Page 19 - PowerPoint

18 WORLD THURSDAY JULY 26, 2018 • THEEDGE FINANCIAL DAILY

Final US defence bill IN BRIEF

Suicide bomber kills 29
as Pakistanis go to polls
expands curb on China QUETTA/PESHAWAR: A sui-
cide bomber killed at least 29
people near a polling centre as
Pakistanis voted yesterday in a
knife-edge general election pit-
ting cricket hero Imran Khan
against the party of jailed ex-
prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
This would also forge closer ties with Taiwan The Islamic State militant group

claimed responsibility for the
attack in the western city of

BY DAVID TWEED invasion from China, which sees The bill’s release coincides with since he accepted a congratulatory Quetta, where security sources
the democratically run island the opening shots of a trade war as phone call from President Tsai Ing- said the bomber drove his mo-

HONG KONG: The US Congress is as a province. China will also be US President Donald Trump im- wen after his election and ques- torcycle into a police vehicle.
preparing to pass a defence spend- permanently banned from Rim of poses billions of dollars of tariff s on tioned the “one-China” principle About 371,000 soldiers have

ing bill that would implement a the Pacific naval exercises — the Chinese goods to retaliate against that underpins China-US relations. been stationed at polling sta-
growing consensus in Washington world’s largest such drills that are what he said are unfair practices Since then, the US has approved tions across the country to pre-
to push back against China, includ- held once every two years — un- that have resulted in a huge trade US$1.3 billion (RM5.28 billion) in vent attacks, nearly fi ve times
ing forging closer ties with Taiwan. less it reverses its military activi- imbalance with the US. China has arms sales to Taiwan, and Trump the number deployed for the

The 2019 defence authorisation ties on the reefs and rocks in the warned the US against what it de- has signed legislation to encour- last election in 2013. — Reuters

bill includes provisions aimed at disputed South China Sea. China scribes as a “Cold War mentality” age senior US officials to visit the

curtailing China’s influence in Asia. has said most of the waters are its and called upon the Americans to island, a move that would raise its Nineteen dead in Laos

Specifi cally, it calls for the Pen- sovereign territory, ignoring a 2016 respect its core interests and solve diplomatic status. The US has also dam collapse — report
tagon to adopt a more proactive ruling by an international tribunal disputes thorough negotiations. agreed to provide technology for BANGKOK: Nineteen people

role in assessing and strengthen- that said the country’s claim had Trump’s relationship with Tai- the island’s submarine-building have been confirmed dead and
ing Taiwan’s ability to resist an no legal standing. wan has been a hot issue for China programme. — Bloomberg more than 3,000 need to be res-
cued after a dam collapsed in a
remote part of landlocked Laos,
local media reported yesterday.
Trump heard on leaked tape about payments Th e Vientiane Times, citing dis-
trict governor Bounhom Phom-
masane, said about 19 people
have been “found dead”, more
BY JOHN HARNEY 2016 by Cohen, captures the future know, so that — I am going to do Trump, said in an interview the tape than 3,000 “require rescue” and
president and Cohen talking about that right away,” Cohen says. suggests Trump did not previously about 2,851 have been saved.
WASHINGTON: CNN on Tuesday buying the rights to Karen McDou- A little later, Trump responds: know about these payments because A United Nations report on the
night played a 2016 recording of gal’s story about what she said was “So, what do we got to pay for this? there are elements of surprise, like disaster put the death toll at fi ve

a conversation between Donald an affair with Trump. McDougal sold One-fi fty?” regarding the financing. “It shows with 34 missing, 1,494 evacu-

Trump and his then-lawyer Michael her story to the National Enquirer, When Cohen mentions “fi nanc- no wrongful intent,” Giuliani said, ated and 11,777 people in 357

