Evidence for elusive mid-sized black hole found

Washington: Astronomers have found the best evidence for a black hole of an elusive class known as “intermediate-mass,” which betrayed its existence by tearing apart a wayward star that passed too close. Weighing in at about 50,000 times the mass of our Sun, the black hole is smaller than the supermassive black holes that lie at the cores of large galaxies, but larger than stellar-mass black holes formed by the collapse of a massive star, the researchers said. These so-called intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs) are a long-sought “missing link” in black hole evolution. PTI

Iraqi forces kill four IS militants in raid

Baghdad: The Iraqi force on Wednesday killed four Islamic State (IS) militants during a raid on their hideout in Iraq’s eastern province of Diyala, a police source said. An intelligence force raided the hideout in Buhruz area in south of the provincial capital Baquba, some 65 km northeast of Baghdad, sparking a fierce clash with IS militants for half an hour, and killed four militants inside. The troops also seized two explosive belts in the site, Jasim said, adding that the IS militants were Iraqi nationals and believed to be involved in attacks against the security forces. IANS

Roadside bombing in Afghanistan kills 8

Kabul: A roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday killed at least eight civilians, including six children. The victims were all from a single family, according to Helmand police spokesman Zaman Hamdard. The family had just left the southern district to Greshk when the bomb hit their car, Hamdard added. Two more family members were wounded, he said. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, but both the Taliban and the Islamic State militants are active in the province. AP