At least 10 people were killed after a coal mine gas explosion in north China, officials said on Wednesday.
The accident occurred at around 4.50 pm on Tuesday when 41 miners were working in the shaft of Chentong Coal Industry Co. Ltd. at Yuxian County in Shanxi province, Xinhua news agency reported.
Twenty-seven people escaped from the scene unhurt and 14 were trapped underground, said Liu Xianyun, spokesperson of the work safety committee of Yangquan City, which administers Yuxian county. “Three of the trapped had been rescued, while 10 were confirmed dead and one was still missing,” Mr Xianyun said.
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Gilani, Sharif agree to take Pervez to court
Islamabad, May 19: Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) chief Nawaz Sharif have agreed to bring former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to the court for accountability, officials said, reports our Pakistan correspondent.
The Prime Minister had given a statement two days ago that it would have been better if the courts had also summoned the main architect of the NRO to hear his point of view.
The NRO was promulgated by Mr Musharraf in 2007 to withdraw political cases against several politicians, including the incumbent President, Asif Ali Zardari. The Supreme Court has now nullified the NRO terming it illegal and unconstitutional.
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Taiwan, China to sign pact to ease tensions
Taipei, May 19: Building upon two years of warming ties, Taiwan’s President Ma Ying-jieou on Wednesday said the landmark economic pact that his country plans to sign with China in June will help avert a potential Chinese invasion.
Marking two years of his tenure in power that has seen diplomatic truce with mainland China, Mr Ma said the easing of tensions across the 100-mile wide Taiwan Strait could compel Beijing to dismantle over 1,000 missiles it has pointed at the self-ruled island.
Mr Ma stressed that the economic cooperation agreement both sides have been negotiating will be signed in June. —IANS
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Indian gets life for setting sons on fire
Chicago, May 19: An Indian man was on Wednesday sentenced to life imprisonment in the US after he pleaded guilty to setting afire his two sons, who succumbed to their injuries in 2007.
Kaushik Patel, 37 from Glendale Heights near here entered the guilty plea in DuPage county circuit court. In return for his plea, Patel would not be sentenced to death but would remain behind bars for life, without possibility of parole.
Patel replied “Yes” when Judge Kathryn Creswell told him, “You will die in prison, do you understand that?” DuPage county state’s attorney Joseph Birkett agreed not to seek the death penalty after talks with defence attorneys.
—PTI