Briefly

JAPAN

CDPJ, Komeito agree to form new party

Japan's main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party ‍ ‍of Japan and Komeito have agreed to establish a new political party, their leaders ‍ ‍said on Thursday, in an attempt to present a united front against ruling parties that they see as too right-leaning. The announcement came a day after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi conveyed her plans to dissolve parliament next week and call a snap election. If realized, the general election could be held as early as Feb 8. "This is an opportunity to place the centrist camp right at the heart of politics," CDPJ leader Yoshihiko Noda told reporters. Komeito ended ‍ ‍a 26-year partnership with Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party last October.

THAILAND

Another crane collapses, 2 killed

A crane collapsed in Thailand on Thursday, crushing two vehicles and killing two people, police said, a day after a crane accident in the northeast caused the deaths of 32 train passengers. The latest incident took place in Samut Sakhon Province near the capital Bangkok, where a crane involved in the construction of an elevated highway fell onto the road beneath, according to Police Colonel Sitthiporn Kasi. Another police official from the station told Reuters that five people had also been injured in the accident. It was the latest in a series of fatal accidents caused by construction projects in Thailand, and comes after a train was derailed on Wednesday in northeastern Nakhon Ratchasima Province.

UNITED STATES

War powers resolution narrowly fails in Senate

Senate Republicans blocked a resolution on Wednesday that would have barred President Donald Trump from further military ‍ ‍action in Venezuela without Congress authorization, after the president put pressure on party members who had supported it. The vote was 51-50 for a Republican point of order to dismiss the war powers resolution, as just three Republicans voted with every Democrat in favor of moving ahead and Vice-President JD Vance came to the Capitol to break the tie. Opponents had argued that the resolution should not move ahead because the US does not have troops on the ground in Venezuela, after US forces swept into Caracas on Jan 3 and captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Agencies - Xinhua