Indian Sub-continent

Hyderabad, Aug 21 (PTI) A suspected Maoist was killed in an exchange of fire with police in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district on Wednesday, District Superintendent of Police Sunil Dutt said.

He said the incident occurred during search operations conducted this morning in a forest area based on a tip-off.

"We are suspecting the deceased to be a member belonging to Manuguru Area Committee. However, we cannot confirm the identity of the deceased until the kin confirm," Dutt told PTI.

21 August 2019; AFP: Rafiq Shagu's wife died shortly after Friday prayers in India's Muslim-majority Kashmir when tear gas smashed through a window in their home and filled the room.

Now, with Indian authorities denying their troops have caused any civilian deaths while enforcing a lockdown of more than two weeks in the Himalayan region, he is facing what may be a futile quest to hold those responsible to account.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug 21 (NNN-PPI) – An Afghan delegation of political leaders, parliamentarians, retired army officers, members of civilian society and journalists, arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday, for four-day Track-II dialogue, to explore ways for bringing people of the two countries closer, organisers said.

Srinagar, Aug 21: A Kashmiri and a policeman were killed while a sub-inspector was injured in an alleged gunfight between Indian security forces and Kashmiri separatists in Baramulla district of Indian administered Kashmir, an Indian official said.

The Indian security forces' spokesperson alleged that a cordon and search operation was underway in the area following information about presence of Kashmiri separatist.

New Delhi, Aug 20; IANS/GANASHAKTI: The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday increased from 60 to 120 days the time limit for filing appeals in Foreign Tribunals (FTs) regarding exclusion from the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam.

A review meeting chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday decided to amend the rules realising the difficulties in filing an appeal within the prescribed time for all those excluded from the final NRC.

Pune, August 20; GANASHAKTI: More than 7,000 workers from three key Defence manufacturing units in Pune went on a strike from Tuesday morning, bringing production to a complete halt. The agitation is part of a nationwide month-long strike of over 82,000 ordnance workers from 41 factories, against the proposed ‘corporatisation’ of the factories by the government.

Srinagar, Aug 20; GANASHAKTI:  Barricades around the Clock Tower in Srinagar's city centre Lal Chowk were removed after 15 days on Tuesday, allowing the movement of people and traffic in the commercial hub, as restrictions eased in several localities while continuing in others.

No students showed up in most primary schools that reopened on Monday but attendance in government offices has improved, officials said.

Lucknow, Aug 21 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday expanded his council of ministers with 23 ministers taking oath at the Raj Bhavan.

This is the first rejig of Adityanath's council of ministers since he came to power in 2017.

Four ministers of state with independent charge were promoted as cabinet ministers, while two new faces, Ram Naresh Agnihotri and Kamla Rani Varun, joined as cabinet ministers.

Rajnandgaon, Aug 20 (PTI) Ten cows died of suffocation at a shelter run by a village panchayat in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, an official said on Tuesday.

The deaths at the cow shelter at Barbaspur village came to light on August 18.

"Preliminary investigation revealed that the cows were locked in a room to protect them from rain, and they died of asphyxiation," the official said, requesting anonymity.

Jammu/New Delhi, Aug 20 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad was stopped at the Jammu airport on Tuesday and sent back to Delhi, a party leader said, the second time in a month the former chief minister was not allowed to visit Jammu and Kashmir.

"Azad sahib had arrived from Delhi at around 2.45 pm and was not allowed to move out from the airport and forcibly sent back in a return flight to Delhi at 4.10 pm," state Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma told PTI.