Briefly

IRAN

4 killed as army helicopter crashes

Four people were killed when an Iranian army helicopter crashed on Tuesday morning into a fruit and vegetable market in the central province of Isfahan, the semiofficial Fars news agency reported. The pilot, copilot and two vendors were killed when the aircraft struck a market stall at 9:09 am, said the report. Four ambulances were immediately dispatched to the scene, Fars quoted Ali Nasiri, head of the provincial emergency medical services organization, as saying. Mansour Shishehforoush, director-general of Isfahan's crisis management department, told the official news agency IRNA that a technical failure caused the incident.

SOUTH KOREA

Yoon submits appeal against life sentence

South Korea's former president Yoon Suk-yeol on Tuesday filed an appeal against his life sentence for leading an insurrection related to his martial law declaration, according to Yonhap news agency. Yoon's legal team submitted the notice of appeal to the Seoul Central District Court, which sentenced him to life in prison on charges of leading the insurrection. By law, the insurrection ringleader can only be sentenced to capital punishment or life imprisonment if found guilty. Yoon was accused of orchestrating the insurrection by declaring an unconstitutional emergency martial law despite the absence of war incidents, or equivalent national emergencies.

THE NETHERLANDS

Minority govt sworn in after coalition talks

A Dutch minority government was officially sworn in on Monday at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, more than 110 days after the general election held on Oct 29 last year. Following the discharge of the previous cabinet, 18 ministers and 10 state secretaries were sworn in. The new cabinet is a coalition of Democrats 66, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, and the Christian Democratic Appeal, formed on Jan 30. Before the swearing-in, incoming Prime Minister Rob Jetten held an introductory meeting with King Willem-Alexander, marking the transition to the new administration.

FRANCE

US ambassador urged to explain no-show

The US ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, will regain full access to the French government after he explains his decision not to show up after being summoned on Monday over comments made on the killing of a French far-right activist, France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Tuesday.

Xinhua - Agencies