IN BRIEF (Page 12)

INDONESIA

Brakes blamed for deadly bus crash

A packed tourist bus returning from an outing collided with a motorbike and plunged from a hill on Indonesia's main island of Java after its brakes apparently malfunctioned, killing at least 27 people, police said on Sunday. At least 18 others were hospitalized with injuries, some in critical condition,, said local police chief Muhammad Joni. Joni said police were still investigating the cause of the accident, but a preliminary investigation showed the brakes malfunctioned while the bus was going up the hill and rolled down, hitting a motorbike before falling into a grass field.

UNITED STATES

Officers shot dead during 911 call

Two police officers were shot dead in mid-western state of Ohio on Saturday, local authorities said. The suspect was wounded and taken to a nearby hospital, according to a CBS News report. The two officers were responding to a 911 call at the address in Westerville. They were fired upon when they arrived at the scene, said the report. One officer was killed in the shooting and another died shortly after.

NIGERIA

Academics among 13 freed hostages

Boko Haram extremists have freed three university lecturers and 10 women who it had kidnapped in separate raids last year, Nigeria's government said on Saturday. The academics were abducted by the Nigeria-based Islamic militants while conducting oil prospect evaluations in the Lake Chad area last year, said presidential spokesman Garba Shehu. The 10 women were kidnapped in a Boko Haram raid on a military and police convoy last year on the Damboa road near Maiduguri.

ZIMBABWE

First lady gives up parliamentary seat

First lady Auxillia Mnangagwa has relinquished her Chirumanzu-Zibagwe parliamentary seat to concentrate on her new role, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Saturday during a rally in his home province of Midlands. Auxillia Mnangagwa took over as member of parliament for the constituency in 2015, replacing her husband, who had been elevated to vice-president of the ruling party and state.

BOLIVIA

Carnival explosion leaves 6 dead

Police in Bolivia say six people were killed and dozens injured when a street vendor's gas canister exploded near the route of the Carnival in the city of Orura. Deputy Commander Freddy Betancurt says the blast took place on a street parallel to the entrance to Orura's Carnival, one of the most important in Bolivia.

(China Daily 02/12/2018 page12)