ASIA: Indian and Chinese soldiers began pulling back from one of the key friction points on their disputed border today as part of efforts to lower tensions in a more than two-year standoff, India’s defence ministry said.

“The Indian and Chinese troops in the area of Gogra-Hotsprings have begun to disengage in a co-ordinated and planned way, which is conducive to the peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” the ministry said in a statement.

GREECE: An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 struck off the western islands of Zakynthos and Cephalonia, but no damage or injury has been reported.