Japan PM Abe visits Putin looking to warm ties

SOCHI (RUSSIA) (AFP) - 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in a bid to bolster ties and seek to resolve a decades-long territorial dispute.

Tokyo-Moscow relations have been hamstrung by the row dating back to the end of World War II when Soviet troops seized the four southernmost islands in the Pacific Kuril chain, known as the Northern Territories in Japan.

Japan and Russia's lingering tensions have prevented them ever signing a peace treaty to formally end World War II hostilities, hindering trade and investment ties.

"This is a complex, multi-faceted issue that can only be resolved in a manner acceptable to both sides through an even deeper partnership between the two countries," Putin's chief foreign policy advisor Yury Ushakov said ahead of the visit.

Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said in April that Russia and Japan had agreed to start negotiations on signing a peace treaty "as soon as possible" after the meeting.

His Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov on a visit to Tokyo last month said Russia wants to "move forward" in relations, but is not prepared to budge on the "result of World War II".

Putin said during a public phone-in in April that he thinks "a compromise could be found at some point -- and it will be found" on the territorial dispute.

Moscow hopes the meeting will help create a "constructive atmosphere in bilateral relations", but "immediate serious progress" is unlikely, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned.

- Lingering tensions -

Despite the warmer words from the Kremlin, tensions between the two sides continue to surface and Japan has hit Russia with sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.

Russia has in turn angered Japan recently by building new modern compounds for its troops stationed on two of the disputed islands.

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev also infuriated Tokyo by visiting one of the islands, home to some 19,000 Russians, last year.

Putin said last month he welcomed Abe's visit as it comes despite "pressure from (Japan's) partners, particularly the United States".

Abe will later this month host a summit of the Group of Seven advanced industrial countries, from which Russia has been excluded over its annexation of Crimea.

"Evidently Japan will try to act as a kind of middleman in the talks process between Russia and the US," Russia's government newspaper the Rossiiskaya Gazeta said Thursday.

US President Barack Obama reportedly asking Abe in February to postpone his trip to Russia, according to sources quoted by Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Writing in pro-Kremlin daily Izvestia on Thursday, a former deputy foreign minister and ambassador to Tokyo, Alexander Panov, suggested the meeting could see "Japan drop a number of sanctions" it imposed on Russia over Ukraine.

The leaders are expected to discuss a long-planned visit by Putin to Japan this year, after Lavrov last month urged Tokyo to give a firm date.

The Kremlin said they were also set to discuss economic ties, with Moscow saying their trade turnover last year fell 31 percent due to low oil prices.

"Japanese business and banks are not in a rush to invest in the Russian economy, preferring to wait for better times," wrote the Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

by Anna Malpas

© 2016 AFP

Asian markets down ahead of US jobs report

HONG KONG (AFP) - 

Asian markets tumbled on Friday as lingering worries over global growth sent traders running from higher-risk assets, while attention turns to the release of US jobs data later in the day.

Japan's Nikkei suffered big losses as it reopened from a three-day holiday to play catch-up with a global sell-off. However, analysts said the losses were tempered owing to a fall in the yen against the dollar from 18-month highs.

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Confidence on trading floors has been sparse the past two weeks following disappointing data and announcements from China to the United States that tore a hole in hopes the global economy was showing signs of recovery.

The US Labor Department later Friday will release jobs figures for April, with expectations of a slowdown in new posts.

But while the report is forecast to show the world's number two economy is not as strong as hoped, the dollar has managed to hold its gains after two Federal Reserve bosses argued the case for an interest rate hike as early as June.

The comments from the two presidents helped lift the dollar from the 105.50 yen trough touched on Tuesday to levels above 107 yen Friday. In early Japanese trade the greenback was at 107.15 yen.

The rally shielded Japanese stocks from a sharp sell-off Friday, with the Nikkei down 0.7 percent by the break.

Hong Kong fell one percent, while Shanghai shed 0.1 percent and Sydney gave up 0.1 percent. Singapore lost 1.2 percent and Taipei 0.5 percent.

"It's not as bad as it could have been with Japan coming back and that's been helped by a bit of weakening in the yen during the past couple of days," Angus Nicholson, a market analyst at IG Ltd. in Melbourne, told Bloomberg News.

"If we see a strong non-farm payrolls number tonight it will help the dollar move in the right direction."

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe looked to staunch a yen rally Thursday by hinting at possible interventions.

He said "drastic fluctuations" in the unit risked having a major impact on his nation's exporters, adding: "We need to carefully watch these movements of exchange rate and as necessary we would like to respond."

The flight to safety also hit Asian emerging market currencies, with the South Korean won down 0.5 percent against the dollar and Indonesia's rupiah 0.1 percent lower. The Australian dollar was down one percent as it continues to feel the effects of this week's shock interest rate cut by the country's central bank.

