World briefs

CHINA has approved the development of a USD3.3 billion Universal theme park in Beijing that would be the first major foreign-owned theme park in the Chinese capital. The U.S. company Comcast NBCUniversal and a consortium of four Chinese state-owned companies announced the plan, saying the park will be developed on about 120 hectares in eastern Beijing.

INDIA More than 1,000 rescue workers and soldiers clear piles of uprooted trees and electrical poles blocking roads after powerful Cyclone Hudhud slammed into India’s eastern coast, killing at least eight people and demolishing tens of thousands of mud huts. In another storm lashing Asia, Typhoon Vongfong was downgraded to a tropical storm as it hit the Japanese island of Kyushu after battering the southern island of Okinawa. At least 37 people were injured, and authorities advised 400,000 people to evacuate. More on p12

AFGHANISTAN A suicide bomber targets a NATO convoy in Kabul, killing one civilian, while another strikes an Afghan army patrol in the eastern Nangarhar province, killing two civilians, Afghan officials say. NATO said one of its vehicles was attacked in Kabul, adding that there were no immediate reports of any casualties among members of the military coalition.
N KOREA says the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War are being neglected and “carried away en masse,” in an apparent effort to pressure Washington to resume recovery efforts that could also lead to much-needed money for the impoverished country. The United States suspended efforts to recover the remains of thousands of U.S. soldiers who died during the Korean War because of the North’s plans to launch a long-range rocket in 2012.

AUSTRALIA’s prime minister warns that he intends to use tough language with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Australia next month in demanding full cooperation from Russia with the Dutch investigation into the shooting down of a Malaysian airliner in July. Putin has confirmed that he will attend a summit of the world’s 20 biggest economies to be chaired by Australia in the east coast city of Brisbane on Nov. 15-16.

PERU Evo Morales (pictured) coasted to victory in Bolivia’s presidential elections, winning an unprecedented third term as voters rewarded the former coca grower for delivering economic and political stability in what has traditionally been one of South America’s most ungovernable nations. Morales, an Aymara Indian, received 60 percent of the vote against 25 percent for cement magnate Samuel Doria Medina.

TURKEY’s foreign minister insisted yesterday there was no new agreement with the United States on using Turkish bases for operations against the Islamic State militants. In comments carried by the state-run Anadolu Agency, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, however, that the two countries had agreed to train and equip opposition forces.

VATICAN CITY  Catholic bishops showed unprecedented openness yesterday to accepting the real lives of many Catholics today, saying gays had gifts to offer the church and should be accepted and that there were “positive” aspects to a couple living together without being married.