200 missing in floods

KANDAHAR: More than 200 people were missing, some of them feared drowned, after days of torrential rain pushed the country’s longest river over its banks, officials said on Sunday. The confirmed death toll from flooding stood at 24. Hundreds of houses have been destroyed in Uruzgan province. Police said more than 200 people were missing after the Helmand River flooded two villages in Deh Rawood district. — AP

Afghan polls on Sept 18

KABUL: Afghan parliamentary elections will be held on September 18, head of the Afghan election commission Bismillah Bismal said on Sunday. He made the announcement at a press conference in Kabul. The parliamentary vote had been put off repeatedly during the past eight months.— AFP

Four hurt in Pak blasts

QUETTA: Four people were injured and a powerline and a government office damaged in three separate bomb blasts in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, officials said on Sunday. Two blasts rocked Turbat town late on Saturday. The other blast, near a paramilitary camp, damaged a main power line and the third blast took place in Quetta. — AP

China mine blast toll 59

BEIJING: The death toll from a gas blast at two adjacent coal mines in China’s Shanxi province

soared to 59 on Sunday as four mine owners were detained on suspicion of defying an order to cease operations, state media said. Another 10 miners were trapped, and possibly alive. —AP

1 killed, 13 hurt in blasts

PATTANI: At least one person was killed and 13 wounded when two bombs apparently targeting security officials exploded in Muslim-dominated areas of southern Thailand on Sunday, officials said. — HNS

UN funds to fight bird flu

YANGON: The United Nations has provided funds to help Myanmar fight bird flu although no case of the disease has been confirmed in the country, a semi-official newspaper said on Sunday. The funds from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation will be used for administrative support, veterinarian training and equipment for disease diagnosis, the Myanmar Times said. — AP

10 soldiers hurt in crash

BANGKOK: Ten soldiers were wounded on Sunday when a US-built Thai army transport helicopter crashed in northern Thailand amid poor visibility, officials said. The aircraft was delivering supplies to a military base in Chiang Mai province, which borders Myanmar, when it crashed. — AFP