TEHRAN, Iran — At least 21 people died when a bus overturned following a collision with a tanker on a road in central Iran, Iranian media reported Tuesday.

Iranian state television said the accident happened late on Monday on the road linking the cities of Kashan and Natanz, about some 250 kilometres (156 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.

The intercity bus was taking passengers from Tehran to the city of Kerman, some 1,000 kilometres (620 miles) to the southeast, when the accident took place.

Many Iranians are travelling this week as the four-day major Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura gets underway.

The TV said 20 people were injured in the crash and were taken to local hospitals. The survivors included two women and two boys under the age of six.

It broadcast footage showing the burning bus and tanker, flames rising into the nighttime sky as rescue teams rushed about at the site.

An unnamed survivor told the TV from his hospital bed that the crash happened close to midnight.

“The flames started at the front of the bus as diesel from the tanker poured in,” he said, adding that he managed to escape through a bus window.

With some 17,000 motorists killed annually, Iran has one of the world’s worst traffic safety records, attributed mainly to widespread disregard for traffic laws, unsafe vehicles and inadequate emergency services.</s>By MICHAEL CHAWE

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LUSAKA

At least 11 people were killed and several others injured Monday in a road crash involving a bus travelling from Zambia to South Africa, Lusaka authorities said.

Zambia's High Commissioner to South Africa Emmanuel Mwamba said in a statement that the accident involving Scania Marcopolo bus happened in Polokwane.

"The accident happened at Bela-Bela in Polokwane, about 107 kilometres from Pretoria," the statement explained.

The bus was coming from Zambia's Kitwe City in the Copperbelt Province.

The statement further explained that the bus driver was among those who survived with injuries.

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One of the injured people was airlifted to Polokwane Hospital, the statement added.

The ill-fated bus had 50 passengers and a crew of five.</s>At least 11 people have been killed and dozens injured in a bus crash on the N1 highway at Mookgophong in Limpopo.

Speaking on eNCA, Limpopo transport department spokesperson Matome Moremi said the bus was on its way to Gauteng from Zambia.

Moremi said eight women and three men were declared dead while 41 others were transported to various hospitals in the province.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.</s>TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - At least 21 people died when a bus overturned following a collision with a tanker on a road in central Iran, Iranian media reported Tuesday.

Iranian state television said the accident happened late on Monday on the road linking the cities of Kashan and Natanz, about some 250 kilometers (156 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.

The intercity bus was taking passengers from Tehran to the city of Kerman, some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to the southeast, when the accident took place.

Many Iranians are traveling this week as the four-day major Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura gets underway.

The TV said 20 people were injured in the crash and were taken to local hospitals. The survivors included two women and two boys under the age of six.

It broadcast footage showing the burning bus and tanker, flames rising into the nighttime sky as rescue teams rushed about at the site.

An unnamed survivor told the TV from his hospital bed that the crash happened close to midnight.

"The flames started at the front of the bus as diesel from the tanker poured in," he said, adding that he managed to escape through a bus window.

With some 17,000 motorists killed annually, Iran has one of the world's worst traffic safety records, attributed mainly to widespread disregard for traffic laws, unsafe vehicles and inadequate emergency services.</s>TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — At least 21 people died when a bus overturned following a collision with a tanker on a road in central Iran, Iranian media reported Tuesday.

Iranian state television said the accident happened late on Monday on the road linking the cities of Kashan and Natanz, about some 250 kilometers (156 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.

The intercity bus was taking passengers from Tehran to the city of Kerman, some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to the southeast, when the accident took place.

Many Iranians are traveling this week as the four-day major Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura gets underway.

The TV said 20 people were injured in the crash and were taken to local hospitals. The survivors included two women and two boys under the age of six.

It broadcast footage showing the burning bus and tanker, flames rising into the nighttime sky as rescue teams rushed about at the site.

An unnamed survivor told the TV from his hospital bed that the crash happened close to midnight.

“The flames started at the front of the bus as diesel from the tanker poured in,” he said, adding that he managed to escape through a bus window.

With some 17,000 motorists killed annually, Iran has one of the world’s worst traffic safety records, attributed mainly to widespread disregard for traffic laws, unsafe vehicles and inadequate emergency services.</s>A total of 11 people died in a bus crash on the N1 in Mookgopong near Modimolle on Monday morning‚ Limpopo police.

"It is alleged that the bus was travelling from Gauteng Province towards Polokwane in the early hours of today on Monday with 55 passengers and five drivers when it lost control and overturned. During this accident‚ 11 out of 60 where certified dead at the scene‚ all the drivers and other passengers sustained serious injuries and were taken to various hospitals for medical treatment‚" said Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe.

The bus was believed to have been bound for Zambia.</s>TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - At least 21 people died when a bus overturned following a collision with a tanker on a road in central Iran, Iranian media reported Tuesday.

Iranian state television said the accident happened late on Monday on the road linking the cities of Kashan and Natanz, about some 250 kilometers (156 miles) southeast of the capital, Tehran.

