The UK is currently moving through its domestic priority lists for COVID-19 vaccines and therefore, has no surplus doses to share with countries in need such as India at this stage, Downing Street said on Tuesday.&nbsp;

In reference to India's devastating second wave of the pandemic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesperson said the process is kept under constant review, while the country sends an assistance package made up of 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators to India to meet the supply shortages over the course of the week. &nbsp;

The first tranche of 100 ventilators and 95 oxygen concentrators arrived in New Delhi early on Tuesday.&nbsp;

"We committed in February to sending excess doses from the UK's supply to the COVAX procurement pool and to countries in need, once they are available," the UK PM's spokesperson said.&nbsp;

"Right now, we are moving through the UK prioritisation list for our domestic rollout and don't have surplus doses, but we keep this under constant review. We recognise that no one is safe until we're all safe in this pandemic which is why the UK has contributed GBP 548 million to COVAX and sent vital medical supplies to India," the spokesperson said.&nbsp;

The COVAX facility refers to the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access global initiative aimed at equitable access to vaccines led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the World Health Organisation (WHO).&nbsp;

The latest update from Downing Street comes as it emerged that the US is to export around 60 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, with India expected to be among the biggest recipients of the consignment after talks between US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.&nbsp;

With 3,23,144 people testing positive for the coronavirus in a day, India's infection tally climbed to 1,76,36,307 on Tuesday. The death toll mounted to 1,97,894 with 2,771 new fatalities.&nbsp;

Several efforts are on within the Indian diaspora in the UK to fundraise for essential supplies, such as oxygen concentrators and coordinate distribution of across India's struggling hospitals through a series of emergency appeals, including by charities such as the British Asian Trust and British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO). &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

The UK is currently moving through its domestic priority lists for COVID-19 vaccines and therefore, has no surplus doses to share with countries in need such as India at this stage, Downing Street said on Tuesday.

The UK is currently moving through its domestic priority lists for COVID-19 vaccines and therefore, has no surplus doses to share with countries in need such as India at this stage, Downing Street said on Tuesday. In reference to India's devastating second wave of the pandemic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesperson said the process is kept under constant review, while the country sends an assistance package made up of 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators to India to meet the supply shortages over the course of the week. The first tranche of 100 ventilators and 95 oxygen concentrators arrived in New Delhi early on Tuesday. "We committed in February to sending excess doses from the UK's supply to the COVAX procurement pool and to countries in need, once they are available," the UK PM's spokesperson said. "Right now, we are moving through the UK prioritisation list for our domestic rollout and don't have surplus doses, but we keep this under constant review. We recognise that no one is safe until we're all safe in this pandemic which is why the UK has contributed GBP 548 million to COVAX and sent vital medical supplies to India," the spokesperson said. The COVAX facility refers to the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access global initiative aimed at equitable access to vaccines led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The latest update from Downing Street comes as it emerged that the US is to export around 60 million doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, with India expected to be among the biggest recipients of the consignment after talks between US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With 3,23,144 people testing positive for the coronavirus in a day, India's infection tally climbed to 1,76,36,307 on Tuesday. The death toll mounted to 1,97,894 with 2,771 new fatalities. Several efforts are on within the Indian diaspora in the UK to fundraise for essential supplies, such as oxygen concentrators and coordinate distribution of across India's struggling hospitals through a series of emergency appeals, including by charities such as the British Asian Trust and British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO). (With inputs from agencies)

No surplus vaccine doses to send to India right now, says UK 

Israel's Health Ministry said on Sunday it is examining a small number of cases of heart inflammation in people, who had received Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, though it has not yet drawn any conclusions.&nbsp;

Pfizer said it has not observed a higher rate of the condition than would normally be expected in the general population.&nbsp;

Israel's pandemic response coordinator, Nachman Ash, said that a preliminary study showed "tens of incidents" of myocarditis occurring among more than 5 million vaccinated people, primarily after the second dose. &nbsp;

Ash said it was unclear whether this was unusually high and whether it was connected to the vaccine.&nbsp;

Most of the cases were reported among people up to age 30.&nbsp;

"The Health Ministry is currently examining whether there is an excess in morbidity (disease rate) and whether it can be attributed to the vaccines," Ash said.&nbsp;

Ash, who spoke about the issue in a radio interview and during a news conference, referred to it as a "question mark", and emphasised that the Health Ministry has yet to draw any conclusions.&nbsp;

Determining a link, he said, would be difficult because myocarditis, a condition that often goes away without complications, can be caused by a variety of viruses and a similar number of cases were reported in previous years.&nbsp;

Pfizer, asked by Reuters about the review, said it is in regular contact with Israel’s Health Ministry to review data on its vaccine.&nbsp;

The company said it "is aware of the Israeli observations of myocarditis that occurred predominantly in a population of young men who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine".&nbsp;

"Adverse events are regularly and thoroughly reviewed and we have not observed a higher rate of myocarditis than what would be expected in the general population. A causal link to the vaccine has not been established," the company said.&nbsp;

"There is no evidence at this time to conclude that myocarditis is a risk associated with the use of Pfizer/BNT COVID-19 vaccine."&nbsp;

Israel has been a world leader in its vaccination rollout, with close to 60% of its 9.3 million population having received the Pfizer vaccine. Its nationwide database has already showed the vaccine to be highly effective in preventing the symptoms and severe illness associated with COVID-19.&nbsp;

Since January, shortly after the vaccine campaign began, daily infections dropped from a peak of more than 10,000 to just 129 before the weekend.&nbsp;

Nadav Davidovitch, director of the school of public health at Israel's Ben Gurion University, said that even if a correlation between the myocarditis cases and the vaccine were established, it did not appear to be serious enough to stop administering the vaccine.&nbsp;

"It's a situation that should be looked into, and we need to wait for a final report, but in an interim analysis it seems the risk of getting sick from COVID-19 is much higher than from the vaccine's adverse events, and the risk of peri/myo-carditis following the vaccine is low and temporary," he said.&nbsp;

Israel's Health Ministry said on Sunday it is examining a small number of cases of heart inflammation in people, who had received Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, though it has not yet drawn any conclusions.

Israel's Health Ministry said on Sunday it is examining a small number of cases of heart inflammation in people, who had received Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine, though it has not yet drawn any conclusions. Pfizer said it has not observed a higher rate of the condition than would normally be expected in the general population. Israel's pandemic response coordinator, Nachman Ash, said that a preliminary study showed "tens of incidents" of myocarditis occurring among more than 5 million vaccinated people, primarily after the second dose. Ash said it was unclear whether this was unusually high and whether it was connected to the vaccine. Most of the cases were reported among people up to age 30. "The Health Ministry is currently examining whether there is an excess in morbidity (disease rate) and whether it can be attributed to the vaccines," Ash said. Ash, who spoke about the issue in a radio interview and during a news conference, referred to it as a "question mark", and emphasised that the Health Ministry has yet to draw any conclusions. Determining a link, he said, would be difficult because myocarditis, a condition that often goes away without complications, can be caused by a variety of viruses and a similar number of cases were reported in previous years. Pfizer, asked by Reuters about the review, said it is in regular contact with Israel’s Health Ministry to review data on its vaccine. The company said it "is aware of the Israeli observations of myocarditis that occurred predominantly in a population of young men who received the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine". "Adverse events are regularly and thoroughly reviewed and we have not observed a higher rate of myocarditis than what would be expected in the general population. A causal link to the vaccine has not been established," the company said. "There is no evidence at this time to conclude that myocarditis is a risk associated with the use of Pfizer/BNT COVID-19 vaccine." Israel has been a world leader in its vaccination rollout, with close to 60% of its 9.3 million population having received the Pfizer vaccine. Its nationwide database has already showed the vaccine to be highly effective in preventing the symptoms and severe illness associated with COVID-19. Since January, shortly after the vaccine campaign began, daily infections dropped from a peak of more than 10,000 to just 129 before the weekend. Nadav Davidovitch, director of the school of public health at Israel's Ben Gurion University, said that even if a correlation between the myocarditis cases and the vaccine were established, it did not appear to be serious enough to stop administering the vaccine. "It's a situation that should be looked into, and we need to wait for a final report, but in an interim analysis it seems the risk of getting sick from COVID-19 is much higher than from the vaccine's adverse events, and the risk of peri/myo-carditis following the vaccine is low and temporary," he said.

Israel examining heart inflammation cases in people, who received Pfizer COVID-19 shot 

Getting registered on the CoWIN web portal and taking an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine jab would be mandatory for those aged between 18 and 45 years as walk-ins will not be allowed initially, official sources said on Sunday.&nbsp;

Those above 45 years can still avail the facility of on-site registration to get vaccinated, they said.&nbsp;

As India witnesses a sudden surge in coronavirus cases, it has decided to allow everyone above 18 years of age to get vaccinated from May 1.&nbsp;

"An increased demand is expected once the vaccination is opened for all. For the purpose of crowd control, registering on CoWIN portal and making an appointment to get a vaccine will be mandatory for those aged between 18 and 45 years. Walks-in will not be allowed in the beginning so that there is no chaos," an official said.&nbsp;

Registration for vaccination for all those aged above 18 will begin on the CoWIN platform and Aarogya Setu App from April 28. The inoculation process and documents to be provided to get the jab remains the same.&nbsp;

From May 1, the present system of private COVID-19 vaccination centres receiving doses from the government and charging up to Rs 250 per dose from people will cease to exist and private hospitals will procure directly from vaccine manufacturers.&nbsp;

According to the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, COVID-19 vaccination will continue to be free for eligible population groups comprising healthcare workers, frontline workers and population above 45 years of age in government vaccination centres that receive doses from the Centre.&nbsp;

Vaccine manufacturers would make an advance declaration of the price for 50 per cent supply that would be available to state governments in the open market before May 1. Based on this price, states, private hospitals, industrial establishments may procure vaccine doses from manufacturers.&nbsp;

Private hospitals would have to procure their supplies of COVID-19 vaccine exclusively from the 50 per cent supply earmarked, other than the Government of India channel.&nbsp;

"While the Centre has liberalised the vaccination policy, it does not mean that vaccines will be sold in pharmacists or chemist shops in the open market," Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had clarified on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The price charged for vaccination by private hospitals would be monitored, he said, adding, "The present dispensation where private Covid vaccination centres receive doses from the government and can charge up to Rs 250 per dose will cease to exist."&nbsp;

Vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the Centre and would be free to supply the rest to state governments.&nbsp;

All immunisations will be part of the National Vaccination Programme, will be captured on CoWIN platform along with stocks and price per vaccination applicable in all vaccination centres, will comply with adverse event following immunization management and reporting, and all other prescribed norms.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Getting registered on the CoWIN web portal and taking an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine jab would be mandatory for those aged between 18 and 45 years as walk-ins will not be allowed initially, official sources said on Sunday.

