Briefly

AFGHANISTAN

Eight killed in attack targeting governor

A suicide attack targeting an Afghan provincial governor killed at least eight people on Monday, officials said, as President Ashraf Ghani traveled to Qatar, where peace talks with the Taliban have stalled. Twenty-eight people were wounded when the attacker rammed his explosives-filled vehicle into the convoy of Rahmatullah Yarmal, the governor of eastern Laghman Province. Talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government negotiators, aimed at ending Afghanistan's 19-year conflict, have stalled over disagreements on how to frame a code of conduct that will guide the broader talks. No one has so far claimed responsibility for the attack, but the Taliban are active in the region.

SYRIA

Russian bases 'keep balance of power'

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said the continued presence of Russia's major naval and air bases in his country help counter the influence of Western powers in the region as the battle to crush rebels and extremists was winding down. In an interview with Russia's Ministry of Defense TV channel Zvezda, Assad said Russia's two main bases were important to counter the West's military presence in the region. Russia launched airstrikes on extremists in Syria in 2015 following a deal with Syrian government. Reuters reported on Sunday that Oman had sent an ambassador to Syria, becoming the first Gulf Arab state to do so after they downgraded or shut missions in Damascus in 2012. Some Arab states are seeking reconciliation with Damascus after decisive gains by pro-government forces in the conflict.

FRANCE

Fashion designer Kenzo Takada dies

Kenzo Takada, the iconic French-Japanese fashion designer famed for his jungle-infused designs and free-spirited aesthetic that channeled global travel, has died. He was 81. The family said in a statement to French media on Sunday that Takada died from complications from COVID-19 in a hospital in Neuilly-sur-Seine, near Paris. A public relations officer for Kenzo's brand confirmed that Takada died, but didn't give a cause of death. Takada's death came at the tail end of Paris Fashion Week, whose nine-day calendar is undertaking an unusual fashion season for spring-summer 2021 because of the pandemic.

NEW ZEALAND

Wildfires raze dozens of houses

Wildfires have destroyed up to 50 houses in New Zealand, authorities announced on Monday, saying it was a miracle no one was hurt as "a wall of orange" razed most of a remote South Island village. The blaze began in a mountain forest early on Sunday morning and, fanned by strong winds, swept through the village of Lake Ohau, forcing residents to flee for their lives. Fire and Emergency New Zealand said the unpredictable winds made fighting the fire "challenging" and by Monday afternoon it had burned 4,600 hectares of land. Investigators were examining the cause of the blaze, amid reports it was ignited by an electrical arc from overhead power lines.

Agencies - Xinhua