Indian Sub-continent

Mumbai, Jun 17 (PTI) A suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was Monday found near a school in Kalamboli in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, police said.

Police were alerted after a watchman spotted the suspected explosive fitted with electric wiring and an attached battery, kept on a handcart near a gate of New Sudhagad School, an official said.

Agartala, Jun 17 (PTI) The rift in the ruling alliance in Tripura came to the fore Monday as the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) alleged that BJP workers were attacking its supporters after the Lok Sabha election, a charge denied by the saffron party.

Muzaffarnagar, Jun 18 (PTI) A man was allegedly stoned to death by some people for demanding repayment of the money he had lent, police said Tuesday.

The incident took place on Monday when Aman Shekher, a resident of Khedu Sudiyan village, went to Ram Kumar's home to ask for repayment of his money, they said.

Following an argument between the two, the accused and his family allegedly attacked Shekher with stones, police said.

Srinagar, Jun 18 (PTI) Two soldiers, who were injured in the IED blast in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, have succumbed to injuries, a defence spokesman said Tuesday.

Nine soldiers and two civilians were injured as militants targeted an Army patrol with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Arihal in Pulwama district on Monday.

"Two soldiers, brought to hospital with severe contusions and concussions, have succumbed to their injuries at 92 Base Hospital," the spokesman said.

Kolkata, Jun 17 (PTI) The protesting doctors in West Bengal on Monday agreed to withdraw their week-long stir after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced steps to scale up security at hospitals

An assurance to call off the strike came at a meeting Banerjee held with representatives of the striking doctors at the state secretariat

KATHMANDU, June 17 (Xinhua) -- At least nine people were killed and five others seriously injured when a passenger jeep skidded off road in Bajhang district of western Nepal on Monday afternoon, local authorities said.

Ram Bahadur Sarki, the assistant district chief of Bajhang, told

Xinhua via phone that nine dead bodies were recovered from the crash site.

"We are now preparing to airlift seriously injured people to hospitals based in Kathmandu for treatment," he said.

LAHORE, Jun 17 (APP): Sports Board Punjab (SBP) Director General Nadeem Sarwar inaugurated the Punjab Inter-Division (Open) Snooker Championship by playing a shot here at Nishtar Park Sports Complex Gymnasium Hall on Monday.

The SBP is organising the two-day championship with the collaboration of the Punjab Snooker Association. Teams from all nine divisions of Punjab province are taking part in the championship.

SBP Director General Nadeem Sarwar was chief guest on the opening day.

ATTOCK, Jun 17 (APP): “The Sikh community living across the world lauds Prime Minister Imran Khan for his initiative of opening Kartarpur Corridor, paving way for Indian pilgrims to visit the Baba Guru Nanak Gurdwara in district Narowal near Indian border”.

This was stated by Provincial Parliamentary Secretary Punjab Sardar Mahendar Paal Singh while talking to newsmen here at the residence of Chairman Public Accounts Committee Syed Yawar Bokhari.

New Delhi, Jun 16; PTI/GANASHAKTI: A day before the budget session, an all-party meeting convened by the government was held Sunday in which the opposition demanded that issues such as farm distress, unemployment and drought should be debated upon in Parliament.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired the meeting, attended by representatives of all parties, including Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and TMC leader Derek O'Brien.

Moresby, Jun 17 (AFP/PTI) Papua New Guinea will not renew a contract with an Australian company providing security at Pacific refugee camps, a senior minister has told AFP, in another setback for the deeply controversial policy.

Singapore-registered Paladin Holdings provides security and other services at three "transition centres" for refugees being held on Papua New Guinea's remote Manus Island after trying to get to Australia.