At least two policemen were killed when unidentified gunmen stormed the Chinese consulate in the Pakistani port city of Karachi on Friday, officials said.
Up to four gunmen tried to enter the consulate but were intercepted by security guards at a checkpoint, senior local police official Javaid Alam Odho told AFP.

An exchange of fire resulted "killing two of our constables and critically wounding another", he said.

He added that the group "ran away" but did not confirm if the attack was over, saying the area had been cordoned off and security forces were conducting a clearing operation.

Police and Rangers were on the scene, police said. Pictures posted to social media purportedly of the attack showed smoke rising from the area.

The attack was claimed by a separatist terrorist group from Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan, which is at the centre of a major Chinese investment project in the country.

"We have carried out this attack and our action is continuing," the spokesman for the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Geand Baloch, told news agency AFP by telephone from an undisclosed location.

The BLA is just one of the terrorist groups operating in Balochistan, Pakistan's largest and poorest province, which is rife with ethnic, sectarian and separatist insurgencies.

China on Friday condemned an attack on its consulate in the Pakistani city of Karachi that killed two policemen and urged its ally to ensure the security of Chinese citizens.


"China strongly condemns any violent attacks against diplomatic agencies and requests that Pakistan takes practical measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens and institutions in the country," foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said at a regular press briefing.

China, one of Pakistan's closest allies, has poured billions into the South Asian country in recent years as part of a massive infrastructure project that seeks to connect its western province Xinjiang with the Arabian Sea port of Gwadar.

The project, the so-called 'China-Pakistan Economic Corridor', is one of the largest projects in Beijing's "One Belt One Road" initiative, comprising a network of roads and sea routes involving 65 countries.

But for Pakistan, participating in the project presents an enormous challenge in a country plagued by weak institutions, endemic corruption and a range of insurgencies in areas slated to host the corridor.

The subject of economic dividends from the so-called 'CPEC' is extremely sensitive in some of the areas the corridor will run through -- particularly in resource-rich Balochistan.

Since the beginning of the project terrorists have repeatedly attacked construction sites and targeted Chinese workers.

Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and a financial hub, was for years rife with political, sectarian and ethnic militancy.

Two sixes and one four from Coulter-Nile's bat had raised some hopes for Australia but Bhuvi gets rid of him. Australia's score goes past 100 but they need at least 140 to give something to their bowlers. This was bowled short and the batsman cuts it to deep point.

Carey's turn now as Kuldeep gets into the act. Carey wants to break the shackles but if you don't time Kuldeep to perfection, you are always in trouble especially in a ground that is as huge as the MCG. Coulter-Nile joins McDermott. Can he read Kuldeep? Well, he has just smashed his first ball for a six.

A huge lbw appeal was turned down earlier in the over but Maxwell doesn't survive for a long time. There is a little bit of turn and Maxwell is cleaned up while attempting to defend it. Australia are in tatters.

You got to be kidding me! Your team is 40/3 and there is a deep point in place. How on earth did Stoinis think it was the right choice to cut one straight to the fielder out there? Ridiculous shot considering the situation Australia find themselves in. Bumrah gets his first wicket. Ben McDermott is the new man.

And he is going bonkers! Kohli's ploy to give Khaleel another over has worked. He bowls one on a good length and Short wanted to hit out of the park but could only manage an under edge that shatters the stumps. Stoinis has joined Maxwell out in the middle. These two rescued them on Wednesday and need to do it all over again.

Well, Bumrah's misjudgement didn't cost India a lot. Khaleel strikes in his first over. It was bowled quite wide and Lynn wanted to deposit it into the stands. The change of pace works as Krunal stationed at deep point covers ground to take a smart catch. And India are looking to apply more pressure here by introducing Bumrah into the attack. Maxwell is the new man.

Bhuvi must be gutted! He has kept Lynn quiet but the batsman finally takes him on but doesn't get the timing right on the pull. It was a knuckle ball and Bumrah had a chance to take the catch at the boundary. He misjudges the ball completely and gets his fingers on the ball but it carries over for a six anyway. Bumrah could have taken two steps back and taken it. Two chances missed in the same over.

Tough chance! Bhuvi induces Short's edge and Pant dives full length low to his left to take it one-handed but he fails to hold onto that. First slip could have taken it? Hard to tell. Good effort though.

A pitch that was under the cover, conditions overcast and Bhuvi makes full use of it. Finch is gone for a first ball duck. The ball was bowled slightly fuller, wide and it moved away and the batsman edges it behind while trying to drive. Lynn is in very early. India need to keep him quiet.

Ever heard of the phrase stealing someone's thunder? Well, seems like Meghan Markle's half-sister, Samantha Markle is all set to do that to her.

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry are due to have their first baby in Spring (March-June) of 2019. The Royal couple are very excited and visibly happy about the due arrival of their little prince or princess.


But Meghan's sister Samantha, who has been bad-mouthing her sister ever since she got married into the Royal family, decided to play spoilsport yet again.

Samantha is writing a book, In The Shadows Of The Duchess, which is a memoir that claims to reveal all of Meghan's lies. She is planning to release the book around the same time as the birth of the Royal baby.


Meghan does not have a very good relationship with her father Thomas Markle or any of her family members, except her mother Doria Ragland. Neither her dad, nor any of her siblings attended her wedding in May.

Going back to the book, Samantha says that it will be a tell-all account of everything from 'lullabies to lies'.

Samantha also told a leading daily:

"The world does not know truth total truth...I'm holding nothing back."

Samantha also claimed that she was being subjected to cyber bullying.

"On top of it I am dealing with cyber-stalking and cyber-bullying with little Twitter trolls. They're kind of nasty, sending out banners and propaganda about me that's disparaging and not true."

Given how bitter Samantha is towards this entire situation, we can only imagine the level of destruction this book will cause.

Having tasted back-to-back success at the box-office with Andhadhun and Badhaai Ho and then facing the harsh reality of his wife Tahira Kashyap's breast cancer scare, actor Ayushmann Khurrana now sees things through a different prism and has called life a "great leveller".

Tahira revealed her affliction on September 22, posting on Instagram that she was detected with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) in her right breast with high grade malignant cells.

Asked how he was balancing his professional and personal lives, Ayushmann told IANS: "It was very difficult. I have realised that life is never perfect. You have to celebrate the imperfections of life and you have to accept that there would be a void in your life every time, it cannot be perfect. So, this was just a small imperfection according to us. We are taking it as it is."

The 34-year-old actor added: "I had two back-to-back films coming and I was going through a professional high and I was wondering life is so beautiful and suddenly this happened, so it is a great leveller. Life is a great leveller."


On Karva Chauth this year, Ayushmann kept a fast for the good health and long life of Tahira, whom he proudly calls his inspiration.

"I am glad I have a partner like Tahira who is very brave, strong, who is an inspiration. I have started seeing life through a different prism," said the actor, who has two children with Tahira -- Virajveer and Varushka.

"I was giving her my time, of course. In the morning I was promoting my films, in the nights I was with her in the hospital... It is not easy."

A 22-year-old Indian-origin man in the US has been arrested and charged with sexual enticement of a minor girl through social media, authorities have said.
Sachin Aji Bhaskar, a resident of New York's Buffalo city, faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, maximum of life in prison and a USD 250,000 fine.

Assistant US Attorney Wei Xiang said Tuesday that Bhaskar, using a social media application in August, contacted the 11-year-old girl in Buffalo claiming to be 15.

He picked her up by car and returned her home approximately three hours later after having sex with her.

He made an initial appearance before US Magistrate Judge Kenneth Schroder and is being held pending a detention hearing.