News in Brief 2024-07-11

Twelve children killed in S African school minibus crash
JOHANNESBURG, July 10: Twelve children were killed in South Africa early Wednesday when a minibus taking them to school near Johannesburg overturned and caught fire after being hit by another vehicle, the government said. The driver of the minibus was also killed and seven other children were rushed to hospital, the Gauteng provincial government said in a statement. It could not immediately give the ages of the children. — AFP
Hundreds stranded in Tibet
after heavy rain
SHANGHAI, July 10: Hundreds of people were trapped in rural Tibet in recent days after heavy rainfall caused floods and landslides, Chinese state media reported on Wednesday. At least 472 people, including local residents and tourists from outside the area, were trapped outside Chentang Township in the Shigatse area, state broadcaster CCTV said. China is battling extreme weather across the country this summer, with the national weather agency expecting extreme heat to persist for much of the season. — AFP
Iran president-elect to be
sworn in on July 30
TEHRAN, July 10: Iran's reformist president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian will take the oath of office in parliament on July 30, a member of the legislature's presiding board, Mojtaba Yousefi, said on Wednesday. "The swearing-in ceremony of Masoud Pezeshkian will be held on July 30," state news agency IRNA quoted Yousefi as saying. Yousefi had said earlier this week that the swearing in would be held on August 4 or 5. — AFP
Starmer signals Ukraine can use UK missiles to strike Russia
LONDON, July 10: Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer indicated on Wednesday that Ukraine can use long-range missiles supplied by the UK to strike military targets in Russia during their war. Starmer told reporters on his flight to Washington for NATO's 75th anniversary summit that decisions on the use of British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles were for the Ukrainian armed forces. UK military aid is "for defensive purposes but it is for Ukraine to decide how to deploy it for those defensive purposes", said Starme. — AP