Briefly

Afghanistan

Key cleric killed in mosque blast

A key cleric, Mawlawi Mujib Rahman Ansari, was killed in a blast outside a mosque in Afghanistan's western city of Herat on Friday, a spokesman for the provincial administration, Hamidullah Matawakil, has confirmed. Scores of worshipers had gathered at the Gazar Gah mosque to offer Friday prayers. Mawlawi Ansari was a staunch supporter of the Taliban. An Afghan medic said at least 18 people were killed and 21 wounded. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for Friday's blast.

UNITED STATES

White House talks await for Ramaphosa

US President Joe Biden and his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa will hold talks at the White House on Sept 16 to discuss trade, investment, climate and energy, the White House said on Thursday. "The two presidents will reaffirm the importance of our enduring partnership, and discuss our work together to address regional and global challenges," press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited South Africa last month.

Malaysia

Ex-first lady Rosmah sentenced to 10 years

A Malaysian court on Thursday sentenced Rosmah Mansor, the wife of former prime minister Najib Razak, to a decade in prison for seeking and receiving bribes in exchange for government contracts, just days after her husband was jailed for corruption. The couple have been the focus of multiple graft investigations since Najib's surprise election defeat in 2018, when voters' anger over a separate, multibillion-dollar corruption scandal ended his nine years in power.

Agencies via Xinhua