Getting registered on the CoWIN web portal and taking an appointment to get a COVID-19 vaccine jab would be mandatory for those aged between 18 and 45 years as walk-ins will not be allowed initially, official sources said on Sunday. Those above 45 years can still avail the facility of on-site registration to get vaccinated, they said. As India witnesses a sudden surge in coronavirus cases, it has decided to allow everyone above 18 years of age to get vaccinated from May 1. "An increased demand is expected once the vaccination is opened for all. For the purpose of crowd control, registering on CoWIN portal and making an appointment to get a vaccine will be mandatory for those aged between 18 and 45 years. Walks-in will not be allowed in the beginning so that there is no chaos," an official said. Registration for vaccination for all those aged above 18 will begin on the CoWIN platform and Aarogya Setu App from April 28. The inoculation process and documents to be provided to get the jab remains the same. From May 1, the present system of private COVID-19 vaccination centres receiving doses from the government and charging up to Rs 250 per dose from people will cease to exist and private hospitals will procure directly from vaccine manufacturers. According to the Liberalised Pricing and Accelerated National COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy, COVID-19 vaccination will continue to be free for eligible population groups comprising healthcare workers, frontline workers and population above 45 years of age in government vaccination centres that receive doses from the Centre. Vaccine manufacturers would make an advance declaration of the price for 50 per cent supply that would be available to state governments in the open market before May 1. Based on this price, states, private hospitals, industrial establishments may procure vaccine doses from manufacturers. Private hospitals would have to procure their supplies of COVID-19 vaccine exclusively from the 50 per cent supply earmarked, other than the Government of India channel. "While the Centre has liberalised the vaccination policy, it does not mean that vaccines will be sold in pharmacists or chemist shops in the open market," Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan had clarified on Wednesday. The price charged for vaccination by private hospitals would be monitored, he said, adding, "The present dispensation where private Covid vaccination centres receive doses from the government and can charge up to Rs 250 per dose will cease to exist." Vaccine manufacturers would supply 50 per cent of their monthly Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL) released doses to the Centre and would be free to supply the rest to state governments. All immunisations will be part of the National Vaccination Programme, will be captured on CoWIN platform along with stocks and price per vaccination applicable in all vaccination centres, will comply with adverse event following immunization management and reporting, and all other prescribed norms. (With inputs from agencies)

CoWIN registration must for those between 18 and 45 years to get vaccine shot 

A Texas police officer was shot multiple times during a traffic stop early on Wednesday and police were searching for suspects, authorities said.&nbsp;

The shooting happened at about 4:15 am. Wednesday in Burleson, about 45 miles (70 kilometres) southwest of Dallas, the police department said on Twitter.&nbsp;

Police said the officer was taken to a Fort Worth hospital and his condition wasn't immediately known.&nbsp;

The shooting is at least the fourth involving a Texas law enforcement officer in recent weeks.&nbsp;

An Austin police officer was shot and wounded on Friday, while a state trooper was shot and wounded during a manhunt for a man accused of opening fire on a cabinet business. And late last month, a state trooper was fatally shot during a traffic stop near Mexia, about 75 miles (120 kilometres) southeast of Dallas. &nbsp;

Meanwhile, massive protests have broken out near the US city of Minneapolis after a policeman fatally shot a young Black man near where George Floyd was killed last year.&nbsp;

The man has been identified as 20-year-old Daunte Wright.&nbsp;

Police in a Minneapolis suburb said an officer fatally shot a driver Sunday, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement.&nbsp;

Hundreds of people gathered outside the police station in Brooklyn Center, northwest of Minneapolis. Police fired tear gas and flashbangs at the demonstrators, according to videojournalists at the scene.&nbsp;

The mother of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, told a crowd earlier Sunday evening that he called her to say he had been pulled over by police, local media reported.&nbsp;

Katie Wright said she heard officers tell her son to put his phone down, and then one of the officers ended the call. Soon after, her son's girlfriend told her he had been shot.&nbsp;

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension confirmed that it is "investigating an officer-involved shooting incident" in Brooklyn Center.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A Texas police officer was shot multiple times during a traffic stop early on Wednesday and police were searching for suspects, authorities said. The shooting happened at about 4:15 am.

A Texas police officer was shot multiple times during a traffic stop early on Wednesday and police were searching for suspects, authorities said. The shooting happened at about 4:15 am. Wednesday in Burleson, about 45 miles (70 kilometres) southwest of Dallas, the police department said on Twitter. Police said the officer was taken to a Fort Worth hospital and his condition wasn't immediately known. The shooting is at least the fourth involving a Texas law enforcement officer in recent weeks. An Austin police officer was shot and wounded on Friday, while a state trooper was shot and wounded during a manhunt for a man accused of opening fire on a cabinet business. And late last month, a state trooper was fatally shot during a traffic stop near Mexia, about 75 miles (120 kilometres) southeast of Dallas. Meanwhile, massive protests have broken out near the US city of Minneapolis after a policeman fatally shot a young Black man near where George Floyd was killed last year. The man has been identified as 20-year-old Daunte Wright. Police in a Minneapolis suburb said an officer fatally shot a driver Sunday, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement. Hundreds of people gathered outside the police station in Brooklyn Center, northwest of Minneapolis. Police fired tear gas and flashbangs at the demonstrators, according to videojournalists at the scene. The mother of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, told a crowd earlier Sunday evening that he called her to say he had been pulled over by police, local media reported. Katie Wright said she heard officers tell her son to put his phone down, and then one of the officers ended the call. Soon after, her son's girlfriend told her he had been shot. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension confirmed that it is "investigating an officer-involved shooting incident" in Brooklyn Center. (With inputs from agencies)

US cop shot multiple times during traffic stop in Texas 

One person was shot dead and another injured on Monday in front of a hospital in Paris, a police source told Reuters, adding that the attacker had then fled on a motorcycle. &nbsp;

The source said the injured person was now being treated inside the hospital, the Henry Dunant, which is also a Covid-19 vaccination centre. The motive for the shootings remains unknown.&nbsp;

BFM television said the person killed was a man and the injured person was a woman, who worked as a security official at the hospital, which is located in the upmarket 16th arrondissement.&nbsp;

The vaccination centre at the hospital was operating at the time of the shootings.&nbsp;

Television stations showed dozens of police officers securing the area.&nbsp;

One person was shot dead and another injured on Monday in front of a hospital in Paris, a police source told Reuters, adding that the attacker had then fled on a motorcycle.

One person was shot dead and another injured on Monday in front of a hospital in Paris, a police source told Reuters, adding that the attacker had then fled on a motorcycle. The source said the injured person was now being treated inside the hospital, the Henry Dunant, which is also a Covid-19 vaccination centre. The motive for the shootings remains unknown. BFM television said the person killed was a man and the injured person was a woman, who worked as a security official at the hospital, which is located in the upmarket 16th arrondissement. The vaccination centre at the hospital was operating at the time of the shootings. Television stations showed dozens of police officers securing the area.

One person shot dead in front of Paris hospital, says police source 

A lawyer part of current US President Donald Trump's campaign&nbsp;is facing widespread flak for his extreme comments directed at former head of a federal cyber-security agency. Chris Krebs (pictured above), the former head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa) had dismissed claims of fraud in US Presidential Election 2020. Joe DiGenova, the lawyer associated with the Trump campaign, said that Krebs should be "taken out at dawn and shot".

Donald Trump is yet to concede in spite of Joe Biden having a clear lead in the electoral college. Trump has mounted a legal offensive to challenge the validity of US election results.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-probes-pardon-bribery-scheme-no-govt-official-under-investigation-346798">US probes pardon bribery scheme; no govt official under investigation</a> 
 
DiGenova, the Trump campaign lawyer made the extreme comments on The Howie Carr show, a podcast on Youtube. After Digenova made the remarks about Krebs, the host did not challenge his assertions.

Chris Krebs was fired as the head of Cisa not long after he said that US Elections were "most secure".

Although Trump has mounted number of lawsuits against election results, he or his team have not been able to produce substantial evidence and have suffered defeats in various courts.

A lawyer part of current US President Donald Trump's campaign is facing widespread flak for his extreme comments directed at former head of a federal cyber-security agency.

A lawyer part of current US President Donald Trump's campaign is facing widespread flak for his extreme comments directed at former head of a federal cyber-security agency. Chris Krebs (pictured above), the former head of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (Cisa) had dismissed claims of fraud in US Presidential Election 2020. Joe DiGenova, the lawyer associated with the Trump campaign, said that Krebs should be "taken out at dawn and shot". Donald Trump is yet to concede in spite of Joe Biden having a clear lead in the electoral college. Trump has mounted a legal offensive to challenge the validity of US election results. Also Read | US probes pardon bribery scheme; no govt official under investigation DiGenova, the Trump campaign lawyer made the extreme comments on The Howie Carr show, a podcast on Youtube. After Digenova made the remarks about Krebs, the host did not challenge his assertions. Chris Krebs was fired as the head of Cisa not long after he said that US Elections were "most secure". Although Trump has mounted number of lawsuits against election results, he or his team have not been able to produce substantial evidence and have suffered defeats in various courts.

Ex-US Election cybersecurity chief should be taken out and shot, says Trump lawyer

Brazil's shot put champion Darlan Romani is not letting lockdown get in the way of preparations for the Tokyo Olympics, using an unused plot of land in a residential area of Sao Paulo state to keep up his winning form.

Nothing weighs down Brazil shot putter as he improvises Olympic training in lockdown

The first-ever NBA title for the Toronto Raptors brought out violence as well as celebration Monday afternoon. Toronto police confirmed via their Twitter account that two victims suffered “serious but not life-threatening injuries,” after a shooting at Nathan Phillips Square amidst the Raptors’ NBA championship parade.

Shots fired during Toronto Raptors' NBA championship parade

An Israeli soldier fatally shot a Palestinian man who tried to stab a fellow soldier in the occupied West Bank on Monday, the Israeli military said.

The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the man was killed. There was no further comment from Palestinian officials.

"The assailant arrived by vehicle from the city of Nablus, exited the vehicle and attempted to stab an IDF (Israel Defence Forces) soldier who was at a nearby check post. Another soldier responded by firing towards the terrorist and neutralized him," the military said, adding that none of the troops were hurt.

Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014. A bid by the administration of US President Donald Trump to restart negotiations has so far shown little progress.

The Palestinians seek statehood in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, territories that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians have limited self-rule in the West Bank, most of which is controlled by Israel.

An Israeli soldier fatally shot a Palestinian man who tried to stab a fellow soldier in the occupied West Bank on Monday, the Israeli military said. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the man was killed.