The intercity bus was taking passengers from Tehran to the city of Kerman, some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) to the southeast, when the accident took place.

Many Iranians are traveling this week as the four-day major Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura gets underway.

The TV said 20 people were injured in the crash and were taken to local hospitals. The survivors included two women and two boys under the age of six.

It broadcast footage showing the burning bus and tanker, flames rising into the nighttime sky as rescue teams rushed about at the site.

An unnamed survivor told the TV from his hospital bed that the crash happened close to midnight.

"The flames started at the front of the bus as diesel from the tanker poured in," he said, adding that he managed to escape through a bus window.

With some 17,000 motorists killed annually, Iran has one of the world's worst traffic safety records, attributed mainly to widespread disregard for traffic laws, unsafe vehicles and inadequate emergency services.</s>JOHANNESBURG - At least 11 people have been killed after the bus they were travelling in overturned on the N1 highway near Mookgophong, midway between Mokopane and Modimolle in the Limpopo province.

The bus had been ferrying passengers back to South Africa from Zambia when the driver lost control of the vehicle allegedly due to a punctured tyre.

The Transport Department's Matome Moremi-Taueatsoala says: “The N1 between Mookgophong and Mokopane is temporarily closed while the forensic pathologists and anyone who is responsible for cleaning the scene are busy. As things stand now, the bus is next to the road but we’re trying to clean the scene because others are still trapped under the bus.”

They've been rushed to hospitals for treatment.</s>They added no one on the bus was injured and the students were able to safely get off the bus after the crash.</s>JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The usual suspects — Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and Darth Vader — roamed at Comic Con Africa. A few African characters were also on display: Kwezi, Captain South Africa and Shaka Zulu.

The success of Marvel’s “Black Panther” film spiked interest in African stories, and creators on the continent hope to capitalize with more comic book characters of their own. The three-day convention ending Sunday in South Africa was a platform for their efforts, even if it was dominated by the global superheroes, villains and other pop culture figures who have been around for decades.

One example is Masuku’s Captain South Africa, a black female superhero who “doesn’t want to punch criminals because that doesn’t end crime,” he said at a convention stall where he also promoted another of his creations, Zimbabwean superhero Razor-Man.

Thousands of people, many in costume, turned out for the suburban Johannesburg event introduced by Reed Exhibitions. ReedPOP, a subsidiary of the global company, hosts similar conventions around the world and brought its model to Africa for the first time.

Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya have been running their own “comic con” festivals for several years; South Africa’s annual ICON comic and games convention started in 1992.

Hurricane Florence scrapped plans by Anthony Mackie, the actor who has played Marvel’s Falcon superhero, to travel to Comic Con Africa. Aquaman actor Jason Momoa also canceled. Kevin Sussman from “The Big Bang Theory” and Yetide Badaki from “American Gods” made it, to the delight of autograph and photo op seekers.

“If you have issues with personal space, comic cons are not for you,” said ICON director Les Allen as he waded through crowds. Up ahead, video gamers playing a “Counter-Strike” first-person shooter in sound-proof booths battled each other on giant screens as spectators followed the combat. Someone in a reptilian “Predator” outfit paced the hall, posing with fans. Other people had masks, hoods, swords and staffs and there was plenty of spandex and hair spray, of course.

“Shaka Rising: A Legend of the Warrior Prince,” a glossy graphic novel about the real-life Zulu king who built an empire at a time of European expansion into Africa, was among home-grown projects on display. The story of power and intrigue was written and drawn by South African Luke Molver.

“To a large extent, African stories get told by people outside of Africa, about people in Africa,” said Robert Inglis, the book’s promoter and director of Jive Media Africa, a company based in South Africa. Part of the reason is that many African stories circulate through “word of mouth” and don’t have the “lasting kind of print space” to resonate internationally, he said.

Nearby, Janine Evans was offering capes modeled on traditional Basotho blankets and other clothing merchandise associated with a band of southern African superheroes.

“Our aim here is to actually take the Afrocentric from the fantasy world and bring it into people’s everyday lives,” she said.

One African superhero is Kwezi, a comic book character drawn by creator Loyiso Mkize. He is a young man who learns he has special powers, and then sorts out problems in the local community. In a short video animation, a flying Kwezi checks a phone message that summons him to an urban Johannesburg neighborhood: “Trouble in Braamfontein, we need you now!!!!”

Other promotions at Comic Con Africa include “The Tokoloshe,” a South African horror movie whose name refers to an evil spirit; and “Apocalypse Now Now,” a South African short film and novel whose name plays on the uniquely South African phrase meaning “soon.”

The goal is “to normalize the existence of African content and creators,” said Masuku, the Captain South Africa creator. “We’re still making the steps to get there. I’m happy with where we are right now.”
At least 11 people were killed and several others injured in a road crash involving a bus travelling from Zambia to South Africa.