IN BRIEF (Page 12)

South Sudan

President grants rebels amnesty

President Salva Kiir granted a general amnesty to rebels in the country's civil war, including his former deputy Riek Machar. The amnesty came three days after Kiir, Machar and the heads of other groups signed a ceasefire and power-sharing deal. A political row between Kiir and Machar degenerated in 2013 into a war that has killed tens of thousands, forced a quarter of the population to flee their homes and wrecked the country's oil-dependent economy.

Japan

Flights canceled as typhoon hits

An offshore typhoon brought rain and strong winds to Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no major damage was reported as the storm did not make landfall. Typhoon Shanshan weakened somewhat by midday. Airlines canceled dozens of flights to and from Tokyo and other affected areas for the second day in a row. Some train service was suspended or reduced, and there were reports of scattered power outages.

Germany

Ryanair strike widens for holidays

Ryanair will cancel about one in six of its flights on Friday after pilots based in Germany voted to join 24-hour stoppages set to hit Europe's biggest airline in Ireland, Sweden and Belgium at the height of the holiday season. Ryanair, which last year agreed to recognize unions for the first time in its 30-year history, faces rising protests from unions frustrated at the negotiations over collective labor agreements.

Reuters - Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 08/10/2018 page12)