IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Middle East

Gulf Arabs, Europeans, Iran reject Golan claim

US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights united Washington's Arab allies and Iran in condemnation on Tuesday. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait criticized Monday's move to recognize Israel's 1981 annexation and said the territory was occupied Arab land. Riyadh and Abu Dhabi said the decision was an impediment to peace. Iran echoed the comments, describing Trump's move as unprecedented in this century. The European members of the United Nations Security Council - France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and Polandsaid they did not recognize Israel's sovereignty over the territories it has occupied since the June 1967, including the Golan Heights. Its seizure from Syria by Israel during the brief 1967 war is not recognized by the international community.

United States

Max plane makes emergency landing

A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max, on its way to be grounded, made an emergency landing at the Orlando International Airport on Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. The plane took off from the airport in Orlando, Florida, shortly before 3 pm, according to airport spokeswoman Carolyn Fennell. Airport officials said the plane, with only a pilot and a co-pilot on board, experienced a malfunction and had to return to Orlando for an emergency landing. It landed safely. The incident came after the global fleet of 737 Max jets was grounded indefinitely this month after two fatal crashes involving the planes.

Pence calls for moon landing in 5 years

US Vice-President Mike Pence on Tuesday called for landing astronauts on the moon within five years, an accelerated pace that would aim to put astronauts on the lunar south pole. Pence said NASA needs to achieve that goal "by any means necessary." Speaking at a meeting of the National Space Council in Huntsville, Alabama, he said NASA rockets and lunar landers will be replaced by private craft, if required. "It's time to redouble our effort," he said. "It can happen, but it will not happen unless we increase the pace." The earliest possible landing on the moon by NASA is now scheduled for 2028, Pence said. He acknowledged talent and money will be necessary to pull it off earlier.

Mozambique

Up to 500,000 displaced by cyclone

Cyclone Idai has affected almost three million people in southern Africa, of whom nearly 500,000 have been driven from their homes, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The cyclone smashed into Mozambique on March 15, unleashing hurricane-force winds and rain that flooded much of the center of the country and then battered eastern Zimbabwe and Malawi. More than 700 people have been killed in Mozambique and Zimbabwe alone and hundreds are missing, according to a toll compiled by Agence France-Presse from figures provided by governments and UN agencies.

Reuters - Xinhua - AP - AFP

(China Daily 03/28/2019 page12)