IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Mexico

Protesters take control of border

Protesters took control of vehicle lanes at one of the busiest crossings on the US border on Sunday to oppose Mexican gasoline price hikes, waving through motorists into Mexico after Mexican authorities abandoned their posts. Motorists headed to Mexico zipped by about 50 demonstrators at the Otay Mesa port of entry connecting San Diego and Tijuana, many of them honking to show support. The demonstrators waved signs to protest gas hikes and air other grievances against the government.

Japan

Abdication law eyed for emperor

Japan could pass a one-off bill allowing its retirement-ready emperor to step down, a government panel said Monday, in what would be the first abdication in over two centuries. The option was one of several presented by the group of experts charged with sorting out the thorny issue. They were expected to make a final recommendation in March.

Romania

10,000 oppose prisoner amnesty

Thousands of people marched through Bucharest, the Romanian capital, and other cities on Sunday to protest a government proposal to pardon thousands of prisoners which critics say could reverse the anti-corruption fight. More than 10,000 protesters massed in University Square, and later broke through police lines, before heading toward government headquarters.

Malaysia

Nine people die as boat capsizes

A boat ferrying 40 people from Indonesia capsized off Malaysia's coast on Monday and at least nine people were killed and nearly 30 were missing, the latest accident involving migrant workers in overloaded boats. The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said it had recovered the bodies of six women and three men and rescued two people from the early morning accident. Twenty-nine people were unaccounted for.

Australia

MH370 search crews return to port

The ship involved in the recently halted hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 returned to port in Australia on Monday, where officials from the countries that funded the fruitless search gathered to thank them. Transport officials from Australia, Malaysia and China met in Perth to greet the crew of Fugro Equator, who were ordered to return last week after the countries officially suspended the three-year search for the plane.

Actor killed while filming scene

An actor was killed on Monday while filming a scene featuring several guns for an Australian band's music video, police said. The man died at a bar in the Queensland city of Brisbane while filming the video by hip-hop group Bliss n Eso. Members of the band were not on the set at the time. During the scene, several actors fired their guns and the actor somehow received wounds to his chest. No one else was injured.

(China Daily 01/24/2017 page12)