An Israeli soldier fatally shot a Palestinian man who tried to stab a fellow soldier in the occupied West Bank on Monday, the Israeli military said. The Palestinian health ministry confirmed the man was killed. There was no further comment from Palestinian officials. "The assailant arrived by vehicle from the city of Nablus, exited the vehicle and attempted to stab an IDF (Israel Defence Forces) soldier who was at a nearby check post. Another soldier responded by firing towards the terrorist and neutralized him," the military said, adding that none of the troops were hurt. Peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014. A bid by the administration of US President Donald Trump to restart negotiations has so far shown little progress. The Palestinians seek statehood in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, territories that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians have limited self-rule in the West Bank, most of which is controlled by Israel.

Palestinian shot dead while trying to stab Israeli soldier: Army

Three members of a family were among five people shot dead by suspected ULFA (Independent) while two others were injured at Kheroni in Assam's Tinsukia district Thursday night, police said.

A group of assailants with sophisticated weapons came to this village near Dhola-Sadiya bridge and called out five-six people from their house around 8 pm, they said.

They then opened indiscriminate fire upon those people before fleeing under the cover of darkness, a police officer said.

Police suspect the gunmen belonged to the ULFA (Independent) faction as they were in battle fatigue.

Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal condemned "the killing of innocent people" and conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved families.

"Strong action will be taken against the perpetrators of this dastardly violence. We will not tolerate such cowardly act," he told PTI.

Sonowal said he has directed state ministers Keshav Mahanta and Tapan Gogoi along with DGP Kuladhar Saikia to rush to the spot.

"We will not spare the culprits of the killings and they will be brought to book," he said.

The chief minister appealed to the people of Assam to maintain peace and harmony.

He also directed all deputy commissioners and SPs to remain alert. 
According to Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Mukdhajyoti Mahanta, the bodies have been taken to the Sadia Civil Hospital for postmortem.

Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, opposition Congress state president Ripun Bora, AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam and the Assam Sahitya Sabha were among those who also denounced the incident.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a Twitter post, wondered if the attack was related to developments around the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

"Is this the outcome of recent NRC development," she questioned. 
Banerjee strongly condemned the incident and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.

"Terrible news coming out of Assam. We strongly condemn the brutal attack in Tinsukia... We have no words to express our deep sorrow to the grieving families. The perpetrators must be punished at the very earliest," she added.&nbsp;

Three members of a family were among five people shot dead by suspected ULFA (Independent) while two others were injured at Kheroni in Assam's Tinsukia district Thursday night, police said.

Three members of a family were among five people shot dead by suspected ULFA (Independent) while two others were injured at Kheroni in Assam's Tinsukia district Thursday night, police said. A group of assailants with sophisticated weapons came to this village near Dhola-Sadiya bridge and called out five-six people from their house around 8 pm, they said. They then opened indiscriminate fire upon those people before fleeing under the cover of darkness, a police officer said. Police suspect the gunmen belonged to the ULFA (Independent) faction as they were in battle fatigue. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal condemned "the killing of innocent people" and conveyed his sympathy to the bereaved families. "Strong action will be taken against the perpetrators of this dastardly violence. We will not tolerate such cowardly act," he told PTI. Sonowal said he has directed state ministers Keshav Mahanta and Tapan Gogoi along with DGP Kuladhar Saikia to rush to the spot. "We will not spare the culprits of the killings and they will be brought to book," he said. The chief minister appealed to the people of Assam to maintain peace and harmony. He also directed all deputy commissioners and SPs to remain alert. According to Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Mukdhajyoti Mahanta, the bodies have been taken to the Sadia Civil Hospital for postmortem. Industries and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary, former chief minister Tarun Gogoi, opposition Congress state president Ripun Bora, AIUDF general secretary Aminul Islam and the Assam Sahitya Sabha were among those who also denounced the incident. Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a Twitter post, wondered if the attack was related to developments around the National Register of Citizens (NRC). "Is this the outcome of recent NRC development," she questioned. Banerjee strongly condemned the incident and offered condolences to the families of the deceased. "Terrible news coming out of Assam. We strongly condemn the brutal attack in Tinsukia... We have no words to express our deep sorrow to the grieving families. The perpetrators must be punished at the very earliest," she added.

5 shot in Assam; strong action against perpetrators, says CM

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday visited the spot&nbsp;where the Apple executive, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/apple-employee-dead-after-being-allegedly-shot-police-168410">Vivek Tiwari</a>, was fatally shot by a cop in Lucknow on Friday.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VivekTiwari?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VivekTiwari</a> death case: Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrives at the spot of the incident in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar extension. <a href="https://t.co/KqFCEr1xs6">pic.twitter.com/KqFCEr1xs6</a>
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ADG Lucknow Zone Rajiv Krishna and other senior police officials also met Tiwari's family.

Tiwari was allegedly shot by police-constable Prashant Chaudhary at Gomti Nagar area in Lucknow on Friday when he was asked to stop his car.

Tiwari was subsequently taken to Lohia hospital in the city where he succumbed to injuries.

The beleaguered police constable on Saturday said that the gun went off accidentally. He also alleged that&nbsp;Tiwari had hit him with his car three times.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Saturday demanded the resignation of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the death of multi-national company executive.

"What else can we expect from UP's BJP government? Numerous fake encounters are taking place in the state," Yadav told media persons at Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday visited the spot where the Apple executive, Vivek Tiwari, was fatally shot by a cop in Lucknow on Friday. #VivekTiwari death case: Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrives at the spot of the incident in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar extension.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Sunday visited the spot where the Apple executive, Vivek Tiwari, was fatally shot by a cop in Lucknow on Friday. #VivekTiwari death case: Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrives at the spot of the incident in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar extension. pic.twitter.com/KqFCEr1xs6 — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) September 30, 2018 × ADG Lucknow Zone Rajiv Krishna and other senior police officials also met Tiwari's family. Tiwari was allegedly shot by police-constable Prashant Chaudhary at Gomti Nagar area in Lucknow on Friday when he was asked to stop his car. Tiwari was subsequently taken to Lohia hospital in the city where he succumbed to injuries. The beleaguered police constable on Saturday said that the gun went off accidentally. He also alleged that Tiwari had hit him with his car three times. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Saturday demanded the resignation of the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the death of multi-national company executive. "What else can we expect from UP's BJP government? Numerous fake encounters are taking place in the state," Yadav told media persons at Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh.

Lucknow Apple executive death: SIT begins probe, visits crime spot

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-interior-minister-ahsan-iqbal-was-an-easy-target-says-primary-suspect-after-assassination-attempt-135300">Pakistan Interior minister Ahsan Iqbal </a>was discharged from the services hospital on Monday, a week after he was shot at a rally in Narowal.&nbsp

During his stay at the hospital, Iqbal underwent two operations. One was aimed at removing the bullet from his lower torso and the other to mend his broken elbow bone, Geo TV reported.

In a video message, Iqbal thanked the hospital authorities for providing him with the best medical treatment.

"I chose a government hospital, and the way I was treated, it restored my faith in the public health sector," he said.

Calling for achieving peace and harmony in the country, Iqbal added, "The bullet in my body will keep on reminding me that we need to make Pakistan a centre of peace and harmony. We need to struggle to remove the menace of hate from the country."

Also watch:&nbsp<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistans-interior-minister-ahsan-iqbal-out-of-danger-after-being-shot-at-election-rally-135058">Pakistan's interior minister Ahsan Iqbal 'out of danger' after being shot at </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistans-interior-minister-ahsan-iqbal-out-of-danger-after-being-shot-at-election-rally-135058">election</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/pakistans-interior-minister-ahsan-iqbal-out-of-danger-after-being-shot-at-election-rally-135058"> rally</a>

The primary suspect, Abid Hussain, responsible for the assassination bid at Iqbal, reportedly said that Iqbal was an "easy target" and "belonged to his area," reports said.&nbsp

Abid fired a shot at Iqbal from a distance of 15 yards as he entered his vehicle to leave the rally venue tehsil Kanjrur. He was later arrested and is now on a 10-day physical remand. He also confessed that he had purchased a gun from a person for Rs 15,000. A 30-bore pistol was recovered from the arrested Abid.

Iqbal, 59, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, was hit by the bullet on his right shoulder in the attack

The suspect fired a shot at Iqbal from a distance of 15 yards as he entered his vehicle to leave the rally venue tehsil Kanjrur

Pakistan Interior minister Ahsan Iqbal was discharged from the services hospital on Monday, a week after he was shot at a rally in Narowal. During his stay at the hospital, Iqbal underwent two operations. One was aimed at removing the bullet from his lower torso and the other to mend his broken elbow bone, Geo TV reported. In a video message, Iqbal thanked the hospital authorities for providing him with the best medical treatment. "I chose a government hospital, and the way I was treated, it restored my faith in the public health sector," he said. Calling for achieving peace and harmony in the country, Iqbal added, "The bullet in my body will keep on reminding me that we need to make Pakistan a centre of peace and harmony. We need to struggle to remove the menace of hate from the country." Also watch: Pakistan's interior minister Ahsan Iqbal 'out of danger' after being shot at election rally The primary suspect, Abid Hussain, responsible for the assassination bid at Iqbal, reportedly said that Iqbal was an "easy target" and "belonged to his area," reports said. Abid fired a shot at Iqbal from a distance of 15 yards as he entered his vehicle to leave the rally venue tehsil Kanjrur. He was later arrested and is now on a 10-day physical remand. He also confessed that he had purchased a gun from a person for Rs 15,000. A 30-bore pistol was recovered from the arrested Abid. Iqbal, 59, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, was hit by the bullet on his right shoulder in the attack

Pakistan interior minister Ahsan Iqbal released from hospital after assassination bid

A 14-year-old boy from California was accused of shooting and wounding a student at a high school in Southern California on Friday before he ran away arrested in a supermarket later.&nbsp;

As per reports, the teenager used a rifle to shoot the student and then dumped the gun in a desert before he was caught.&nbsp;

The shooting happened on the campus of Highland High School in Palmdale, California, around 7 a.m. PT, even as some students still were arriving at school.

The former student, who transferred in recent months, took out an SKS-style carbine and fired about 10 shots, video of the incident appears to show, reports state.&nbsp;

The victim has been shifted to a hospital for recovery. The school had been on lockdown for several hours after which the student reunited with their parents.

“We are incredibly grateful for the actions of Highland High School teachers and staff and our first responders who courageously protected the lives of our students today,” Brett Neal, an assistant superintendent for the school district, said in a statement. “We know that every second is important in a situation like this and we couldn’t be more thankful.”

