Briefly

INDONESIA

11 miners killed in Sumatra landslide

Intense rains caused a landslide at a coal mine on Indonesia's Sumatra Island that killed 11 miners, authorities said on Thursday. The slide occurred on Wednesday in a mine tunnel about 20 meters deep at Tanjung Lalang village in Muara Enim district of South Sumatra Province, according to National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Raditya Jati. Rescuers have recovered all the bodies. Seasonal rains and high tides in recent days have caused dozens of landslides and widespread flooding across much of Indonesia, a chain of 17,000 islands where millions of people live in mountainous areas or near fertile flood plains close to rivers.

THAILAND

Bangkok emergency order lifted by PM

A severe state of emergency has been lifted by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha following a one-week enforcement to deter protests in Bangkok. The Royal Gazette published the prime minister's removal of the emergency with immediate effect after Prayut pledged to do so in an address on Wednesday. The situation has been alleviated and could be handled by authorities with the use of existing laws and without the need for such emergency rule, Prayut said. The severe state of emergency in Bangkok was declared on Oct 14 in the wake of street protests. Prayut suggested both the government and protesters "take a step back" and leave their demands to the legislative process in the parliament.

SOUTH KOREA

Government sticks to influenza vaccine plan

South Korean officials refused on Thursday to suspend a seasonal influenza inoculation effort, despite growing calls for a halt, including an appeal from a key group of doctors, after the deaths of at least 13 of those vaccinated. Health authorities said they found no direct links between the deaths and the vaccines. At least 11 of the 13 dead, including a 17-year-old boy, were part of a campaign to inoculate 19 million teenagers and older adults for free, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency said.

JAPAN

Sea shift mulled for missile defense systems

Basing Japan's missile defense systems at sea may cost at least twice as much to complete as its now-abandoned plans for Aegis Ashore ground-based sites and delay the move to 2028, a person with knowledge of the plans said. Fitted with powerful Lockheed Martin radars, Japan's Aegis Ashore systems are meant to intercept foreign missile strikes. In June, then-defense minister Taro Kono suspended plans for two land sites, which would have cost about $2 billion to construct, citing the possibility that booster rockets could fall on residents. Instead, he suggested installing the systems on sea platforms or ships. Kono's successor, Nobuo Kishi, has said he will make a decision on the future of Aegis Ashore by the end of the year.

Agencies - Xinhua