NEW DELHI -- India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed surface-to-surface nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile from a test range in the eastern state of Odisha, local media reported Friday.

The test, part of a user trial by the Indian army, was conducted on Wednesday night from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) on Chandipur coast in Balasore district, about 208 km northeast of Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha.

"The trial was successful in meeting all the parameters," the local media quoting its sources said. "The trial of the missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, was carried out from a mobile launcher from launch complex-3 of the ITR."

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SAN FRANCISCO -- U.S. San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Thursday announced an expanded coronavirus-related support scheme for the city's Latino community, a group which has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

With a total fund of 28.5 million U.S. dollars, Breed has allocated an initial 22.5 million dollars toward supporting the Latino community with a focus on health, housing, food access, and small businesses.

"Our Latino community has borne the brunt of the COVID pandemic -- not just here in San Francisco, but across the country," Breed said in her announcement.

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ABORONE -- Botswana is actively pursuing strategies for regional cooperation on infrastructure and integration to create more active routes and expand market access, the country's foreign minister said Thursday.

Enhanced international partnership, particularly regional cooperation, is of paramount importance to the advancement of Botswana's "transformation agenda," Minister of International Affairs and Cooperation Lemogang Kwape told the Annual Ministerial Meeting of Foreign Ministers of Landlocked Developing Countries that was held virtually this year.

As a result, Botswana is creating more active trade routes and working with its neighbors to harmonize policies that will further facilitate trade, Kwape said.

"In that regard of creating more trade routes together with our neighbors in South Africa and Namibia, we have built a Trans-Kalahari Corridor, which is a highway aimed at facilitating faster and cheaper movement of goods and services between our countries," Kwape said.

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BANGKOK -- Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports on Friday said that if the first batch of inbound tourists in October is clear of COVID-19 infections, then the ministry will reduce the quarantine period from 14 days to seven days.

After next Tuesday's cabinet meeting, the government will announce more details of the special tourist visa (STV), said Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn.

"If the first two groups of 300 foreigners complete the 14-day quarantine on Oct. 15 and Oct. 21 without a positive case, then the ministry plans to propose an increase in the number of tourists per week by first of November," said the minister, adding that the 300 tourists per week allowed into Phuket Island will not be enough to fill up the whole supply chain and help tour operators.

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LONDON -- A British police officer was shot dead by a young man in south London early morning Friday, the city's Metropolitan Police has said.

The incident occurred at Croydon Custody Centre at around 2:15 a.m. local time (0115 GMT) Friday, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement, adding that a 23-year-old man has been detained.

"This is a truly shocking incident in which one of our colleagues has lost his life in the most tragic circumstances," Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick said. Enditem

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