37 killed in massacre in eastern Congo

SOUTH KIVU, Democratic Republic of Congo: Thirty seven people including women and children were killed in Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern region of South Kivu following an attack early on Saturday morning, according to a Reuters witness.

The victims had been shot, stabbed or burned inside their homes. Some of the bodies lay inside a village church, according to a Reuters cameraman on the scene.

South Kivu governor Marcellin Cishambo confirmed the attack, but gave a lower estimate of 27 for the number of dead.

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08.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Militants attack police party in J&K, six injured

SRINAGAR: At least six persons, including four policemen, were injured in a suspected militant attack on Saturday near a hospital in Shopian district of Jammu & Kashmir.

"Unidentified gunmen fired upon a police party near district hospital in Shopian town this afternoon, resulting in injuries to six persons including four policemen," a police spokesman said.

He said while three policemen and two civilians, who received bullet injuries in their legs, were admitted to Bone and Joints hospital, another policeman, who suffered bullet injuries in the abdomen was undergoing treatment at SMHS hospital here.

The spokesman said a police team from the District Police Lines was on a routine check to a minority guard picket in Bonpara village, 52km from here, when the gunmen opened fire from assault rifles.

The policemen fired back but the attackers managed to escape, taking advantage of the panic which followed the firing, the spokesman said.

He said a hunt has been launched to nab the gunmen involving in the firing.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

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Six injured in suspected militant attack in Jammu & Kashmir

SRINAGAR: At least six persons, including four policemen, were injured in a suspected militant attack on Saturday near a hospital in Shopian district of Jammu & Kashmir.

"Unidentified gunmen fired upon a police party near district hospital in Shopian town this afternoon, resulting in injuries to six persons including four policemen," a police spokesman said.

He said while three policemen and two civilians, who received bullet injuries in their legs, were admitted to Bone and Joints hospital, another policeman, who suffered bullet injuries in the abdomen was undergoing treatment at SMHS hospital here.

The spokesman said a police team from the District Police Lines was on a routine check to a minority guard picket in Bonpara village, 52km from here, when the gunmen opened fire from assault rifles.

The policemen fired back but the attackers managed to escape, taking advantage of the panic which followed the firing, the spokesman said.

He said a hunt has been launched to nab the gunmen involving in the firing.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.

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Comedian Tracy Morgan in intensive care after 6-car crash

NEW BRUNSWICK, New Jersey: Actor and comedian Tracy Morgan is in intensive care after the limousine bus in which he was riding in was involved in a multi-vehicle accident on the New Jersey Turnpike, state police said.

Sgt First Class Greg Williams said that the vehicle carrying the 45-year-old former "Saturday Night Live" and "30 Rock" cast member and six others was involved in a six-vehicle accident on the turnpike near Cranbury Township at about 1am on Saturday.

A spokesman at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Centre in New Brunswick, New Jersey, said a patient named Tracy Morgan is in critical condition there.

Williams said one person riding in the bus was killed. There was no immediate word on the condition of others involved in the accident.

Williams said two tractor-trailers, a sports utility vehicle and two cars, along with Morgan's limo bus, were involved in the accident.

The 45-year-old Morgan joined "Saturday Night Live" in 1996 and was on the sketch-comedy programme for seven years before leaving to star in "The Tracy Morgan Show" in 2003. That show lasted just one season. In 2006, Morgan found a long-running role in NBC's hit show "30 Rock," which was created by SNL co-star Tina Fey.

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Court to hear arguments in complaint against Modi for hiding marital status from June 12

AHMEDABAD: A court here will hear from June 12 arguments on an application seeking registration of FIR against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for concealing his marital status in his affidavit filed during the 2012 assembly elections.

Additional chief judicial magistrate M M Sheikh of Ahmedabad rural court on Saturday recorded the statement of AAP member Nishant Verma, who has sought registration of a first information report (FIR) and a police probe against Modi, and scheduled the arguments for June 12.

On May 21, Ahmedabad police's crime branch had submitted a report saying Modi was not found to have committed any cognisable offence by leaving the column on marital status blank in his election affidavit in 2012.

Verma had earlier approached Ranip police station here and demanded registration of FIR against Modi. He also sought action against the Returning Officer of Maninanagar assembly constituency, P K Jedeja. Police refused, so he moved the court seeking a direction to the police to do so.

