IN BRIEF

Panama

Bus crash claims at least 18 lives

A bus carrying farm workers went off a highway and ended up in a stream on Sunday southwest of Panama's capital, causing at least 18 deaths and injuring 37 others, authorities said. The crash happened on the Pan-American Highway in Anton, about 170 kilometers from Panama City. Officials gave no information on what caused the accident. All the dead and injured were aboard the bus, which was carrying more than 50 workers, authorities said. Photos published by local media showed the white bus in a creek at the bottom of a ravine below a bridge.

New Zealand

Govt plans to lift pension age

Young New Zealanders will have to work longer and retire older under changes to the government's universal state pension scheme announced on Monday. The government cited the rising costs and aging population as reasons for lifting the age of entitlement for national superannuation from 65 to 67. Immigrants will also have to wait longer to qualify, with the required period of residency doubling from 10 years to 20 years. The changes will be introduced from 2037, with the qualifying age rising by six months each year until it reaches 67 in 2040.

United Kingdom

Singer Adele confirms marriage

Adele has officially announced she and long-time partner Simon Konecki are married,weeks after hinting at a wedding. Adele casually dropped the news while chatting with the audience at her show in Brisbane, Australia, on Saturday. She was discussing her song, Someone Like You,which describes her feelings following a breakup. She told the crowd that she's "addicted" to the "feeling when you first fall for someone." She said she can't have that feeling because she's "married now".

Nepal

Trekker dies near Qomolangma base camp

An Australian trekker has died near the Mount Everest base camp, possibly due to high-altitude sickness, police said on Monday. The 49-year-old man died on Friday at Lobuche village, located just below the base camp, at 4,940 meters, police said. Police identified the man as Jones Matthew Oldisworth. His body was taken to Kathmandu, Nepal's capital.