Briefly

JAPAN

Abe says country will form space defense unit

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that Japan will form a space defense unit to protect itself from potential threats as rivals develop missiles and other technology. The new unit will work closely with its recently launched US counterpart. The Space Domain Mission Unit will start in April as part of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force, Abe said in a policy speech marking the start of the year's parliamentary session. He said Japan must also defend itself from threats in cyberspace and from electromagnetic interference targeting Japanese satellites.

LEBANON

140 injured as protesters clash with riot police

Clashes between protesters and riot police continued on Sunday in Lebanon's capital Beirut, leaving 140 injured, Secretary-General of the Lebanese Red Cross Georges Kettaneh said on Monday. Protesters attempted to break into the Parliament building by throwing stones at security forces who used water cannons to disperse demonstrators. Heavy clashes had started a day earlier due to the failure of the ruling political class to adopt quick measures to revive the deteriorating economy. Saturday's clashes caused a total of 169 injuries, the Lebanese Red Cross said.

INDONESIA

Collapse of footbridge over river kills at least 9

A footbridge across a river swollen by heavy rains collapsed on Sumatra Island, drowning at least nine people who were swept away by a strong current, with one person missing, officials said. Seventeen people were rescued at the site of Sunday's collapse in Bengkulu, where Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency has launched a rescue effort, its spokesman, Agus Wibowo, said. A crowd of about 30 people gathered on the bridge could have caused a strain leading to the collapse, Wibowo added.