World briefs

CHINA Southern Airlines Co. will invest 10 billion yuan (USD1.5 billion) in Xiongan, the new city spearheaded by Chinese president Xi Jinping that aspires to be a model for China’s future urban development.

INDIA Police in India’s capital said they found 11 bodies at a home under mysterious circumstances yesterday, including 10 that were blindfolded and hanging. Handwritten notes were found that point “toward observance of some definite spiritual or mystical practices by the whole family,” police said.

SINGAPORE faces its highest terrorism threat level since the time of the September 11 attacks in the U.S. in 2001 and the 2002 Bali bombings, Singapore’s defense minister said. 

US-NORTH KOREA President Donald Trump’s national security adviser said yesterday the U.S. has a plan that would lead to the dismantling of North Korea’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs in a year.

IRAN Gunfire erupted as Iranian security forces confronted protesters early yesterday amid demonstrations over water scarcity in the country’s south, violence that authorities said wounded at least 11 people, mostly police.

SAUDI ARABIA President Donald Trump said Saturday that he had received assurances from King Salman of Saudi Arabia that the kingdom will increase oil production, “maybe up to 2,000,000 barrels” in response to turmoil in Iran and Venezuela.

TURKEY’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex activists planned to go ahead with a pride march yesterday despite a ban.

ITALY The leader of the right-wing party in Italy’s populist coalition government says he envisions uniting the efforts in several countries to ensure national interests aren’t eclipsed by European Union agendas.

AFRICAN UNION Thirty African leaders began a closed-door meeting yesterday to discuss ways to fight extremism and corruption at the 31st African Union summit being held in Mauritania’s capital.

SOUTH SUDAN A permanent cease-fire pact reached between South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar has not stopped fighting on the ground, with at least 15 civilians killed in a single incident, an army spokesman said.

MEXICO Citizens were voting yesterday in a potentially transformative election that could put in power a firebrand vowing to end politics and business as usual in a country weary of spiraling violence and scandal-plagued politicians.