Three killed in Lanka

COLOMBO: Unidentified gunmen shot dead three people in two separate incidents in eastern Sri Lanka in suspected factional violence among Tamil rebels, officials said on Thursday. Two men loyal to LTTE were killed in Kalmunai while the third person shot dead was believed to be a supporter of a splinter group. — AFP

Bihar heat wave toll 25

PATNA: The searing summer has claimed at least 25 lives in Bihar with hundreds more being admitted to hospital and health centres with heat stroke symptoms, officials said. Temperatures in the region of 45-46 degrees Celsius for three consecutive weeks have not spared animals either, with reports of at least a dozen blue bulls dying. — HNS

Insurance for pupils

BHOPAL: Students in all state-run schools of Madhya Pradesh will get an insurance cover of Rs 25,000 against a premium of Re 1 from the new academic session in July. The scheme will cover all students from Class 1 to 12. — HNS

5 injured in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: At least five people were injured in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday when guerrillas lobbed a hand grenade at paramilitary troopers. The incident took place at Awantipore, 35 km from here. — HNS

Bird flu in Indonesia

JAKARTA: Indonesian health authorities reported the country’s first human case of bird flu on Thursday, saying a farm worker from Sulawesi had tested positive for the disease that killed 54 people in SE Asia. — AFP