News in Brief

Kerry, Lavrov lock horns over Ukraine
Afp, Kiev

US Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday locked horns with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on the crisis in Ukraine, as a week of high-stake talks get into full swing. Washington is pressing Moscow to use its influence to ease the tensions in Ukraine, while Lavrov will be keen to put forward Russia's dissatisfaction at US and EU sanctions imposed as a result of the crisis.

Kashmir Tensions: Rivals talk on hotline
Afp, Islamabad

Senior Pakistani and Indian military officials yesterday spoke by hotline after days of intense cross-border firing in the disputed region of Kashmir heightened tensions. At least 20 civilians have been killed and thousands of people on both sides of the de facto border in Kashmir have fled their homes in what residents have described as some of the worst shelling in years.

American shot dead in Saudi capital
Afp, Riyadh

A gunman shot dead an American and wounded another at a petrol station in the Saudi capital yesterday, in a rare attack on Westerners in the kingdom, police said. The shooting was the first deadly attack on Westerners in Saudi Arabia since several were killed in a wave of al-Qaeda violence between 2003 and 2006. The assailant was wounded in a following shoot and subsequently arrested, police said, without identifying him.

Yemen rebels seize major Red Sea port city
Afp, Sanaa

Yemeni rebels have seized a major port city to add to their fast-expanding territory, just hours after a new premier was named in a bid to resolve the political crisis. The Huthi Shia rebels met little resistance as they overran Hudeida late Monday, taking control of Yemen's second most important seaport, a security official said.

Taliban attack kills six Afghan cops
Afp, Kabul

Taliban militants killed six Afghan police officers yesterday, officials said, the latest in a series of attacks on local security forces highlighting the challenge they face as Nato combat troops depart. The attack on a police post in Logar province south of Kabul came just a day after militants ambushed a convoy in the north and killed 22 policemen.

Dozens arrested in Ferguson protests
Bbc Online

Nearly 50 people have been arrested at protests in Ferguson, Missouri, over the shooting of an unarmed black teenager two months ago. Civil rights activist Cornel West was among those held after he led a march to the police station.Riot police lined up outside the building and arrests were made when people tried to break the line. The protests were part of four days of events called "Ferguson October", which calls for an end to police brutality.

MH17 search resumes
Afp, The Hague

Dutch officials Monday returned to the crash site of flight MH17 in Ukraine, where the search for remains and belongings resumed with the recovery of items from cuddly toys to photos, despite sporadic exchanges of fire. The Dutch were part of an OSCE team that has brokered a return to the place where the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 crashed in rebel-held territory on July 17.