TAIPEI: Student activists yesterday ended the three-week occupation of Taiwan’s parliament in protest over a service trade pact with China, but threatened more action unless their demands are met. “The departure does not mean we are giving up,” said their leader Lin Fei-fan, before dozens of demonstrators clad in black T-shirts walked out of the building at around 6pm. Their next moves “could be more comprehensive” unless guarantees given by the ruling China-friendly Kuomintang party are honoured, he said.
Bus crash kills eight students
BEIJING: Eight school children died in a bus crash on China’s southern island province of Hainan yesterday on their way to a school outing, state media reported. Xinhua, the official news agency, said 32 were injured, four of them seriously, when the bus, travelling along with 13 others, overturned. Rural areas are known for providing unsafe transport for children in aging, badly maintained vans and trucks.
Cambodia deal to end deadlock
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia’s opposition leader said yesterday he was close to reaching a deal with long-ruling Prime Minister Hun Sen to end a boycott of parliament over fiercely disputed elections. Cambodia National Rescue Party head Sam Rainsy said nearly all differences with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party had been resolved during talks in recent days. But they have yet to agree on the date of the next election, after Hun Sen offered new polls in February 2018, five months earlier than scheduled. Rainsy said his party wanted the election at least one year earlier. “But we have moved forward. We have agreed on several points, important points,” he said. “I think the remaining points will be resolved in the near future. It is a matter of days or at most weeks. So I remain cautiously optimistic.” Agencies