Modi disclosed his marital status and the name of his wife (Jashodaben) for the first time in his affidavit accompanying the nomination for Vadodara Lok Sabha seat this year. Earlier when he had contested Gujarat assembly polls, he left the column on information about the spouse blank.

Verma wants FIR against Modi under IPC charges of giving a false statement, giving false evidence under oath, abetting, and cheating, among others.

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Maoists trigger landmine blasts, close shave for policemen in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: A group of police personnel had a close shave on Friday as Maoists triggered two landmine blasts in the insurgency-hit Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh.

The rebels exploded landmine near Sarpanch Para village under Awapalli police station limits when the security personnel were walking on foot while patrolling the region, a senior police official told .

However, no injuries or causalities were reported in the incident, he added.

The patrolling party was mobilized from Awaplli and when it reached near Sarpanch Para after covering a distance of two kms in the forests, the explosives went off.

Soon after the explosion, ultras opened indiscriminate firing on the security personnel following which they retaliated, he said.

After a short exchange of gunfire, Naxals fled to the core forests, he said.

During the search following the gun-battle, an improvised explosive device (IED) was detected at the spot, he said.

Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and a hunt has been launched in the region to nab the attackers, he added.

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Vice Admiral Anil Chopra takes over as Western Naval Commander

MUMBAI: Vice admiral Anil Chopra, the second senior most officer of the Indian Navy, took over as the flag officer commanding-in-chief of the Western Naval Command (WNC), at a ceremonial parade held at INS Shikra, Mumbai on Friday. He took over the charge a month and a half after the former Vice admiral Shekhar Sinha took voluntary retirement on April 21.

Prior to his tenure in the east, Vice admiral Chopra was the director general Indian Coast Guard, taking charge a few days after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks in November 2008.

Under his helm, the Coast Guard saw an exponential increase in both its force levels, and operational deployments.

Earlier, he had been the fleet commander of the Navy's Sword Arm - the Western Fleet in 2008.

He got commissioned into the Indian Navy on July 1, 1975. The admiral was posted to Rome, Italy, in the mid-eighties, in connection with the induction of combat systems for the Navy's frontline units.

He has also spent a year in Washington DC, as a senior fellow at the United States Atlantic Council.

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Bahrain's Gulf Air asked to pay Rs 20 lakh compensation to Indian passenger

NEW DELHI: Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air has been directed to pay compensation of 20 lakh to an Indian passenger by a District Consumer Forum here after he was denied the boarding pass at the airport here to travel to Qatar in 2008 despite having valid documents and lost his job.

Terming it as a case for "punitive" compensation, New Delhi Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum directed the Directors of the Airline to compensate for the harassment caused to Hem Kumar who lost his job in Doha as he was not allowed to board the flight on the ground that his visa did not permit him to re-enter the country.

"Opposite Party (Gulf Air), by its imperfect handling of the passengers with valid documents, have caused loss of his job directly and caused unparallel agony and harassment to complainant," the forum said, while giving Kumar the maximum monetary relief of Rs 20 lakh that a district forum can award.

"In our view their casual attitude deserves condemnation and it is a case for punitive compensation ... In view of the monetary limit of Rs 20 lakh which this forum can award as compensation, we award it to Kumar and direct the airline to pay the same," a bench presided by Justice C K Chaturvedi said.

While awarding the amount of compensation, the forum noted that such an amount cannot adequately compensate the loss of job, as it was just 8-10 months of his salary in Doha where he was employed.

Kumar, who had come to India on August 28, 2008, alleged that on his date of return to Doha on October 17, 2008, the officials of the airlines denied him the boarding pass on the ground that there was no endorsement for re-entry journey on the visa which was printed in Arabic language.

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Govt sets up committee to prepare plan for Ganga rejuvenation

NEW DELHI: Government has set up a committee of secretaries (CoS) to prepare a detailed plan for cleaning of Ganga and its rejuvenation. Water resources minister Uma Bharti said that the committee will submit a report within one month.

It will be headed by water resources secretary Alok Rawat.

As per the plan, the stretch between Varanasi and Hoogly will be developed for navigation.

The waterway will be of at least 45 meter in width and 3 meter in depth. There will be 11 terminals and the stretch will be developed for tourism activities. There will be tourism spots on the lines of developed countries.

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Govt to declare Assam militant group KPLT as banned outfit

NEW DELHI: The Centre is all set to declare a tribal militant group in Assam, Karbi Peoples' Liberation Tigers (KPLT), as a banned organisation following spurt in violence perpetrated by it.

