World briefs

CHINA’s chances of qualifying for the World Cup have virtually ended with this first defeat in competitive action for coach Marcello Lippi since he was appointed in November. China has just five points from seven of the 10 games. Iran maintained its four-point lead in Group A thanks to a Mehdi Taremi strike just after halftime, which sent the vast majority of the near 100,000-strong crowd wild.

CAMBODIA has permanently banned the export of human breast milk by a company headed by a former Mormon missionary that pioneered the business two years ago. The letter gave no legal reason for the ban, but indicated that national pride was at stake.

THAILAND Authorities in Thailand have escalated their effort to collect taxes they say are due from ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, posting a bill for 17.6 billion baht (USD503 million) at the house where he lived before fleeing into exile in 2008 to avoid a prison term for conflict of interest.

FRANCE-MALAYSIAFrench President Francois Hollande lobbied yesterday for the sale of Rafale fighter aircraft to Malaysia, but Prime Minister Najib Razak said his government is not yet ready to purchase the jets.

AUSTRALIA A powerful cyclone packing winds of up to 260 kilometers per hour roared across Australia’s tropical northeast yesterday, uprooting trees, tearing down fences and knocking out power to thousands, officials said. 

PAKISTAN A health official says a special anti-polio drive has been launched in Islamabad after traces of the virus were found in the city’s sewage system. The virus was detected weeks ago but so far no cases have been reported in Islamabad.

RUSSIA-IRAN Russia and Iran have agreed to boost their energy ties and continue joint efforts to help reach peace in Syria and Afghanistan. Russian President Vladimir Putin said after yesterday’s talks with his Iranian counterpart that Moscow and Tehran will continue to “strengthen cooperation in the fight against international terrorism.”

BRITAIN Scottish lawmakers voted yesterday to seek a new referendum on independence, to be held within the next two years The Edinburgh-based legislature voted 69-59 to back First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s call to ask the British government for an independence vote.

EU Leaders from Central Europe said yesterday they reject a European Union policy that calls for all member states to receive migrants, protesting suggestions that the level of their compliance could be linked to the availability of EU funds to them.