World Briefs

CHINA President Xi Jinping has reorganized the military headquarters’ structure in a sign of his firm control over the 2.3 million-member armed forces. State media reported yesterday that Xi has ordered the elimination of the four headquarters responsible for staff, politics, logistics and armaments and their replacement with 15 new agencies under the direct authority of the ruling Communist Party’s Central Military Commission. The move is part of a push to reassert the absolute authority of the commission headed by Xi.

USA-CHINA Donald Trump is leaving himself wiggle room on his proposal to impose a massive tax on goods from China if elected president. He says he’s confident China would change its behavior to avoid it and start trading more fairly. The presidential contender (R) told The New York Times that he’d “tax China on products coming in” to the U.S. and “the tax should be 45 percent.” But on Sunday reports suggested he’d give China a chance to change. Any tariff could be much lower.

THAILAND’s royal palace has released a vaguely- worded health report on the country’s 88-year-old king, the world’s longest reigning monarch who has been ailing for years, describing what appears to be a new bout of lung infection and occasional fever with rapid breathing.
Russia The ruble has tanked on the first day of trading after a ten-day holiday period as the price of oil continues to decline. The Russian currency dropped by nearly 2 percent half an hour into trading to 76.1 rubles yesterday at the Moscow stock exchange’s first currency trading session since Dec. 31. Oil prices, the backbone of the Russian economy, have been declining in the past week, pressured by fears about a slowdown in China’s economic growth.

BURUNDI At least five people were killed over the weekend, as violence spurred by President Pierre Nkurunziza’s third term continues to rock the East African nation. Three bodies were found in the Nyakabiga, Jabe and Musaga districts of the capital, Bujumbura, on Sunday, police told reporters late that day. Two members of the ruling party’s youth wing were also killed when an armed group attacked a pub in Muyira, about 15 km east of the city.

ZIMBABWE  A professional hunter in Zimbabwe has canceled a plan to raffle a lion hunt at a hunters’ convention in the United States, following protests from activists. Martin Nel said last week that he was scrapping the raffle in which he hoped to sell 100 raffle tickets for USD1,500 each in Las Vegas next month.

HOLLYWOOD “The Martian” rocketed to best film comedy at the 73rd annual Golden Globes, where even its director, Ridley Scott, wondered whether his science fiction epic about a stranded astronaut quite belonged in the category. “Comedy?” Scott wondered, taking the podium, answering with a skeptical wave of his hand. Sylvester Stallone scored a knockout 29 years after the first “Rocky,” Jennifer Lawrence notched her third Globe and Matt Damon landed both best actor. Leonardo DiCaprio won for best actor in a film drama.