An appeal for a shutdown against Friday’s violent incidents in the town of Kishtwar issued by separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani evoked no or very little response in Kashmir Valley on Saturday.

At least nine persons were on Saturday feared killed and few others trapped when a pile of coal collapsed at Basundhara open cast mine of Central public sector unit Mahanadi Coalfields Ltd (MCL) at Kulda in Orissa’s Sundergarh district.

Chennai driver Vishnu Prasad ruled the track at the Kari Motor Speedway on Saturday as he racked up three podium finishes in the second round of the JK Tyre Racing India series — twice on the top step and once for third place.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is all set to register a separate case to probe alleged kickbacks into the `3,6000 crore AgustaWestland copter deal. The agency, sources said, is likely to register a case by the end of this month.

The ministry of environment’s committee, headed by Dr Saroj, to look into sand mining in Gautam Budh Nagar has confirmed that “rampant, unscientific and illegal mining” is being carried out along the Yamuna river.

Delhi driver Amanpreet Ahluwalia (navigator Venu Ramesh) won the Maruti Suzuki Dakshin Dare Rally four-wheeler class, while Nataraj Rajanna of TVS Racing topped the bikes category in the Extreme Category in Bengaluru on Friday.

Dawood Ibrahim, a prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai bombings, has been identified in the fresh intercepts available with the Delhi police talking to his close aide Chhota Shakeel and others in Dubai while sitting in Pakistan as late as April this year.

Two days after a prisoner committed suicide in Kannauj and triggered violence in the prison, another jail inmate died in Badaun jail under mysterious circumstances on Saturday.

The Indian Blind Sports Association has named a 10-member team for the Thailand Open five-a-side international blind football tournament scheduled in Bangkok from August 18 to 23.

The European football leagues kick off this weekend. The focus will be on the Bundesliga and the cash-rich French league for different reasons. The popular English Premier League, telecast over 200 countries and the most watched football event in India starts next.