A decision in this effect is expected early next week, a senior Home Ministry official said today.

The KPLT militants killed a Superintendent of Police and another policeman in Assam's Karbi Anglong district and their bodies were found early today.

The official said the outfit mostly operates in one district, Karbi Anglong. Despite having very few members as its cadre, KPLT has been unleashing a reign of terror and was involved at least 50 violent incidents in last three months, he said.

At least 20 people, including policemen, were killed and several crore of rupees were extorted from businessmen, especially contractors, by the outfit, halting development works, the official said.

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Centre criticizes Akhilesh for saying rape incidents do not happen in UP alone

NEW DELHI: Centre on Wednesday expressed concern over the incidents of rape and murder in Uttar Pradesh and asked the Akhilesh Yadav government to "act promptly" to improve law and order situation in the state.

Minister of state for home Kiran Rijiju also criticized the Uttar Pradesh chief minister for accusing the media of highlighting such cases occurring in UP while ignoring similar cases happening in other states.

He advised Yadav that "such shameful incidents should not be seen by numbers."

"Any incidents happening in any part of the country is a concern for all of us. The situation which we have seen and observed in the past few days...in fact over the past few years in UP is definitely a cause of concern for all of us especially the ministry of home affairs.

"So we expect the Uttar Pradesh government will take prompt action on this kind of serious and heinous crimes being committed," Rijiju told reporters outside Parliament.

He was reacting to a volley of questions related to series of incidents involving crime against women in Uttar Pradesh.

Asked whether the Centre will consider demand that President's rule should be imposed in the Samajwadi Party-ruled state, he said "the President's rule and all these issue are larger dimensions which I cannot comment on".

In a strongly-worded message to the Akhilesh Yadav government, the minister said that "the kind of situation which we see in Uttar Pradesh must be dealt by the state government."

"There is nothing that we can take suo motu action because we have to have faith on the state agencies. And the expectation on the part of the MHA is that the action must be prompt," he said.

When asked about Yadav's comment against media for highlighting cases occurring in UP, Rijiju said, "such shameful incidents should not be seen by numbers. Even one such incident shouldn't take place."

"Why can't such incidents be prevented?" the minister asked.

Amid nationwide outrage over the Badaun gang rape and murder incident, Akhilesh Yadav had said on Tuesday that "I have said this several times that incidents of this state are publicized more. Such incidents do not happen in UP alone".

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Madras HC suggests ban on cockfights

CHENNAI: In a state which is still debating the pros and cons of the Supreme Court ban on Jallikattu (bull taming), yet another popular rural game -- the cockfighting - on Wednesday received a jolt with the Madras high court suggesting the Tamil Nadu government ban the sport.

"This court is custodian of not only the rights of citizens, but rights of voiceless non-humans as well," observed Justice N Kriubakaran.

Refusing to grant permission for a cockfight event at a temple in Virattipathu in Madurai district, Justice Kirubakaran said: "Torture, injury, hurt, discomfort, trauma, agony, pain, distress, disturbance, sorrow, suffering, harm, shock, bleeding, brutal attack, etc., are neither synonymous nor can go together with pleasure, joy, happiness, excite, net, fun, celebration, entertainment, enjoyment, recreation and championship."

Cockfight is generally conducted during festivals seasons, Justice Kirubakaran said, adding that not just birds, such fights often led to fights among their owners also. "There is s possibility of group clashes resulting in injuries to men and even loss of lives which is unwanted and avoidable."

Cockfights are also said to be conducted for betting and gambling, said Justice Kirubakaran, refusing to permit the event at Arulmigu Muniyandi temple in Viraattipathu.

"Besides our forefathers, the Constitution also mandates treating animals with compassion," he said, adding, "It is the bounden duty of every citizen to treat animals with compassion and sympathy except for necessity. Birds and animals are friends of humans."

Citing constitutional mandate and the apex court ruling on Jallikattu, the judge said: "This court suggests the government to prohibit cockfight. Accordingly, the permission sought by the petitioner cannot be granted."

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Madras HC suggests ban on cockfights

CHENNAI: In a state which is still debating the pros and cons of the Supreme Court ban on Jallikattu (bull taming), yet another popular rural game -- the cockfighting - on Wednesday received a jolt with the Madras high court suggesting the Tamil Nadu government ban the sport.

