World briefs

JAPAN’s ruling party approved a change in party rules yesterday that could pave the way for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to become the country’s longest-serving leader in the post-World War II era. It is a remarkable turnaround for Abe, who lasted only a year during an earlier stint as prime minister, and in a country that had six prime ministers in the six years before Abe returned to office in December 2012.

HONG KONG’s office rents are almost three times more expensive than those in Singapore as property markets in two of Asia’s largest commercial centers have diverged sharply in recent years. The spread has boosted Singapore’s appeal as a competitive business hub and made it a more attractive location for companies to house their regional headquarters.

PHILIPPINES Soldiers have found the remains of a German hostage who was beheaded by Abu Sayyaf militants in the country’s south, vowing yesterday to rescue more than 30 other captives and crush the ransom-seeking extremists.

SOUTH KOREA said it would ensure Korean companies don’t face unfair trade measures in China, pushing back against pressure from Beijing over its decision to deploy a U.S. missile shield on its soil.

NEW ZEALAND Prime Minister Bill English signaled he might adjust the nation’s immigration program and joined the global chorus of concern about the risk to trade from the Trump administration as he gears up for a September election. More on p12

RUSSIA A Russian lawmaker has proposed an unorthodox solution to the country’s problems with football hooliganism ahead of next year’s World Cup — legalize it and make it a spectator sport. Igor Lebedev, who sits in the Russian parliament, was inspired by fighting that broke out between Russian and English fans on the streets of Marseille during last year’s European Championship. 

SOMALIA’s prime minister said on Saturday that 110 people have died from hunger in the past 48 hours in a single region — the first death toll announced in a severe drought threatening millions of people across the country.

FRANCE Conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon is urging his supporters not to “give up the fight” for the presidency despite corruption allegations dogging him.

NOTHERN IRELAND’s biggest parties will open talks on reviving power sharing, after an election held in the shadow of Brexit and question marks over the province’s ability to govern itself. The Democratic Unionist Party won 28 seats in last week’s election, just one more than the nationalist Sinn Fein party.