Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1800 GMT, Feb. 10

SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir -- Two junior-level officers of the Indian army and two militants were killed while nine others, including women and children, wounded Saturday in an ongoing gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The fierce gunfight broke out early Saturday morning after gunmen believed to be fidayeen (suicide attackers) indiscriminately opened fire and entered a highly fortified military camp at Sunjawan in Jammu, the winter capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir. (India-Kashmir-Attack)

- - - -

HONG KONG -- At least 18 people were killed on Saturday after a double-decker bus overturned in China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The accident happened at 6:15 p.m. local time (1015 GMT), when a bus on its way to Tai Po from Shatin racecourse toppled to its left on Tai Po Road, New Territories, leaving long braking marks and destroying a bus station on roadside. (Hong Kong-Bus Accident)

- - - -

COLOMBO -- A crucial local government election ended peacefully in Sri Lanka on Saturday as over 15 million voters cast their ballots to elect members to local government bodies, election monitors said.

Voting started at 7:00 a.m. local time and ended at 4:00 p.m. local time.

Election monitors said 15,760,867 voters, or some 70 percent of the total eligible voters, cast their votes throughout the country. (Sri Lanka-Poll)

- - - -

SEOUL -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in dismissed a call by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to quickly resume the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises, local media reported on Saturday.

An unnamed official of South Korea's presidential Blue House was quoted as saying the Japanese leader told Moon at their summit Friday that it was not a right time to delay the annual joint military drills between South Korea and the United States. (S. Korea-Japan-Drills)

- - - -

SEOUL -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), has invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang as the DPRK leader is willing to see a thaw in relations between the two Koreas, the presidential Blue House said Saturday.

Kim delivered his invitation through his younger sister Kim Yo Jong, who came to South Korea and attended the opening ceremony of the 23rd Winter Olympics held in South Korea's eastern county of PyeongChang on Friday night. (S. Korea-DPRK-Visit) Enditem