IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Turkey

24 bodies found after sinking

Rescuers pulled 24 dead bodies from the sea in Istanbul's Bosporus on Monday after a boat believed to be carrying about 40 illegal migrants sank, Turkish media reported. Most of those who died were children, the Hurriyet news website reported. Many illegal migrants from Africa and the Middle East attempt to pass through Turkey to get to the European Union, often traveling in unsafe boats.

Burkina Faso

Army vows unity government

Burkina Faso's military vowed to install a unity government after tightening control over the West African nation, firing tear gas and shots in the air to disperse protesters denouncing the power grab. Troops moved into Place de la Nation in Ouagadougou, the capital, and took over the national television headquarters in a show of force, despite calls by the international community and protesters for a return to civilian rule. Threatened with economic sanctions, the military pledged to put in place a government formed by "broad consensus".

Romania

Ponta leads in presidential vote

Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta led the first round of voting in the country's presidential election, according to near-complete results on Monday. The European Union is watching the election closely because of fears that Ponta could reverse reforms aimed at rampant corruption in one of the bloc's poorest countries. Official results from Sunday's voting showed that Ponta, a social democrat, took just over 40 percent of the vote, with 98 percent of ballots counted.

Afghanistan

Deputy governor assassinated

A deputy provincial governor was shot dead in the southern Kandahar province while he was sitting in class at a university on Sunday. Abdul Qadeem Patyall, 32, died of his injuries after a gunman opened fire on him through the window of a classroom at Kandahar University, officials said on Monday. Patyall, who was studying to become a teacher, was seriously wounded and died later at a hospital, Khpolwak said.

Poland

US criticized in Polanski case

An adviser to the Polish president has accused US authorities of "absolute ignorance" in seeking the arrest of film director Roman Polanski, a Holocaust survivor, while he was in Poland last week for the opening of a Jewish history museum. US authorities sought Polanski's arrest on 1977 charges of having sex with a minor. Polish authorities questioned him in Warsaw because of the US request, but refused to arrest him.

Reuters - AFP - AP

(China Daily 11/04/2014 page12)