Initial reports of a possible school mass shooting drew immediate attention from major news outlets and cable TV networks. It underscored the national debate over gun control and gun rights that intensified after the February shooting deaths of 17 students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

&nbsp;

The shooting happened on the campus of Highland High School in Palmdale, California, around 7 a.m. PT, even as some students still were arriving at school

A 14-year-old boy from California was accused of shooting and wounding a student at a high school in Southern California on Friday before he ran away arrested in a supermarket later. As per reports, the teenager used a rifle to shoot the student and then dumped the gun in a desert before he was caught. The shooting happened on the campus of Highland High School in Palmdale, California, around 7 a.m. PT, even as some students still were arriving at school. The former student, who transferred in recent months, took out an SKS-style carbine and fired about 10 shots, video of the incident appears to show, reports state. The victim has been shifted to a hospital for recovery. The school had been on lockdown for several hours after which the student reunited with their parents. “We are incredibly grateful for the actions of Highland High School teachers and staff and our first responders who courageously protected the lives of our students today,” Brett Neal, an assistant superintendent for the school district, said in a statement. “We know that every second is important in a situation like this and we couldn’t be more thankful.” Initial reports of a possible school mass shooting drew immediate attention from major news outlets and cable TV networks. It underscored the national debate over gun control and gun rights that intensified after the February shooting deaths of 17 students and staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

California shooting: Teenager used rifle, fired 10 shots in total

The primary suspect,&nbsp;Abid Hussain,&nbsp;who was responsible for the assassination bid at Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal,&nbsp;reportedly said that Iqbal was an "easy target" and "belonged to his area," reports said.&nbsp;

Abid fired a shot at Iqbal from a distance of 15 yards as he entered his vehicle to leave the rally venue tehsil Kanjrur. He was later arrested and is now on a 10-day physical remand. He also confessed that he had purchased a gun from a person for Rs 15,000.&nbsp;A 30-bore pistol was recovered from the arrested Abid.

The police have also arrested an accomplice, and have registered the FIR of the incident at Shah Ghareeb Police Station, reports said.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal underwent two successful consecutive surgeries on Monday after being shot in an apparent assassination bid by a religious fanatic during an election rally in Punjab province, as another suspect has been taken into custody.

Iqbal, 59, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, was hit by the bullet on his right shoulder in the attack on Sunday.

An official at the Services Hospital here said that the surgery was successful and Iqbal is recovering well.

"Iqbal is out of danger and recovering fast," he added.

Hussain belongs to the religious outfit - Tehreek-e-Labbaik Yarasoolallah Pakistan (TLYP), according to preliminary investigation.

"The suspect who opened fire on the interior minister belongs to the TLYP. We know the motive of this attack but I want to tell that this is a very dangerous game being played against the PML-N," Information Minister Marrium Aurengzeb said. Talking to reporters she said "this politics of hatred" should be stopped now.

A senior police officer said that the suspect told investigators that he opened fire on the minister to take revenge on the ruling PML-N for trying to delete the clause related to the Khatm-e-Nabuwat (the finality of Prophet Muhammad) from the Constitution.&nbsp;

The suspect, during questioning, told police that he received ‘orders’ to kill the interior minister in a dream and wrote down his thoughts in a diary over the past three or four months.

Iqbal, 59, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, was hit by the bullet on his right shoulder in the attack on Sunday

The primary suspect, Abid Hussain, who was responsible for the assassination bid at Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, reportedly said that Iqbal was an "easy target" and "belonged to his area," reports said. Abid fired a shot at Iqbal from a distance of 15 yards as he entered his vehicle to leave the rally venue tehsil Kanjrur. He was later arrested and is now on a 10-day physical remand. He also confessed that he had purchased a gun from a person for Rs 15,000. A 30-bore pistol was recovered from the arrested Abid. The police have also arrested an accomplice, and have registered the FIR of the incident at Shah Ghareeb Police Station, reports said. Pakistan's Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal underwent two successful consecutive surgeries on Monday after being shot in an apparent assassination bid by a religious fanatic during an election rally in Punjab province, as another suspect has been taken into custody. Iqbal, 59, a senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, was hit by the bullet on his right shoulder in the attack on Sunday. An official at the Services Hospital here said that the surgery was successful and Iqbal is recovering well. "Iqbal is out of danger and recovering fast," he added. Hussain belongs to the religious outfit - Tehreek-e-Labbaik Yarasoolallah Pakistan (TLYP), according to preliminary investigation. "The suspect who opened fire on the interior minister belongs to the TLYP. We know the motive of this attack but I want to tell that this is a very dangerous game being played against the PML-N," Information Minister Marrium Aurengzeb said. Talking to reporters she said "this politics of hatred" should be stopped now. A senior police officer said that the suspect told investigators that he opened fire on the minister to take revenge on the ruling PML-N for trying to delete the clause related to the Khatm-e-Nabuwat (the finality of Prophet Muhammad) from the Constitution. The suspect, during questioning, told police that he received ‘orders’ to kill the interior minister in a dream and wrote down his thoughts in a diary over the past three or four months.

Pak Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal was an 'easy target', says, primary suspect after assassination attempt

Motorcycle-borne assailants today shot dead two local Shiv Sena leaders hours after the result of a civic bypoll in the area was announced, police said

The deceased have been identified as Sanjay Kotkar and Vasant Anand Thube.

The incident happened at around 5:15 pm in the Shahunagar area of Kedgaon here and commercial establishments downed shutters soon amidst stray cases of stone-pelting, the official added.

"Sanjay Kotkar (35) and Vasant Anand Thube (40) were killed after they were shot from point blank range by two men on a motorcycle," a police official said.

"The CCTV of the area is being scoured and we are in the process of identifying the shooters," he said.

A local Shiv Sena leader said that the incident was related to the largescale support the Sena had received in the civic bypoll for Ward 32 (Kedgaon) of the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation.

The result of the bypoll was announced on Saturday by state election commission officials.

The Congress' Vishal Kotkar defeated the Sena's Vijay Pathare by a thin margin of 454 votes.&nbsp;

The deceased have been identified as Sanjay Kotkar and Vasant Anand Thube

Motorcycle-borne assailants today shot dead two local Shiv Sena leaders hours after the result of a civic bypoll in the area was announced, police said The deceased have been identified as Sanjay Kotkar and Vasant Anand Thube. The incident happened at around 5:15 pm in the Shahunagar area of Kedgaon here and commercial establishments downed shutters soon amidst stray cases of stone-pelting, the official added. "Sanjay Kotkar (35) and Vasant Anand Thube (40) were killed after they were shot from point blank range by two men on a motorcycle," a police official said. "The CCTV of the area is being scoured and we are in the process of identifying the shooters," he said. A local Shiv Sena leader said that the incident was related to the largescale support the Sena had received in the civic bypoll for Ward 32 (Kedgaon) of the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation. The result of the bypoll was announced on Saturday by state election commission officials. The Congress' Vishal Kotkar defeated the Sena's Vijay Pathare by a thin margin of 454 votes.

2 Shiv Sena leaders shot dead in Ahmednagar following bypoll result

A French policeman, who was shot by an Islamist gunman Friday after swapping himself for a hostage in a siege at a supermarket in the southwest town of Trebes, has been hailed as a hero.

The policeman was among a group of officers who rushed to the scene after the attacker, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, stormed the store and fired on shoppers and staff before taking them hostage.

The man, identified as 26-year-old Redouane Lakdim, shot dead two people at the supermarket after earlier opening fire on passengers in a car, killing one of them, and injuring a police officer in nearby Carcassonne.

Speaking at the scene Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said a police team immediately intervened after the start of the siege at around 11 a.m.

&quot;They managed to get some of the people out,&quot; he said, but the attacker kept one hostage back as a human shield.

A senior officer then offered to take the hostage&#39;s place and remained holed up with Lakdim while negotiations to end the standoff continued.

The officer &quot;left his telephone on the table&quot;, to allow police that had surrounded the building in the sleepy town of 5,000 inhabitants listen in, Collomb said.

&quot;When we heard shots the GIGN (an elite police force) intervened,&quot; the minister said, adding that the policeman was &quot;seriously injured&quot;.

Collomb praised the officer for his &quot;courage&quot; and &quot;act of heroism&quot;.

An officer from the police SWAT team was also hurt in the operation to kill the gunman.

Over the course of his rampage Ladkim killed three people and injured at least three others.

The injured included the driver of the hijacked car as well as a police officer out jogging with colleagues in Carcassonne.

The policeman was among a group of officers who rushed to the scene after the attacker, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, stormed the store and fired on shoppers and staff before taking them hostage

A French policeman, who was shot by an Islamist gunman Friday after swapping himself for a hostage in a siege at a supermarket in the southwest town of Trebes, has been hailed as a hero. The policeman was among a group of officers who rushed to the scene after the attacker, who claimed allegiance to the Islamic State group, stormed the store and fired on shoppers and staff before taking them hostage. The man, identified as 26-year-old Redouane Lakdim, shot dead two people at the supermarket after earlier opening fire on passengers in a car, killing one of them, and injuring a police officer in nearby Carcassonne. Speaking at the scene Interior Minister Gerard Collomb said a police team immediately intervened after the start of the siege at around 11 a.m. "They managed to get some of the people out," he said, but the attacker kept one hostage back as a human shield. A senior officer then offered to take the hostage's place and remained holed up with Lakdim while negotiations to end the standoff continued. The officer "left his telephone on the table", to allow police that had surrounded the building in the sleepy town of 5,000 inhabitants listen in, Collomb said. "When we heard shots the GIGN (an elite police force) intervened," the minister said, adding that the policeman was "seriously injured". Collomb praised the officer for his "courage" and "act of heroism". An officer from the police SWAT team was also hurt in the operation to kill the gunman. Over the course of his rampage Ladkim killed three people and injured at least three others. The injured included the driver of the hijacked car as well as a police officer out jogging with colleagues in Carcassonne.

