KUALA LUMPUR -- The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held virtually on Nov. 20, the Malaysian Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) said on Monday.

The meeting, to be held virtually for the first time due to the COVID-19 situation, will be participated in by leaders of APEC economies, it said in a statement. (Malaysia-APEC-Meeting)

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HANOI -- Landslides, floods and other natural disasters triggered by downpours have left 150 people dead and missing in Vietnam's central and central highlands regions since early October, the Central Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control reported on Monday.

The latest figure, up from 148 reported on Sunday, included 130 deaths, mainly recorded in the provinces of Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue and Quang Binh. (Vietnam-Floods-Death)

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NEW DELHI -- Xu Fancheng Culture Study Center was jointly inaugurated by Pondicherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy and Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong on Monday in southern India to commemorate the 111th birth anniversary of the Chinese scholar.

In an online opening ceremony held in Pondicherry, the chief minister said Xu (1909-2000) is a great scholar who has contributed to the improvement of cultural relations between India and China. (India-China-Culture Study Center)

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SHARAN, Afghanistan -- Seventeen Taliban militants were killed in airstrikes hitting Taliban positions in two eastern Afghan provinces over the weekend, authorities said Monday.

"Seven militants, including a Taliban bomb expert, were killed after Afghan Air Force (AAF) struck a Taliban hideout in Tooat locality, Yaya Khil district Sunday evening," provincial police spokesman, Haidar Hadil, told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Militants-Airstrikes)