Briefly

PAKISTAN

Peshawar bombing kills 34, wounds 150

A suicide bomber struck on Monday inside a mosque in the northwestern Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least 34 people and wounding as many as 150 worshippers, officials said. The bomber detonated his suicide vest as worshippers — including many police officers from nearby police offices — were praying inside. The impact of the explosion collapsed the roof of the mosque, which caved in and injured many, according to Zafar Khan, a local police officer. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing.

AUSTRALIA

Rio Tinto sorry over radioactive hazard

Mining company Rio Tinto on Sunday apologized for losing a highly radioactive capsule in Western Australia and kicked off an investigation over the incident, while a search for the missing capsule is still underway. On Friday, the state's Department of Fire and Emergency Services issued a warning of radioactive substance risk in parts of the Pilbara, Midwest Gascoyne, Goldfields-Midlands and Perth Metropolitan regions. The warning has been remaining in place for days. According to authorities, a 6 millimeter by 8 mm silver capsule, containing a radioactive substance of cesium-137, was lost during transportation from north of Newman to the northeastern suburbs of Perth.

INDIA

Power plants to run on imported coal

India plans to invoke an emergency law next month which would force power plants running on imported coal to generate power, two government sources said on Monday, as it expects power demand to surge to record levels this summer. Power ministry officials will work with those involved in debt restructuring of financially stressed idle plants to make them functional, the sources said.

Agencies - Xinhua