Government employees and many of those working in the private sector went on a one-day countrywide general strike affecting air services in Kolkata and Mumbai. All major cities are likely to be hit by the strike. AITUC, CITU, HMS, AIUTUC, TUCC, AICCTU, UTUC and federations of different
categories of workers and employees are participating in the general strike against price rise, violation of labour laws and disinvestment of PSUs.

The three policemen, who were kept captive by the naxalites for the last nine days, were finally released on Monday morning. All the three cops - Sub-Inspector Abhay Prasad Yadav, Havaldar Mohammad Ehsaan and Trainee Sub-Inspector Rupesh Kumar Sinha – were released near Lakhochak village in Chanan hills area, close to Lakhisarai.

Nepal witnessed another poll but the same outcome on Sunday as the country's lawmakers failed to elect a new prime minister for the sixth consecutive time. Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' secured 240 votes while Nepali Congress vice president Ram Chandra Poudel got 122 votes. A candidate needs 300 votes to win the election.

Afghanistan's Taliban said on Sunday they would attempt to disrupt elections this month and warned Afghans to boycott the vote, the first explicit threat against the poll by the hardline Islamists. The threat came just a day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai said he would soon announce members
of a peace council to pursue talks with the Taliban, another step in his plan for reconciliation with the insurgents.

At least 200 people were feared dead after their boat caught fire and capsized on a river in the Congo, Xinhua reported. The boat overturned after its engine caught fire on the Kasai river in central Congo Saturday night, local media reports quoted a survivor as saying.

Anti-war protesters hurled shoes and eggs at Tony Blair on Saturday as he arrived for the first public signing of his fast-selling memoir. Scores of demonstrators chanted that Blair had "blood on his hands" as the former British prime minister arrived at a Dublin book store. A shoe, eggs and other
projectiles were thrown toward Blair as he emerged from a car, but did not hit him. Security was tight for the signing, with book buyers - who appeared to outnumber the protesters - told to hand over bags and mobile phones before entering Eason's book store.