United Nations Food Security Cluster on Thursday emphasised that continued financial assistance to the households should be provided in the 28 worst flood-affected districts in Pakistan.

The Cluster put forward this observation in its detailed study launched on livelihood recovery after 2010 floods.

The report emphasised that the women in the flood-affected areas should the main focus of the financial assistance as the recovery of livestock should also be in the limelight in this regard.

The death toll from the devastating earthquake in the New Zealand city of Christchurch last February has been raised to 185, the coroner's office said Thursday.

The coroner initially found 181 people were killed as a direct result of the 6.3-magnitude quake, but more deaths had been recorded as part of the toll in recent weeks after reviews of their cases, a spokesman for the coroner said.

An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale shook parts of Punjab, Haryana and Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand in the wee hours today. The quake occurred at 12:47 am and was felt in some parts of the northern region.

Though some houses developed cracks in Barkot area of Uttarkashi, there were no reports of any major damage to life and property in the region which was the epicentre of the devastating 1991 earthquake that left hundreds of people dead.

In Chandigarh, officials said there were no reports of loss of life or property anywhere in Punjab and Haryana.

Shimla records -4°C, Srinagar -2°C; cold spell to continue for some time. With mercury plummeting to sub-zero level in Narnaul, the region today reeled under intense cold wave. The icy winds blowing in the region are expected to continue in the next few days, weatherman has predicted. Cold wave conditions intensified and Shimla recorded a stinging - 4 degree C, while Srinagar reeled under -2 degrees C. Mercury slid to -1 degree C at Narnaul and hit the sub-zero level at Amritsar.

CHENNAI: The Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund on Thursday swelled to Rs 103,87,61,469 to carry out cyclone Thane relief work. The contribution to the relief fund by State ministers, government employees, and industrialists was Rs 35,09, 90,271 on Thursday alone. Revenue Minister KA Sengottaiyyan, his department officials and staffers pitched in with a day’s salary of Rs 1,88,01,952. Industries Minister B Thangamani and his department employees contributed a day’s salary of Rs 1,64,82,995.

Japan's nuclear watchdog on Wednesday postponed the completion of its review on stress tests on the first pair of dozens of idled reactors, an initial step in rebuilding public trust in atomic energy after the worst nuclear accident in 25 years.

Only three of Japan's 54 reactors are online 11 months after a major earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Many have been stopped for regular maintenance, during which utilities are conducting stress tests.

Andhra Pradesh will request a Central assistance of Rs 3,006 crore towards drought relief according to the revised norms, the Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, has said.

While seeking liberal assistance, the Chief Minister told a nine-member Central team that the State would send a revised request soon. The team had visited the affected districts and met the Chief Minister and various Government officials today at the Secretariat.

He also said the State Government sought Rs 120 a quintal as bonus towards MSP for foodgrains.

The Cuddalore chapter of the Tamil Nadu Legal Services Authority has come to the rescue of cyclone-affected people in the district, who have lost vital documents such as passports, birth certificates, ration cards, court papers and so on. Chairman of the District Legal Services Authority K.Uthirapathy, who is also Principal District and Sessions Court Judge, has taken the initiative to help such people. They would otherwise have to undergo cumbersome procedure of approaching the respective departments or agencies to get duplicates after surmounting legal hurdles and time lapses.

SRINAGAR : There was still no respite from the cold during night as the minimum remained below normal in the Kashmir valley and Ladakh region, where Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Leh and Kargil recorded below minus 10 degree Celsius temperature this morning. However, the 300-km-long Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was through while the Ladakh region remained cut off from the rest of the country as the Zojila pass on the highway remained closed since December 1 last year.