IN BRIEF (Page 9)

Egypt

Nightclub attack kills 16 in Cairo

A gasoline-bomb attack on a Cairo nightclub killed at least 16 people and wounded three others in the early hours of Friday. An initial toll had put the number of deaths at 12. Police were looking for two young men who carried out the attack because they were previously not allowed to enter, state news agency MENA reported.

Malaysia

Groups criticize security law

Malaysia's parliament has approved a security law that gives sweeping security powers to a council led by the prime minister, in a move slammed by rights groups and critics as a step toward a dictatorship. The National Security Council bill was passed late on Thursday by a majority vote after hours of heated debate. The bill gives the National Security Council the authority to impose strict policing in an area deemed to face a security risk.

Brazil

Top court won't halt impeachment

Brazil's Supreme Court quashed appeals on Friday from President Dilma Rousseff's allies to stop an impeachment process launched this week, increasing the likelihood of a drawn-out political battle as Latin America's largest economy remains mired in recession. Justices Celso de Mello and Gilmar Mendes rejected two appeals from lawmakers in the ruling coalition, including one filed by congressmen from Rousseff's Workers' Party.

Japan

Anti-terror unit's launch moved up

Japan moved up the launch of an anti-terrorism intelligence unit following the deadly attacks in Paris, the government said on Friday. The specialized unit will be set up within the Foreign Ministry within days, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said. It will include staff from the Foreign and Defense ministries, the National Police Agency and the Cabinet Intelligence and Research Office, Japan's current equivalent of the CIA in the US.

Canada

Ex-fisheries chief elected speaker

Parliament member and former fisheries minister Geoff Regan was elected speaker of the House of Commons on Thursday at the opening of a new Canadian Parliament following the Oct 19 general elections. Regan, of Nova Scotia province, said he was honored to be the first member of Parliament from the Atlantic Canada region in nearly 100 years to be elected speaker.

Australia

Terrorists to lose dual citizenship

Australia's Parliament has passed legislation to strip dual nationals of their citizenship if they are convicted of terrorism offenses or found to have fought with banned groups overseas, despite concerns about deporting jihadists. Attorney-General George Brandis said the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill, passed late on Thursday, updated existing law to reflect "the new age of terrorism".

AFP - AP - Reuters - Xinhua

(China Daily 12/05/2015 page9)