Briefly

ISRAEL

Netanyahu leads team for Washington signings

An Israeli delegation headed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu departed on Sunday night to Washington to sign normalization deals with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. The delegation also includes the chief of Israel's Mossad intelligence agency Yossi Cohen and National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat. Cohen said before boarding a plane that Israel is working to achieve peace deals with "more countries". The ceremonies are scheduled to be held on Tuesday in the White House, attended by US President Donald Trump, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed and Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.

SOUTH ASIA

Pakistani girl's death blamed on Indian troops

An 11-year-old Pakistani girl was killed and four other villagers critically wounded by Indian troops firing into the Pakistan-controlled part of the disputed region of Kashmir, Pakistan's military said on Sunday. The military said the "unprovoked firing "by Indian troops using long-range guns and artillery targeted the Pakistani border villages of Hotspring and Rakhchikri on Friday night along the Line of Control in Kashmir, which is divided between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety. Pakistan and India often trade fire along the highly militarized frontier in the disputed region, with each blaming the other side for initiating the firing.

SOUTH KOREA

Restrictions eased as virus cases fall

South Korea reported its lowest daily virus tally in about a month as it began easing its tough social distancing rules in the greater Seoul area. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said on Monday that the 109 new cases added in the latest 24-hour period took the country's total to 22,285 with 363 deaths. It was the 12th consecutive day that South Korea's daily rise stayed in the hundreds. But the additional cases marked the lowest daily tally since mid-August. The government on Sunday relaxed its physical distancing guidelines in the Seoul metropolitan area, citing a downward trend in new infections and worries about people's livelihoods.

UNITED STATES

Gunman sought after deputies shot in car

Authorities searched on Sunday for a gunman who shot and critically wounded two Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies who were sitting in their squad car－an apparent ambush that drew a reward for information and an angry response from President Donald Trump. The 31-year-old female deputy and 24-year-old male deputy underwent surgery on Saturday evening, Sheriff Alex Villanueva said in a late-night news conference. Both graduated from an academy 14 months ago, he said. They were each in critical condition on Sunday afternoon, said Deputy Trina Schrader. The deputies, whose car was parked outside a Metro rail station, were able to radio for help, the sheriff said. Sheriff's officials announced a $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Xinhua - Agencies