weekend, many massacred when a church was set ablaze, the government said Tuesday.

The killings took place overnight Friday in Mutarule, about 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Bukavu, the capital of Sud-Kivu province.

Earlier, local sources said the toll was at least 30 men, women and children, and that most of the victims were ethnic Bafuliru.

Pakistan violates ceasefire again, fires at Indian posts in Samba

JAMMU: Heavy exchange of fire erupted on the border as Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire yet again on Tuesday morning — the eight in the last four days — targeting Indian border posts in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir.

"There was firing by Pakistani Rangers on Narianpur border out post (BoP) in Ramgarh forward area in Samba district around 0730 hours", a BSF officer said.

Defence Minister will not apologise for statement, says government

New Delhi: The government has said that Defence Minister AK Antony's controversial statement in Parliament yesterday on the killing of five Indian soldiers in Kashmir was based on facts and that he would not issue an apology for it.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said today, "What the defence minister said was very carefully calibrated and is final, is based on Army's facts," adding, "There is no question of the defence minister apologising." (Track live updates)

Army officers in hotline contact to ease tension

ISLAMABAD: After a demonstration by a mob outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on Wednesday over the killing of Indian soldiers along the Line of Control, the Foreign Office asked India to beef up security of Pakistani diplomats and high commission staff.

Indian Deputy High Commissioner Gopal Baglay was summoned to the Foreign Office and asked to convey to the Indian government that Pakistan expected it to meet its responsibility of protecting Pakistani diplomats and allied staff posted there.

India, China face-off yet again, Chinese troops stop Army personnel from patrolling in Ladakh

Even as China and India try to evolve an acceptable mechanism to keep the Line of Actual Control (LAC) quiet, reports of increasing face-offs between patrol parties of the two armies in Ladakh continue to create local tensions.

In the latest incident, there are reports that Chinese troops are resorting to tactics like preventing Indian Army from patrolling posts in the sector along the border which is well within India's territory.

Odisha police gun down three Maoists in Rayagada

Bhubaneswar : Odisha police claimed to have killed three Maoists in an encounter in a forest in Rayagada district, 500 km southwest of capital Bhubaneswar.

Police believe they gunned down six Maoists during the fire exchange in a forest near Kiramdungri village around midnight on Thursday. The higher toll, however, is yet to be confirmed.

Six killed in BSF firing at Jammu protest over mosque entry

Jammu: Six people were killed when the BSF fired at protestors outside their camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district today. Several people were also injured in the incident.

Ramban is 151 km from the state's winter capital Jammu. Minister of State for Home Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, who was rushing to the spot along with DGP Ashok Prasad, confirmed the death of four persons. He said a large number of people have been injured and rushed to different hospitals.

Kuldip Singh Brar's attack in London was premeditated

London: Lieutenant General (retired) Kuldip Singh Brar was followed before his throat was slashed with a knife in a premeditated revenge attack in London, a UK court was told on Tuesday.

78-year-old Mr Brar, who commanded the Operation Blue Star in 1984, was on a private visit to London with his wife Meena when the suspected Khalistan sympathisers attacked the couple.

He sustained serious injuries while his wife escaped unharmed and was instrumental in raising an alarm to call the police.

Antony leaves for China on his first official visit

NEW DELHI: Defence minister AK Antony on Thursday left for China on a four-day official visit during which he is slated to have talks on Sino-Indian border and discuss regional and global security.

During the visit, Antony will have delegation-level talks with his counterpart, State Councillor and minister of National Defence Chang Wanquan.

Both ministers are expected to discuss a number of issues, including those related to maintenance of peace and tranquility on the border, interactions between the armed forces of both sides, and matters relating to regional and global security.

Protesters set Army school on fire in Bandipora

Protesters today tried to set an Army school on fire in Kashmir's Bandipora district, which has seen massive protests since yesterday over the death of two young men in Army firing.  There have also been protests in other parts of Kashmir and separatists have forced a shutdown in the Valley with a bandh call today.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said a small fire broke out inside the Army-run Goodwill School in Hajan but fire tenders managed to douse the flames. The protesters also smashed windows and furniture in the school.

Bangladesh building collapse toll hits 931

SAVAR, Bangladesh: The death toll in Bangladesh's worst industrial disaster on Thursday rose to 931 as rescuers overnight pulled out 97 more decomposed bodies from sandwiched floors of the ill-fated eight-storey building that collapsed last month."Ninety seven more bodies were retrieved since last night ... the figure now stands at 931," an official of the makeshift army control room told as the military-led salvage operation entered the 16th day on Thursday.He said 2,443 people were rescued alive so far but 13 of them succumbed to their wounds as they were being treated at different hospitals.Hundreds of bodies are still trapped under the debris of the illegally constructed Rana Plaza building as many have remained missing, local media reported.

Did India agree to demolish bunkers for Chinese troop withdrawal?

New Delhi: The Indian government may have denied any deal behind the Chinese troops' withdrawal from the Depsang Valley in Ladakh, but reports said New Delhi has agreed to remove bunkers set up by the Indian Army in Chumar near the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The concession of demolishing bunkers at Chumar only facilitated the deal that led to the Chinese troops pulling back to their pre-April 15 position, highly placed sources said.