Briefly

JAPAN

Majority opposed to arms exports: Surveys

More than half of respondents in recent Japanese opinion polls opposed the government's decision to lift restrictions on lethal weapons exports. A Kyodo News poll released on Sunday found 57.2 percent of respondents against allowing such exports, while 37.1 percent supported the move. An earlier NHK poll showed similar sentiment, with 52 percent opposed and 35 percent in favor. On April 21, the Japanese government revised the "three principles on transfer of defense equipment and technology" and their implementation guidelines, scrapping restrictions that had limited exports to five noncombat categories and allowing, in principle, overseas sales of weapons, including those with lethal capabilities.

UNITED KINGDOM

Starmer won't set out timetable to resign

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is under intense pressure to quit from within his Labour Party after a set of poor local election results, will not set out a timetable for his departure, his deputy David Lammy said on Monday. The heavy losses for Labour in the May 7 elections prompted almost one-fourth of his lawmakers to call for him to go, and two rivals are openly vying to replace him. "There will be no timetable for departure," Lammy told Sky News, adding that he had spoken to the prime minister twice on Sunday.

NIGERIA

Over 20 IS militants dead in new offensive

The Nigerian military said on Monday that a new operation with United States forces has killed more than 20 Islamic State group militants in northeastern Borno state. The operation in Metele followed the weekend killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, second-in-command of the Islamic State globally, marking a new development in the military cooperation. The US military said no US or Nigerian forces were harmed in Sunday's strikes in the community near the borders with both Niger and Chad.

Xinhua - Agencies