News in Brief -(09-01-2018)

Afghan attack kills 10 militants
KUNDUZ, Jan 08: At least 10 militants have been killed as security forces attacked Taliban hideouts in Khan Abad district of the northern Kunduz province on Sunday night, an army spokesman, Ghulam Hazrat Karimi, said Monday. The security forces, according to the official, have been combing up several villages in Khan Abad district to kill or capture the armed militants to ensure lasting peace in the restive district. Taliban militants haven't commented yet. — AP

Australian govt gives fund to boost mental health in schools
CANBERRA, Jan 08: The Australian government has announced a 100 million Australian dollars (78.4 million U.S. dollars) funding boost for school mental health programs. Greg Hunt, Australia's health minister, said the initiative would help schools and communities support the wellbeing of young Australians. Much of the promised money will go to mental health group "beyondblue" to support its National Education Initiative for four years at a cost of 35 million U.S. dollars. — Xinhua

Turkish Cypriots set for coalition
NICOSIA, Jan 08: The party of the prime minister of northern Cyprus, a statelet recognised only by Turkey, has won parliamentary elections but will need to form a coalition after falling short of a majority, results showed Monday. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), established in the wake of Turkey's 1974 invasion of the island in response to an Athens-backed coup, voted Sunday in snap polls forced by tensions in the previous coalition. — AFP

Family of murdered Sri Lanka editor criticises govt
COLOMBO, Jan 08: The family of a newspaper editor murdered in Sri Lanka criticised the government for failing to bring his killers to justice as they marked the ninth anniversary of his death on Monday. Lasantha Wickrematunga, a prominent critic of the former administration, was stabbed days before he was due to testify in a corruption case involving the then defence minister Gotabhaya Rajapakse. — AFP

11 die in Uttar Pradesh road crash
NEW DELHI, Jan 08: At least 11 people were killed after a goods truck crushed a car and a three-wheeler in northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, officials said Monday. The accident took place on highway at Sirsaganj police station in Firozabad district, about 257 km west of Lucknow city, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. — Xinhua

Iran bans English in pry schools
TEHERAN, Jan 08: Iran has banned the teaching of English in primary schools, a senior education official said, after Islamic leaders warned that early learning of the language opened the way to a Western "cultural invasion". "Teaching English in government and non-government primary schools in the official curriculum is against laws and regulations," Mehdi Navid-Adham, head of the state-run High Education Council, told state television late on Saturday. — Reuters