"This court is custodian of not only the rights of citizens, but rights of voiceless non-humans as well," observed Justice N Kriubakaran.

Refusing to grant permission for a cockfight event at a temple in Virattipathu in Madurai district, Justice Kirubakaran said: "Torture, injury, hurt, discomfort, trauma, agony, pain, distress, disturbance, sorrow, suffering, harm, shock, bleeding, brutal attack, etc., are neither synonymous nor can go together with pleasure, joy, happiness, excite, net, fun, celebration, entertainment, enjoyment, recreation and championship."

Cockfight is generally conducted during festivals seasons, Justice Kirubakaran said, adding that not just birds, such fights often led to fights among their owners also. "There is s possibility of group clashes resulting in injuries to men and even loss of lives which is unwanted and avoidable."

Cockfights are also said to be conducted for betting and gambling, said Justice Kirubakaran, refusing to permit the event at Arulmigu Muniyandi temple in Viraattipathu.

"Besides our forefathers, the Constitution also mandates treating animals with compassion," he said, adding, "It is the bounden duty of every citizen to treat animals with compassion and sympathy except for necessity. Birds and animals are friends of humans."

Citing constitutional mandate and the apex court ruling on Jallikattu, the judge said: "This court suggests the government to prohibit cockfight. Accordingly, the permission sought by the petitioner cannot be granted."

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Car in RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's convoy hit in New Delhi

NEW DELHI, A car in the convoy of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was hit by another car here on Wednesday, police said, adding that Bhagwat is safe.

The incident happened around noon at Parade Road in Delhi Cantonment area when the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief was going to south Delhi to attend a meeting.

"A Tata Sumo bearing a Haryana number came and hit a car in Bhagwat's convoy," police said.

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Sri Lankan court orders release of 29 Indian fishermen

RAMESWARAM: A court in Sri Lanka on Wednesday ordered the release of 29 fishermen from this coastal town, arrested by Sri Lankan Navy personnel on May 31 near Katchteevu islet, officials here said.

The magistrate of the court in Mannar, Aanandhi Kanagarathinam, ordered their release today after the fishermen were produced in court, they said.

However, the magistrate said their six boats had been seized as they had used banned nets for fishing.

The fishermen were part of a group who set out in 727 boats from here on May 31 and were arrested while fishing near Katchatheevu, ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974. They were later taken to Thalaimannar.

The 29 fishermen, along with four others, who strayed into Sri Lankan waters on June 1 after their boat developed a technical snag were expected to be be handed over to Indian Coast Guard at International Maritime Boundary Line tomorrow, U Arulanandam, President of Pamban fishermen's Association, said.

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Badaun gang-rape case: HC seeks copies of postmortem reports

LUCKNOW: The Allahabad high court on Tuesday directed a petitioner to produce the copies of postmortem reports and FIR filed by the families of victims of Badaun gang rape and murder case by June 9.

The Lucknow bench also asked the Uttar Pradesh government to produce the written order of recommendation of CBI inquiry into the incident on the same date.

A vacation division bench comprising Justice Imtiyaz Murtaza and Justice Shashi Kant passed the order on a PIL filed by NGO 'We the People' through its general secretary Prince Lenin.

The petitioner sought direction for a CBI probe into the Badaun incident as well as action against the erring police officers concerned, besides providing adequate security to the family members of the victims.

The petitioner argued before the court that the state government was not seriously acting in this incident.

The CBI probe recommendation order of the state government could not be produced before the court on which the bench directed the government to produce the same order before it on June 9, Lenin said.

On behalf of the government, additional advocate general Bulbul Godiyal informed the court that the CBI inquiry had already been recommended, but due to reshuffle of top officials she has not got the written order as of now.

Godiyal also informed the court that the government was seriously taking the issue and action has been taken against the top officials.

The court also directed the petitioner Lenin to produce the copies of FIR and postmortem reports on June 9.

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Driver of Indica car arrested for collision with Munde's car

NEW DELHI: The driver whose car rammed into Gopinath Munde's car, killing the Union minister, has been arrested, police said on Tuesday.

Gurvinder Singh, who was driving the car, was arrested from the spot.

Singh, 32, was driving his personal Tata Indica car, which rammed into the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader's Maruti Suzuki SX4 on the side he was sitting, police said.

"We are investigating whether he (Singh) jumped the red light in the morning," Delhi Police Joint Commissioner MK Meena said.

