Afghan vice president unhurt in Taliban ambush
KABUL, Mar 31: An Afghan official says that Afghanistan's vice president, Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum, has escaped unharmed after Taliban ambushed his convoy while traveling form northern Balkh to neighboring Zawzjan province. Munir Ahmad Farhad, spokesman for the provincial governor of Balkh, said Sunday that a security guard in the convoy was killed, and two others wounded, in the attack. — AP
Rahul to contest from Wayanad and Amethi
NEW DELHI, Mar 31: Ending speculation, Congress Sunday announced that party president Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad parliamentary constituency in Kerala along with Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. The announcement was made by senior party leader AK Antony at a press conference here. — AFP
Russia urges US not to poke nose in Venezuela
MOSCOW, Mar 31 (Xinhua): The Russian Foreign Ministry on Saturday warned the United States against further interfering in Venezuela's domestic affairs and stirring up speculations about Russia conducting military operations in the South American country. "We recommend that the United States stop threatening Venezuela, strangling its economy and pushing it towards civil war, which is in open violation of international law," the ministry's spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement. — Xinhua
Masked men abduct Pakistani journalist
KARACHI, Mar 31: The family of a Pakistani journalist says he was forcibly taken by masked men in private and police vehicles and has been unreachable for more than 24 hours. Minhaj Musavi says armed men took his brother, Matloob Musavi, from his home in the city of Karachi early Saturday. The Karachi Union of Journalists condemned in a statement the incident and demanded the immediate release of Musavi. — AP
Netanyahu warmly welcomes Bolsonaro in Israel
JERUSALEM, Mar 31: Israel's prime minister has warmly welcomed Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on his first state visit to Israel. Bolsonaro touched down Sunday and received red carpet treatment from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is running for re-election in nine days. The Brazilian leader opened his speech after landing with the words "I love Israel" in Hebrew. — AP
Man kills seven of wife's family members
TEHRAN, Mar 31: Iranian media says a man has shot dead seven members of his wife's family in the southwestern city of Dezful. The state-owned IRNA news agency said Sunday the shooter wielded a Kalashnikov rifle killing five men and two women, before shooting himself. The agency reported the shooter survived and is in hospital, but did not release his name. —AP
