YEMEN Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition bombed a food factory in the capital Sanaa early yesterday, killing 14 civilians working on an overnight shift. Five women were among those killed in what effectively was the resumption of heavy bombardment by the Saudi-led alliance targeting Shiite rebels and allied forces loyal to ousted president Mansour Hadi. U.N. peace talks on the conflict collapsed over the weekend in Kuwait.
SOUTH CHINA SEA Japan’s foreign minister summons China’s ambassador over the increased number of Chinese vessels in waters near disputed islands in the East China Sea.
CHINA-TRUMP Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is playing the “China-bashing card” in an attempt to rescue his falling poll numbers but has no real ideas to resolve the two nations’ differences, Xinhua says.
THAILAND’s junta leader says he will hold elections in November 2017 under a newly approved constitution that ensures the military’s control over the next government.
PHILIPPINES A historical commission, former human rights victims and left-wing groups oppose President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval of a plan to bury late dictator Ferdinand Marcos in a heroes’ cemetery, reigniting a divisive and emotional debate. Meanwhile, the U.S. expressed concern over extrajudicial killings of suspected drug dealers and users. More on p13
PAKISTAN Lawyers mourn colleagues slain in a shocking suicide bombing the previous day at a hospital in the city of Quetta that killed 70 people, mostly lawyers. The attack, which stunned the judicial community, also underscored concerns that militants in Pakistan are still capable of striking in the heart of the country’s cities and towns — despite government claims of dismantling terror networks.
MALDIVES The United Nations’ human rights chief urges the Maldives to stick to a decades-long moratorium on imposing the death penalty, citing fears that three men are at “imminent risk” of execution.
AZERBAIJAN Leaders of Russia, Iran and Azerbaijan met to discuss a new transport corridor and other economic projects in the Caspian Sea region. A prospective railway link between Iran and Azerbaijan is expected to become part of a transport corridor that would run from India all the way to St. Petersburg in Russia, providing a faster and cheaper alternative to existing sea routes.
EUROPEAN UNION Brussels has set new deadlines for Spain and Portugal to bring their budget deficits into line after both countries escaped fines for failing to rein in spending. EU headquarters said yesterday that “Portugal is now required to correct its deficit by 2016 and Spain by 2018 at the latest.” The two countries must submit a report by Oct. 15 on how they plan to bring their deficits under the EU ceiling of 3 percent of GDP.
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