Briefly

UNITED STATES

30 injured as car strikes crowd in LA

A vehicle rammed into a crowd of people waiting to enter a performance venue along a busy boulevard in Los Angeles on Saturday, injuring 30 people and leading bystanders to attack the driver, authorities said. The driver was later found to have been shot, according to police, who were searching for a suspected gunman who fled the scene along Santa Monica Boulevard. The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Fernando Ramirez, was charged on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, Los Angeles Police Department spokeswoman Rosario Cervantes told Agence France-Presse. Twenty-three victims were taken to hospitals and trauma centers. Seven were in critical condition, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement.

AFRICA

DR Congo govt, M23 sign ceasefire deal

The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed a declaration of principles with the March 23 Movement rebel group on Saturday to end the conflict in the country's eastern region. After months of negotiations mediated by Qatar, the declaration lays out a framework of core principles agreed upon by both parties and sets the foundation for continued talks aimed at achieving a comprehensive peace deal. Chairperson of the AU Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, described the signing of the declaration as "a major milestone" in ongoing efforts to bring lasting peace, security and stability to eastern DRC and the wider Great Lakes region.

Agencies - Xinhua