IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Thailand

11 Chinese injured after collision

Eleven Chinese tourists and three Thais were injured after a pickup truck crashed into a van carrying Chinese tourists on Sunday in Chiang Mai. Among the 11 Chinese tourists, five were severely injured and they are all now being treated at a hospital, according to the Consulate General of China in Chiang Mai on Monday. The consulate general said the five severely injured tourists are still being treated at the hospital but in "stable conditions".

Russia

Putin appoints new Washington envoy

President Vladimir Putin has appointed a former deputy defense minister as Russia's new ambassador to the United States. The Kremlin said on Monday Putin has replaced Sergei Kislyak, whose tenure ended in July, with Anatoly Antonov, a deputy foreign minister and former deputy defense minister seen as a hard-liner regarding the US.

United Kingdom

Big Ben bell to go silent until 2021

The Big Ben bell was due to sound the hour for the last time before it is silenced for repair work until 2021. After 12 deep bongs at noon on Monday, the bell was scheduled to begin its longest period of silence since it first sounded in 1859. The break will allow workers to carry out much-needed maintenance to the Victorian clock and clock tower, but will deprive Londoners and tourists of one of the city's iconic sounds.

France

One dead after van hits people

One person was killed and another seriously injured in Marseille on Monday after a van plowed into people at two bus stops, police said, adding that the suspected driver had been arrested. Prosecutors said investigators had "no element pointing to a terrorist attack" and that the driver was suffering from psychiatric problems.

(China Daily 08/22/2017 page12)