5.1 quake hits north China
Beijing/Shijiazhuang: Beijing and several other cities in northern China were jolted after a 5.1-magnitude earthquake and moderate tremors hit Hebei province’s Tangshan city on Sunday.
The quake struck Guye district at 6:38 AM Beijing time, the China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) said.
No causalities were reported, according to the state-run Xinhua new agency. The epicenter was monitored at 39.78 degrees north latitude and 118.44 degrees east longitude, with the quake striking at a depth of 10 km, the CENC said. Strong tremors were felt in the nearby regions including Beijing. (PTI)
British IS inmate killed in Syria
London: A Briton who left London to join the Islamic State (IS) terror group in Syria has died while being held in prison in the country, according to a media report citing sources
One source told the BBC that Ishak Mostefaoui, previously from east London, was killed while attempting to escape custody. Another said Mostefaoui died during serious disorder in a jail in Hassakeh, which houses IS prisoners from various countries. (IANS)
Spain holds regional elections
Madrid: Spaniards in two northern regions are voting in regional elections on Sunday amid tight security measures to avoid more outbreaks of the coronavirus. Regional authorities in both Basque Country and Galicia have prohibited over 400 people who have tested positive for the virus from leaving their homes to vote.
Spain’s Supreme Court backed the decision in a ruling on Friday in response to a complaint by opposition parties in both regions.
Voters must wear face masks to vote and remain 5 feet apart in polling stations. (AP)
Russian city holds 2nd day of protest
Moscow: Demonstrators in the Russian Far East city of Khabarovsk held a second day of protests against the arrest of the region’s governor on suspicion of involvement in several murders.
The Sunday demonstration was smaller than a massive gathering on Saturday that was estimated at up to 35,000 people; the local office of opposition leader Alexei Navalny estimated Sunday’s turnout at about 2,000.
Sergei Furgal, the Khabarovsk region governor, was arrested on Thursday and flown to Moscow, where he was interrogated and ordered held in jail for two months. (AP)