IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Canada

Snow slide kills five South Koreans

Hikers from crossing an unstable ledge of snow in the mountains north of Vancouver fell 500 meters to their deaths, a search manager said on Sunday. The bodies of five South Koreans have been recovered. Search and rescue crews were alerted to the accident late on Saturday afternoon. Search manager Martin Colwell said four bodies were recovered at the bottom of Mount Harvey and a fifth was located several hours later.

Russia

Tillerson not due to meet Putin

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was not due to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin when he visited Moscow later this week. He will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, however, Peskov said.

Somalia

Suicide bomber hits army school

A suicide bomber blew himself up on Monday at a military academy in Mogadishu, killing at least five soldiers. The bomber, dressed in a military uniform, walked into the training camp and detonated explosives strapped to his waist near soldiers and officers. The bomber, posing as a military trainee, had crossed the gate checkpoint and targeted soldiers and officers resting after their daily military exercises.

The Philippines

Conviction of US Marine affirmed

An appeals court on Monday affirmed a regional trial court's conviction of a US Marine and his sentence of up to 10 years in jail for killing a transgender Filipino. The court on Monday did not accept Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton's claim of self-defense in killing Jennifer Laude inside a motel room in Olongapo city in October 2014. The killing sparked anger in the Philippines and reignited calls by left-wing groups and nationalists for an end to US military presence in the country.

Malaysia

18 rhino horns seized at airport

Malaysian authorities said on Monday that they have seized 18 rhino horns believed to have been smuggled into the country from Mozambique. Airport customs director Hamzah Sundang said the horns were flown from Mozambique and transited in Doha before arriving at Kuala Lumpur's airport on Friday. The horns weighed 51.4 kilograms and were worth $3.1 million.

United States

NY approves free college tuition

New York is set to make tuition at public colleges and universities free for middle-class students. The tuition initiative is part of a new state budget approved on Sunday by the state Senate, a day after the Assembly approved it. The tuition plan will cost an estimated $163 million. In-state students whose families earn $125,000 or less will be eligible.

(China Daily 04/11/2017 page12)