Iran

Leader's chopperhas 'accident'

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in northeast Iran on Sunday after an unspecified "accident", the presidency reported, adding that he was unhurt. "The helicopter carrying Dr Ahmadinejad and a number of officials on Sunday had an accident, but the pilot managed to land the aircraft safely," the website president.ir reported.

United States

Death toll from tornadoes at 9

Nine people were killed in tornadoes that swept through central Oklahoma on Friday, part of a storm system that caused widespread flooding in Oklahoma City and its suburbs, the state's chief medical examiner said on Saturday. Among the dead were two children, said Amy Elliott, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office.

Saudi Arabia

3 more die from SARS-like virus

Saudi Arabia has reported that three more people have died from a new respiratory virus related to SARS, bringing the total number of deaths in the kingdom to 24. The Ministry of Health said on Sunday the three deceased were among 38 infected in the kingdom with the respiratory virus, called MERS. It said two of the three deaths were suffering from chronic diseases.

Niger

2 guards killed in failed escape

Two prison guards were killed and three more were wounded in Niger's capital, Niamey, on Saturday during what government officials said was a failed escape attempt by Islamist militants serving terms on terrorism charges. The daytime gunbattle in the city center comes just a week after al-Qaida-linked groups raided a uranium mine and an army barracks.

AFP-AP

(China Daily 06/03/2013 page12)