IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Syria

Rebels offered safe passage out

The Russian military has offered Syrian rebels safe passage out of eastern Ghouta, setting out a proposal to let the insurgents surrender their last major stronghold near Damascus to the Syrian government, which fighters have so far rejected. The Russian Defense Ministry said rebels could leave with their families and personal weapons through a secure corridor out of eastern Ghouta, where government forces have made rapid gains.

Australia

Historic treaty with East Timor

Australia and East Timor signed a historic treaty drawing their maritime boundary on Tuesday, ending years of bitter wrangling over billions of dollars of oil and gas riches lying beneath the Timor Sea and opening a new chapter in relations. The agreement was doubly historic because it also marked the successful conclusion of the first negotiations to settle maritime differences under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

India

Bank boss grilled in fraud probe

Investigators on Wednesday grilled the top boss of the state-owned Punjab National Bank, which is epicenter of the country's biggest bank fraud of $1.8 billion orchestrated by billionaire jeweler Nirav Modi. The heads of India's two leading private banks - ICICI Bank and Axis Bank - are next in line to be questioned by the Serious Fraud Investigation Office, which on Tuesday issued summons to them to appear before it in the scam that has rocked the country.

Belgium

Free iodine pills over nuke plants

Belgium began on Monday to make iodine pills available free to its 11 million people in case of an accident at its aging nuclear plants but said there was no "specific risk". The government also launched a website in the country's official languages French, Dutch and German to tell people what to do in an emergency as it began implementing plans announced two years ago.

Reuters - AP - Xinhua - AFP

(China Daily 03/08/2018 page11)