IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Romania

Health workers protest salary cuts

Thousands of Romanian healthcare workers protested wage cuts outside the government offices in the capital. Traffic was restricted in downtown Budapest as up to 10,000 healthcare workers from different parts of the country traveled to Bucharest on Wednesday for the protest. They threatened to go on strike if the government doesn't resolve their salary issues. Demonstrators blew whistles and vuvuzelas.

Middle East

Cop jailed for killing Palestinian

An Israeli court on Wednesday sentenced a police officer to nine months in jail over the fatal shooting of a Palestinian teenager in 2014, an incident documented by video footage. The sentence was handed down after policeman Ben Deri, 24, was found guilty of negligent homicide and also ordered to pay $14,000 to the family of Nadeem Nuwarah, who was 17. Nuwarah was killed on May 15, 2014, during a day of clashes in the occupied West Bank between Israeli forces and Palestinian protesters.

Afghanistan

Taliban announce spring offensive

The Taliban announced the start of its annual spring offensive on Wednesday, dismissing an offer for peace talks by President Ashraf Ghani and saying it will focus on US forces in the country. Thousands more US troops have been sent to Afghanistan to help train the army, and commanders have been given greater authority to carry out airstrikes against the militants in a major reversal of the previous policy of phased withdrawal of US forces.

India

24 injured in cylinder explosion

At least 24 people were injured in a cylinder explosion at a crowded labor colony in the northern state of Punjab on Thursday, police said. "The explosion took place when some laborers were cooking in one of the makeshift houses in New Smart Colony in the Giaspura area of Ludhiana city," a police official said.

United Kingdom

William to be best man at wedding

It's a family affair: Britain's royal officials said Prince Harry has asked elder brother Prince William to be best man at his wedding next month. Kensington Palace said on Thursday that William is "honored" to be playing the key role when Harry marries US actress Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on May 19. Harry was best man when William married Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in 2011.

Thailand

Govt warns over unripe durian fruit

Durian traders have been warned by the authorities to never deal in unripe fruit, otherwise they may be faced with a fine or jail term, said a senior government official on Wednesday. All durian vendors have been urged to make sure that their fruit is edible and ripe and that no unripe fruit will be allowed for either the domestic or export market. Those who might possibly offer unripe durian for sales will be legally subject to a maximum of $1,910 fine or a maximum of three years in prison or both.

Ap - Reuters - Afp - Xinhua

(China Daily 04/27/2018 page11)