'Heroic' French cop shot after swapping himself for hostage: Minister

Most of the 39 <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/39-indians-missing-in-iraq-dead-sushma-swaraj-36459" target="_blank">Indians killed in Iraq</a> were shot in the head, news reports quoted an Iraqi official as saying on Thursday.&nbsp;

The bodies of the 39 Indians, most of them from Punjab, were recovered from a mound in Badush village near Mosul. India&#39;s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had on Wednesday informed Parliament about the deaths of the 39 Indians.&nbsp;

News reports Thursday said Iraq&#39;s Department of Forensic Medicine, part of the Ministry of Health, had conducted DNA tests on the bodies. The reports quoted a Dr Zaid Ali Abbas, the head of the department, as saying over the phone from Baghdad that &quot;most of the bodies had gunshot wounds on the head&quot;.&nbsp;

Abbas added that the 39 Indians had died over a year ago. And that when the remains arrived, they were only skeleton and bone. &quot;They had no muscle or tissue.&quot;&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-to-meet-mamata-for-government-job-mosul-victims-wife-36704" target="_blank">Want to meet Mamata for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-to-meet-mamata-for-government-job-mosul-victims-wife-36704" target="_blank">government</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-to-meet-mamata-for-government-job-mosul-victims-wife-36704" target="_blank"> job: Mosul victim&#39;s wife</a>

The 39 Indians were kidnapped in 2014. On Wednesday Swaraj said they had been killed by ISIS.&nbsp;

Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) VK Singh has flown to Mosul to bring back the bodies.&nbsp;

The government has come under much flak for its handling of the case. The families of the 39 killed have said they heard about the deaths when Swaraj made her speech in Parliament, and that they were <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-information-was-given-to-us-sister-of-indian-killed-in-iraq-36478" target="_blank">not told beforehand</a>.&nbsp;

The opposition meanwhile has said the government knew about the deaths beforehand but had been <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/39-indians-killed-in-iraq-as-family-members-opposition-attack-government-vk-singh-says-no-one-was-misled-36480" target="_blank">misleading</a> the public.&nbsp;

The head of Iraq's Department of Forensic Medicine, Dr Zaid Ali Abbas, added that the 39 Indians were killed over a year ago

Most of the 39 Indians killed in Iraq were shot in the head, news reports quoted an Iraqi official as saying on Thursday. The bodies of the 39 Indians, most of them from Punjab, were recovered from a mound in Badush village near Mosul. India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had on Wednesday informed Parliament about the deaths of the 39 Indians. News reports Thursday said Iraq's Department of Forensic Medicine, part of the Ministry of Health, had conducted DNA tests on the bodies. The reports quoted a Dr Zaid Ali Abbas, the head of the department, as saying over the phone from Baghdad that "most of the bodies had gunshot wounds on the head". Abbas added that the 39 Indians had died over a year ago. And that when the remains arrived, they were only skeleton and bone. "They had no muscle or tissue." Also read: Want to meet Mamata for government job: Mosul victim's wife The 39 Indians were kidnapped in 2014. On Wednesday Swaraj said they had been killed by ISIS. Minister of State for External Affairs General (retd) VK Singh has flown to Mosul to bring back the bodies. The government has come under much flak for its handling of the case. The families of the 39 killed have said they heard about the deaths when Swaraj made her speech in Parliament, and that they were not told beforehand. The opposition meanwhile has said the government knew about the deaths beforehand but had been misleading the public.

39 missing Indians killed in Iraq: Most were shot in the head, says Iraqi official

An army soldier allegedly shot himself dead in Jammu and Kashmir&#39;s Kupwara district on Wednesday morning.

The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District.

The 24-year-old, of the 30RR, killed himself at around 6:45 am today.

It was immediately not clear as to why he ended his life. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched.

More details are awaited.

Just last week, another army soldier shot himself to death with his service rifle while on duty in Langate area of Handwara in north Kashmir&rsquo;s Kupwara district, &nbsp;police said.&nbsp;

The reason for the drastic step is still unclear.&nbsp;

The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District

An army soldier allegedly shot himself dead in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district on Wednesday morning. The soldier identified as Birender Sinha, shot himself with his service rifle while he was on duty in Langate army camp in Kupwara District. The 24-year-old, of the 30RR, killed himself at around 6:45 am today. It was immediately not clear as to why he ended his life. Meanwhile, an investigation has been launched. More details are awaited. Just last week, another army soldier shot himself to death with his service rifle while on duty in Langate area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said. The reason for the drastic step is still unclear.

J&K: Army soldier shoot self, reason unclear

A 23-year-old armed reserved police personnel posted at late chief minister J Jayalalithaa&#39;s memorial shot himself dead early Sunday morning.&nbsp;

The police personnel identified as Arul Raj, shot himself dead while he was on his guarding duty at the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa&#39;s memorial.&nbsp;

The incident took place around 4:55 am in the morning when he killed himself using his 303 bolt-action rifle. Reports say that there were&nbsp;three other police personnel around him at the time.&nbsp;

He was appointed to cover the memorial service from 2 am to 6 am, reports said.&nbsp;

The reason behind the attempt is yet to be disclosed but reports say that it could have been due to family related problems.&nbsp;

He was taken to the Royapettah government hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

The police personnel identified as Arul Raj, shot himself dead while he was on his guarding duty at the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's memorial

A 23-year-old armed reserved police personnel posted at late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's memorial shot himself dead early Sunday morning. The police personnel identified as Arul Raj, shot himself dead while he was on his guarding duty at the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's memorial. The incident took place around 4:55 am in the morning when he killed himself using his 303 bolt-action rifle. Reports say that there were three other police personnel around him at the time. He was appointed to cover the memorial service from 2 am to 6 am, reports said. The reason behind the attempt is yet to be disclosed but reports say that it could have been due to family related problems. He was taken to the Royapettah government hospital, where he was declared brought dead.

Police personnel shoots himself at Jayalalithaa's memorial

A wanted criminal, carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head, was shot dead in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police in Meerut district on Saturday.

&quot;A criminal with the bounty of Rs&nbsp;50, 000 on his head was killed in the incident, we chased him down after we got information of his presence in the area,&quot; the Meerut Superintendent of Police, Manzil Saini said.&nbsp;

The man has been identified at Surjit, who was accused of killing three members of a family and was planning to target another person, say police. The Police on specific information chased him down and after an exchange of firing, he was shot dead.

Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week. Reports said the killings were due to family rivalry.

Apart from the murder of three persons, Surjit was also wanted in ten other cases including extortion and kidnapping, say police sources.

Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week

A wanted criminal, carrying a bounty of Rs 50,000 on his head, was shot dead in an encounter with Uttar Pradesh police in Meerut district on Saturday. "A criminal with the bounty of Rs 50, 000 on his head was killed in the incident, we chased him down after we got information of his presence in the area," the Meerut Superintendent of Police, Manzil Saini said. The man has been identified at Surjit, who was accused of killing three members of a family and was planning to target another person, say police. The Police on specific information chased him down and after an exchange of firing, he was shot dead. Reports say that Surjit had been giving police the slip since 2016 when he allegedly killed three of a family within a week. Reports said the killings were due to family rivalry. Apart from the murder of three persons, Surjit was also wanted in ten other cases including extortion and kidnapping, say police sources.

Wanted man who killed family members shot in UP

The Karnataka Police has taken a suspected accused KT Naveen Kumar into police custody for questioning in connection with the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh.

As per media reports, Naveen was caught by the crime wing of the state police&#39;s central crime branch on February 18.

Gauri, who was known for her anti-right wing views,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankesh-was-shot-in-chest-indrajit-lankesh-19935"> was shot </a>by three unidentified men outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year. Lankesh&#39;s murder has been compared to the murders of author Narendra Dabholkar and scholars MM Kalburgi.&nbsp;

The SIT had last month released<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/gauri-lankeshs-killers-will-be-caught-in-a-few-weeks-karnataka-home-minister-24030"> three sketches </a>of the two suspects in the case. The SIT also released a video of the recce done by the suspects.&nbsp;

The man who shot her had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man and was wearing a motorcycle helmet when the murder took place. A reward of Rs&nbsp;10 lakh had also been announced for leads that lead to the arrest of the murderers.

The murder of Gauri Lankesh triggered outrage across the nation, BJP leader KS Esharappa criticised the Congress-led government in Karnataka for allegedly failing to protect Gauri and others.

Gauri, who was known for her anti-right wing views, was shot by three unidentified men outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year

The Karnataka Police has taken a suspected accused KT Naveen Kumar into police custody for questioning in connection with the murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh. As per media reports, Naveen was caught by the crime wing of the state police's central crime branch on February 18. Gauri, who was known for her anti-right wing views, was shot by three unidentified men outside her home in Rajarajeshwari Nagar on September 5 last year. Lankesh's murder has been compared to the murders of author Narendra Dabholkar and scholars MM Kalburgi. The SIT had last month released three sketches of the two suspects in the case. The SIT also released a video of the recce done by the suspects. The man who shot her had arrived at the scene on a motorcycle with another man and was wearing a motorcycle helmet when the murder took place. A reward of Rs 10 lakh had also been announced for leads that lead to the arrest of the murderers. The murder of Gauri Lankesh triggered outrage across the nation, BJP leader KS Esharappa criticised the Congress-led government in Karnataka for allegedly failing to protect Gauri and others.

Gauri Lankesh murder: Suspect taken into custody

A North Carolina man who routinely broadcast his daily life on Facebook Live was fatally shot on Monday while walking through a neighborhood just outside Wingate University.&nbsp;

Prentis Robinson, 55, was shot just near North Carolina&#39;s police headquarters, where he had just reported a stolen cell phone.&nbsp;Investigators believe the shocking murder was retaliation from area drug dealer, reports said.&nbsp;

The suspect, 65-year-old Douglas Cleveland Colson, surrendered Tuesday to the Union County Sheriff&#39;s Office, reports said. Reports further quoted a lifelong Wingate resident informing that has been arrested before.

&quot;The Wingate Police Department in conjunction with the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) and the Union County Sheriff&rsquo;s Office worked a death investigation until they had a suspect, this morning they made an arrest and he is in custody,&quot; police said in a statement on Facebook.

In the live footage, which Facebook has since removed, Robinson was seen walking down a street in a neighborhood with a cell phone attached to a selfie stick, or a monopod device used to take photos or videos. He was talking to viewers.

Robinson then said &quot;you on Live&quot; repeatedly to someone off-camera. The person, who was not visible, then appears to have fired four gunshots at Robinson until he fell to the ground.

Facebook said in a statement that it removed the video because it had no way of knowing whether the victim would have wanted &quot;this horrific act&quot; to be broadcast on social media.

&quot;We will apply a warning screen to future uploads of the video intended to raise awareness or condemn this tragedy, and limit accessibility to people over the age of 18,&quot; said a Facebook spokesperson in a statement on Tuesday.

Prentis Robinson, 55, was shot just near North Carolina's police headquarters, where he had just reported a stolen cell phone. Investigators believe the shocking murder was retaliation from area drug dealer, reports say

A North Carolina man who routinely broadcast his daily life on Facebook Live was fatally shot on Monday while walking through a neighborhood just outside Wingate University. Prentis Robinson, 55, was shot just near North Carolina's police headquarters, where he had just reported a stolen cell phone. Investigators believe the shocking murder was retaliation from area drug dealer, reports said. The suspect, 65-year-old Douglas Cleveland Colson, surrendered Tuesday to the Union County Sheriff's Office, reports said. Reports further quoted a lifelong Wingate resident informing that has been arrested before. "The Wingate Police Department in conjunction with the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) and the Union County Sheriff’s Office worked a death investigation until they had a suspect, this morning they made an arrest and he is in custody," police said in a statement on Facebook. In the live footage, which Facebook has since removed, Robinson was seen walking down a street in a neighborhood with a cell phone attached to a selfie stick, or a monopod device used to take photos or videos. He was talking to viewers. Robinson then said "you on Live" repeatedly to someone off-camera. The person, who was not visible, then appears to have fired four gunshots at Robinson until he fell to the ground. Facebook said in a statement that it removed the video because it had no way of knowing whether the victim would have wanted "this horrific act" to be broadcast on social media. "We will apply a warning screen to future uploads of the video intended to raise awareness or condemn this tragedy, and limit accessibility to people over the age of 18," said a Facebook spokesperson in a statement on Tuesday.

