Briefly

IRAQ

Rockets land near US embassy in Baghdad

Multiple rockets landed near the US embassy in Iraq's capital on Sunday, an US military source said. The assault sent warning sirens blaring across the diplomatic compound but it was unclear exactly what was hit and how many rockets made impact. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Reports said multiple strong explosions were heard followed by aircraft circling near the Green Zone, the high-security enclave where the US mission is located.

UNITED KINGDOM

Big Ben damage worse than thought

London's Big Ben tower was more badly damaged by German bombs during World War II than originally thought, experts said, as the bill for its restoration rose by nearly 20 million pounds ($25 million).The 177-year-old tower has been swathed in scaffolding for the past three years as craftsmen refurbish its stonework and famous 12-tonne clock. Director-general of the House of Commons said the task of restoring the tower had been more complex than anticipated, as bomb damage inflicted on the tower during World War II had been found to be very extensive.

UNITED STATES

Esper: Peace deal is promising but risky

US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said a truce agreement between the United States and the Taliban is not without risk but "looks very promising".Ahead of a formal announcement of the seven-day "reduction in violence" deal, Esper said it was time to give peace a chance in Afghanistan through a political negotiation. "We have to give peace a chance, that the best if not the only way forward in Afghanistan is through a political agreement and that means taking some risk."

Agencies