Briefly

EUROPE

France, UK sign deal to curb Channel crossings

The British and French interior ministers signed an agreement on Monday that will see more police patrol beaches in northern France in an attempt to stop people trying to cross the English Channel in small boats, a regular source of friction between the two countries. The British government has agreed to pay France some 72.2 million euros ($75 million) in 2022-2023 — almost 10 million euros more than under an existing deal — in exchange for France increasing security patrols along the coast by 40 percent.

SRI LANKA

Foreign investors wooed with economic zones

The Sri Lankan government will establish new economic zones in the country's Western and North Western provinces as well as Hambantota and Trincomalee districts to attract foreign investment, President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Monday. At least 404 hectares of land will be allocated for each zone, said Wickremesinghe when presenting the 2023 budget in parliament. Wickremesinghe said that a new agency will be established to create a conducive environment to promote investment and external trade. He said that the country plans to attract foreign direct investment worth $3 billion annually over the next 10 years. The president said that a presidential commission will be established to assess and make recommendations on public service and taxation to increase government revenue.

PHILIPPINES

Fertility rate continues to decline, data shows

The fertility rate of Filipino women in the Philippines has continued to decline since the 1970s, according to Philippine Statistics Authority data. The results of the 2022 National Demographic and Health Survey released on Sunday showed that the total fertility rate of Filipino women aged 15 to 49 declined from 2.7 children per woman in 2017 to 1.9 children per woman in 2022.

JAPAN

Tokyo courts evacuated after threats made

Two courts in Tokyo were forced to evacuate and halt trials on Monday afternoon after receiving bomb threats, local media reported. Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported that the Tokyo High Court canceled its trials and evacuated visitors after someone threatened to blow up the government building at around 1:30 pm local time on Monday. Access to the building was prohibited until police were consulted. Trials scheduled for Monday afternoon, meanwhile, would be held later in the day or rescheduled for another day.

Xinhua - Agencies