IN BRIEF (Page 12)

United States

Kidnap suspect to enter plea

A Cleveland man accused of holding three young women captive for a decade is expected to plead not guilty on Wednesday to charges of kidnapping, rape and murder for beating one pregnant captive until she miscarried. The stunning case came to light after Amanda Berry, 27, managed to escape with her 6-year-old daughter by calling out to a neighbor for help through a locked front door.

NY lays out climate plan

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday announced a $20 billion plan to prepare for rising sea levels and hotter summers expected as a result of climate change in the coming decades. The ambitious proposal - which could become the benchmark for other cities dealing with climate change - could reshape Lower Manhattan's waterfront, with the possible addition of a "Seaport City" out of the East Side.

Japan

World's oldest man dies at 116

Japan's Jiroemon Kimura, who had been recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person and the oldest man ever, died on Wednesday of natural causes. He was 116. Kimura, of Kyotango, Japan, was born on April 19, 1897. Officials in Kyotango said he died in a local hospital, where he had been undergoing treatment for pneumonia. According to Guinness, Kimura was the first man in history to have lived to 116 years old.

Dreamliner fails to take off

Engine trouble grounded a Dreamliner in Japan on Wednesday, its operator said, marking the third straight day of problems for Boeing's next-generation plane after months of difficulties. In this latest incident, one engine on a 787 would not start after 141 passengers had boarded the All Nippon Airways plane in Yamaguchi prefecture in western Japan, bound for Tokyo.

Ireland

PM received letters in blood

Ireland's prime minister said he has been sent letters written in blood and branded a murderer by opponents of his government's plans to allow limited access to abortion, an issue that has polarized the country for decades. Enda Kenny's government agreed to draft legislation in April to allow for limited access to abortion where a woman's life is in danger, including the threat of suicide, following months of protests from both sides of the debate.

AFP-Reuters-AP

(China Daily 06/13/2013 page12)