AFP, Leicester
Four people were killed and four more were in hospital on Monday after an explosion and fire destroyed a three-storey building in the central English city of Leicester, police said. The cause of the blast on Sunday evening has yet to be determined but police say the incident is not being linked to terrorism. “At this stage, there are four confirmed fatalities and four people remain in hospital, one with serious injuries,” Leicestershire Police said in a statement.
Afghan army kills 28 insurgents
Xinhua, Kabul
At least 28 insurgents were killed and nine others injured in separate incidents across Afghanistan on Sunday, Afghan Defense Ministry said Monday.
In Pashtun Kot district of northern Faryab province, 16 insurgents were killed and six others wounded during an army’s cleanup operation, the ministry said in a statement. Six militants were killed in Garmser district of southern Helmand province after Afghan air force struck a Taliban position during which an insurgents’ hideout was also destroyed.
Strong quake strikes Papua New Guinea
AFP, Sydney
A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck Papua New Guinea early Monday, with unconfirmed reports of blackouts and damage to buildings, officials said.
The quake’s epicentre was around 90 kilometres (55 miles) south of Porgera in Enga province, according to the US Geological Survey, and hit at a depth of 35 kilometres.
AirAsia plane makes emergency landing
Xinhua, Tokyo
A Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia X plane made an emergency landing Monday at Okinawa’s Naha airport following engine trouble, the transport ministry here said.
According to the ministry, none of the 379 passengers and crew members aboard the flight bound for Kuala Lumpur were injured in the emergency landing.
The transport ministry’s local office said that the plane’s right engine indicated problems at around 2:15 a.m. local time, forcing the captain to shut the troubled engine down and declare an emergency landing.
