World Briefs

CHINA-UK Chinese President Xi Jinping began a four-day state visit to Britain yesterday as part of a push to increase trade ties between the two countries.

CHINA The third unit of the Yangjiang nuclear power plant in Guangdong province began operation on Sunday, China General Nuclear Power Corp. (CGN), the owner of the plant, said yesterday. The third unit is in good condition and will be officially put into commercial use after tests, according to a statement issued by CGN. The Yangjiang nuclear plant’s six units will generate 48 billion kwh of electricity a year after they all go into commercial operation in 2019. The other three units are under construction.

AFGHANISTAN’s acting defense minister says the Doctors Without Borders hospital that was bombed by U.S. forces was being used by insurgents who were fighting government forces.

INDIA Efforts to stop mosquitoes from spreading dengue fever in New Delhi have failed to keep the city from its biggest outbreak in almost two decades. Experts blame health officials for being slow on both prevention work and medical response.

INDIA A general strike and curfew shut Indian-controlled Kashmir following the death of a Muslim teenager attacked by a Hindu mob over rumors of cows being slaughtered. Hindus consider cows to be sacred, and slaughtering the animals is banned in most Indian states.
INDIA An Australian couple has said they were harassed at a restaurant in southern India by people who objected to a tattoo of a Hindu goddess on the man’s leg.

AUSTRALIA A lawyer for a pregnant Somalia refugee rape victim says he wanted to seek a court order keeping her in Australia before the government suddenly flew her to Nauru without providing the abortion she had requested.

NEPAL The deputy prime minister of fuel-starved Nepal says Indian officials have assured him of increased supplies.

INDONESIA Seven hikers die after being caught in a forest fire on Indonesia’s main Java island. Two others were severely injured.

THAILAND-AUSTRALIA A masked Australian man robbed a bank in Bangkok in 12 seconds, using a fake gun before being caught nearby, police say.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron is unveiling new plans to combat terrorism, extending powers to seize passports from young people at risk of traveling abroad to join groups like the Islamic State and forcing those convicted of extremist offenses to register with authorities. Britain has already been able to seize the passports of those under 16, but will now be able to seize the documents of 16- and 17-year-olds.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES The crush and stampede that struck the hajj last month in Saudi Arabia killed at least 2,110 pilgrims, a new Associated Press tally showed yesterday, after officials in the kingdom met to discuss the tragedy.

USA An aging gangster is being tried on charges he was in on a legendary mob heist recounted in the hit film “Goodfellas.” In opening statements yesterday, a prosecutor told federal jurors in New York City that the USD6 million Lufthansa holdup in 1978 was “the score of all scores” for Vincent Asaro and other mobsters. Prosecutors say the 80-year-old Asaro was a member of the Bonanno crime family for decades.