Earthquake kills 4 in Sumatra

A moderate earthquake killed at least four people and damaged scores of buildings early today on Indonesia's Sumatra island, which is still recovering from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, witnesses and seismologists said.

The 5.5-magnitude tremor was felt across the western and northern parts of the island, sending people running from their homes and hotels, witnesses told the local el-Shinta radio station.

The quake struck just before dawn and was centered about 670 miles northwest of the capital of Jakarta, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site. It was followed by a series of aftershocks.

At least four people were killed in one village in Mandailing Natal district when two houses collapsed, a witness told el-Shinta. Scores of other buildings were also damaged, he said.

Jhok Utra, Pakistan

Wedding fire kills 27, including bride

A fire erupted in a wedding tent in eastern Pakistan, triggering a stampede and the collapse of a wall that killed 27 women and children, police said Sunday. The bride was among the dead.

More than 30 other people in the wedding party were injured late Saturday night in Jhok Utra, a village about 290 miles southwest of the capital Islamabad, area police officer Khadim Hussain Khadim said. It was not known if the count of those injured included some people who later died.

Heat from high-intensity lights apparently sparked the blaze in a large canvas tent where more than 100 women and children, many singing wedding songs, were present, Khadim said. Men attending the wedding were in a separate tent — following conservative Muslim tradition — which was not damaged.

Beijing

Wal-Mart offices set up party branch

Wal-Mart has set up a Communist Party branch at the headquarters of its China operations, news reports said today.

The move follows the success of China's government-sanctioned union body in organizing unions at Wal-Mart's 68 outlets in China.

The party branch was set up Saturday at Wal-Mart's China headquarters in the southern city of Shenzhen, according to the party newspaper People's Daily and the local newspaper Shenzhen Special Zone Daily.

Chinese authorities have been trying to expand the presence of the ruling party and state-sanctioned labor groups at foreign companies.

Gauhati, India

Elephant blamed in 14 deaths is killed

A killer elephant named after Osama bin Laden by fearful villagers was killed by sharpshooters, officials said Sunday. The animal was blamed for 14 deaths in the northeastern state of Assam.

"A licensed shooter shot and killed the 10-foot-tall bull near the Behali forest reserve in northern Assam," said wildlife warden Chandan Bora.

Wildlife authorities had ordered that the elephant be shot and killed by Dec. 31.

Confrontations between humans and elephants have escalated in northeastern India in recent years as the elephants' natural habitat has been destroyed, forcing the animals to forage for food in areas where humans live.

Also

Castro cancer denied: Cuban officials told visiting U.S. legislators that Fidel Castro, 80, does not have cancer or a terminal illness, members of a U.S. delegation said Sunday. Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., said Cuban officials did not provide further details on Castro's health, but did say he'll eventually return to public life.

Rafsanjani leads: Former Iranian leader Hashemi Rafsanjani, considered an opponent of hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was far ahead in the race for a seat on a powerful clerical body, according to partial election results reported Sunday.

Seattle Times news services