IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Malaysia

Ex-PM arrested, will face charges

Malaysia's anti-graft agency said former prime minister Najib Razak was arrested on Wednesday and will face further charges of abuse of power over the multimillion-dollar looting of a state investment fund. The agency said in a statement that Najib was detained at its office over the transfer of $627.8 million into his bank account. It said Najib will be taken to court on Thursday to face several charges under Section 23 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act. It didn't give details, but the section deals with the abuse of power.

The Philippines

Mangkhut death toll rises to 81

The death toll from the powerful typhoon Mangkhut that battered the Philippines over the weekend has risen to 81, police said on Wednesday. Rescuers are scrambling to dig up the landslide site, but still have to find at least 70 people who are still missing, most of them buried alive in the mining municipality of Itogon in Benguet province in the northern Philippines. However, Presidential Adviser Francis Tolentino said that the rescue operation will continue to look for possible survivors.

Nigeria

Flooding has claimed 100 lives

Nigerian authorities said 100 people have died in flooding after heavy rains in recent days. A National Emergency Management Agency spokesman said the deaths have occurred in 10 states and that the toll could rise. The Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency said rising water levels will be higher than those recorded in 2012, when flooding killed 363 people and displaced more than 2.1 million.

Reuters - Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 09/20/2018 page12)