LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan -- An explosion and ensuing gun fire rocked a local bank office in Lashkar Gah city, capital of Afghanistan's southern province of Helmand on Thursday, with feared casualties, a source said.
"A car bombing occurred in front of Kabul Bank branch at around midday. Several gunshots were also fired after the blast and there is fear of possible casualties," the provincial security source told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Explosion)
- - - -
BAGHDAD -- The Islamic State (IS) militants bombed historical al-Nuri mosque on Wednesday during fierce battles against the Iraqi army which has retaken most of Mosul, the country's second largest city, after eight months of offensives.
Iraqi Prime Minister Hadier Abadi said "blowing up the al-Nuri mosque and the al-Hadba minaret is an official declaration of defeat by the Islamic State." (Iraq-IS-Mosul)
- - - -
BEIJING -- China has reaped enormous benefits from its ongoing nationwide anti-corruption campaign, which aims to forge cleaner governance and has so far proved effective. Benefits to the world at large are emerging.
Chasing corrupt officials from high-ranking "tigers" to "flies" at lower levels in the country in the past five years, Beijing also launched such operations as "Sky Net" and "Fox Hunt" overseas to hunt down fugitive venal officials. (China-Corruption-World) Enditem
