BEIJING -- China will extend its unilateral visa-exemption arrangements for more than 40 countries to Dec. 31, 2026, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Monday.
Mao made the remarks at a regular news briefing as the unilateral visa-free policy for some of those countries will expire at the end of this year. (China-Visa Free)
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JERUSALEM/GAZA -- Israel has rejected a request by mediators to allow about 200 militants to safely exit an underground tunnel in southern Gaza and return to an area not controlled by the Israeli military, an Israeli government official said Monday.
The militants, holed up in a tunnel in Rafah, behind the "yellow line" that marks the Israeli army's withdrawal zone under the current ceasefire agreement, "must either surrender and be imprisoned or be killed," the official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. (Israel-Gaza-Militants)
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KINSHASA -- Peace talks between the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group will resume next week in Doha, Qatar, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi has said.
According to the statement issued late Sunday by the Congolese presidency, Tshisekedi reaffirmed that the DRC remains committed to political and diplomatic means to end the conflict in the eastern provinces, while upholding the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. (DRC-M23-Peace Talk)
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KABUL -- An earthquake in northern Afghanistan has left 24 people dead and more than 630 injured, most of them with minor injuries, Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority said on Monday.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located in Khulm area. The quake had a magnitude of 6.3 and occurred at a depth of 28 kilometers. The affected areas included the provinces of Balkh, Samangan, Kunduz, Sar-e-Pul and Jawzjan. (Afghanistan-Quake-Victims) ■
