COLOMBO: At least 12 Tamil Tiger guerrillas were killed in a fresh wave of fighting with government troops in northern Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry said yesterday. Troops opened fire with automatic weapons at a group of rebels from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the northern peninsula of Jaffna, killing seven of them, including three women. The ministry said five more guerrillas were shot dead by soldiers in three separate clashes on Tuesday. 100 shops gutted in Karachi fireKARACHI: At least 100 shops were gutted early Wednesday when a huge fire swept through a shopping centre in central Karachi, traders and firemen said. Some 60 fire engines manned by 300 firefighters battled for about six hours to extinguish the fire in the popular Hyderi Market, which caused losses of almost $1 million. No casualties were reported.

Taliban bombings kill 30

KABUL: At least 30 civilians have died in bombing raids in central and northern Afghanistan by theruling Taliban militia, an Opposition spokesman said Wednesday. ``The Taliban has the upper hand in air power and this is vengeance for the fall of Bamiyan,'' Opposition spokesman Abdullah said. The hardline Islamic Taliban militia lost control of central Bamiyan seven days ago.

Benazir keen on returning

LONDON: Former Pakistan premier Benazir Bhutto has discounted reports that she has sought political asylum in Britain saying she planned to go home as soon as the Supreme Court stays arrest warrants issued against her. Benazir, convicted in a graft case along with husband Asif Zardari, also rebutted reports that she would move to Dubai soon to coordinate her court case from nearer home, local media quoting sources close to the family said. The British Home office has also confirmed that it had not received any application for asylum from Benazir.