IN BRIEF (Page 12)

United States

Trump to seek another $8.6b for border wall

US President Donald Trump is seeking $8.6 billion in fresh funding for a wall on the US-Mexico border, likely triggering another fight with Congress. The 2020 budget request, which is set to be formally unveiled on Monday, would far exceed the $5.7 billion Trump demanded last year. That previous request led to an impasse that resulted in a 35-day partial shutdown of the US government, the longest in the country's history. Democratic congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer decried the move, warning Trump that another legislative defeat would await him.

Venezuela

Schools, work halted over power outage

Schools and all work activities all over the country will be suspended on Monday due to a prolonged national power outage, Communications Minister Jorge Rodriguez said on Sunday. "We'd like to inform that President Nicolas Maduro has decided that all classes and work activities will be suspended on Monday, March 11," the minister told the state-run television station VTV. Venezuela has been undergoing a large-scale power outage since Thursday after what authorities called a sabotage at the country's central hydroelectric plant.

Netherlands

40,000 join first national climate march

Tens of thousands of people marched through the heavy rain in Amsterdam on Sunday, calling on the Dutch government to act to counter the effects of climate change. Organizers said around 40,000 turned out for the demonstration, the first of its kind in the country. The Netherlands is particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change, as parts of the country lie below sea level and some of its land has been reclaimed from the sea.

Afp - Xinhua - Ap

(China Daily 03/12/2019 page12)