News in Brief

Power confirmed as new US envoy to UN
Afp, Washington
The US Senate confirmed Samantha Power as ambassador to the United Nations on Thursday, giving bipartisan approval to President Barack Obama's nominee.
The genocide expert and human rights champion sailed through on a 87-10 vote. Power, 42, replaces Susan Rice, whom Obama named in June to be his national security adviser.

Myanmar floods kill 3; 33000 evacuated
Afp, Yangon

Tens of thousands of people were sheltering in relief camps in eastern Myanmar after flash floods swept the region leaving three dead, state media said yesterday, warning of more heavy rain to come.
Nearly 33,500 people have been moved to 79 camps in Karen State after monsoon floods that also caused three deaths and left another person missing, according to state newspaper the New Light of Myanmar.

 
Mali presidential poll goes to run-off
Afp, Bamako

Mali's presidential election will go to a second round on August 11, the government said yesterday, after no candidate secured a majority in the landmark poll.
Figures for Sunday's ballot announced yesterday showed ex PMIbrahim Boubacar Keita in the lead with 39.2 percent of the vote, ahead of main rival Soumaila Cisse with 19.4 percent.

 
Clashes kill 12 in Syria
Afp, Beirut
Fresh clashes between Kurdish fighters and jihadists erupted in the majority Kurdish province of Hasakeh in northern Syria early yesterday, a monitoring group said.
At least 12 members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) were killed, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which added that there was no information on the number of Kurds killed.

Indian army kills 12 militants in Kashmir
Afp, Srinagar
The Indian army yesterday said it had killed 12 suspected militants in Kashmir in a forested area along the de facto border between India and Pakistan.
Army sources said the militants belonged to Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammad and LeT.