IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Japan

Tokyo laments terrorist attack

The Japanese government said on Monday it deplored the deadly terrorist attack in Kunming, Yunnan province, on Saturday, and offered its condolences to the victims and their families. The mass attack by eight knife-wielding assailants in the Kunming train station left at least 29 civilians dead and 143 others injured.

DPRK

2 missiles fired amid US drills

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired two short-range missiles into the sea on Monday, Republic of Korea officials said. It was the second such launch in less than a week amid ongoing military exercises between the ROK and United States. The launches appear to be part of Pyongyang's protest of the drills it calls a preparation for an attack and to test its weapons systems.

Iran

Nuke program peaceful: leader

Iran's nuclear program is undoubtedly peaceful and the West knows it, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday. "The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted thousands of hours of inspections in Iran's nuclear program and found no indication of diversion to weapons-grade activities," he said.

Pakistan

Islamabad attack claims 11 lives

Eleven people, including a judge, were killed on Monday in a gun and suicide bomb attack on a court complex in Islamabad. Pakistan has been in the grip of a Taliban insurgency since 2007, but there have been few attacks in recent years in the heavily guarded capital, which is home to government offices and foreign embassies. The Pakistani Taliban denied any connection to the attack.

Zimbabwe

Mugabe backs anti-gay law

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe has waded into the dispute between Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and the West after Museveni signed anti-homosexuality laws. Mugabe said threats by the United States to cut aid to Uganda show that the US has no honor.

Syria

New clashes in capital halt aid

A UN spokesman said the clashes that erupted on Sunday in a blockaded area of Damascus have disrupted efforts to distribute food to thousands of people there. Chris Gunness issued a statement on Monday calling on all warring parties in the Palestinian-dominated Yarmouk district to "immediately allow" the resumption of aid to the area.

Xinhua - AP -AFP

(China Daily 03/04/2014 page12)