International news in brief: Beijing dormitory blaze kills 17

A FIRE yesterday killed at least 17 people in a building crowded with migrant workers on the fringe of Beijing.

The early morning blaze engulfed a four-storey building in Daxing District, an area in the south of Beijing crammed with small factories, workshops and crumbling apartments rented by migrant workers.

The first floor, where the fire broke out contained a workers' dormitory at the back.

Congo ferry tragedy claims 38 lives

At LEAST 38 people died in the Democratic Republic of Congo when the boat they were travelling in capsized yesterday.

The boat was ferrying goods and people across Lake Kivu to the town of Bukavu when it tipped over and sank at around 4am local time.

A rescue team from the Red Cross recovered 38 bodies and 12 survivors from the lake.

Activists held for insulting royalty

The United Arab Emirates has detained five activists, who all signed a pro-democracy petition last month, on accusations of "opposing the government."

The activists are being questioned for "perpetrating acts that pose a threat to state security" and insulting the rulers, including the crown prince, Sheik Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Death toll mounts in Yemen

Yemeni security forces shot dead three more protesters demonstrating against President Ali Abdullah Saleh yesterday.

Witnesses said security men opened fire to stop protesters marching through the city of Taiz, south of the capital to join a pro-democracy rally.