Man shot dead while filming Facebook Live video, suspect arrested

The boy behind the Florida school shooting on Wednesday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ex-student-opens-fire-in-florida-school-at-least-17-killed-32906">Nikolas Cruz</a>, was a member of a &quot;white supremacist group&quot; and had been a part of the military-style training routines, the rights group Anti-Defamation League said Thursday.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, described by fellow pupils as a &ldquo;weird and racist&rdquo; <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/florida-shooting-suspect-was-a-troubled-former-student-who-loved-guns-32926">gun-obsessed</a>, has been charged with murdering 17 people at his former school in Parkland, Florida.

Jordan Jereb, believed to lead the shadowy Republic of Florida (ROF) group, said that Cruz had been &quot;brought up&quot; by a member of the group and joined its training exercises near Tallahassee, Florida.

Jereb said that he didn&#39;t know the 19-year-old suspect personally and that &quot;he acted on his own behalf of what he just did and he&#39;s solely responsible for what he just did,&quot; the local media reported.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-fills-with-outrage-after-floria-school-shooting-32935">Twitter fills with outrage after Florida school shooting </a>

Republic of Florida describes itself on its website as a &quot;white civil rights organization fighting for white identitarian politics.&quot; It advocates creating a &quot;white ethnostate&quot; in Florida.

As per reports, the group &quot;borrows paramilitary concepts from the anti-government extremist militia movement.&quot;

&quot;I don&#39;t know precisely what he believes,&quot; Jereb said. &quot;I know he knew full well he was joining a white separatist paramilitary proto-fascist organization.&quot;

He further said that Cruz was a member of its &quot;cell&quot; in Clearwater, Florida, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northwest of Parkland, and had trained with them.

&quot;He probably used that training to do what he did yesterday. Nobody I know told him to do that, he just freaked out,&quot; Jereb said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/us-school-shootings-deadly-attacks-as-model-students-become-killers-32916">US school shootings: Deadly attacks as &#39;model&#39; students become killers </a>

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-calls-for-healing-after-florida-school-shooting-33004">Trump says will make schools safer after Florida shooting </a>

Cruz confessed to police that he &ldquo;began shooting students that he saw in the hallways and on school grounds&rdquo; once on campus, according to a police arrest report released Thursday.

He carried a black duffel bag and a black backpack, where he hid ammunition magazines, the report said. He arrived at the school in Florida in an Uber at 2:19 pm and made his way into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he pulled out a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle, according to details described by the authorities at a news conference on Thursday.

Cruz shot people in the hallways and inside five classrooms on the first and second floors of the freshman building. He eventually discarded the rifle, a vest and ammunition on a stairway and blended in with fleeing students and got away, the authorities said.

After leaving the school, he went to Walmart, and then bought a drink at a Subway. He also stopped at a McDonald&rsquo;s. He was arrested by the police without incident as he walked down a residential street at 3:41 pm.

Nikolas Cruz, 19, described by fellow pupils as a “weird and racist” gun-obsessed, has been charged with murdering 17 people at his former school in Parkland, Florida

The boy behind the Florida school shooting on Wednesday, Nikolas Cruz, was a member of a "white supremacist group" and had been a part of the military-style training routines, the rights group Anti-Defamation League said Thursday. Nikolas Cruz, 19, described by fellow pupils as a “weird and racist” gun-obsessed, has been charged with murdering 17 people at his former school in Parkland, Florida. Jordan Jereb, believed to lead the shadowy Republic of Florida (ROF) group, said that Cruz had been "brought up" by a member of the group and joined its training exercises near Tallahassee, Florida. Jereb said that he didn't know the 19-year-old suspect personally and that "he acted on his own behalf of what he just did and he's solely responsible for what he just did," the local media reported. Also read: Twitter fills with outrage after Florida school shooting Republic of Florida describes itself on its website as a "white civil rights organization fighting for white identitarian politics." It advocates creating a "white ethnostate" in Florida. As per reports, the group "borrows paramilitary concepts from the anti-government extremist militia movement." "I don't know precisely what he believes," Jereb said. "I know he knew full well he was joining a white separatist paramilitary proto-fascist organization." He further said that Cruz was a member of its "cell" in Clearwater, Florida, about 300 kilometers (180 miles) northwest of Parkland, and had trained with them. "He probably used that training to do what he did yesterday. Nobody I know told him to do that, he just freaked out," Jereb said. Also read: US school shootings: Deadly attacks as 'model' students become killers Also read: Trump says will make schools safer after Florida shooting Cruz confessed to police that he “began shooting students that he saw in the hallways and on school grounds” once on campus, according to a police arrest report released Thursday. He carried a black duffel bag and a black backpack, where he hid ammunition magazines, the report said. He arrived at the school in Florida in an Uber at 2:19 pm and made his way into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he pulled out a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle, according to details described by the authorities at a news conference on Thursday. Cruz shot people in the hallways and inside five classrooms on the first and second floors of the freshman building. He eventually discarded the rifle, a vest and ammunition on a stairway and blended in with fleeing students and got away, the authorities said. After leaving the school, he went to Walmart, and then bought a drink at a Subway. He also stopped at a McDonald’s. He was arrested by the police without incident as he walked down a residential street at 3:41 pm.

Florida school shooting: Suspect was part of 'white supremacist group'

In a shocking incident, a man was shot outside a pub in Greater Kailash on Sunday following a heated conversation over parking space.&nbsp;

The altercation started at &quot;Rich Bratz 17&quot; bar in Greater Kailash and continued outside till 3:30 am between the accused, Umesh, and the&nbsp;victim, Vinay, media reports said.&nbsp;

Vinay, who resides in Sarita Vihar, had been taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre after being shot near the collarbone while people nearby beat Umesh and handed him over to the police.

The police seized the weapon and also registered a case of attempt to murder against the accused. He was later moved to the trauma centre as well.&nbsp;

According to witnesses near the area, the argument started at around 2 am and investigation teams were at the site for inspection soon after the two men had been taken to the&nbsp;hospital.&nbsp;

The police have also informed that Umesh will be arrested after being discharged from the hospital. Vinay is now in a stable condition.&nbsp;&nbsp;

&quot;Allowing anti-social elements into the bar is a violation of licence terms and conditions. Local police will write to licensing branch for cancellation of licence of the bar where the incident happened,&quot; Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) said.

The officer said all police stations in the south district have been instructed to keep a watch on pubs, bars and restaurants and sensitise the security staff of the places to prevent such incidents.

The victim had been taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre after being shot near the collarbone and a case of attempt murder has been registered against the accused

In a shocking incident, a man was shot outside a pub in Greater Kailash on Sunday following a heated conversation over parking space. The altercation started at "Rich Bratz 17" bar in Greater Kailash and continued outside till 3:30 am between the accused, Umesh, and the victim, Vinay, media reports said. Vinay, who resides in Sarita Vihar, had been taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre after being shot near the collarbone while people nearby beat Umesh and handed him over to the police. The police seized the weapon and also registered a case of attempt to murder against the accused. He was later moved to the trauma centre as well. According to witnesses near the area, the argument started at around 2 am and investigation teams were at the site for inspection soon after the two men had been taken to the hospital. The police have also informed that Umesh will be arrested after being discharged from the hospital. Vinay is now in a stable condition. "Allowing anti-social elements into the bar is a violation of licence terms and conditions. Local police will write to licensing branch for cancellation of licence of the bar where the incident happened," Romil Baaniya, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) said. The officer said all police stations in the south district have been instructed to keep a watch on pubs, bars and restaurants and sensitise the security staff of the places to prevent such incidents.

Greater Kailash: Man shot outside bar following argument over parking space

A BJP leader was shot dead outside his house last night by unidentified assailants at Bagma village in extremist-hit Khunti district, police said.

His cousin and mother also suffered bullet injuries in the attack.

Superintendent of Police Ashiwini Kumar Singh, who rushed to the spot today after being informed about the incident, said the motive behind the killing of district secretary of the BJP&#39;s ST cell, Bhaiya Ram Munda, was yet to be ascertained.

&quot;We are investigating the incident from all possible angles to find out the motive behind the killing of the 38-year-old leader,&quot; the SP asserted.

A massive search operation led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ranveer Singh has been launched to apprehend the culprits.

&quot;Munda&#39;s cousin Birsa and mother Aguni Devi were initially admitted in a local hospital with bullet injuries. The doctors there referred them to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi. Their condition is stable now,&quot; the SDPO said.

Initial investigations suggest Munda was killed by suspected members of an ultra group over levy demands, he added.

The district committee president of the BJP, Kashinath Mahato, said he has found out from the villagers that a group of assailants dragged Munda out of his house before pumping bullets into him.

Mahato today sought adequate compensation for Munda&#39;s kin, a government job for a family member and education expenses of his children.

He said that the BJP state committee has assured a sum of Rs 2 lakh from the party fund to the victim&#39;s family.

BJP leader Ram Mundi was shot dead outside his house last night by unidentified assailants at Bagma village in extremist-hit Khunti district, police said

A BJP leader was shot dead outside his house last night by unidentified assailants at Bagma village in extremist-hit Khunti district, police said. His cousin and mother also suffered bullet injuries in the attack. Superintendent of Police Ashiwini Kumar Singh, who rushed to the spot today after being informed about the incident, said the motive behind the killing of district secretary of the BJP's ST cell, Bhaiya Ram Munda, was yet to be ascertained. "We are investigating the incident from all possible angles to find out the motive behind the killing of the 38-year-old leader," the SP asserted. A massive search operation led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer Ranveer Singh has been launched to apprehend the culprits. "Munda's cousin Birsa and mother Aguni Devi were initially admitted in a local hospital with bullet injuries. The doctors there referred them to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi. Their condition is stable now," the SDPO said. Initial investigations suggest Munda was killed by suspected members of an ultra group over levy demands, he added. The district committee president of the BJP, Kashinath Mahato, said he has found out from the villagers that a group of assailants dragged Munda out of his house before pumping bullets into him. Mahato today sought adequate compensation for Munda's kin, a government job for a family member and education expenses of his children. He said that the BJP state committee has assured a sum of Rs 2 lakh from the party fund to the victim's family.

BJP leader shot dead in Jharkhand's Khunti district

A 21-year-old&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/videos/indian-sikh-youth-shot-dead-in-us-6751">Indian student has been shot dead</a> allegedly by four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, at a grocery store in the US state of California, according to a media report.

Dharampreet Singh Jasser was on duty at a grocery store next to a gas station in Fresno city in California on Tuesday night when four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, barged in to loot the store, local daily Fresnobee reported.

Jasser reportedly hid behind the cash counter but was shot by one of the four robbers while they were leaving the service station after looting cash and goods, the report said.

