TAIWAN Filmmaker Ang Lee says China’s boycott of Taiwan’s Golden Horse film awards demonstrates how politics can take its toll on the arts. Beijing’s order to give Saturday night’s awards show the cold shoulder was part of its campaign to rachet up economic and political pressure on the island it claims as its own territory.
SOUTH KOREA Police say pop star Goo Hara has been found dead at her home in Seoul. Police say an acquaintance found the 28-year-old dead at her home in southern Seoul yesterday and reported it to authorities. The cause of her death wasn’t immediately known. Police refused to provide further details. More on p18
INDIA More than 1,000 members of the LGBTQ community and their supporters marched through New Delhi yesterday to celebrate India’s sexual diversity, which they said is progressing but still has a long way to go to become a more accepting place for them.
CONGO A plane carrying at least 17 passengers crashed shortly after takeoff yesterday in Congo’s eastern city of Goma, killing all of those on board and possibly more people on the ground. The aircraft crashed into residential homes near Goma’s airport in the North Kivu province. Black smoke rose from the plane, whose wreckage could be seen amid destroyed homes as dozens of men tried to help with the rescue efforts.
LEBANON A few dozen people have demonstrated near the U.S. Embassy outside Beirut against what they are calling America’s intervention in Lebanon’s affairs. Lebanese troops and riot police employed tight security measures yesterday near the embassy northeast of the city. The protesters later dispersed without any reports of violence.
GUINEA-BISSAU Voters went to the polls yesterday in Guinea-Bissau for a presidential election they hope will bring calm amid a backdrop of continued political tensions and unrest on the streets in the West African country.
Twelve candidates are running for head of state, including incumbent Jose Mario Vaz, who has been in power since 2014.
UK British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is using the launch of his Conservative Party platform to claim that his is the only party in next month’s election that will complete the Brexit process. “Unlike any other party standing in this election, we are going to get Brexit done,” he told supporters while waving his party’s printed platform, which was unveiled yesterday.
VATICAN CITY The Vatican’s Caritas Internationalis charity says it learned in 2017 of pedophilia concerns involving its Central African Republic director, but left it for his superiors to investigate and he remained in place and in ministry until this year.
US The secretary of the U.S. Navy said he doesn’t consider a tweet by President Donald Trump an order and would need a formal order to stop a review of a sailor who could lose his status as a Navy SEAL.
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