World briefs

EUROPE The euro held near a seven-month low amid speculation the European Central Bank will maintain its easy monetary policy as the Federal Reserve prepares to raise interest rates.

US-PHILIPPINES America’s top diplomat for Asia, Daniel Russel, said that Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial remarks and a “real climate of uncertainty” about his government’s intentions have sparked distress in the U.S. and other countries.

VIETNAM An official says 230 drug addicts are still at large after a mass escape from a rehabilitation center in southern Vietnam.

SOUTH KOREA’s president proposed revising the country’s constitution, which limits leaders to a single five-year term. Critics immediately called it an attempt to divert attention from corruption scandals involving her associates.

MARKETS Asian markets mostly rose yesterday as Japan reported its trade balance swung to a surplus in September and strong Japanese manufacturing data from a purchasing manager’s survey also suggested signs of improved activity in the world’s third biggest economy. Attention is likely to focus this week on U.S. growth data.

FRANCE Lines of migrants with their lives in small bags waited calmly to get on buses in the French port city of Calais yesterday, the first day of the mass evacuation and destruction of the squalid camp, known as “the jungle” they called home.

EU-CANADA  The Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel (pictured) says that it cannot yet give the necessary backing to the European Union’s free trade deal with Canada, making it unlikely that the bloc can sign the deal officially on Thursday as planned.

MALTA A small plane heading toward Libya’s coast to monitor migrant trafficking routes for the French government crashed soon after takeoff from Malta’s airport yesterday, killing all five French crew members, authorities said.

HOLLYWOOD Bill Murray, 66, received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor yesterday [Macau time] at the Kennedy Center, joining several other “Saturday Night Live” alumni to win the annual award.