IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Yemen

Peace talks set for next month

Peace talks aimed at ending the war in Yemen have been set for early December in Sweden between Houthi rebels and the United Nations-recognized government, US Defense Secretary James Mattis said on Wednesday. He said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - who have militarily backed President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi in the brutal conflict - "are fully on board, by the way".

Iran

Office planned to tackle sanctions

Iranian Economy Ministry plans to establish an "antisanctions management room" in a bid to counter US embargoes against Iran, the chairman of the Iranian Parliament's Economic Commission said on Wednesday. Earlier in November, Washington reimposed sanctions on Iran's oil exports, banking sectors and its international financial transactions. The move was followed US President Donald Trump's withdrawal from Iran's international nuclear deal clinched in 2015.

United States

Oldest survivor of Pearl Harbor dies

Ray Chavez, the oldest US military survivor of the Dec 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor that plunged the United States into World War II, died on Wednesday. He was 106. Chavez, who had been battling pneumonia, died in his sleep in the San Diego suburb of Poway, said his daughter, Kathleen Chavez. As recently as last May he had traveled to Washington, where he was honored on Memorial Day by President Donald Trump.

Australia

'Huge' dust storm heads for Sydney

Sydney residents have been warned that a dust storm, similar to the one that blanketed the city in 2009, could be on its way; those with respiratory problems have been told to stay indoors. A large dust cloud is already affecting communities further inland across the state of New South Wales on Thursday and experts said the bulk of the cloud could reach the harbor city by the afternoon.

Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 11/23/2018 page12)