World Briefs

BELT & ROAD Panama sees a “big opportunity” in China’s massive “Belt and Road” infrastructure initiative, President Juan Carlos Varela (pictured) said yesterday during a visit to Hong Kong amid ambitious plans and proposals for Chinese-built bridges and rail lines.

A worker walks near the Taishan 1 Areva SA EPR reactor at the China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group Co. atomic plant in Taishan, Guangdong Province, China. Photographer:Qilai Shen/Bloomberg

CHINA’s homegrown nuclear technology is gaining favor in the battle for the nation’s next generation of reactors, according to a state-owned developer, as it seeks to move on after delays and cost blowouts from imported designs. 

THAILAND The air hanging over the far north has become so polluted, the prime minister went to see in person what is being called a severe health crisis. Prayuth Chan-ocha arrived by helicopter at an army base in Chiang Mai, a popular tourist destination where seasonal haze has been unusually bad and prolonged this year.

THAILAND’s influential army chief Gen. Apirat Kongsompong warned that the military will fight any moves that threaten the country’s system of constitutional monarchy with the king as head of state, in an apparent threat directed at supporters of a new anti-junta party.

INDIA’s main opposition Congress party led by Rahul Gandhi (pictured) has released its election manifesto ahead of a multiphase general election that begins April 11. The 48-year-old grandson of Indira Gandhi blasted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for working “to divide the nation and spread hatred.”

NEW ZEALAND lawmakers yesterday voted overwhelmingly in favor of new gun restrictions during the first stage of a bill they hope to rush into law by the end of next week. The bill would ban the types of weapons a gunman used to kill 50 people at two mosques last month.

FINLAND A Portuguese surveillance aircraft is suspected of having violated the Nordic country’s airspace, the Finnish defense ministry said yesterday. The aircraft made the alleged airspace violation on Monday southwest of the capital Helsinki. Finnish authorities informed Portugal about the violation, and officials are looking into it.