World news in brief

* Japan and India agreed on October 29 to enhance their security and economic exchanges and cooperation. * Mongolian President Khaltmaa Battulga has submitted an official letter on dissolving the State Great Khural, or parliament, after financial irregularities by some members of parliament were made public, the president's press office reported Monday. * German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday that she would not run for another term as chancellor in 2021 when the current term ends. * Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that Russia and Turkey have been effective in addressing urgent regional and international issues. He made the remarks in a message of greetings to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the 95th anniversary of the establishment of Turkey. * Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel and his Panamanian counterpart Juan Carlos Varela pledged on October 29 to increase cooperation in areas such as trade and bilateral foreign investment to expand bilateral links. * … [Read more...] about World News in Brief: October 30

* Flooding caused by recent storms in Laos has killed at least 46 people while 97 others are missing and four people were injured, according to the latest report from the National Disaster Prevention and Control Committee. * Thailand has launched a Southern Economic Corridor (SEC) project covering several of its southern provinces, namely Ranong, Surat Thani, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Chumphon. * China and India pledged on August 21 to further strengthen ties between the two countries and their militaries. * The Brazilian military on August 21 arrested at least 70 people in a massive dragnet on drug gangs in Rio de Janeiro, local officials said. * Brazilian President Michel Temer criticized protectionist measures taken against steel imports, during a speech at the Brazilian Steel Congress on August 21 in Sao Paulo. He urged the steel industry to "protect" itself from foreign attacks. * Facebook said Tuesday it is removing more than 5,000 targeting categories to prevent misuse of its ad … [Read more...] about World News in Brief: August 22

* At least five people were killed and 40 others wounded as quakes measuring 6.5 and revised 6.9 magnitude rocked again Lombok Island in central Indonesia on August 19 morning and evening, a senior disaster agency official said on August 20. * Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for efforts to comprehensively strengthen the leadership of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Party building in the country's armed forces to ensure a solid political guarantee for the building of a strong military. * Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday (August 19) that his government would provide further support for the people in public housing and health care. * The upgraded heavy Mi-26T2V helicopter developed for the Russian Aerospace Forces has performed its first flight, Russian Helicopters affiliated with Russia's Rostec said Sunday. * Hajj season started on August 19 with the Day of Tarwiyah ritual with 1,966,461 pilgrims. * US National Security Advisor John Bolton … [Read more...] about World News in Brief: August 20

* French President Emmanuel Macron on August 17 spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel about recent developments in Syria and Ukraine in addition to migrants flows that are challenging Europe's main powerhouses. * London mayor Sadiq Khan announced Friday (August 17) he had stepped up preparations in the British capital for a "catastrophic" no-deal Brexit. *The Palestinian Presidency warned Israel on August 17 of "dangerous consequences" of closing the Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Old City of Jerusalem. * Portugal's Prime Minister Antonio Costa paid homage to the two Portuguese victims on August 17, calling for greater European Union (EU) cooperation in tackling terrorism on the anniversary of the Barcelona terror attacks. * Another row between Malta and Italy has erupted over who should assume responsibility for the safety of 171 migrants, who were picked up by Italian Coast Guard ship Diciotti from a boat. *Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak and his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire … [Read more...] about World News in Brief: August 18

*Indonesian authorities have deployed helicopters to distribute relief aids to thousands of evacuees in nearly-isolated remote areas in Lombok island after a strong quake rattled the tourist destination, a government official said on August 13. Meanwhile, rescuers are still scrambling to retrieve victims of the quake from rubbles. * Around 20 people have been killed in India's northern state of Himachal Pradesh over the past 24 hours, following landslides triggered by heavy rains over the past couple of days. * The Republic of Korea (RoK)'s automobile export posted a double-digit decline in July on weak demand for locally-made vehicles, a government report showed Tuesday (August 14). The number of cars exported by domestic manufacturers was 190,812 in July, down 15.1 percent from a year earlier. * Over 23 tonnes of drugs were seized in summer months so far in Italy, the country's finance police said on August 14. Some 587 people were reported to judicial authorities for drug-related … [Read more...] about World News in Brief: August 14