HONG KONG -- The Hong Kong police on Sunday requested an assembly held in Hong Kong's Central district be suspended after a large group of rioters hijacked the rally and inflicted damages on nearby properties.

After the rally began at around 3:00 p.m. local time in the Chater Garden in Central district, a large group of rioters inflicted damages on the vicinity by acts of arson and road blockage, the police said. (Hong Kong-Rally)

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KABUL -- The Afghan government has linked holding peace talks with the Taliban outfit to observing ceasefire by the armed group, stressing that "ceasefire" is the demand of all Afghans before initiating any talks for peace in the militancy-battered country.

"The people of Afghanistan are insisting for ceasefire by the Taliban before holding any talks for peace in the country," Presidential Palace spokesman Sediq Sediqi said on Saturday. (Afghanistan-Taliban-Ceasefire)

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CANBERRA -- The Australian government has announced funding to support the nation's tourism industry amid the ongoing bushfire crisis.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the 76-million-Australian-dollar (52.2 million U.S. dollars) package, declaring that Australian tourism was facing "its biggest challenge in living memory."

The funding, drawn from the 2-billion-Australian dollar (1.3 billion U.S. dollars) national bushfire recovery fund, will be an "urgent injection" of cash for businesses hit hardest by the fires. (Australia-Tourism-Funding)

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MANILA -- The Philippine troops have killed one of the alleged kidnappers of five Indonesian fishermen in the waters off Sabah in Malaysia, a military general said on Sunday.

Lieutenant General Cirilito Sobejana, commanding general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines' Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City, said the troops also found the speed boat allegedly used by the Abu Sayyaf group in a remote island in Parang, a town in Sulu Province in the southern Philippines. (Philippines-Abu Sayyaf-Kidnapper)

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KATHMANDU -- Four South Koreans and three Nepalis remained missing since Friday following an avalanche in western Kaski district, as over 150 foreign tourists and Nepalis were rescued on Saturday from around the area, local officials and trekking agencies said.

The incessant snowfall caused the avalanche near a popular trekking route in the Himalayan country. The area is close to the base camp for Annapurna, one of the highest peaks in the Himalayas. (Nepal-Avalanche) Enditem

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