Briefly

JAPAN

Ruling party lawmaker quits over scandal

A key governing party lawmaker in Japan who has served in key posts has submitted his resignation over a political funding scandal in a fresh embarrassment for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Kentaro Sonoura, an expert on diplomacy and security, admitted last month that his aide has been investigated by prosecutors over alleged underreporting of political funds. His resignation, which has to be confirmed by House of Representatives Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda, is a fresh blow to Kishida, who has already replaced three ministers in recent months and seen his support ratings tumble over his party's deep ties to the controversial Unification Church.

JORDAN

Teheran, Riyadh hold rare high-level talks

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Wednesday that he spoke with his Saudi counterpart at a conference in Jordan the previous day, adding that the Saudi minister assured him of Riyadh's willingness to continue dialogue with Teheran. It was the highest level encounter between officials from the rival states since they cut ties in 2016. The Middle East's leading Shiite and Sunni Muslim powers, Iran and Saudi Arabia, have been on opposing sides of conflicts across the region including in Syria and Yemen. Amir-Abdollahian, in a Tweet in Arabic, listed his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, as one of several ministers with whom he had the chance to hold "friendly talks".

AFGHANISTAN

UN chief alarmed by Taliban bar on women

The United Nations' chief, Antonio Guterres, was alarmed by reports that the Afghan Taliban have banned women and girls from attending universities, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric said on Tuesday. "The secretary-general reiterates that the denial of education not only violates the equal rights of women and girls, but will have a devastating impact on the country's future," Dujarric said. Guterres also urges the Taliban to ensure equal access to education at all levels for women and girls, the spokesman added.

NEW ZEALAND

Amended cow burp tax plans still stink

New Zealand's government on Wednesday outlined changes to controversial plans to tax the farts and burps of livestock, but a leading farmers group said it was still opposed to the emissions reduction scheme. New Zealand is planning a "world first" levy on emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, produced by the nation's 6 million cows and 26 million sheep as a step toward tackling climate change. Under the proposed scheme, farmers would have to pay for gas emissions from their animals. The plans have sparked nationwide protests.

Agencies - Xinhua