IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Kazakhstan

Soyuz crew survive emergency landing

The two-man crew of a Soyuz rocket are alive after they were forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday when an engine problem occurred after liftoff to the International Space Station, Russian news agencies reported. US astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksey Ovchinin were rescued without injuries. The rocket was launched was from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 0840 GMT.

Singapore

Passengers ready for longest flight

Passengers were getting ready to board the world's longest flight on Thursday - a marathon 19 hours in the air between Singapore and New York. Two pilots, a special "wellness" menu and more than seven weeks' worth of film and television entertainment were expected to accompany travelers on the 16,700-kilometer journey to the Big Apple. "The biggest concern is Deep Vein Thrombosis from a combination of sitting for too long and also from dehydration," said Gail Cross, an associate consultant at the National University Hospital in Singapore.

Peru

Opposition leader arrested in probe

Keiko Fujimori, head of Peru's opposition Popular Force party, was arrested on Wednesday over charges of money laundering and accepting illegal campaign financing. Authorities ordered Fujimori, daughter of ex-president Alberto Fujimori, to be detained for 10 days, citing a "serious flight risk", her attorney Giuliana Loza confirmed. Fujimori had been called to appear at the prosecutor's office to give a declaration about contributions her party received for the 2011 presidential campaign, in which she ran and lost.

India

Cyclone batters eastern region

A cyclone packing winds of up to 150 km/h and heavy rains hit eastern India early on Thursday, with more than 300,000 people evacuated from low-lying areas and two men reported killed. The Odisha state government evacuated more than 300,000 people from five coastal districts on Wednesday while local schools, colleges and childcare centers were ordered closed and fishermen advised not to go out to sea.

United States

Lang Lang raises fund for education

Chinese pianist Lang Lang raised $1.6 million in a benefit gala in New York on Wednesday for music education in both the United States and China. The world-renowned pianist led a performance by the foundation's young scholars. Golden Globe-winning actor Alec Baldwin hosted the evening event.

United Kingdom

Firms may need to reveal pay gap

The government is considering making companies reveal the pay gap between white and non-white workers in a bid to end disadvantages faced by employees from ethnic minorities. Prime Minister Theresa May said revealing the figures might "uncover some uncomfortable truths". She said "too often ethnic minority employees feel they're hitting a brick wall when it comes to career progression".

Ap - Afp - Reuters

(China Daily 10/12/2018 page11)