World Briefs

CHINA-LAOS The prime minister of communist Laos assures US Secretary of State John Kerry that the small nation will help counter China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.

CHINA-VIETNAM Divided opinions within Vietnam’s Communist Party on how to relate to giant neighbor and one-time ally China are among key factors in play at an eight-day congress to choose new leadership.

THAILAND A Japanese rocket maker says a large piece of metal that washed up on a beach in Thailand is likely part of a rocket launched by Japan, not a missing Malaysian plane. The discovery of the metal sparked speculation that it might be from Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, which disappeared almost two years ago.

MALAYSIA’s leader defended the country’s strict security laws, saying they are needed to fight terrorism as the Islamic State group warned of revenge over a crackdown on its members. PM Najib Razak said the terrorism threat is ‘very real.” Opening a two-day international counter-terrorism conference, Najib said he will not apologize for taking steps to preserve national security.

INDIA-FRANCE India and France said yesterday that they are close to sealing a multibillion euro agreement for New Delhi to purchase 36 Rafale fighter jets. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Francois Hollande made the announcement during a joint news briefing in Delhi.

PAKISTAN Officials say a northwestern Pakistani university where Islamic militants gunned down 21 students and teachers last week has reopened yesterday for classes amid tight security.

AFGHANISTAN An Afghan official says three border policemen have been killed and three others were wounded in a suicide attack near an important border crossing in southern Afghanistan. The police say the attack took place when five suicide bombers stormed the border police headquarters at Spin Boldak, on the border with Pakistan yesterday.

SYRIA Peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition groups are to start on Friday, the UN special envoy on Syria announced yesterday. Staffan de Mistura told reporters he would be sending out invitations to the talks in Geneva today. The talks are expected to take six months and the sides will not talk directly to each other to begin with.

USA Ford Motor Co. is pulling out of Japan and Indonesia, saying that market conditions in each country have made it difficult to grow sales or make sustained profits. “Japan is the most closed, developed auto economy in the world, with all imported brands accounting for less than 6% of Japan’s annual new car market,” a spokesman wrote in an email message.