KABUL: The Taliban hung the bodies of four kidnappers from cranes after killing them during a shootout in Afghanistan’s western city of Herat at the weekend, a senior official said.

TAIPEI: Chinese President Xi Jinping warned that relations between Beijing and Taipei were “grim” on Sunday, urging the island’s main opposition party to help seek “unification of the country.” China views self-ruled democratic Taiwan as part of its territory and vows to retake it one day, by force if necessary.

GENEVA: Nearly two-thirds of Swiss voters have approved the government’s plan to introduce same-sex marriage, according to the first projections following Sunday’s referendum triggered by opponents of the move.

WASHINGTON: At least three people died on Saturday after an Amtrak passenger train derailed in north central Montana, according to an Associated Press report.

CIUDAD ACUNA: Deportation fears mounted among Haitian migrants camped out in northern Mexico near the border with the United States following the sudden arrival of dozens of police officers at the site.

BERLIN: Tens of thousands of climate activists including Greta Thunberg began descending on German cities Friday to crank up the pressure on candidates competing to succeed Angela Merkel at this weekend’s general election.

SEOUL: The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Friday said it was “admirable” of the South to propose a formal end to the Korean War but demanded Seoul first drop its “hostile policies” towards Pyongyang.

YANGON: An Australian adviser to Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi appeared in a junta court to face immigration and official secrets charges, a lawyer involved in the case said Thursday.

UNITED NATIONS: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson cast UN climate talks in Glasgow in November as a last chance for humanity as he made a passionate appeal for the world to slash carbon emissions.

UNITED NATIONS: The five permanent UN Security Council members found common ground on Afghanistan with officials saying all the powers would press the Taliban to be more inclusive after their military takeover.