Seven killed in J&K

SRINAGAR: Seven people have died in fresh violence in Kashmir including five Islamic militants, police said on Saturday. Two rebels died on Friday in a gun battle in Wullarhama village in Anantnag. Three more militants were killed in two other clashes. A policeman died in one of the gunbattles. Suspected rebels also killed a civilian on Friday, police said. — AFP

Flash flood toll 64

BEIJING: The official death toll from a flash flood that struck a primary school in northeastern China has risen to 64, including 62 pupils, state media said on Saturday. Rapidly rising waters from a mountain torrent hit a primary school in Shalan town on Friday, Xinhua said. Another 17 pupils, a teacher and six villagers were hospitalised for emergency treatment. — AFP

12 killed in mishap

KABUL: At least 12 Afghan passengers were killed when a minibus and a US military vehicle collided on Saturday in southern Afghanistan, officials said. The accident occurred on the Kandahar-Spin Boldak highway near the Pakistani border. — AFP

3 killed in Thai south

BANGKOK: Three people have been shot dead as police found four bombs in Thailand’s troubled south, police said on Saturday. Buddhist construction worker Phuang Sungsakul, 49, was shot three times on Saturday as he drove his motorcycle to work in Muang district. Muslim villager Abdulroya Torloh, 39, was shot dead by unknown assailants late on Friday. Buddhist Prachuab Srikrien, 42, was shot on Friday by suspected militants who ambushed his car. — AFP

Taiwan culls ducks

TAIPEI: Taiwan health authorities have killed more than 20,800 ducks after their eggs tested positive for dioxin poisoning, a report said on Saturday. The contaminated ducks along with some 1.3 million tainted eggs found in six farms in central Changhua county were destroyed between March and June, the United Daily News said. The Department of Health confirmed the eradication of the ducks and eggs was because they were contaminated with dioxin. — AFP