Quakes strike Greek island
Athens: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 rattled the eastern Greek island of Rhodes overnight, followed by a quake of 4.6 on Monday morning.
No damage or injuries were reported from either.
The Athens Geodynamic Institute said the first quake occurred on Sunday night just before 9 pm and with an epicenter 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of Rhodes.
The second struck on Monday morning just after 7 am with an epicenter near the first quake, 26 kilometers (16 miles) north northeast of the island.
Greece lies in a highly seismically active region of the world, and earthquakes are common. (AP)
Bomb attack kill 23 civilians
Kabul: A statement from a provincial governor’s office in southern Afghanistan says that at least 23 people, including children, have been killed in a car bomb and mortar attack at a busy market in southern Helmand province.
Both the Taliban and the Afghan military are blaming each other for the attack on Monday in Sangin district.
The Taliban claim the military fired mortars into the market while the military says a car bomb and mortar shells targeted the civilians. (AP)
Revision of HK security law
Beijing: The Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress on Monday continued with the revision of the controversial national security law for Hong Kong, which can be ratified during the present session that will be on Tuesday.
Chinese deputies quoted by the state newspaper China Daily said that “the enactment of the national security law in Hong Kong as soon as possible can fill legal gaps and other weaknesses in safeguarding national security, combat related criminal acts and protect prosperity and stability of the special administrative region”, reports Efe news. (IANS)
Khalilzad to meet Taliban leaders
Washington/Kabul: The US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad is set to meet Taliban leaders in Doha to discuss the intra-Afghan talks, the State Department said in a statement.
Khalilzad on Sunday departed for Doha, Islamabad, and Tashkent, the statement said, adding that “at all three locations, the Ambassador will urge support for all Afghans to meet their remaining commitments ahead of intra-Afghan negotiations, specifically reduced violence and timely prisoner releases”, reports TOLO News. (IANS)