IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Syria

32 killed in plane crash at air base

A Russian transport plane crashed in Syria on Tuesday, killing all 32 people on board, Russian news agencies cited the Russian Defense Ministry as saying. The ministry was cited as saying that the plane crashed at Russia's Hmeymim air base in Latakia province and that initial information suggested the crash may have been caused by a technical fault. The ministry was quoted as saying that 26 passengers and six crew members were on board.

India

25 guests die in truck plunge

A truck carrying wedding party guests plunged into a dry river bed in western India on Tuesday, killing at least 25 people and injuring dozens, including children, authorities said. Nearly 38 injured had been admitted at a government hospital in Bhavnagar, Gujarat state, a police official said. Deadly road accidents are common in India, where driving standards are poor and roads and vehicles badly maintained.

Burkina Faso

Strategy planned against extremism

West African heads of state denounced extremism during a visit to Burkina Faso's capital on Monday, vowing to strengthen cooperation to defeat extremists who carried out two simultaneous attacks in Ouagadougou that killed at least eight people on Friday. Their pledge came as an al-Qaida-linked extremist group based in Mali claimed responsibility for Friday's attacks.

Sri Lanka

Emergency called following clashes

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday decided to declare a 10-day state of emergency following clashes in Kandy in central Sri Lanka. Police on Tuesday reimposed a curfew in parts of Kandy after mobs took to the streets on Monday, burning houses and businesses in the latest spate of racial violence to hit the island country.

Kazakhstan

3 countries to hold Syria talks

The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey are set to meet in Kazakhstan next week as the three countries attempt to move forward with a plan to end nearly seven years of war in Syria. Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the top diplomats of the three parties would hold a March 16 meeting in the capital Astana "without observers or Syrian sides".

Zimbabwe

New party has Mugabe's backing

A new political party believed to have the support of former president Robert Mugabe has been formed to challenge President Emmerson Mnangagwa's ruling ZANU-PF party in elections set for mid-2018. In a statement issued on Monday, the New Patriotic Front announced the appointment of Ambrose Mutinhiri as party leader and presidential candidate for the polls.

Reuters - AP - Xinhua - AFP

(China Daily 03/07/2018 page12)