China appoints new military commander
Beijing, Aug 6: China has appointed a new military commander in restive Xinjiang where authorities have locked up more than a million members of Muslim minorities in what they call a bid to curb terrorism and radicalism. Lt Gen Wang Haijiang will oversee a massive military presence in the sprawling northwestern region that borders on several unstable Central Asian states, along with Pakistan and Afghanistan, from which US troops are withdrawing. Like Xinjiang’s hardline Communist Party chief Chen Quanguo, Wang previously served in Tibet, which also hosts large numbers of troops to suppress anti-government sentiment among the native Tibetan population and guard the disputed border with India, where the two nations had a deadly clash last year. (AP)
Pak Air Force aircraft crashes
Islamabad, Aug 6: A Pakistan Air Force (PAF) trainer aircraft crashed on Friday during routine training exercise near Attock area of Punjab province. “Both pilots have ejected successfully. No loss of life or property has been reported so far on ground,” the PAF said in a statement. It said a Board of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the cause of the accident. This is the third such crash reported by the PAF in the last 18 months. Last year in September, a PAF aircraft crashed near Attock in Punjab province during training drills. Similarly in February the same year, a Mirage jet crashed near Shorkot in Punjab. (PTI)
1000s evacuated in N Korea
Seoul, Aug 6: Heavy rains in northeastern North Korea have destroyed or flooded 1,170 houses and forced 5,000 residents to evacuate to safety, North Korea’s state TV reported.
Thursday’s TV broadcast said this week’s downpour in South Hamgyong Province inundated or washed away hundreds of hectares (acres) of farmlands and destroyed many bridges. Footage showed houses submerged up to their red-brick roofs, a severed bridge over muddy water and a swollen river. The broadcast didn’t mention any casualties. It said the North’s eastern coastal areas will continue to receive heavy rains in the next few days. (AP)