IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Afghanistan

Suicide car bomb kills at least 29

A huge suicide car bombing struck on Thursday outside a bank in the southern Helmand province, targeting Afghan troops and government employees waiting to collect their salaries ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holiday and killing at least 29 people, officials said. Hayatullah Hayat, governor in Helmand, said most of the casualties were civilians. The explosion also wounded at least 60 people, he said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Turkey

Leaders try to reduce tensions

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has agreed with Saudi Arabia's King Salman and the new crown prince to "increase efforts" to end tensions in the region related to the dispute with Qatar, officials said on Thursday. Erdogan called the Saudi royals on Wednesday to congratulate them on the appointment of Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the new crown prince. Turkey has backed Qatar in the crisis with Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations that cut off relations with Doha.

United Kingdom

Prince Harry: No one wants throne

Prince Harry has suggested that no one in the royal family really wishes to rise to the throne. Harry said in an interview with Newsweek magazine that it is duty, rather than desire, that prompts the family to continue serving the people. He said that the House of Windsor is "not doing this for ourselves but for the greater good of the people".

Australia

Man dies of rare mosquito disease

A man in his 60s died on Thursday after catching a rare mosquito-borne disease while on holiday overseas. He contracted Japanese encephalitis while on a 10-day holiday in Southeast Asia in May. He had spent more than three weeks in hospital since feeling lethargic. Japanese encephalitis is endemic to Southeast Asia where it is common in rural areas. About 20 percent of cases of the disease cause a brain infection which ultimately leads to death.

Germany

Teen shoots toy gun at Thai king

Prosecutors said on Wednesday they were investigating a 14-year-old boy suspected of shooting plastic bullets from a toy gun at the king of Thailand who was cycling near Munich this month. The king was not hurt. The unidentified youth, together with a 13-year-old who is too young to be investigated, is suspected of having fired the gun from a garden or house window at a group of cyclists that included King Maha Vajiralongkorn, a regular visitor to Bavaria, and his entourage.

India

Assault rifles fail basic test

The country's homemade assault rifles have failed basic trials, thus being rejected by the army, media reported on Thursday. The indigenous assault rifles, which were made by state-owned Ordnance Factory Board and meant to replace AK-47s used by armed forces, have many faults, including excessive recoil and excessive flash and sound signature. The failure has dented Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" mantra for enhancing the military firepower.

(China Daily 06/23/2017 page11)