IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Brazil

Protests fail to disrupt parades

Police used tear gas to contain street protests on Saturday in several Brazilian cities, stopping demonstrators from disrupting Independence Day military parades and an international soccer game between Brazil and Australia. The protests against corruption were much smaller than the massive demonstrations that shook Brazil in June.

Saudi Arabia

Another 3 die of MERS virus

Another three people have died in Saudi Arabia after contracting the MERS coronavirus, the health ministry said on Sunday, bringing the kingdom's total fatalities of the SARS-like virus to 47.

Afghanistan

Airstrike kills nine civilians: officials

Afghan officials say an apparent NATO airstrike has killed 15 people - nine of them civilians, including women and children - in an eastern province where the Taliban are strong. NATO, however, says 10 insurgents were killed. Kunar province police chief Abdul Habib Sayed Khaili said the airstrike hit a pickup truck soon after three Arab and three Afghan militants boarded it on Saturday evening. He said some reports called it a drone strike.

AFP-AP-Reuters

(China Daily 09/09/2013 page12)