World briefs

JAPAN AND INDIA affirmed plans to strengthen their military cooperation amid rising tension in the Asian region. Indian Defense Minister Arun Jaitley told his Japanese counterpart, Tomomi Inada, in Tokyo that his country hopes to pursue a strategic partnership with Japan for regional peace and stability.

CHINA A gas leak in a coal mine in Hunan has killed 18 people, local authorities said. The leak happened this weekend when miners were working in the shaft of the mine in Youxian county in Hunan province, according to a statement from the Communist Party committee of Zhuzhou city. Rescuers managed to bring to safety 37 miners.

VIETNAM A senior Communist Party official has been removed from the powerful Politburo for committing “very serious mistakes and violations” when he was head of the country’s oil and gas monopoly PetroVietnam.  The Central Committee voted in majority to impose the disciplinary measures against Dinh La Thang [pictured, right].

MALAYSIA Authorities have seized pangolin scales worth USD2.1 million and believed to have been smuggled from Africa. Customs officials said officers made two seizures last week at the Kuala Lumpur airport cargo warehouse based on a tip. No arrests were made. The case is being investigated for smuggling of prohibited goods.

FRANCE Today is Europe Day, and with Emmanuel Macron winning France’s presidential election, European Union leaders get to unwrap their present a bit early.  

SYRIA’s foreign minister says there will be no international forces under U.N. supervision as part of a deal struck by Russia, Iran and Turkey last week on setting up four safe zones in Syria. Walid al-Moallem told reporters that the agreement stipulates for the deployment of “military police.”

USA President Donald Trump is set to announce several nominees to fill federal court openings. A White House official said that a formal announcement would come today [Macau time], with names released at an afternoon press briefing. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the plans in advance.

AFRICA Joseph Kony, Africa’s most notorious warlord for three decades, may never face justice as countries end the international manhunt.