Word briefs

TAIWAN Hundreds of Taiwanese workers in tourism-related businesses rallied in the capital yesterday to draw attention to a sharp decline in Chinese visitors that is putting their industry under heavy strain.

CHINA-NORTH KOREA — China responded to calls that it needs to do more to rein in North Korea’s nuclear program by saying that American officials are truly to blame for inciting conflict on the Korean Peninsula.

NORTH KOREA  is mobilizing to deal with a disastrous flood that killed at least 133 people, destroyed tens of thousands of homes and crippled infrastructure in its northern-most province. Brigades of soldiers from around the country have been enlisted to help victims of the flooding, caused by Typhoon Lionrock.

BANGLADESH The death toll from a boiler explosion and fire at a packaging factory over the weekend rises to 31 after more bodies are found in the debris.

MALAYSIA Relatives of some of the 239 passengers and crew on missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 called for more of its possible debris to be examined to define a new search area.  More on p12

INDIA’s top court ordered the southern state of Karnataka to release water from a disputed river to neighboring Tamil Nadu after violence erupted in both states over water sharing.

CHINA-RUSSIA The Chinese and Russian navies launch eight days of war games in the South China Sea, in a sign of growing cooperation between their armed forces against the backdrop of regional territorial disputes.

VIETNAM A Vietnamese court approved a Malaysian request for the extradition of eight Indonesians suspected of hijacking a Malaysian oil tanker more than a year ago, and rejects a similar request from Indonesia.

JAPAN A government official is under fire for riding on a colleague’s back to get through a big water puddle during his recent visit to a town devastated by a deadly storm.

NEPAL An American who has been a frequent visitor to Nepal has been arrested in the capital’s tourist district on charges of sexually abusing children.

USA Recent hacks of election data systems in at least two states have raised fear among lawmakers and intelligence officials that the Russian government is trying to seed doubt about — or even manipulate — the presidential race, renewing debate over when cyberattacks cross red lines and warrant a U.S. response.