Pakistani airstrikes kill 43 militants near Afghan border

Pakistan's military says airstrikes in a northwestern tribal region near the Afghan border have killed 43 militants.

The military said in a statement that the militants were killed Thursday in two villages of the North Waziristan tribal region. It gave no details about the identities or nationalities of the slain militants.

The information could not be corroborated as journalists are barred from tribal areas.

The Pakistani army has been carrying out a major military operation in North Waziristan since June 2014 to eliminate local and foreign militants.

Since then, the military says it has cleared more than 90 percent of North Waziristan and killed about 3,000 militants.

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'Santhara': VHP expresses 'sadness, agony' over Raj HC order

Press Trust of India  |  Allahabad  August 20, 2015 Last Updated at 16:57 IST

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The Vishwa Hindu Parishad today expressed "sadness and agony" over the Rajasthan High Court judgement banning the practice of "Santhara", a Jain religious practice of voluntary fast unto death.

"We humbly request the judiciary and the governments not to interfere in matters relating to religious and cultural life. The followers of religions which have originated in India - be it Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism or Sikhism - have never shied away from reforms which is evident from movements for widow remarriage and women's education.

"But this should come from within the society and not imposed from outside," VHP international president Pravin Togadia said in a statement.

Togadia said that "it has become fashionable to denigrate age-old customs followed by the people of the country for which a westernised education system, which gives rise to a pseudo-secular mindset, is to be blamed".

"The Rajasthan High Court order is tantamount to interference in matters relating to religion and culture and we express sadness and agony over the same," Togadia added.

The Rajasthan High Court had on August 10 held Jainism religious ritual of 'Santhara' as illegal making it punishable under sections 306 (abetment of suicide) and 309 (attempted suicide) of the IPC.

"Santhara or fast unto death is not an essential tenet of Jainism," the HC said, adding it cannot be termed as "humane" and it's violative of basic human right. A Public Interest Litigation challenging the legality of 'Santhara' was filed in the high court in 2006.

A petition challenging the same has been filed in the Supreme Court.

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South Korea evacuation after shelling on western border

North and South Korea have exchanged cross-border fire several times in recent years (file photo)

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South Korea has ordered the evacuation of residents from an area of its western border after an exchange of fire with North Korea, reports say.

North Korea fired a shell at a South Korean military unit on Thursday, prompting the south to retaliate with several artillery rounds, the South's defence ministry said.

South Korea's National Security Council is due to hold an emergency session.

The western sea border has long been a flashpoint between the two Koreas.

North Korea fired a projectile towards Yeoncheon, a town north-west of Seoul, at 15:52 local time (06:52 GMT), the defence ministry said.

Reports suggest the target could have been a loudspeaker broadcasting anti-Pyongyang messages.

The South then fired "dozens of rounds of 155mm shells" towards where they thought the rocket was launched from, the ministry added in a statement.

There were no immediate reports of any injuries or damage on either side.

Residents have been ordered to leave their shops and homes and evacuate to bunkers and shelters

The two Koreas remain technically at war, because the 1950-1953 war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.

The two sides have exchanged cross-border fire several times in recent years.

A local official told AP news agency that about 80 residents in Yeoncheon had been evacuated, with other residents in the area also urged to take shelter.

The latest incident comes amid heightened tensions between the North and South.

Seoul has blamed the North for planting a landmine that injured two South Korea soldiers earlier this month.

Since then, the sides have begun blasting propaganda broadcasts from loudspeakers along the border - restarting a practice both had suspended back in 2004.

South Korea and the US also began annual joint military exercises on Monday - they describe the drills as defensive, but North Korea calls them a rehearsal for invasion.

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ICC Test Rankings: Ashwin in top-10, Dhawan jumps 15 spots for career-high 32nd

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin entered the top-10 as the lone Indian in the ICC Test player rankings for bowlers, while opener Shikhar Dhawan jumped 15 places for a career-high 32nd in the batting chart following their exploits in the first Test against Sri Lanka at Galle.

