Indian Sub-continent

8 June 2019; AFP: Sri Lanka's president has sacked the national intelligence chief and will not cooperate with a parliamentary investigation into security lapses before the Easter suicide bombings, officials said Saturday.

Maithripala Sirisena summoned an emergency cabinet meeting on Friday night to oppose a parliamentary select committee probe into the April 21 attacks that killed 258 people, including 45 foreigners, and wounded nearly 500.

Srinagar, June 8: A Kashmiri has been killed in an alleged encounter with Indian security forces in Anantnag district of Indian administered Kashmir, an Indian official said.

The Indian security forces' spokesman alleged that a cordon and search operation in Verinag area of the south Kashmir district was conducted following information about presence of Kashmiri separatist.

Kolkata, Jun 7; PTI/GANASHAKTI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday refused to attend a meeting of Niti Aayog to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 15, saying it is "fruitless" as the body has no financial powers to support state plans.

Her decision to skip the meeting of the top plan panel comes days after she stayed away from the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 30 citing as "untrue" claims by the BJP that 54 of the party workers were murdered in political violence in Bengal.

Islamabad, June 8; IANS/GANASHAKTI Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday wrote a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi offering dialogue to reconcilable problems.

In a letter to Modi congratulating him on his second term as the Prime Minister, Khan wrote that Pakistan desires the resolution of all problems, including that of the disputed Kashmir region, the Geo TV reported.

Thimphu, Jun 7 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met Bhutan's top leadership, including Prime Minister Lotay Tshering, and discussed important elements of the bilateral ties with emphasis on development partnership and cooperation in the hydropower sector.

Jaishankar is in the Buddhist kingdom on a two-day visit, his first overseas trip after assuming charge of the Ministry of External Affairs.

He also conveyed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's greetings during his talks with Prime Minister Tshering.

Ayodhya, Jun 7 (PTI ) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday offered prayers at the makeshift Ram Lalla temple here, on a visit meant to reiterate support for the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site.

"It is everybody's wish that Ram Mandir must be constructed," he said on his first trip to the temple town after the Lok Sabha elections.

Adityanath unveiled a seven-foot Ram statue at a museum in the city and also took part in celebrations to mark the birthday of Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas chief Mahant Nritya Gopal Das.

New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) The sports fraternity Friday came out in support of Mahendra Singh Dhoni for wearing the dagger insignia on his wicket-keeping gloves during India's World Cup game against South Africa, with Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju urging the BCCI to resolve the issue.

During the match in Southampton on Wednesday, Dhoni's green keeping gloves had a dagger logo embossed, which looked more like an Army insignia.

New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) The security cover of Home Minister Amit Shah has been strengthened with the Delhi Police putting in place additional component of security personnel at his residence, officials said Friday.

The move came after Shah assumed charge of the sensitive ministry last week.

The Delhi Police has reviewed the security of the home minister and moved additional component to his residence here, a senior security official said.

Mumbai, Jun 7 (PTI) BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur Friday chose to stand for around two and a half hours in the special court conducting trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case.

Thakur, a prime accused in the case who appeared for the first time before the court after her Lok Sabha victory from Bhopal, expressed disapproval about the chair that was offered, and the state of cleanliness of the courtroom.

Hamirpur (HP), Jun 7 (PTI) A shopkeeper was arrested for allegedly raping a five-year-old Nepalese girl in Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur district, the police said Friday.

The victim, along with her parents, used to live at a rented room adjacent to a shop run by the accused, they said. He lured the girl with chocolates and then committed the crime.

The matter came to light after she complained of stomach ache, following which her mother filed a police complaint, Hamirpur Deputy Superintendent of Police Hitesh Lakhanpal said.