Briefly

JAPAN

Documents show state role in WWII sex slaves

Japan's army during World War II asked the government to provide one sex slave for every 70 soldiers, according to historical documents reviewed by Kyodo News service that highlight the state role in the comfort women system. The 23 documents were gathered by Japan's Cabinet Secretariat between April 2017 and March 2019, including 13 classified dispatches from the Japanese consulates in China to the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo dating back to 1938, Kyodo said. The sex slaves issue has been a source of a dispute between Asian neighbors and Japan. In 1993, then-chief cabinet secretary Yohei Kono apologized for the comfort women system and acknowledged the Japanese military's involvement in taking women against their will.

QATAR

US resumes talks with Taliban in Doha

Washington resumed talks with the Taliban in Qatar on Saturday, both sides said, three months after US President Donald Trump abruptly halted diplomatic efforts that could end the country's longest war. In September, the United States and the Taliban had appeared on the verge of signing a deal that would have seen Washington begin withdrawing thousands of troops in return for security guarantees. It was also expected to pave the way toward direct talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government in Kabul and, ultimately, a possible peace agreement after more than 18 years of war.

UKRAINE

IMF and Kiev agree on tentative $5.5b aid deal

The International Monetary Fund, or IMF, said on Saturday it had reached an agreement in principle with Ukraine on a new $5.5 billion, three-year aid program for the country. IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva said she spoke by telephone on Saturday to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and commended him on "impressive progress" on reforms and "sound economic policies". More than 13,000 people have been killed in conflicts with separatists in the industrial east since 2014.