Indian Sub-continent

NEW DELHI, Nov 20 (Reuters) - India's capital Delhi re-opened schools and some building sites on Monday amid signs of receding air pollution, although it remained classified as hazardous, while a toxic foam besmirched stretches of the Yamuna river flowing through the city.

The world's most polluted capital resumed its annual battle on pollution this month, despite government pledges to improve. Monday's air quality index (AQI) of 336 was down from Thursday's level of 509, but still "hazardous", Swiss group IQAir said.

COLOMBO, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Maldives government Saturday formally requested India to withdraw its military personnel from the Island nation, according to information from Male.

The request was made by the new President of Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, during his meeting with a representative of the Indian government.

"At the meeting, President Muizzu had formally requested Government of India to withdraw its military personnel from the Maldives," a statement issued by the office of the Maldives President said.

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Officials trying to reach 41 workers who have been trapped in a collapsed tunnel in northern India for eight days were contemplating alternative rescue plans Sunday after snags with a drilling machine caused them to halt digging.

A new drilling machine arrived at the accident site in Uttarakhand state on Saturday to replace one that was damaged while breaking through the rocks and debris. They had been using the drill to create a space to insert wide pipes through which the trapped workers could crawl to their freedom.

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Forty workers were trapped in a collapsed road tunnel in northern India for a seventh day Saturday as rescuers waited for a new machine to drill through the rubble so they could crawl to their freedom.

On Friday, the drilling was interrupted when some machine bearings became damaged by the breaking of rocks and clearing of debris, officials said, adding a new challenge to the long-drawn rescue efforts.

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Rescuers drilled deeper into the rubble of a collapsed road tunnel in northern India on Friday to fix wide pipes for 40 workers trapped underground for a sixth day to crawl to their freedom.

Drilling with a new machine started on Thursday and has covered a stretch of 24 meters (78 feet) so far, Devendra Patwal, a disaster management official, said.

It may require up to 60 meters (195 feet) to enable the trapped workers’ escape, Patwal told The Associated Press on Friday.

Shimla/Kullu, Nov 17 (PTI) The naked bodies of a couple believed to be from Russia were found at a small pond near the holy town of Manikaran in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district, police said on Friday.

The bodies found Thursday bore some injury marks. Police said it appeared to be a case of suicide, but did not rule out the possibility of murder.

Kota (Rj), Nov 16 (PTI) Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading "lies" against the Congress, party general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday called him 'jhooth ke jagatguru", days after the prime minister mocked Rahul Gandhi as the "leader of fools" during campaigning for assembly polls.

Addressing a press conference here, Ramesh took potshots at the BJP and Modi and claimed the Congress will retain power in Rajasthan because of its development and welfare schemes.

LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Some of the 40 construction workers trapped in a collapsed road tunnel for a fourth day were getting sick as falling debris and technical glitches delayed the work to free them, officials in northern India said Wednesday.

FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Nov 13 (NNN-ANA) – Police have arrested a drug smuggler and seized a variety of illegal drugs from his possession, in north Afghanistan’s Badakhshan province, a statement from the provincial police office said, today.

The arrest was made in Darayem district yesterday, and the contraband included opium poppy, hashish and heroin, the statement said.

In similar operations, the counter-narcotics police set on fire nearly two tonnes of illegal drugs in the central Daykundi province, last week.

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 13 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and 12 others were injured when an oil drilling company's convoy was attacked in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Monday, police said.

The incident happened in the Drazanda area of Dera Ismail Khan district, where a number of well-equipped militants ambushed the convoy, escorted by paramilitary troops Frontier Corps (FC), and fled the scene, Deputy Superintendent of Police in Drazanda Sher Ullah told Xinhua.