Cohen (pic) that appears to show which never published it. ing”, Trump stops him and says: adding: “When you pay by cheque, villages affected. At least seven
that Trump was informed In the conversation, just “Wait a sec, what fi nancing?” you are not trying to hide anything.” villages have been submerged.
of an attempt to prevent months before the presidential “Well, I will have to pay him Some of the details in the call The remoteness of the aff ected

news of an alleged aff air election, Trump and Cohen something,” Cohen replies. align with the details of the episode. area could hamper relief oper-
with a Playboy model jump from subject to subject Trump then says something in- McDougal said that American Media ations, said experts. — Reuters
from coming to light. with other voices being heard. audible followed by “pay with cash”. Inc, the National Enquirer’s owner,
Cohen’s lawyer Lanny “I need to open up a com- Cohen responds: “No, no, no, no, no. had paid her US$150,000 for her Five charged over ‘acid
Davis contends the au- pany for the transfer of all of I got it,” after which Trump is heard story before the 2016 presidential attack’ on UK boy
dio recording, which was that info regarding our saying “cheque” . election, intending not to publish LONDON: Five men aged from
made in September of friend, David, you Rudy Giuliani, a lawyer for it. — Bloomberg 22 to 41 were charged yesterday
over a suspected acid attack on
REUTERS a three-year-old boy in Britain.
The boy was taken to hospital

Novichok victim Aspiring ninjas besiege Japanese city with job inquiries with serious burns to his arm
and face following the attack
recalls ‘oily’ outside a store in Worcester,
substance in BY ELAINE LIES central England, on Saturday.
He has since been discharged.
perfume bottle TOKYO: A city in Japan has been Three men from London, aged

bombarded with inquiries from as- 26, 25 and 22, and two men from
piring ninjas, the country’s famed Wolverhampton aged 41 and
LONDON: A British man poisoned feudal mercenaries and spies, after 39, were charged with conspir-
with Novichok said in interviews a news report on city tourist pro- acy to commit grievous bodily
released on Tuesday that he was motions was mistaken for a “ninjas harm, West Mercia Police said.
lucky to be alive after giving a per- wanted” advertisement. The men were due to appear

fume bottle that contained the Iga, a small city in central Japan, in Kidderminster Magistrates’
nerve agent to his girlfriend, who has long dubbed itself the home of Court later yesterday. — AFP
later died. one style of the black-clad, throw-

Charlie Rowley, 45, said he was ing-star-wielding covert agents Greek wildfires kill 79,
amazed he survived after handling for hire, staging ninja shows and hurt 187

the “oily” substance himself, but offering “ninja experiences” for ATHENS: Rescue workers in
was still struggling with the death tourists. Greece scoured charred homes
of his partner Dawn Sturgess, a But a programme aired last week and burned-out cars yesterday
44-year-old mother of three. on National Public Radio in the as the toll from some of the

Both fell ill in Amesbury, near US about Iga’s ninja-centred town worst wildfires this century was
the south-western English city of promotion effort set off a frenzy of expected to rise from at least

Salisbury where a former Russian Internet interest after its host said 79 dead and 187 hurt. Scores
spy and his daughter were poi- the city faced a shortage of ninja of locals and holidaymakers
soned with Novichok in March, performers and even quoted poten- Filepic of children dressed as ninjas posing for a souvenir picture during a ninja festival fled to the sea to try to escape

but survived. tial salaries, giving the impression in Iga, about 450km from Tokyo. Photo by Reuters the flames as they tore through
In an interview with ITV News it might be hiring. towns near Athens stoked by

television, Rowley said he could “That’s wrong, all wrong,” said 100kph wind gusts, devouring

not remember where he picked Motoyoshi Shimai, an offi cial of 115 ninja wannabes in 23 countries, had real confidence in their bodies woodland and buildings. Greek
up the glass perfume bottle, but Iga’s tourism strategy division. including Japan. and strength.” media have described the dis-
said it was still in its box and plas- “There was no discussion about “Most were questions about Iga ultimately issued a statement aster as a “national tragedy”,
tic packaging. that, and we didn’t mention mon- whether we were really hiring, but in several languages saying it was while Prime Minister Alexis
In a telephone interview with ey.” there were a few that begged us to not hiring and warning against fake Tsipras cut short a visit to Bos-
Th e Sun, he said: “I felt I was to Still, the city received volleys of employ them and tried to promote news, but said plenty of other ninja nia and announced three days
blame and I still do.” — AFP telephone and email queries from themselves,” Shimai added. “Some fun was on off er. — Reuters of national mourning. — AFP