As Chinese influence grows, Japanese warship visits Sri Lanka
Japan’s largest warship, the Kaga helicopter carrier, sailed into Sri Lanka’s Colombo harbor this weekend, marking Tokyo’s highest profile salvo in a diplomatic battle with China for influence along the region’s vital commercial sea lanes.
Indonesian survivors desperate to flee disaster zone as death toll climbs
Indonesian authorities scrambled on Monday to get help into quake-hit Sulawesi island as survivors streamed away from their ruined homes and accounts of devastation filtered out of remote areas, including the death of 34 children at a Christian camp.
North, South Korea begin removing landmines along fortified border
Troops from North and South Korea began removing some landmines along their heavily fortified border on Monday, the South’s defense ministry said, in a pact to reduce tension and build trust on the divided peninsula.
Indonesia quake survivors await help as death toll climbs
Indonesian authorities scrambled on Monday to get help into quake-hit Sulawesi island as survivors streamed away from their ruined homes and accounts of devastation filtered out of remote areas, including the death of 34 children at a Christian camp.
Britain’s Hammond says UK can cope with no-deal Brexit
British finance minister Philip Hammond said on Monday the United Kingdom had the fiscal capacity to cope with leaving the European Union without any agreement but believed the mood in Brussels was to reach a divorce deal.
UK parliament would back Norway-style Brexit with customs union: senior lawmaker
The British parliament would back a Norway-style Brexit deal with a customs union, pro-EU Conservative lawmaker Nicky Morgan, a former government minister who heads parliament’s Treasury Select Committee, said on Monday.
Indonesia rushes in aid as death toll from quake, tsunami passes 840
Indonesian authorities scrambled on Monday to get aid and rescue equipment into quake-hit Sulawesi island and prepared to bury some of the more than 800 dead, while shaken survivors streamed away from their ruined homes in search of food and shelter.
Indonesia says it needs more heavy equipment, rescuers in quake zone
Indonesia’s disaster agency said more heavy equipment and rescue personnel were needed to help recover bodies after Friday’s quake and tsunami disaster.
UK has fiscal capacity to cope with no-deal Brexit, Hammond says
The United Kingdom has the fiscal capacity to cope with leaving the European Union without having first secured a deal, British finance minister Philip Hammond said on Monday.
UK’s Hammond says EU is in the mood for a Brexit deal
British finance minister Philip Hammond said the European Union was in the mood to do divorce deal, though he said uncertainty over Brexit had already hit the United Kingdom’s economy.
