World briefs

MYANMAR Peace talks aimed at ending more than half a century of conflict between Myanmar’s army and an array of armed ethnic rebel groups are due to start in the capital, Naypyitaw, today. The talks are the first formal peace negotiations since Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party took office in April, vowing that national unity would be its top priority. More on p12

JAPAN A typhoon slammed into northern Japan last night, threatening to bring floods to an area still recovering from the 2011 tsunami. Typhoon Lionrock made landfall near the city of Ofunato, about 500 kilometers northeast of Tokyo.

AUSTRALIA’s opposition said yesterday that it would test Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s weakened grip on power following last month’s general election by proposing its own legislation to legalize gay marriage. The bill underscores a stark policy difference between the conservative government and the opposition center-left Labor Party on gay marriage.

KYRGYZSTAN A suspected suicide bomber yesterday crashed a car through the entrance of the Chinese Embassy in the Kyrgyzstan capital of Bishkek, detonating a bomb that killed the attacker and wounded three embassy employees.

AFGHANISTAN The Taliban have appointed a new military chief as the insurgents try to gain more ground in Afghanistan rather than talk peace under a new leadership, Taliban officials said. They said that the appointment of Mullah Ibrahim Sadar, heralds a commitment to confrontation at a time when many are trying to coax the group to the negotiating table.

IRELAND The European Union says Ireland has given illegal tax benefits worth up to 13 billion euros (USD14.5 billion) to Apple Inc. and must now recover the unpaid back taxes. More on p14

EU Germany’s European Union commissioner says public opinion in Britain could shift against leaving the bloc if the economy worsens as a result of the country’s decision to exit. However he also warned yesterday that EU leaders consider the referendum result “politically binding” for the British government.

BRAZIL’s president, Dilma Rousseff, mounted a forceful defense of her time leading Latin America’s most populous nation at her own impeachment trial, warning senators that ousting her would hurt a young democracy.