IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Japan

Govt considers retaliatory tariffs

Japan is considering slapping tariffs on US exports worth $409 million in retaliation against steel and aluminum import tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, public broadcaster NHK said on Thursday. The government is preparing to notify the World Trade Organization of the plan, a necessary procedure under global trade rules, this week, NHK said. The move is likely to be part of efforts to have Washington add Japan to a list of countries exempted from the US tariffs.

United Kingdom

Britain seeks $40b investment

Britain's Trade Minister Liam Fox was scheduled to invite overseas investors on Thursday to submit bids for financing 30 billion pounds ($40 billion) of projects to help the world's sixth-largest economy cope with the upheaval of leaving the European Union. Britain is trying reinvent itself as a global trading nation and improve economic ties with countries outside Europe as the government prepares to leave the EU next year. Investors will be offered the chance to fund 68 projects across 20 sectors of the economy, including technology, housing and retail.

Nepal

Two Sherpas set summit records

A veteran Sherpa guide scaled Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West, on Wednesday, for the 22nd time, setting a record for the most climbs of the world's highest mountain, while a female Sherpa made it to the summit for the ninth time, shattering her own record for the most climbs by a woman. A total of 94 climbers reached the summit on Wednesday because of good weather conditions. More than 340 foreign climbers along with their local guides are attempting to climb the peak this month.

United States

New signs of volcano eruption

"Ballistic blocks" the size of microwave ovens shot from Hawaii's Kilauea volcano on Wednesday in what may be the start of explosive eruptions that could spew huge ash plumes and hurl smaller rocks for kilometers, the US Geological Survey said. Such eruptions, last seen nearly a century ago, have been a looming threat since Kilauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, erupted nearly two weeks ago.

Australia

Water pistols set sights on seagulls

Annoyed at seagulls that pester its patrons, a restaurant in the city of Perth has armed customers with water pistols to stop the birds from ruining the waterfront dining experience. Toby Evans, the owner of 3Sheets restaurant in the capital of Western Australia, said the seagull problem was unusually bad and something had to be done to keep customers from being scared away. "It was bad, it was bad. I think it's the time of year," he said on Wednesday. "Now they are getting cheekier and cheekier."

Reuters - Afp - Ap

(China Daily 05/18/2018 page12)