While Dhawan was ranked 32nd after his century against Sri Lanka, Test captain Virat Kohli, who also scored 110 in the first innings, was static to be the best-placed Indian batsman at number 10.

Spinner Ashwin, who had a 10-wicket haul for a losing cause, was at ninth place in the bowling list after jumping three places.

There was good news for several Sri Lanka players following their 63-run victory over India in the first Test, with career high gains for Dinesh Chandimal and Tharindu Kaushal as Rangana Herath also helped inspire the hosts to an unlikely victory.

Skipper Angelo Mathews has overtaken his team-mate Kumar Sangakarra and, in the process, moved up one place to fifth in the Test batsmen list after scores of 64 and 39.

Sangakarra, who will make his final appearance for Sri Lanka in the second Test which starts in Colombo on Thursday, now lies nine points behind Mathews on 851 points.

The highest mover in the batting rankings was wicket-keeper Chandimal who put in a Man of the Match performance by scoring 59 and 162 not out to vault 22 places to a career-high 23rd.

Courtesy his 134, Dhawan has become only the third Indian opening batsman after Sunil Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to score Test centuries in consecutive innings overseas.

Binny added to India Test squad

Allrounder Stuart Binny has been added to India's Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. He will join the team ahead of the second game, which begins on August 20 in Colombo.

India's media manager confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that there was no injury concern for any of the other members of the squad, that Binny was just an "addition" to the 15-man unit.

Binny, a pace-bowler and lower middle-order batsman, has played three Tests, all on India's tour to England in mid 2014. While he did not pick up a wicket in any of those games, he scored a handy 78 in his debut Test, in Nottingham, to help India draw.

India lost the first Test of the series, in Galle, after being ahead for a large part of the match. There are two more matches to go, both in Colombo, one at the P Sara Oval and the other at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Incorrect Spanish anthem played at badminton Worlds

Jakarta, Aug 16: An incorrect version of the Spanish national anthem was played during the medal presentation ceremony of the badminton World Championships here on Sunday.

An older version of the current anthem was played after Carolina Marin successfully defended her women's singles title, beating Indian challenger Saina Nehwal at the 9,000-seater Istora Senayan.

"The Badminton World Federation (BWF) and the local hosts for the World Championships have apologized to Carolina Marin for playing the incorrect version of Spain's national anthem," a BWF statement said.

World No.1 Carolina took just a minute less than an hour to beat the Indian second seed 21-16, 21-19. This was the top seeded Spaniard's second consecutive win over Saina in five career meetings.

English team spent 10 hours drinking after Ashes win

London, Aug 16: Top order batsman Joe Root has revealed that the English cricket team didn't leave Trent Bridge for 10 hours as they were partying in the dressing room and on the pitch with "plenty of drink swilling around" following their 3-1 Ashes victory over Australia that saw them reclaim the urn.

Australia lost the fourth Test at Trent Bridge by an innings and 78 runs inside three days. The visitors had earlier lost the first and third Tests and are trailing the five-match series 1-3.

"Celebrating wins is very special and, at Trent Bridge, we didn't leave the ground until about 10pm, even though the match was over by midday," Root was quoted as saying by Sunday Mirror on Saturday.

"As you can imagine there was plenty of drink swilling around in the dressing room and people were wearing as much champagne as they drank."

Root's role in the celebrations was highlighted, as the Yorkshire star took to Sky mock pundit Bob Willis in the dressing room.

"After the spraying was out of the way I couldn't resist doing my Bob Willis impression, although quite a few people have told me it doesn't sound anything like him. I'll have to keep working on it," he said.

England now go into the final Test in the series with an unassailable 3-1 lead, thanks to back to back wins inside three days, but Root insisted that the side would not be taking their foot off the gas next week.

Root said"We want to go to the Oval and make sure, when we lift that urn, we are having a huge celebration and it doesn't become a damp squib because we have not won the final game."