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Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, May 11

Xinhua, May 12, 2015 Adjust font size:

Sri Lanka's new government on Monday denied any politicization over the ongoing fraud investigations against former President Mahinda Rajapakse's regime, an official said.

President Maithripala Sirisena was elected in January on promises to wipe out corruption during Rajapakse's ten-year rule, including investigations against Rajapakse and two of his brothers who held top posts in his government, as well as other officials and cabinet members. (Sri Lanka-Ex-President-Probe)

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SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir -- At least 25 people were killed and 35 others injured Monday after a passenger bus skidded off road and fell into 200-feet gorge in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The accident took place at village Latti in Udhampur district, about 302 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian- controlled Kashmir.

"The death toll in today's tragic bus accident has gone up to 25," a police officer posted at police control room Jammu told Xinhua. "On spot 24 bodies were pulled out, while as one succumbed to injuries while being airlifted to Jammu for treatment." (India- Bus Crash)

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KABUL -- President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said on Monday that 19 hostages, who were part of a group of people kidnapped in southern Afghanistan in February, were released.

"It is a matter of pleasure to announce the release of our 19 countrymen from kidnappers' clutch. They are the guests of the government in Ghazni province and would soon be transported to Kabul," Ghani told a press conference.

Unidentified gunmen intercepted two buses in the southern Zabul province in late February and took 31 passengers to an unknown location. (Afghanistan-Hostages-Release)

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KATHMANDU -- A disease surveillance and prevention course jointly organized by China and Nepal concluded on Monday, with 34 Nepalese military medical trainees learning skills to better cope with post-quake emergencies in the Himalayan nation.

The five-day course, provided by the China Medical Team in association with Nepal Army Medical Corps, aims to help the medics understand basic concepts of post-disaster public health emergency response, which focuses on water, food, sanitation, vectors, symptom surveillance of infectious diseases and health promotion. (Nepal-China-Training) Endi