World Briefs

CHINA A Chinese dissident writer says police in his hometown are holding three of his siblings in retaliation for an article he wrote condemning the detention of a fellow writer linked to the investigation of an anonymous letter online calling for the Chinese president’s resignation.

CHINA has ordered its armed forces to end all paid outside work within the next three years as part of a push to make the world’s largest standing military more professional.

SOUTH KOREA  Activists have sent tens of thousands of leaflets across the border attached to helium balloons for the second time in three days, denouncing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Some of the balloons carry dollar notes and even chocolate snacks.

JAPAN’s government says it will stick to its policy of not possessing nuclear weapons after U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump said he would be open to the idea of Japan and South Korea having their own atomic arsenals.

PAKISTAN The death toll from a massive suicide bombing targeting Christians gathered on Easter in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore rises to 70, underscoring the ability of the militants to stage large-scale attacks despite a months-long military offensive targeting their hideouts.
Bangladesh’s top court rejects a 28-year-old petition to remove Islam as the official religion of the Muslim-majority South Asian nation.

AFGHANISTAN Taliban fighters have fired explosives at Afghanistan’s parliament compound in Kabul as the country’s top intelligence official and caretaker minister of interior were due to speak. Three rockets were fired at the building but did not hit their target and no one was wounded.

SYRIA The Syrian army, backed by Russian warplanes, is reported to be continuing its offensive against the Islamic State after recapturing the ancient city of Palmyra on the weekend.

CUBA Fidel Castro has broken his silence over U.S. President Obama’s visit this month in a damning letter published in the state-run newspaper Granma. He said that Cuba didn’t need any gifts from the “empire” and that Obama’s words of reconciliation could give Cubans a heart attack.

MEXICO Authorities say that they have arrested the top money launderer for Mexican drug lord Joaquin Guzman, known as “El Chapo”, who is currently awaiting extradition to the United States.