News In Brief

Ex-Nepal PM Shrestha dies
Pti, Kathmandu

Former Prime Minister of Nepal, Marich Man Singh Shrestha, passed away at a hospital in Kathmandu yesterday.
Shrestha, 70, who was suffering from lung cancer, breathed his last at the Norvic hospital, officials said. He had served as Nepal's Prime Minister for about four years till April 1990, when the political parties launched an agitation to restore democratic rights.

Snowden Sr contacts son: lawyer
Afp, Moscow

The Russian lawyer for Edward Snowden yesterday revealed that the father of the US intelligence leaker had for the first time contacted his son via the Internet in defiance of legal advice.
The 30-year-old former US National Security Agency contractor received asylum in Russia on August 1. Snowden is wanted by Washington on espionage charges linked to his media disclosures about the secret details of US surveillance programmes.

Keita wins Mali presidential vote
Afp, Bamako

Mali announced Ibrahim Boubacar Keita as its new leader yesterday when the government confirmed the ex-prime minister had won a landslide victory in a presidential poll intended to give a fresh start to the conflict-scarred nation.
Figures for Sunday's second-round ballot announced on live television by the interior ministry showed the former prime minister won an overwhelming 77.6 percent of the vote, with his rival Soumaila Cisse trailing on 22.4 percent.

AU troops accused of Somalia rape
Afp, Nairobi

The African Union force fighting in Somalia is investigating the alleged gang rape of a woman by its soldiers, a case that has sparked outrage in Mogadishu, the AU said yesterday.
A Somali woman has alleged she was abducted, drugged and then repeatedly raped earlier this month by soldiers from both the national army and from AMISOM, the 17,700-strong African Union force that supports the internationally backed government.

Iran detains Indian oil tanker
Pti, New Delhi

Iran has detained India's largest ocean liner Shipping Corporation (SCI)'s vessel carrying crude from Iraq yesterday, following which government is engaged in hectic diplomatic parleys with the Iranians to secure release of the tanker.
The tanker, MT Desh Shanti, was detained while carrying oil in the Persian Gulf. Iranians have agreed to release the vessel only after securing some undertakings from the captain of the ship, officials said.
The development assumes significance as it comes at a time when India has taken steps to reduce its crude imports from Iran.