The police have registered a case against Singh of rash and negligent driving, causing death.

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Driver of Indica car arrested for hitting Gopinath Munde's car

NEW DELHI: The driver whose car rammed into Gopinath Munde's car, killing the Union minister, has been arrested, police said on Tuesday.

Gurvinder Singh, who was driving the car, was arrested from the spot.

Singh, 32, was driving his personal Tata Indica car, which rammed into the senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader's Maruti Suzuki SX4 on the side he was sitting, police said.

"We are investigating whether he (Singh) jumped the red light in the morning," Delhi Police Joint Commissioner MK Meena said.

The police have registered a case against Singh of rash and negligent driving, causing death.

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US house resolution commits to working with Modi government

WASHINGTON: As the US reaches out to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a dozen lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan congressional resolution committing to working with his government "to advance shared values and interests."

Co-sponsored among others by lone Indian-American House member Ami Bera and the first Hindu-American lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, the resolution also seeks "to further strengthen our strategic partnership with India, including in the defence, trade, and security arenas."

The resolution "congratulates the people of India on holding the largest democratic exercise in history of the world."

Introduced by Republican Aaron Schock, the resolution's other co-sponsors included chairman of the House foreign affairs committee Ed Royce and the top Democrat on the panel Eliot Engel.

Schock and fellow Republican Cynthia Lummis, who had both visited Gujarat before the elections and a couple of other lawmakers also issued statements to voice their commitment to "continuing to strengthen our strategic partnership."

The resolution "marks a shift in US policy and signals growing congressional support, puts forth the official position of the House of Representatives on this matter of national and global importance," Schock said.

Meanwhile, State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters Monday that when Secretary of State John Kerry called the new Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj last week to congratulate her, he also invited her to visit the US at the earliest opportunity.

"I'm not aware of that being scheduled yet, but we'll look forward to that," she said. "So the next step will be scheduling her visit to the United States."

Kerry had also "reaffirmed the US commitment to our strategic partnership" and conveyed our desire to continue broadening and deepening our bilateral ties."

US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, Nisha Desai Biswal will be in New Delhi June 6-9 "to meet a range of officials". But Psaki did not have the details as yet.

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2 dead, 13 buried in Indonesian building collapse

JAKARTA: A building under construction collapsed on Tuesday on the Indonesian island of Borneo, killing two workers and burying at least 13 others.

The head of the local disaster management agency, Wahyu Widhi Wiranata, said eight workers were injured when the three-story structure collapsed in Samarinda, the provincial capital of East Kalimantan.

Rescuers pulled two bodies from the debris and were searching for those missing, Wiranata said. He said the rescuers heard people under the debris shouting for help.

More than 50 people escaped unharmed, he said.

The cause of the collapse was being investigated. The building was to contain shops.

Media reports quoted survivors as saying most of the employees were sleeping inside the building after working overnight to cast the third floor.

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Supreme Court to hear Tejpal's plea for extending interim bail tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Tehelka founder editor Tarun Tejpal on Monday moved the Supreme Court seeking extension of his interim bail in a sexual assault case.

A bench comprising justices JS Khehar nad C Nagappan fixed the plea of the journalist for hearing on Tuesday.

Tejpal is seeking extension of his interim bail by six weeks on the ground that his presence is needed at home following the death of his mother.

His counsel also told the court that despite being granted interim bail, Tejpal could not attend the funeral of his mother.

The apex court had on May 19 granted him interim bail for three weeks to enable him to attend the cremation of his mother, who had died on May 18, and subsequent rituals.

50-year-old Tejpal has been charged for allegedly raping, sexually harassing and outraging the modesty of a junior colleague during an event held at a hotel in Goa in November last year. Tejpal was arrested on November 30, 2013 and is presently out on interim bail.

He has been accused of sexually assaulting the victim on November 7 and repeating the offence the next day.

Before being released on interim bail, he was lodged at Sada sub-jail in Goa's Vasco town.

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Cabinet secretary Ajit Seth gets six-month extension

NEW DELHI: Cabinet secretary Ajit Seth, who was due for retirement this month, was on Monday given an extension of six months.

The extension of 62-year-old Seth, a 1974 batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, was cleared by appointments committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The government has approved extension of Seth as Cabinet secretary for a period of six months with effect from June 14 or till further orders, which ever is earlier, an official notification said.

