World briefs

HONG KONG Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of Chinese billionaire Xiao Jianhua reportedly taken away from his Hong Kong hotel by mainland police, in a case that has parallels with last year’s disappearances of five booksellers. 

SOUTH KOREA Former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that he won’t run for the presidency, a surprise announcement that removes a key figure from the scramble to replace impeached President Park Geun-hye and further stirs the country’s already tumultuous politics.

NEW ZEALAND’s recently appointed Prime Minister Bill English announced yesterday that the country will hold a national election in September in what will be a test of his popularity following the surprise resignation of former leader John Key.

AUSTRALIA’s prime minister Malcolm Turnbull would not say how many refugees from Pacific island camps will be resettled in the United States after President Donald Trump’s administration said “extreme vetting” would be used to check their cases.

JAPAN Officials have rejected President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Tokyo is seeking to weaken the yen against the U.S. dollar to gain a trade advantage. 

INDIA The shares of top Indian IT companies sank this week in response to news of proposed U.S. legislation that could make it harder for companies to replace American workers with those from countries like India.

USA Leading Democrats have come out in staunch opposition to Donald Trump’s nomination of Neil Gorsuch (pictured) for the vacant position on the Supreme Court. The president named the Colorado appeals court judge yesterday to replace the late Antonin Scalia. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he had “very serious doubts” about Judge Gorsuch’s nomination. 

UAE’s top diplomat yesterday came out in defense of Trump’s order temporarily barring citizens from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. The comments by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (pictured, right) could help bolster the administration’s assertion that the directive was not intended as a ban against Muslims.

EU-MEXICO The European Union and Mexico are to speed up talks on a new trade agreement as U.S. administration moves to renegotiate major international trade pacts. EU and Mexico trade chiefs have agreed to hold negotiations on April 3-7 and June 26-29. They will also meet between rounds to push for further progress. Their current trade pact dates from 2000.