The incident was reported to the police yesterday when a customer who had stopped by to buy some goods, discovered Jasser&#39;s body on the floor.

Originally from Punjab, Jasser was a student of accounting and had gone to the US around three years ago on a student visa.

Police has arrested 22-year-old Athwal, an Indian-origin man, who is believed to be one of the four suspects who looted the gas station and fired multiple shots one of which hit Jasser.

Police said a Fresno County Sheriff&#39;s deputy saw media coverage of the incident on Tuesday and recognized some similarities between the suspects from the incident and Athwal, the Madera County Sheriff&#39;s Office said.

Madera Sheriff&#39;s detectives were contacted and determined Athwal is the likely suspect in the shooting.

A warrant has been obtained for the suspect and he will be transferred to the Madera Department of Corrections, the report said.

Athwal has been charged with murder and robbery.

&quot;Dharampreet was a completely innocent victim, just doing his job, when he was senselessly killed during this robbery,&quot; Madera Sheriff Jay Varney said&nbsp;

Detectives continue to search for other suspects and any further information related to this case, the Sheriff&#39;s Office said.

Dharampreet Singh Jasser was shot dead allegedly by four armed robbers while he was on duty at a grocery store next to a gas station in Fresno city in California on Tuesday night

A 21-year-old Indian student has been shot dead allegedly by four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, at a grocery store in the US state of California, according to a media report. Dharampreet Singh Jasser was on duty at a grocery store next to a gas station in Fresno city in California on Tuesday night when four armed robbers, including an Indian-origin man, barged in to loot the store, local daily Fresnobee reported. Jasser reportedly hid behind the cash counter but was shot by one of the four robbers while they were leaving the service station after looting cash and goods, the report said. The incident was reported to the police yesterday when a customer who had stopped by to buy some goods, discovered Jasser's body on the floor. Originally from Punjab, Jasser was a student of accounting and had gone to the US around three years ago on a student visa. Police has arrested 22-year-old Athwal, an Indian-origin man, who is believed to be one of the four suspects who looted the gas station and fired multiple shots one of which hit Jasser. Police said a Fresno County Sheriff's deputy saw media coverage of the incident on Tuesday and recognized some similarities between the suspects from the incident and Athwal, the Madera County Sheriff's Office said. Madera Sheriff's detectives were contacted and determined Athwal is the likely suspect in the shooting. A warrant has been obtained for the suspect and he will be transferred to the Madera Department of Corrections, the report said. Athwal has been charged with murder and robbery. "Dharampreet was a completely innocent victim, just doing his job, when he was senselessly killed during this robbery," Madera Sheriff Jay Varney said Detectives continue to search for other suspects and any further information related to this case, the Sheriff's Office said.

Indian student shot dead in California

A North Korean soldier was shot and injured by his own side Monday while defecting to South Korea at the border truce village of Panmunjom, the South&#39;s military said.

The soldier, thought to be low ranking, was shot in the shoulder and elbow and was picked up bleeding on the South side of a portion of the border known as the Joint Security Area (JSA).

It is rare for the North&#39;s troops to defect at the truce village, a major tourist attraction bisected by the borderline and the only part of the frontier where forces from the two sides come face-to-face.

&quot;Our military has taken in a North Korean soldier after he crossed from a North Korea post towards our Freedom House,&quot; Seoul&#39;s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement, referring to a building on the South side of the village.&nbsp;

A JCS official quoted by Yonhap news agency said the South&#39;s soldiers heard a gunshot and then retrieved the unarmed soldier in the mid-afternoon.

He was evacuated to a private hospital by a UN helicopter, the official added, saying the solider had regained consciousness but declining to comment on whether his injuries were life-threatening.

No personal details have been released but the soldier&#39;s uniform suggested he was low-ranking, Yonhap said.

No tourists were in the Joint Security Area at the time because tours do not run on Mondays, a spokesman for United States Forces Korea, which approves the visits, said.

There was no exchange of gunfire between the two sides, but the South&#39;s military said it has raised its level of alertness against any North Korean provocations.

Also on Monday, South Korean police arrested an American for entering a restricted zone -- in a separate border area -- with the apparent intention of crossing to the North, Yonhap reported.

The man, identified only as a 58-year-old from Louisiana, had arrived in South Korea last week and wanted to enter the North for &quot;political purposes&quot;, but was reported by a local villager, Yonhap said.&nbsp;

He is currently under questioning by the South&#39;s police, army and spy agency.

- Tense relations - 
Relations on the peninsula have been tense for months as the North has stepped up its missile tests. In September, it carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test -- of what it described as &quot;a hydrogen bomb&quot;.

Military officials from the North and South have used Panmunjom frequently in the past for talks. Unlike the rest of the frontier, Panmunjom is not fortified with minefields and barbed wire and the border is marked only by a low concrete divider.

Dozens of North Korean soldiers have fled to the South through the DMZ over the decades since the peninsula was divided, including two soldiers who crossed the frontier in June.

More than 30,000 North Korean civilians have also fled their homeland since the two nations came into being in 1948, but it is rare for civilians to cross the closely guarded border.

Most flee across the North&#39;s porous frontier with China and then move on to a third country to seek passage to South Korea.&nbsp;

The soldier, thought to be low ranking, was shot in the shoulder and elbow and was picked up bleeding on the South side of a portion of the border known as the Joint Security Area

A North Korean soldier was shot and injured by his own side Monday while defecting to South Korea at the border truce village of Panmunjom, the South's military said. The soldier, thought to be low ranking, was shot in the shoulder and elbow and was picked up bleeding on the South side of a portion of the border known as the Joint Security Area (JSA). It is rare for the North's troops to defect at the truce village, a major tourist attraction bisected by the borderline and the only part of the frontier where forces from the two sides come face-to-face. "Our military has taken in a North Korean soldier after he crossed from a North Korea post towards our Freedom House," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said in a statement, referring to a building on the South side of the village. A JCS official quoted by Yonhap news agency said the South's soldiers heard a gunshot and then retrieved the unarmed soldier in the mid-afternoon. He was evacuated to a private hospital by a UN helicopter, the official added, saying the solider had regained consciousness but declining to comment on whether his injuries were life-threatening. No personal details have been released but the soldier's uniform suggested he was low-ranking, Yonhap said. No tourists were in the Joint Security Area at the time because tours do not run on Mondays, a spokesman for United States Forces Korea, which approves the visits, said. There was no exchange of gunfire between the two sides, but the South's military said it has raised its level of alertness against any North Korean provocations. Also on Monday, South Korean police arrested an American for entering a restricted zone -- in a separate border area -- with the apparent intention of crossing to the North, Yonhap reported. The man, identified only as a 58-year-old from Louisiana, had arrived in South Korea last week and wanted to enter the North for "political purposes", but was reported by a local villager, Yonhap said. He is currently under questioning by the South's police, army and spy agency. - Tense relations - Relations on the peninsula have been tense for months as the North has stepped up its missile tests. In September, it carried out its sixth and largest nuclear test -- of what it described as "a hydrogen bomb". Military officials from the North and South have used Panmunjom frequently in the past for talks. Unlike the rest of the frontier, Panmunjom is not fortified with minefields and barbed wire and the border is marked only by a low concrete divider. Dozens of North Korean soldiers have fled to the South through the DMZ over the decades since the peninsula was divided, including two soldiers who crossed the frontier in June. More than 30,000 North Korean civilians have also fled their homeland since the two nations came into being in 1948, but it is rare for civilians to cross the closely guarded border. Most flee across the North's porous frontier with China and then move on to a third country to seek passage to South Korea.

North Korean soldier shot while defecting to South

A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday that a helicopter dropped containers of toxic&nbsp;gas&nbsp;overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter was shot down hours earlier. 
 
The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons. 
 
A spokesman for the Syria Civil Defence said 33 people, mostly women and children, were affected by the&nbsp;gas, which they suspect was chlorine, in Saraqeb, in rebel-held Idlib province. 
 
The group, which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers, posted a video on YouTube apparently showing a number of men struggling to breathe and being given oxygen masks by people in civil defence uniforms. 
 
&quot;Medium-sized barrels fell containing toxic&nbsp;gasses. The Syrian Civil Defence was not able to determine the type of the&nbsp;gas,&quot; said the spokesman. 
 
The Syrian government and its Russian allies were not immediately available for comment.&nbsp;The SNC said in a statement: &quot;After shelling, besieging and killing civilians and perpetrating war crimes on them, the Assad regime has resorted once again, and in breach of UN resolutions 2118 and 2235, to using chemical substances and toxic&nbsp;gasses.&nbsp;The daily reality confirms that all the international agreements and previous security council decisions, be they about chemical weapons or otherwise, are meaningless for the Assad regime.&quot; 
 
The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic&nbsp;gas. The group was aware of around nine suspected chlorine&nbsp;gas&nbsp;incidents across Idlib province since the conflict began, he said.&nbsp;Monitors at the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks violence on all sides in the civil war, said barrel bombs fell on Saraqeb late on Monday, wounding a large number of citizens. 
 
Russia&#39;s defence ministry said a Russian helicopter was shot down near Saraqeb during the day on Monday, killing all five people on board, in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria. 
 
 
Denials 
 
The helicopter came down roughly mid-way between Aleppo and Russia&#39;s main air base at Khmeimim in the western province of Latakia, near the Mediterranean coast. 
 
Russian air power began supporting Syrian President Bashar al Assad late last year, an intervention which tipped the balance of the war in Assad&#39;s favour, eroding gains the rebels had made that year.&nbsp;The Russian defence ministry said the Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo as it made its way back to Khmeimim.&nbsp;No group has claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter. 
 
Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. Western powers say the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government and Russia have accused rebels of using poison&nbsp;gas. 
 
UN&nbsp;investigators established that sarin&nbsp;gas&nbsp;was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack, which it estimates killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility, and blamed rebels. 
 
Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian government agreed to destroy the state&#39;s declared stockpile of chemical weapons, a process completed in January 2016. 
 
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulphur mustard, commonly known as mustard&nbsp;gas, had been used for the first time in the conflict, without saying which party in the many-sided conflict it thought had used it. 
 
