MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan // Pakistan accused Indian troops of firing shells across the disputed border in Kashmir yesterday that killed one civilian as tensions ran high in both countries after last week's killing of Indian soldiers set off a wave of skirmishes.
Clashes flared along the 740-kilometre Line of Control (LoC) that divides Kashmir on August 6 when five Indian soldiers were ambushed and killed in the Poonch region. New Delhi blamed the attack on the Pakistan army. Islamabad denied involvement.
While tit-for-tat shelling and machine-gun fire are common along the LoC, the current round of fighting is one of the most intense since a ceasefire signed in 2003. There have been protests in both countries and rowdy scenes in India's parliament. Under pressure from the opposition, the Indian government has hinted at retaliation.
A Pakistani army official said yesterday that a civilian was killed as a result of "unprovoked Indian shelling".
Islamabad summoned India's deputy high commissioner to Pakistan to register its concern over the death, the Pakistani foreign office said.
A spokesman for the Indian defence ministry offered a different version of events. He said Indian posts came under heavy mortar and automatic weapon fire overnight in the same area and that India "responded effectively". He said no damage or injuries were reported on the Indian side.
The disputed Himalayan region was split between India and Pakistan in 1948 but they both claim it in its entirety. They have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir and India accuses Pakistan of supporting separatist rebels fighting its rule in its part of Kashmir since 1989.
The two armies have been exchanging fire on the front line since last Tuesday, straining the ceasefire that has largely held for nearly a decade.
The Indian army patrolled an area close to Poonch on India's side of the fence yesterday after three people died in riots between Hindus and Muslims over the weekend.
A curfew was in place in eight of 10 districts of the Jammu region to contain the unrest. Authorities also blocked mobile data transmission services in the region.
Sporadic protests and clashes with police continued yesterday.
On Pakistan's side of the border, hundreds of people took to the street in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, accusing India of stepping up attacks.
India and Pakistan have been trying to restart stalled peace talks, possibly as early as this month, as well as arrange a meeting between the Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, in New York in September.
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Brief scores:
Toss: Nepal, chose to field
UAE 153-6: Shaiman (59), Usman (30); Regmi 2-23
Nepal 132-7: Jora 53 not out; Zahoor 2-17
Result: UAE won by 21 runs
Series: UAE lead 1-0
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.