AFGHANISTAN: Deadly clashes between local residents and the operators of a gold-mining company in the north of the country have left four people dead, officials said yesterday.

Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qane said the violence had erupted on Tuesday in the Chah Ab district of Takhar province, killing three residents and one company employee. Five others were wounded.

IRAN: Authorities have executed a man convicted of spying for Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, state media reported yesterday.

The IRNA news agency identified the man as Ali Ardestani, saying that he had passed sensitive information to Mossad officers in return for financial rewards.

According to the report, Mr Ardestani confessed to the spying charges and that he had hoped to receive a million-dollar reward as well as a British visa.

SOUTH KOREA: President Lee Jae Myung said yesterday that he had asked his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to serve as a mediator to help resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis and ease animosities between Seoul and Pyongyang.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to China, Mr Lee said he made the request at Monday’s summit meeting with Mr Xi, adding that the Chinese president had called for patience on issues relating to North Korea.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: The presidential election runner-up rejected provisional results yesterday and alleged widespread fraud.

Anicet Georges Dologuele claimed that Sunday’s election data had been manipulated by the National Elections Authority.

Provisional results show President Faustin Archange Touadera winning 76.1 per cent of the votes cast to gain a third term, with Mr Dologuele receiving 14.6 per cent.