News in Brief-(10-04-2018)

April 10, 2018 00:00:00

Ban Ki-moon new BFA chairman

BOAO, Apr 09: Former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Monday was elected chairman of Boao Forum for Asia (BFA), replacing former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong was appointed BFA secretary-general, said a statement released after the meeting of the newly-elected Board of Directors of BFA, which was held during the ongoing BFA annual conference. Former central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan was designated as China's chief representative to BFA. According to the BFA Charter, Zhou is ex-officio member of the Board of Directors and vice chair of BFA. Of the 19-member BFA Board of Directors, 12 are newly-elected, including Ban, Zhou and Li. — Xinhua

60 Indonesians die after taking homemade alcohol

BANDUNG, Apr 09: More than 60 Indonesians are dead and dozens have been hospitalised from drinking illegal homemade alcohol, authorities said Monday, with the toll steadily climbing. Police conducted raids in cities across the world's biggest Muslim majority country to arrest vendors selling the cheap homebrew. Most Indonesians practice a moderate form of Islam and alcohol is available in big cities. — AFP

6.1-magnitude quake hits Japan

TOKYO, Apr 09: A strong earthquake in western Japan has cracked streets, cut water and power to a number of homes and caused slight injuries to five people. The Meteorological Agency said the magnitude 6.1 quake struck early Monday 12 kilometers (7 miles) underground near Ohda city, about 800 kilometers (480 miles) west of Tokyo. Meanwhile, an earthquake of 4.9 magnitude struck Myanmar's northern Mandalay region in the early hours of Monday, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology. — AP

New York bus crash leaves dozens injured

WASHINGTON, Apr 09: Dozens of New York teenagers returning from a school trip to Eastern Europe were injured when their bus crashed on the journey home to Long Island, police said. New York State Police Major David Candelaria said of the 44 people on board Sunday evening, two were seriously wounded and five moderately, with the rest of the injuries minor. — AFP