Heat wave toll 35

BHUBANESHWAR: At least 35 people have died from sunstroke and dehydration in India over the past two weeks with soaring temperatures gripping vast tracts of the country, officials said on Saturday. Twenty-four people have died in Orissa. Three people died of sunstroke in Maharashtra, while eight women and children died in Andhra Pradesh. — AFP

Ethnic rebels unite

DOI TAILAENG: Two ethnic Shan guerrilla groups announced that they have merged to fight Myanmar’s military regime. The Shan State National Army (SSNA), which reached a ceasefire with the ruling junta in 1995, will join the Shan State Army or SSA, their leaders said late on Saturday at a joint press conference at SSA headquarters. The groups are two of the biggest among numerous Shan organisations. — AP

Indonesia earthquake

JAKARTA: A 5.1-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s tsunami-ravaged Aceh province on Sunday, causing panic among residents but there were no reports of damage or casualties, seismologist and witnesses said. The quake that occurred at around 06:00 local time was centred under the Indian Ocean, about 58 km southwest of Banda Aceh. — AP

1,500 left homeless

BRAHMANBARIA: A fierce tornado tore through eastern Bangladesh on Sunday, leaving at least 50 villagers injured, destroying more than 600 homes and uprooting electric poles, an official said. The tornado struck at least 10 villages at Kosba in Brahmanbaria district, 80 km east of the capital, Dhaka. About 1,500 people were left homeless. — AP

Strike deferred

COLOMBO: A Tamil political party has suspended a four-day strike that was to start on Sunday

in the Sri Lankan port city of Trincomalee to protest the erection of a large statue of Buddha. The Tamil People’s Party said it called off the planned work stoppage to allow Buddhists to celebrate a public holiday on Monday that marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha, but would resume the strike action on Thursday. — AFP

Iraqi ship sails home

AHMEDABAD: An Iraqi ship that was detained off the Indian coast for more than a month has been allowed to sail home after its crew threatened to commit suicide. The Basra-bound MV-Harision-9 had been anchored off the Mundra port of Kutch district after the Marine Mercantile Department (MMD) ruled it was unsafe. — AFP