(Reuters)

The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic gas

A Syrian rescue service operating in rebel-held territory said on Tuesday that a helicopter dropped containers of toxic gas overnight on a town close to where a Russian military helicopter was shot down hours earlier. The opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) accused President Bashar al Assad of being behind the attack. Assad has denied previous accusations of using chemical weapons. A spokesman for the Syria Civil Defence said 33 people, mostly women and children, were affected by the gas, which they suspect was chlorine, in Saraqeb, in rebel-held Idlib province. The group, which describes itself as a neutral band of search and rescue volunteers, posted a video on YouTube apparently showing a number of men struggling to breathe and being given oxygen masks by people in civil defence uniforms. "Medium-sized barrels fell containing toxic gasses. The Syrian Civil Defence was not able to determine the type of the gas," said the spokesman. The Syrian government and its Russian allies were not immediately available for comment. The SNC said in a statement: "After shelling, besieging and killing civilians and perpetrating war crimes on them, the Assad regime has resorted once again, and in breach of UN resolutions 2118 and 2235, to using chemical substances and toxic gasses. The daily reality confirms that all the international agreements and previous security council decisions, be they about chemical weapons or otherwise, are meaningless for the Assad regime." The Civil Defence spokesman said it was the second time Saraqeb had been hit by toxic gas. The group was aware of around nine suspected chlorine gas incidents across Idlib province since the conflict began, he said. Monitors at the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks violence on all sides in the civil war, said barrel bombs fell on Saraqeb late on Monday, wounding a large number of citizens. Russia's defence ministry said a Russian helicopter was shot down near Saraqeb during the day on Monday, killing all five people on board, in the biggest officially acknowledged loss of life for Russian forces since they started operations in Syria. Denials The helicopter came down roughly mid-way between Aleppo and Russia's main air base at Khmeimim in the western province of Latakia, near the Mediterranean coast. Russian air power began supporting Syrian President Bashar al Assad late last year, an intervention which tipped the balance of the war in Assad's favour, eroding gains the rebels had made that year. The Russian defence ministry said the Mi-8 military transport helicopter was shot down after delivering humanitarian aid to Aleppo as it made its way back to Khmeimim. No group has claimed responsibility for downing the helicopter. Government and opposition forces have both denied using chemical weapons during the five-year-old civil war. Western powers say the government has been responsible for chlorine and other chemical attacks. The government and Russia have accused rebels of using poison gas. UN investigators established that sarin gas was used in Eastern Ghouta in 2013. The United States accused Damascus of that attack, which it estimates killed 1,429 people, including at least 426 children. Damascus denied responsibility, and blamed rebels. Later that year the United Nations and the Syrian government agreed to destroy the state's declared stockpile of chemical weapons, a process completed in January 2016. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons confirmed in late 2015 that sulphur mustard, commonly known as mustard gas, had been used for the first time in the conflict, without saying which party in the many-sided conflict it thought had used it. (Reuters)

Rescuers say toxic gas dropped on Syrian town where Russian helicopter was shot down

A protest by Zimbabwean taxi drivers against a police crackdown turned violent on Monday when residents joined in and hurled rocks at police, who fired teargas to disperse the rioters. 
 
In the last month, Zimbabwe has witnessed spontaneous protests against government corruption, shortages of money and government plans to circulate local bank notes as the southern African nation struggles with a drought and a slowing economy. 
 
Zimbabwean taxi drivers, along with owners of taxi firms, accuse police of seeking to raise money for their operations by imposing hefty fines on their vehicles, which they say impacts on their business. 
 
Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba told reporters that anti-riot police had deployed in two townships outside Harare and arrested 30 people in connection with the violence. 
&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Police brutality in Harare. Door to door tactic has been adopted now <a href="https://t.co/oX2ho8st8a">pic.twitter.com/oX2ho8st8a</a>
&mdash; Itai Pfungwadzapera (@itaipfungwa1987) <a href="https://twitter.com/itaipfungwa1987/status/749952447444025344">July 4, 2016</a></blockquote>
<script async src="~/platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script> 
 
Charamba said &quot;all those who are inciting and engaging in violence that such misconduct will be severely dealt with&quot;. 
 
A Reuters witness said taxi operators teamed up with residents in Epworth township, south of central Harare, to attack police with stones. Police fired teargas, beat up protesters and broke down doors at some houses, saying they were looking for organisers of the protest. 
 
In Mabvuku township, to the east of the capital, police fired teargas as taxi operators blocked roads with stones and burning tyres, taxi driver Aaron Mapani said. 
 
Monday&#39;s clashes come days after residents protested in the border town of Beitbridge, 600 kilometres south of the capital Harare, last Friday against restrictions on imports of basic goods from South Africa. 
 
(Reuters)

Police fired teargas, beat up protesters and broke down doors at some houses, saying they were looking for organisers of the protest

A protest by Zimbabwean taxi drivers against a police crackdown turned violent on Monday when residents joined in and hurled rocks at police, who fired teargas to disperse the rioters. In the last month, Zimbabwe has witnessed spontaneous protests against government corruption, shortages of money and government plans to circulate local bank notes as the southern African nation struggles with a drought and a slowing economy. Zimbabwean taxi drivers, along with owners of taxi firms, accuse police of seeking to raise money for their operations by imposing hefty fines on their vehicles, which they say impacts on their business. Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba told reporters that anti-riot police had deployed in two townships outside Harare and arrested 30 people in connection with the violence. Police brutality in Harare. Door to door tactic has been adopted now pic.twitter.com/oX2ho8st8a — Itai Pfungwadzapera (@itaipfungwa1987) July 4, 2016 Charamba said "all those who are inciting and engaging in violence that such misconduct will be severely dealt with". A Reuters witness said taxi operators teamed up with residents in Epworth township, south of central Harare, to attack police with stones. Police fired teargas, beat up protesters and broke down doors at some houses, saying they were looking for organisers of the protest. In Mabvuku township, to the east of the capital, police fired teargas as taxi operators blocked roads with stones and burning tyres, taxi driver Aaron Mapani said. Monday's clashes come days after residents protested in the border town of Beitbridge, 600 kilometres south of the capital Harare, last Friday against restrictions on imports of basic goods from South Africa. (Reuters)

Zimbabwe protests turn violent as taxi drivers and citizens face off against cops

Motorcycle-borne gunmen shot dead an acclaimed Pakistani singer on Wednesday in the busy port city of Karachi, police said. This comes two days after masked men kidnapped the son of a top provincial judge. &nbsp; 
 
Karachi, a metropolis of about 20 million, is home to Pakistan&#39;s stock exchange and central bank and is plagued by political, ethnic and sectarian violence. &nbsp; 
 
Amjad Sabri, 45, was one of South Asia&#39;s most popular singers of the &#39;qawwali&#39;, Sufi devotional music that dates back more than 700 years.&nbsp; 
 
Officers said two gunmen shot at the windscreen of Sabri&#39;s car as it drove off a bridge in the congested Liaquatabad area of the southern city, and a relative travelling with him was also injured.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Two attackers riding a motorcycle intercepted his car and targetted Amjad Sabri who was driving,&quot; Sindh police chief Allah Dino Khawaja told Reuters.&nbsp; 
 
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Amjad Sabri died on the way to the hospital,&quot; police surgeon Rohina Hasan said. &quot;He was shot three times.&quot; Police gave no further details.&nbsp; 
 
Violence is common in Karachi despite a sharp decline in murders since the Pakistani military launched a crackdown two years ago against suspected militants and violent criminals.&nbsp; 
 
On Monday, a lawyer, the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted outside a city supermarket. The motive for the kidnapping was not immediately clear, authorities said.&nbsp; 
 
In May, gunmen shot dead prominent Pakistani rights activist Khurram Zaki, known for his outspoken stance against the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups, in the central part of the city.&nbsp; 
 
In April last year prominent activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot and killed while travelling in her car.&nbsp; 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Sabri's murder comes close on the heels of the abduction of a provincial judge's son two days ago

Motorcycle-borne gunmen shot dead an acclaimed Pakistani singer on Wednesday in the busy port city of Karachi, police said. This comes two days after masked men kidnapped the son of a top provincial judge. Karachi, a metropolis of about 20 million, is home to Pakistan's stock exchange and central bank and is plagued by political, ethnic and sectarian violence. Amjad Sabri, 45, was one of South Asia's most popular singers of the 'qawwali', Sufi devotional music that dates back more than 700 years. Officers said two gunmen shot at the windscreen of Sabri's car as it drove off a bridge in the congested Liaquatabad area of the southern city, and a relative travelling with him was also injured. "Two attackers riding a motorcycle intercepted his car and targetted Amjad Sabri who was driving," Sindh police chief Allah Dino Khawaja told Reuters. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. "Amjad Sabri died on the way to the hospital," police surgeon Rohina Hasan said. "He was shot three times." Police gave no further details. Violence is common in Karachi despite a sharp decline in murders since the Pakistani military launched a crackdown two years ago against suspected militants and violent criminals. On Monday, a lawyer, the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, was abducted outside a city supermarket. The motive for the kidnapping was not immediately clear, authorities said. In May, gunmen shot dead prominent Pakistani rights activist Khurram Zaki, known for his outspoken stance against the Taliban and other radical Islamist groups, in the central part of the city. In April last year prominent activist Sabeen Mahmud was shot and killed while travelling in her car. (Reuters)

Karachi: Pakistani Sufi singer Amjad Sabri shot dead

Protesters burnt vehicles and set tires on fire to barricade roads in South Africa&#39;s capital on Tuesday, June 21, after the ANC named a mayoral candidate not nominated by the ruling party&#39;s regional branches. 
 
The violence spread overnight from the townships and started after a member of the African National Congress (ANC) was shot dead on Sunday, June 19, as factions clashed at a meeting in Pretoria to decide on the candidates for mayor of Tshwane municipality, where Pretoria is located. 
 
The ANC then named senior party member and former cabinet minister, Thoko Didiza, as its candidate for Tshwane, saying that it made the decision after wrangling between members at the party&#39;s headquarters over who should lead the municipality. 
 
According to local media, residents want the incumbent mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa to be allowed to run on the ANC ticket but Ramokgopa has publicly backed Didiza&#39;s selection and called for calm. 
 
The ANC said its members were not to blame for the violence. 
 
Local elections in August pose a major test for the ANC as it gears up for a 2019 presidential vote in the face of a slowing economy and a strong challenge from the opposition 
 
(Reuters)

The violence spread overnight, starting after a member of the African National Congress was shot dead on Sunday

Protesters burnt vehicles and set tires on fire to barricade roads in South Africa's capital on Tuesday, June 21, after the ANC named a mayoral candidate not nominated by the ruling party's regional branches. The violence spread overnight from the townships and started after a member of the African National Congress (ANC) was shot dead on Sunday, June 19, as factions clashed at a meeting in Pretoria to decide on the candidates for mayor of Tshwane municipality, where Pretoria is located. The ANC then named senior party member and former cabinet minister, Thoko Didiza, as its candidate for Tshwane, saying that it made the decision after wrangling between members at the party's headquarters over who should lead the municipality. According to local media, residents want the incumbent mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa to be allowed to run on the ANC ticket but Ramokgopa has publicly backed Didiza's selection and called for calm. The ANC said its members were not to blame for the violence. Local elections in August pose a major test for the ANC as it gears up for a 2019 presidential vote in the face of a slowing economy and a strong challenge from the opposition (Reuters)

Protesters in Pretoria burn cars, tires after unnominated man becomes mayoral candidate

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