World in brief: Roadside bomb kills 12 Afghans

KABUL – A remote-controlled bomb targeting a police convoy killed 12 people today in western Afghanistan, a day after three American soldiers died in a complex militant ambush in the country’s east.

The bomb blast today occurred in the city of Herat. Ten civilians and two police officers were killed. About 20 people were wounded, an official said.

Sunday’s attack on the soldiers raised NATO’s two-day August death toll to nine. Militants in eastern Afghanistan killed the three U.S. troops with gunfire after attacking their convoy with a roadside bomb, the U.S. military said. Six NATO troops also died on Saturday. Six of the nine deaths this month were American.

Music festival closed after storm

CAMROSE, Alberta – Organizers on Sunday canceled the closing day of a country music festival in central Alberta a day after a fierce thunderstorm caused an outdoor stage to collapse, killing one person and injuring about 75 others.

Thousands of fans were camped out at the Big Valley Jamboree in Camrose, 60 miles southeast of Edmonton, when strong winds and heavy rain struck about 6 p.m. on Saturday, sending people screaming and running for cover. Actor Kevin Costner, who was about to perform with his band, was caught beneath the stage but escaped serious injury.

The event is billed as Canada’s largest country music festival with attendance estimated at 15,000.

Camrose Police Chief Darrell Kambeitz said about 21 of the injured were taken to hospitals, two of whom were in critical condition.