Seth had taken over as Cabinet secretary in 2011 with a fixed tenure upto June 14, 2013. His tenure was extended by the previous UPA government.

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Abdullahs make organizational changes in National Conference ahead of assembly polls this year

SRINAGAR: In a significant move, the Abbdullah family replaced National Conference general secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, nephew of the late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, with the state's rural development minister Ali Mohammad Sagar.

Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, the cousin brother of party president Farooq Abdullah, is the oldest member of the Abdullah family and is not keeping good health for sometime. The party's poor performance in the Lok sabha polls quickened the replacement of Nazir with Ali Mohammad Sagar as party's general secretary.

The decision in this effect was taken on Monday during the party's core group meeting which was presided over by Farooq Abdullah. Importantly, it is for the first time that any party leader outside the Abdullah family has been appointed as National Conference general secretary. Nazir enjoyed the party post for decades.

"The party is on the way to organizational restructuring and the move is aimed to give a new and energetic face to the party so that it can overcome the losses suffered during recently held Lok Sabha polls," party sources told Kashmir Life.

Interestingly, the party's core group met more than six times since it witnessed a complete rout in the LS polls.

"The party is doing all possible efforts to gain new spirit before the state assembly polls, they said.

Party insiders revealed that party president Farooq Abdullah after a series of deliberations with his chief minister son Omar Abdullah is in the process of restructuring the party ahead of assembly polls scheduled at the end of this year.

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India, Oman to better economic and defence engagement

NEW DELHI: Bilateral trade and defence cooperation will top the agenda when Oman foreign minister Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah visits India June 3, an external affairs ministry official said on Monday.

Although the visit is to congratulate the new Indian government on behalf of Oman, the two countries are likely to draw a roadmap for future economic and defence cooperation, the official added.

Oman and India have bilateral trade of over $5 billion per annum which is likely to increase to $6 billion during the next financial year.

There are over 50 Indo-Oman joint ventures in the Sultanate of Oman.

Oman, where 720,000 expatriate Indians live, is engaged with India in good defence cooperation with an institutionalized naval exercise called Naseem-Al-Bahr (Sea Breeze) and an air exercise Al Jisr Al Sharqi (Eastern Bridge).

The Gulf nation is also cooperating with India in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.

Abdullah had visited India in February on the invitation of then external affairs minister Salman Khurshid.

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At least 20 killed, dozens wounded in clashes in Libya's Benghazi: Medics

BENGHAZI, Libya: At least 20 people were killed and almost 70 wounded when the Libyan army and forces of a renegade general fought Islamist militants in the eastern city of Benghazi on Monday, medical sources said.

Combat helicopters belonging to forces loyal to former army general Khalifa Haftar — who wants to purge the North African state of Islamist militants he says a weak government has failed to control — supported the army in the worst fighting in months.

At least 20 people were killed and 67 wounded in Benghazi alone, hospital doctors said. Some 18 wounded were reported in al-Marj, a town east of Benghazi, where fighting also broke out, medical sources said.

Libya is in protracted turmoil three years after the Nato-backed war that ousted Muammar Gaddafi, with Islamist, anti-Islamist, regional and political factions locked in conflict.

The Ansar al-Sharia militant group attacked a camp on Monday belonging to army special forces, residents there said. Haftar's forces joined the battle taking place in residential areas with frightened families staying indoors. Schools and universities were closed.

Special army troops were also seen moving reinforcements to the area of fighting in the west of Libya's second-largest city.

Haftar started a campaign to battle Islamists two weeks ago. Since then, public life has come almost to a standstill in the city, home to several oil companies. Its airport is closed.

On Sunday, a warplane belonging to Haftar bombed a university faculty while trying to attack a nearby Islamist camp. Two people were wounded.

The government, rival militia brigades and political factions rejected Haftar's offensive against militants as an attempted coup after his forces also stormed parliament a week ago.

Ansar al-Sharia, listed as a terrorist group by Washington, warned the United States last week against interfering in Libya's crisis and accused Washington of backing Haftar.

Gaddafi's one-man rule, followed by three years of unrest, have left Libya with few functioning institutions and no real national army to impose authority on the competing militias and brigades of former rebels who have become power-brokers.

The acting prime minister, Abdullah Al-Thinni, refused to hand over power to a newly elected premier. The OPEC oil producer now has two prime ministers and a parliament deadlocked by splits between factions.

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