Indian Sub-continent

20 Bombs and bomb-making material recovered – 3 Hindutva terrorists detained

Mumbai; 11 Aug 2018: Three Hindutva terrorists have been arrested by ATS for plotting bomb blasts to disturb communal harmony. 20 Bombs and bomb-making material were recovered from a bungalow in Mumbai.

Vaibhav Raut 40, Sharad Kalaskar 25 of Gau Raksha Samiti, and Sudhanav Ghondalekar 39 were detained by law enforcement agencies.

17 soldiers killed after Taliban militants overrun army base in northern Afghanistan

MAIMANA, Afghanistan, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- At least 17 Afghan soldiers were killed late Monday after Taliban militants overran an army base in the northern part of the country following a three-day intense fighting, a local source said Tuesday.

The clashes started last Saturday after hundreds of Taliban militants stormed and besieged the base, known as Camp-e-Chenayeeha in remote Ghormach district of Faryab province in which about 106 army soldiers were stationed.

US hopes to strengthen ties with Pakistan: Pompeo

Washington, Aug 14 (PTI) The US hopes to further strengthen ties with Pakistan in the years ahead and work with its people and government to advance shared goals of security, stability and prosperity in South Asia, Secretary of State Michael Pompeo today said.

Wishing the people of Pakistan on the country's 72nd Independence day, Pompeo, in a statement, said for more than seven decades, the relationship between the US and Pakistan has "rested on the strong foundation of close ties between our two peoples."

2 Pakistani soldiers killed by Indian Army in J-K's Kupwara

Srinagar, Aug 14 (PTI) Two Pakistani troopers were killed by the Indian Army in response to ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesman said here today.

Indian troops carried out operations last night after the ceasefire violations.

Rains batter North Kerala, 30,000 people in relief camps

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 14 (PTI) Heavy rains pounded various parts of Kerala, especially the northern regions this morning, compounding the miseries of the people of the state where thousands are lodged in relief camps.

In view of the situation, educational institutions in most places have declared a holiday today.

Wayanad, Kozhikode, Malappuram, Kannur, Kasaragod and Palakkad are being lashed by heavy rains, disaster control room sources said.

In most of these places landslides had been reported yesterday.

Rupee plummets to historic low of 70.09 on Turkish lira collapse

Mumbai, Aug 14 (PTI) Rerversing all its early gains, the rupee today collapsed to a life-time low of 70.09 against the US dollar, falling 16 paise amid fears that Turkish economic crisis could lead to a global financial meltdown.

The ongoing currency turmoil in Turkey has dampened investors' sentiments globally. Investors are turning to dollar as safe haven with Turkeys currency lira crisis continuing since the last week.

Yesterday, the rupee had plunged by Rs 1.08, or 1.57 per cent, to a record low of 69.93 against the US currency.

Pakistan releases 30 Indian prisoners ahead of Independence Day

By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Aug 13 (PTI) Pakistan today released 30 Indian prisoners, including 27 fishermen, from jail as a goodwill gesture ahead of the country's Independence Day tomorrow.

The release of the prisoners "is in line with Pakistan's consistent policy of not politicising humanitarian issues," Foreign Office Spokesperson Mohammad Faisal said in a statement.

The 30 prisoners being set free also include 27 fishermen, it added.

"This is a humanitarian gesture to mark Pakistan's Independence day on August 14," he said.

Two held on charges of rape in Kathua dist

Jammu, Aug 13 (PTI) Two persons have been arrested for allegedly raping a girl in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said today.

On August 9, three men from Salalpur Marheen village raped a girl in Chabe Chak area of Rajbagh. The survivor's family registered a police complaint.

The police arrested two of the accused yesterday and a search is going on for the third suspect, said an official from Rajbagh police station.

Rahul dares Modi for debate on Rafale

Bidar (Karnataka), Aug 13 (PTI) Congress President Rahul Gandhi today challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a debate on the Rafale aircraft deal issue.

The Congress has raised several questions on the Rafale deal, accusing the government of compromising with national interests.

"...let a debate happen between me and Narendra Modi on Rafael deal... I will speak at length for hours," Gandhi said at "Jana Dwani" (people's voice) rally organised by the state Congress here in north Karnataka.

JNU student leader Umar Khalid attacked in Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 13 (PTI) JNU student leader Umar Khalid was allegedly shot at by a man just at the Constitution Club here today, but he escaped unhurt, police said.

Khalid was at the venue to attend an event titled 'Khauff Se Azaadi', organised by an organisation named 'United Against Hate'.

Later Khalid said, "There is an atmosphere of fear in the country, and anybody who speaks against the government is threatened.

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