IN BRIEF (Page 11)

United States

Trump blasts ex-aide over book

President Donald Trump launched an attack on former top adviser Steve Bannon on Wednesday, responding to a new book that portrays Trump as an undisciplined man-child who didn't actually want to win the White House and quotes Bannon as calling his son's contact with a foreign lawyer "treasonous". Hitting back via a formal White House statement, Trump insisted Bannon had little to do with his victorious campaign and "has nothing to do with me or my presidency". "When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind," Trump said.

France

Dialogue with Iran 'is important'

President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday said it was important to maintain dialogue with Iran, warning that the tone of comments from the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia on Iran was "nearly one that would lead us to war". He said he would only visit Iran if there was a return to calm and respect for freedoms.

South Korea

More bribery charges for Park

Prosecutors filed additional bribery charges against jailed ex-president Park Geunhye on Thursday, alleging she received official funds from her spy chiefs for personal purposes. Park was removed from office in March and is on trial on a broad range of corruption and other charges that could lead to a lengthy prison term. Her ouster followed months of protests that drew millions of South Koreans into the streets calling for her removal.

Norway

Over half of new cars electrified

Electric or hybrid vehicles accounted for more than half of all new cars sold in Norway last year, official data showed on Wednesday, confirming the country's pioneering role in carbon-free transport. Zero-emission, mainly all-electric as well as a few hydrogen-powered cars, accounted for 20.9 percent of total sales in 2017, while hybrid vehicles accounted for 31.3 percent, including 18.4 percent for plug-in hybrids.

Indonesia

Danger zone of volcano shrinks

The government shrank the exclusion zone around a grumbling volcano on the resort island of Bali on Thursday after fears of an imminent eruption, allowing farmers to return to their homes. The 3,000-meter Mount Agung remains on alert for a major eruption, but officials said the danger zone around the crater would be reduced to a 6-kilometer radius from 10 km.

Tanzania

Census set for hippos, crocodiles

Tanzania is set to carry out a countrywide census for hippopotamus and crocodiles in an effort to scale up conservation of the wild animals, a senior official said on Wednesday. The move comes amid reports indicating that poachers are now targeting the animals for their teeth, which have a profitable market in Asia. Director general of the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Simon Mduma, said the census will be held between July and August.

(China Daily 01/05/2018 page11)