IN BRIEF (Page 12)

United Kingdom

12 injured in acid attack in London

Twelve people were injured when a corrosive substance was thrown inside a packed London nightclub on Monday, police and fire services said, amid a sharp rise in acid attacks in London. There were around 600 people in the venue at the time of the incident. The police said in a statement that all the injuries were "non-life threatening" and the incident was not believed to be terrorism-related.

Sri Lanka

Dozens still missing in garbage collapse

Rescuers on Monday were digging through heaps of mud and trash that collapsed onto a clutch of homes near a garbage dump outside Sri Lanka's capital, killing at least 29 people and possibly burying dozens more. Hundreds of people had been living in the working-class neighborhood on the fringe of the towering dump in Meetotamulla, a town near Colombo, when a huge mound collapsed on Friday night during a celebration for the local new year, damaging at least 150 homes.

Middle East

1,500 prisoners hold hunger strike

An activist said more than 1,500 Palestinian prisoners have launched an open-ended hunger strike to demand better conditions in Israeli prisons, including more contact with relatives, and an end to Israel's practice of detentions without trial. The protest began on Monday and was led by Marwan Barghouti, a prominent figure in President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.

Australia

Rare 170-year-old tree cut down

Conservationists have expressed outrage after a rare 170-year-old tree was cut down in Tasmania. The bunya pine tree, which is native to Australia, was cut down due to the pines, which can weigh up to 10 kilograms, posing a threat to people and cars. The trees are especially hard to grow in Tasmania due to the state's cool climate. It is believed the tree was planted in the 1840s.

(China Daily 04/18/2017 page12)