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At least 20 people have died after an earthquake struck northern Afghanistan, local authorities say, with the toll expected to rise as rescue efforts continue, BBC reported.

Hundreds have also been left injured, local officials told the BBC.

The earthquake struck near Mazar-e-Sharif, one of the country's largest cities that is home to about 500,000 people, at around 01:00 local time on Monday, (20:30 GMT on Sunday).

It had a magnitude of 6.3 and a depth of 28km (17 miles), according to the US Geological Survey, and was marked at the orange alert level, which indicates "significant casualties" are likely, according to BBC.

South Korean Ambassador to Nepal, Park Tae-Young, today paid a courtesy call on Finance Minister Rameshwor Prasad Khanal.

During the meeting at the Finance Ministry, the two discussed Nepal-Korea diplomatic ties. 

The Finance Minister expressed gratitude to South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea, for its continued support to Nepal.

Highlighting the satisfactory progress of Korea-funded projects and programs in Nepal, the Finance Minister stated that economic partnership with South Korea will continue.

Recalling the completion of 30 years of bilateral relations between KOICA and the Government of Nepal, the ambassador expressed hope for further collaboration in the days to come. 

He pledged to encourage the South Korean investor community to invest in Nepal and to facilitate the promotion of Nepali products.

Additionally, he informed the minister that the Government of Korea will establish a dedicated visa center in Nepal to facilitate visas for Nepali workers traveling to Korea.

He also added that a process is underway to provide concessional loans, through KOICA support, for returnees from Korea who had worked there under the EPS, to help them start their own businesses. 

The ambassador urged the government for the necessary facilitation to support this initiative, according to the Finance Ministry Secretariat.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 8. 24 points to close at 2, 622. 80 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 0. 83 points to close at 456. 39 points.

A total of 12,185,388-unit shares of 333 companies were traded for Rs 6. 05 billion.

Meanwhile, Muktinath Krishi Company Limited (MKCL) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 99 percent.
Likewise, Eastern Hydropower Limited (EHPL) was the top loser as its price fell by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 48 trillion.

A mayor in Mexico ’s western state of Michoacan was shot dead in a plaza in front of dozens of people who had gathered for Day of the Dead festivities, authorities said, Associated Press reported.

Local politicians in Mexico are frequently victims of political and organized crime violence.

The mayor of the Uruapan municipality, Carlos Alberto Manzo Rodríguez, was gunned down Saturday night in the town’s historic center. He was rushed to a hospital, where he later died, according to state prosecutor Carlos Torres Piña.

A city council member and a bodyguard were also injured in the attack, according to Associated Press.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visits South Korea on Monday for talks expected to involve Washington's goal of reshaping the role of U.S. troops in Korea and is also due to visit the DMZ border with North Korea, Reuters reported.

The defence chiefs are scheduled to hold the annual Security Consultative Meeting on Tuesday, the highest-level forum where the two countries chart the course of their military alliance and South Korea's defence against nuclear-armed North Korea.

South Korean Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back and Hegseth will discuss combined defence readiness against North Korea and cooperation on regional security and cyber and missile defence, the South's Defence Ministry said, according to Reuters.

Five sections of different highways have been completely blocked due to landslides across the country. 

Spokesperson at the Nepal Police, Deputy Inspector General Binod Ghimire, said vehicular movement along five sections of different highways has come to a standstill and two highways are in one-way operation. 

Koshi Highway, Mechi Highway, highway connecting Nepal-China, Pasang Lhamu Highway and Jomsom-Korala section have been completely obstructed. 

Nigeria said on Sunday it would welcome U.S. help in fighting Islamist insurgents as long as its territorial integrity is respected, responding to threats of military action by President Donald Trump over what he said was the ill treatment of Christians in the West African country, Reuters reported.

Trump said on Saturday that he had asked the Defense Department to prepare for possible "fast" military action in Nigeria if Africa's most populous country fails to crack down on the killing of Christians.

"We welcome U.S. assistance as long as it recognises our territorial integrity," Daniel Bwala, an adviser to Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, told Reuters.

Donald Trump has played down the possibility of a US war with Venezuela, but suggested Nicolas Maduro's days as the country's president are numbered, BBC reported.

Asked if the US was going to war against Venezuela, the US president told CBS' 60 Minutes: "I doubt it. I don't think so. But they've been treating us very badly."

His comments come as the US continues to launch strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean. The Trump administration says the strikes are necessary to stem the flow of drugs into the US, according to BBC.