Eighteen die in Peruvian bus crash

At least eighteen people were killed when a Peruvian bus plunged one-hundred metres down a ravine in the Andes, some three-hundred-and-fifty kilometres south-east of the capital, Lima.

Police say another twenty-six passengers were injured in the accident, which happened when the driver swerved to avoid a rock in the road and lost control of the bus.

Correspondents say consumer pressure groups have been calling on the government to enforce stricter transport regulations, as overloaded and poorly-maintained buses have caused numerous accidents along the narrow roads in the Andes.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service