World briefs

CHINA President Xi Jinping and other Chinese leaders solemnly presented flower baskets yesterday at the People’s Heroes Monument in central Beijing to mark Martyr’s Day, one of three new holidays created this year in a renewed focus on World War II.

AFGHANISTAN and the United States sign a long-awaited security pact that will allow U.S. forces to remain in the country past the end of year. More on p14

JAPAN Increased seismic activity raised concern yesterday about the possibility of another eruption at a Japanese volcano where 36 people were killed, forcing rescuers to suspend plans to try to recover at least two dozen bodies still near the summit. Volcanic tremors rose to a level not seen since Saturday evening, hours after Mount Ontake’s initial large eruption, said Shoji Saito of the Japan Meteorological Agency. The tremor levels were oscillating up and down.

AUSTRALIA A man is arrested in counterterrorism raids in Melbourne after police said he provided money to a U.S. citizen fighting alongside extremists in Syria. The 23-year-old man, whom police have not named, will be charged with intentionally making funds available to a terrorist organization, police say.

AUSTRALIA Nicole Kidman reveals she was heartbroken over the death of her father this month and thanked well-wishers for their comforting thoughts and prayers. “We would just like to thank everyone for their love and prayers over these past couple of weeks,” the actress and her singer husband Keith Urban said in a statement on Facebook.

THAILAND A former railway worker in Thailand is sentenced to death for raping a 13-year-old girl on an overnight train, then killing her and throwing her body out the window, an attack that sparked outrage and prompted calls for the execution of rapists. The case also raised questions about the safety of Thailand’s long-distance trains which are popular with tourists.

SRI LANKA A Myanmar Buddhist monk and a Sri Lankan ultranationalist both known for campaigning against Muslims formally sign an agreement to work together to protect Buddhism. Ashin Wirathu leads the fundamentalist 969 movement that has been accused of instigating deadly violence against minority Muslims in Myanmar. He was a special invitee Sunday at a rally of Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Power Force, which also has been accused of instigating violence and claims minority Muslims are trying to take over Sri Lanka by having more children, marrying Buddhist women and taking over businesses.