IN BRIEF (Page 12)

RUSSIA

167 saved from boat accident

At least 167 people were rescued after a boat believed to have been carrying 173 sank on Sunday in Russia's Volga River, an Emergencies Ministry official said. One woman was confirmed dead.

Eighty-two people were picked up by a passing craft and 85 others were rescued from the river, regional ministry spokesman Oleg Zugeyev said.

He said the exact number of people on board when the boat sank had not been confirmed.

LIBYA

Gadhafi forces shell rebels

Forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi let loose a heavy artillery bombardment on Sunday to try to push back rebel fighters who had taken a village about 100 km south of Tripoli.

Al-Qawalish is a strategic battleground in the rebels' march on the capital because if they manage to advance beyond it they will reach the main highway leading north into Tripoli, where Gadhafi has his main stronghold.

A rebel fighter in Al-Qawalish, Amignas Shagruni, said that shells had been landing repeatedly over the past 24 hours from pro-Gadhafi forces positioned a few kilometers to the east.

JAPAN

Small tsunami hits coast

Small tsunami waves reached the Pacific coast of northern Japan on Sunday after a major quake hit the region heavily damaged by the March earthquake and tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The port towns of Soma and Ofunato saw 10-centimeter tsunami waves triggered by the 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck off the main island of Honshu at 9:57 am (0057 GMT), the agency said.

No damage has been reported from the tsunami and quake, which was strong enough to sway skyscrapers in Tokyo, some 400 km from the epicenter.

Reuters-AFP

(China Daily 07/11/2011 page12)