Xinhua world news summary at 0030 GMT, Dec. 26

At least 37 people were injured when an earthquake measuring 6.9 at the Richter Scale jolted Pakistani capital Islamabad and parts of east Punjab and northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in the wee hours of Saturday morning, local media and officials said.

Urdu TV channel Geo said that the capital city Peshawar of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province was the worst-hit area from where the all 37 casualties were reported. (Pakistan-Earthquake)

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TBILISI -- Georgian vice premier Giorgi Kvirikashvili on Friday was nominated by the Georgian Dream ruling coalition as new prime minister following the surprise resignation of Irakli Garibashvili on Wednesday.

"Consultations were ongoing yesterday within the parliamentary majority group. We have agreed to name Giorgi Kvirikashvili's candidacy for the prime minister's post," said Zviad Kvatchantiradze, the leader of the Georgian Dream parliamentary majority group. (Georgia-PM)

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LA PAZ -- A roadway accident involving a passenger bus and a cargo truck has left 15 dead and another 10 injured in Bolivia on Christmas Day, police sources said.

The accident occurred around 2:30 a.m. along the Cochabamba-Oruro Highway in the Challa Grande region of Bolivia, involving first a grey Nissan Condor truck and then a white Balu company bus. (Bolivia-Accident)

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GAZA -- Two Palestinians were killed on Friday and more than 30 injured in another day of violent tension between Israel and the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, medical sources said.

The Palestinian health ministry in the West Bank said in an emailed press statement that a 38-year-old Palestinian woman was killed by Israeli troops' gunfire in the town of Silwad northeast of Ramallah. (Palestine-Israel) Endi