Briefly

KYRGYZSTAN

Neighbors try to end cross-border clashes

A cease-fire on the border between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan largely held on Friday following a day of intense clashes that killed dozens of people and wounded over 100 in a conflict over water supply between the two Central Asian neighbors, according to The Associated Press. The European Union on Friday welcomed the cease-fire deal and emphasized the need for a "lasting and peaceful solution". Kyrgyzstan's health ministry said on Friday in a statement 150 people were injured, of whom 31 died.

UNITED STATES

Two police officers killed in standoff

Two police officers were killed in Boone, North Carolina, in a shooting incident that left five people dead, including the shooter, after a 13-hour standoff, police said on Thursday. US police say they increasingly face high risks because of the spread of guns across the country. The Watauga County Sheriff's Department said the two officers, Logan Fox and Chris Ward, were killed on Wednesday after visiting a resident to check on the occupants after one had not shown up for work and did not answer phone calls. The officers were shot after entering the residence, Fox dying on the scene while Ward was evacuated to a hospital where he died.

PALESTINE

President announces poll postponement

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Friday that the legislative elections scheduled for May 22 will be postponed until further notice. The president made a televised speech after a leadership meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organization, or PLO, in the West Bank city of Ramallah. On Thursday evening, the PLO was convening a leadership meeting to decide whether the first Palestinian vote in 15 years would be postponed. During the meeting, Abbas reaffirmed that no elections can be held without East Jerusalem. He said the Israeli government has rejected the holding of the upcoming Palestinian elections in occupied East Jerusalem.

Xinhua - Agencies