Briefly

BURKINA FASO

Gunmen kill 24 in attack near church

Gunmen killed 24 civilians, including a church pastor, and kidnapped three others on Sunday in Burkina Faso, an official said. It was the latest attack against a religious leader in the West African nation. The mayor of Boundore commune, Sihanri Osangola Brigadie, said the attack occurred in the town of Pansi in Yagha Province. The roughly 20 attackers separated men from women close to a Protestant church. At least 18 other people were injured.

AUSTRALIA

Bushfire crisis affects 18 million people

Three in four Australians－almost 18 million people－were affected by the country's deadly bushfire crisis, according to a survey released on Tuesday that also pointed to plummeting support for the government and for coal projects. The Australian National University study showed the vast human scale of the five-month crisis, which killed more than 30 people and destroyed thousands of homes. The poll of 3,000 people indicated that 14 percent of the adult population was directly affected－with their homes lost or damaged, or families forced to evacuate.

PAKISTAN

Government considers importing insecticides

Pakistan is likely to import insecticides from India to brace itself for any locust attacks this summer, bypassing a ban on trade between the neighboring nations. A copy of Cabinet agenda for a Tuesday meeting seen by Reuters has the import option on it. "Yes definitely, there is a fear of locust attack in June-July, this is the reason we are planning and preparing in advance," Falak Naz, director-general, Department of Plant Protection, Ministry of National Food Security and Research, told Reuters. China is the other place from where Pakistan can import the insecticides.

UKRAINE

Kiev to negotiate with Iran on compensation

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said Ukraine will negotiate with Iran the size of compensation for the downed Ukrainian plane on behalf of five countries including Ukraine, Canada, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Afghanistan, UNIAN news agency reported on Monday.

Agencies - Xinhua