Indian Sub-continent

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s tiger population has grown to nearly 3,000, making the country one of the safest habitats for the endangered animals.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the tiger count for 2018 on Monday said it’s a “historic achievement” for India as the big cat’s population had dwindled to 1,400 about 14-15 years ago.

India estimates its tiger population every four years. Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar said the tiger population was 2,226 in the last count, in 2014.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The death toll from an attack against the Kabul office of the Afghan president’s running mate and former chief of the intelligence service climbed to at least 20 people on Monday, an official said.

Around 50 other people were wounded in Sunday’s attack against the Green Trend party headquarters, which lasted hours and included a gunbattle between security forces and the attackers, who were holed up inside the building, according to Interior Ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi.

Several gunmen were killed by the security forces, Rahimi said.

JOLARPET, India (AP) — Amid the green Yelagiri hills of southern India, the train inches along the tracks, carrying what has become precious cargo: drinking water bound for Chennai, India’s parched Motor City.

Rae Bareli: An Unnao woman who accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar of raping her was critically injured on Sunday when her car was hit by a truck in Rae Bareli. The victim was accompanied by her aunt and lawyer Mahendra Singh, both of whom died in the accident.

ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP): Pakistan Navy’s Special Service Group (SSG Navy) and Turkish Navy’s Special Forces, ‘Su Alti Taarruz’ (SAT) concluded a bilateral ‘EXERCISE AYYILDIZ-2019’ in Karachi.

It was the 12th exercise in AYYILDIZ series, which continued for 12 days. This series of bilateral exercise has been regularly conducted between Pakistan and Turkey on annual basis, a press release issued here by Directorate of Public Relations (Navy) said.

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The political office of the Afghan president’s running mate was hit by a large explosion and stormed by several gunmen who remained holed up inside, Afghan officials said Sunday. The attack in the capital, Kabul, killed at least two people and came on the first day of campaigning for presidential elections, scheduled for late September.

Vice-presidential candidate and former intelligence chief Amrullah Saleh was “evacuated from the building and moved to a safe location,” said Nasrat Rahimi, the interior ministry spokesman.

ISLAMABAD, Jul 28 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi Sunday said that Pakistan was on tipping point of socioeconomic development and it was high time for all the citizens played their role to uplift country’s poor by providing them education, health and other opportunities equally.

Addressing a National Conference themed ‘Invest in Eliminating Hepatitis from Pakistan’ in connection with the World Hepatitis Day annually observed on July 28, the president said the prevalence of hepatitis B and C in 15 to 20 million people of Pakistan was alarming.

New Delhi, Jul 26; GANASHAKTI - The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking direction to the Centre to declare 'Vande Mataram' the national anthem, at par with "Jana Gana Mana", or the national song.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar said it finds no reason to entertain this petition, while exercising its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution.

"We see no reason to give direction to the respondent (Centre) to declare Vande Mataram as national anthem or national song," the bench said.

Mumbai, Jul 28 (PTI) For Nikkhil Advani nationalism is an inherent feeling and the "Batla House" director believes the term is "misused" a lot today.

And through his films, the director aims to make people realise the true meaning of loving one's country.

"My sense of nationalism is very personal but at the same time, I feel it is a word that is misused a lot today in this whole feeling of patriotism. And if you can correct it somewhere by making a film or whatever then why not you should do that," Advani told PTI in an interview.

Amethi, Jul 28 (PTI) A 64-year-old retired Army captain was beaten to death by unidentified assailants in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi district, police said on Sunday.

The incident occurred on Saturday night in Godiyan ka Purva village under Kamrauli Police Station limits, they said.

The retired Army personnel, Amanullah, and his wife were in their house when a group of people attacked them with sticks, his son told the police, ASP Dayaram said.