Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes NNE of Indonesia’s Lombok – USGS
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck in the sea 124 km (75 miles) north-northeast of the holiday island of Lombok, Indonesia, on Sunday at a very shallow depth of 1 km, the United States Geological Survey said.
Afghanistan announces Muslim Eid holiday ceasefire with Taliban
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani announced a ceasefire with Taliban insurgents from Monday to mark the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, days after fighting in the central city of Ghazni and a northern province.
Focus shifts to rescues as rain abates in India’s flood-hit Kerala
Torrential rain finally let up in India’s flood-hit Kerala state on Sunday, giving some respite for thousands of marooned families, but authorities feared an outbreak of disease among around 725,000 people crammed into relief camps.
Italian minister calls for sanctions on Malta over migrants
Italian Transport Minister Danilo Toninelli on Sunday called for sanctions against Malta, accusing it of not rescuing migrant boats in the Mediterranean and leaving the burden to Italy, in the latest row between the two countries over the issue.
Eight years late, Palestinian mail arrives in West Bank
Palestinians in the occupied West Bank are about to receive a special delivery of more than 10 tons of mail that has been delayed by Israel for the past eight years.
Baghdad gun shops thrive after Iraqi rethink on arms control
In the middle of Baghdad’s busy commercial neighborhood of Karrada, where most retail outlets sell home appliances, shoppers can now also buy handguns and semi-automatic rifles legally for the first time in decades.
China’s Xi says military must resist ‘corrosion’ of corruption
China’s military must resist the “corrosion” of corruption and ensure the fight against graft is deepened, President Xi Jinping told senior officers, state media said on Sunday, offering a renewed warning against a deep-seated problem.
Vroom! Indonesia president a hit on social media after motorbike stunt
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has created a buzz on social media after a video sequence shown at the opening ceremony of the 18th Asian Games culminated with the 57-year-old leader roaring into Jakarta’s main stadium on a powerful motorbike.
Iraqi Supreme Court ratifies May election results
Iraq’s Supreme Court has ratified the results of the May 12 parliamentary election, its spokesman said on Sunday, setting in motion a 90-day constitutional deadline for the winning parties to form a government.
Minor injuries reported after new tremor rocks Indonesia’s Lombok
A fresh tremor of 6.3 magnitude struck the Indonesian holiday island of Lombok, the U.S. Geological Survey said on Sunday, after an earthquake killed more than 430 people there this month.
