Briefly

JAPAN

Okinawa governor wants US troops cut

Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki on Thursday called for a further reduction of the US military presence there as the southern Japanese islands marked the 77th anniversary of the end of one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. The Battle of Okinawa killed about 200,000 people, nearly half of them local residents. Today, most of the 50,000 US troops based in Japan and 70 percent of US military facilities in the country are in Okinawa, which accounts for only 0.6 percent of Japanese land. Okinawa faces noise, pollution, accidents and crime related to US troops, Tamaki said.

UNITED KINGDOM

Trains canceled as unions stage new strike

Millions of people faced disruption on Thursday as railway staff staged their second national walkout this week. The 24-hour strike by 40,000 cleaners, signalers, maintenance workers and station staff canceled about four-fifths of passenger services across the country. A third walkout is planned for Saturday as part of Britain's biggest and most disruptive railway strike in 30 years. Train stations were largely deserted on Thursday. Highways also were less busy than expected, and many people appeared to heed advice to avoid travel.

UNITED STATES

Yellowstone sees crowds flock in as park reopens

Throngs of tourists gleefully watched the legendary Old Faithful geyser shoot towering bursts of steaming water while others got stuck in "bison jams" on picturesque valley roads as visitors returned on Wednesday for the partial reopening of Yellowstone National Park after destructive floods. The record floods reshaped the park's rivers and canyons, wiped out numerous roads and left some areas famous for their wildlife viewing inaccessible, possibly for months to come.

Agencies Via Xinhua