IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Iran

Govt urges Europe to normalize economic ties

Iran said on Sunday that Europe was not in a position to criticize Teheran for its military capabilities, and called on European leaders to normalize economic ties with the Islamic Republic despite US sanctions or face consequences. "Europeans are not in a position to criticize Iran for issues outside the JCPOA(Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was quoted as saying by the state broadcaster, using the acronym for the nuclear deal. "The Europeans and other signatories of the JCPOA should normalize economic ties with Iran. ... We will halt our commitments or will take action in accordance to their measures," he said.

New Zealand

36 escape massive 11-level marae fire

A group of 36 people escaped unharmed from a massive 11-level marae fire in Wellington in the early hours of Sunday. A firefighter was injured and taken to hospital battling a fierce blaze that razed Wellington's Tapu Te Ranga Marae overnight. A total of 70 firefighters were called to fight the massive fire at the urban marae (Maori meeting grounds) at Island Bay at 12:30 am on Sunday. A 11-level, wooden meeting building from the 1970s in the marae complex was burned to the ground in the fire and other buildings were also damaged. A number of neighboring houses to the north of the marae complex were evacuated.

Reuters - Xinhua

(China Daily 06/10/2019 page12)