IN BRIEF (Page 12)

United Nations

US-Japan trade deal hits roadblock over autos

US President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were due to unveil a free-trade pact to great fanfare on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, but last-minute issues may delay signing the final agreement. Wielding the threat of tariffs, Trump has sought a trade deal that would scale back the US trade deficit with Japan and benefit farmers of the United States - a key base of political support. But negotiators may have stumbled over the sensitive issue of cars, according to Japanese media. In exchange for a significant reduction in tariffs on US agricultural products, including beef and pork, Tokyo is demanding a firm commitment that Trump will not impose 25 percent tariffs on autos, media reported.

United Kingdom

Lawmakers returning to Parliament

Lawmakers in the United Kingdom are returning to the House of Commons following a Supreme Court ruling that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had acted illegally by suspending Parliament on Sept 9. The prime minister is hurrying back to London after cutting short a trip to the UN General Assembly amid demands for his resignation from furious opposition parties. Johnson remains on a collision course with Parliament over his determination to extract Britain from the European Union on Oct. 31, even if no divorce details are worked out with the EU. Parliament has passed a law requiring him to seek an extension if there is no deal, but Johnson says he won't do that under any circumstances.

Indonesia

Death toll rises to 32 in protests in Papua

The death toll from violent protests in Indonesia's Papua Province has risen to 32 after several bodies were found under burned buildings, officials said on Tuesday. An angry mob torched local government buildings, shops and homes and set fire to cars and motorbikes in Papua Province's Wamena city on Monday in a protest by hundreds of people sparked by rumors that a teacher had insulted an indigenous student. Papua police spokesman Ahmad Musthofa Kamal said on Tuesday that 12 more bodies were found in and around the burnedout wreckage of buildings engulfed in the fires set by rioters. Seventy-two other people were hospitalized, many with burns or head injuries.

Agencies - Xinhua

(China Daily 09/26/2019 page12)