Quicktakes

Three killed in Kashmir blastsSRINAGAR: In a pre-poll violence, three persons were killed and seven others, including a BSF assistant comman...

Three killed in Kashmir blasts

SRINAGAR: In a pre-poll violence, three persons were killed and seven others, including a BSF assistant commandant, were seriously injured in two separate explosions in Kashmir on Friday. One of the explosions was aimed by militants at a group of National Conference activists busy in hoisting party flags under tight security arrangements at Khanyar locality here, official sources said.

Annan in Iraq

DUBAI: United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Friday arrived in Baghdad to launch a last-ditch effort to avert a possible US strike on Iraq and said he was "reasonably optimistic" about a peace deal on the stand-off regarding UN arms inspections on suspected weapons sites in the country. Annan is in Iraq for a two-day trip to try find out a diplomatic solution to the crisis.

Bandh in hills

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SILIGURI: The GNLF-sponsored 72-hour general strike began in the hills on Friday morning paralysing normal life in three hillsub-divisions of Darjeeling district and cutting off Sikkim from the rest of the country. According to the district magistrate, Navin Prakash, shops and business establishments remained closed while vehicles were off the roads.

Quake in North

NEW DELHI: An earthquake measuring 6.5 on Richter scale hit several parts of northern India including the capital around 1748 hours on Friday, MET sources said here. The epicentre of earthquake was 35.9 degree north and 70.3 degree east somewhere in Hindukush region. A mild tremor was also felt in Delhi and its adjoining areas.

Minister attacked

HAJIPUR: A Senior Bihar minister Munshilal Rai escaped a bid on his life when his convoy was attacked near Mahua in Vaishali district by armed miscreants on Thursday night, police said. DSP Kishan Singh Meena told PTI that one of the minister’s supporters, travelling by another car, received bullet injuries in his leg. He has been hospitalised.

Indonesian haze

UNITED NATIONS:Forest fires are spreading again in Indonesia, threatening the return of the choking haze which blanketed a large area of South Asia last year and caused widespread health and environmental problem. Executive director of the UN Environment Programme Klaus Topfer is travelling to Malaysia next week to discuss the problem.

Fresh Ajmer clash

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AJMER: At least 35 people, including 20 policemen, were injured in Dargah area of Ajmer today in a fresh clash between police and rioters attempting to violate curfew in force in the vicinity for the last four days.

Director general of police Amitabh Gupta said incidents of violence, pelting of stones and subsequent police firing were reported from Dhai-din-ka-Jhonpra in the curfew-bound area of Dargah this evening.