Yangon (TIP): Myanmar security forces killed at least 25 persons on July 8 in a confrontation with opponents of the military junta at a town in the centre of the Southeast Asian nation, two residents and Myanmar media said on Sunday.

A spokesman for the military did not respond to calls requesting comment on the violence at Depayin in the Sagaing region.

The state-run Global New Light of Myanmar said “terrorists” ambushed security forces patrolling there, killing one of them and wounding six. It said the attackers retreated after retaliation by the security forces. — Reuters

Nepal, India revise railway service pact

Kathmandu (TIP): In a major boost to the Nepal-India bilateral ties, the two neighbouring countries revised the Railway Service Agreement on June 30, according to a media report.

According to the revised text of the Letter of Exchange, all authorised private container train operators (Indian as well as Nepali) will be able to utilise the Indian railway network to carry freight containers for Nepal’s imports or exports, ending the monopoly of the Indian government-owned Container Corporation of India, the Kathmandu Post daily reported.

The agreement was singed in 2004 and the two sides have tried to amend it several times in the past. As the countries are planning to expand and extend more cross-border railway service in both passengers and cargo facilities, the agreement was needed to be revises without any delay, a Nepali official said. —IANS