IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Afghanistan

Over 100 killed in Taliban bombing

More than 100 members of Afghan security forces were killed when Taliban insurgents attacked a military compound in the central Maidan Wardak province on Monday, a senior defense ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We have information that 126 people have been killed in the explosion inside the military training center," the official said. A provincial official also said the death toll was over 100. A government spokesman declined to comment. Earlier the government said 12 people had been killed. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack.

Korean Peninsula

Kang, Pompeo talk on 2nd DPRK-US summit

Kang Kyung-wha, foreign minister of the Republic of Korea, and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held phone talks on Monday morning over the second summit between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the United States, according to her ministry. Kang and Pompeo exchanged opinions about the visit to Washington by Kim Yong-chol, vice-chairman of the DPRK's ruling Workers' Party of Korea Central Committee, and the second summit between Kim Jong-un, the DPRK's top leader, and US President Donald Trump. Kim and Trump had the first DPRK-US summit meeting in Singapore in June last year. The White House said on Friday that the second Kim-Trump summit will take place "near the end of February".

Mali

10 UN peacekeepers dead in attack

Extremist gunmen killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in northern Mali on Sunday, one of the deadliest strikes against the UN mission in the West African country. Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was "in reaction" to a visit to Chad by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to the Mauritanian Al-Akhbar news agency, which regularly receives statements from the extremist group. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly condemned what he described as a "complex attack" on the camp in Aguelhok, in the Kidal region, and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

Japan

Ghosn vows to stay if granted bail

Carlos Ghosn, the ousted Nissan boss detained in Tokyo on charges of financial misconduct, on Monday vowed to remain in Japan if granted bail and again proclaimed his innocence. The Tokyo District Court was scheduled later on Monday to consider the 64-year-old's latest petition for bail but has already rejected previous applications, judging Ghosn a flight risk who might seek to destroy evidence.

Xinhua - Afp - Ap - Reuters

(China Daily 01/22/2019 page11)