- Key figures around 0230 GMT -

Tokyo: Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.7 percent at 16,031.72 (break)

Hong Kong: DOWN 1.0 percent at 20,255.34

Shanghai: DOWN 0.1 percent at 2,993.62

Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1403 from $1.1404 Thursday

Dollar/yen: UP at 107.15 yen from 107.26 yen

New York - Dow: UP 0.1 percent at 17,660.71 (close)

London - FTSE 100: UP 0.1 percent at 6,117.25 (close)

© 2016 AFP

Beijing 'tightens screws' on Taiwan's new president

TAIPEI (AFP) - 

When Tsai Ing-wen becomes Taiwan's president later this month, she will end a period of unprecedented rapprochement with rival Beijing -- and China is already ramping up the pressure on her new government.

Tsai's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is traditionally pro-independence and refuses to chime in with Beijing's message that self-ruling Taiwan is part of "one China".

Tsai won the presidency by a landslide in January as voters wary of closer China ties turned their backs on the ruling Beijing-friendly Kuomintang.

Since then, with a transitional government in power until Tsai is officially inaugurated on May 20, Beijing has increasingly made life difficult for Taiwan in what observers say is an early challenge to Tsai's presidency.

Taipei was furious in April after Taiwanese fraud suspects were deported to China from Kenya and Malaysia, rather than back to their home territory.

China also recognised Taiwan's former ally Gambia in March, ending an unofficial diplomatic truce between the two sides.

Taiwan has haemorrhaged allies in recent decades as they jump ship to align with a rising China, and is now only recognised by 22 states.

"Beijing wants to teach Tsai a lesson. The incidents are intentional and send a very clear message that it is tightening the screws," said Francis Hu, a political scientist at Taiwan's Tunghai University.

Some local tourism operators have reported a decline in Chinese visitors since January -- after a boom prompted by the thaw in ties -- with some speculating they are being discouraged from heading to Taiwan.

Tsai's KMT predecessor, outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou, agreed there was "one China", but with different interpretations on each side of the strait.

That earned him a landmark meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping and a slew of trade deals.

Beijing wants Tsai to do the same.

"It's their bottom line," said Hu.

However, faced with increasing voter scepticism over China relations and a staunch pro-independence wing in her own party, it is a demand she is unlikely ever to meet.

- 'A cold peace' -

Taiwan split from mainland China in 1949 after a civil war, but has never formally declared independence, despite being a fully-fledged democracy.

Beijing still considers the island part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary.

China has been clear about its distaste for Tsai since she won the presidency -- on the day she was voted in, Beijing warned her against making any move towards formal independence.

For her part, Tsai has vowed to maintain the "status quo" with China and has given a measured response to the recent bouts of diplomatic sparring.

But she has also made clear future cross-strait policy will be "based on the principle of democracy and people's desires".

Tsai now has "a huge balancing act" to perform, said Kerry Brown, director of Lau China Institute at King's College London.

Not only must she handle Beijing and appease the electorate, she must also reassure Washington -- Taiwan's greatest ally and leading arms supplier -- that she will not rock the boat in the region, said Brown.

Her inaugural speech on May 20 is likely to reflect that high-wire act.

"She will try to maintain the moral high ground, to continue to have support from the US and the international community, by sounding reasonable, moderate, and diplomatic," Brown said.

"But she will also send Beijing a message that she will not be bullied and humiliated in front of her own people."

Observers predict Beijing will keep up the pressure when Tsai takes office, with the possible suspension of high-level dialogue between the two sides and a push for Taiwan's further diplomatic isolation.

Few believe there will be any drastic action in the near future.

"I think the most likely scenario is that China will not be satisfied but still find it acceptable," said Tang Shao-cheng, a political scientist at National Chengchi University in Taipei, who believes Tsai will toe a line in her rhetoric to calm US nerves.

However, Beijing's inherent lack of trust could lead to deterioration further down the line.

"It will be 'cold peace' in the short term -- and hot challenges in the long term," said Tang.

by Amber Wang

© 2016 AFP

Colombia authorizes air strikes against criminal gangs

BOGOTA (AFP) - 

Colombia authorized the use of all military force, including air strikes, against the country's three biggest criminal gangs in a major escalation against "organized armed groups."

Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas announced the directive late Thursday after a special session of a Senate committee in a violence-torn region of northwestern Colombia.

"Directive 15 permits the application of all the force of the state, without exception, against organized armed groups or groups who have major hostile capacity," he said.

Until now the military has been used only against leftist guerrilla groups, who have been negotiating an end to their half century old conflict.

The new strategy specifically targets three major crime groups -- the Clan Usuga, Los Pelusos and Los Puntilleros.

"Those three organizations from today will be pursued autonomously or in coordination by the armed forces and the police," Villegas said, speaking from the region of Apartado, a stronghold of the Clan Usuga.

They have been classified as "organized armed groups" because they use camps, long arms, uniforms and have a territorial presence, he said.

A government source said that besides air strikes, the state's use of force could include "air assault operations with special forces, ambushes, high precision snipers, supporting artillery fire."

© 2016 AFP

Australia gets Singapore defence investment boost

SYDNEY (AFP) - 

Singapore will invest up to US$1.67 billion in Australia's defence infrastructure and hike troop numbers it sends for training, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Friday.

The new agreement also includes commitments to open markets and trade and increase collaboration in science and research, he said, adding it would create thousands of jobs in northern Australia.

"We will jointly develop military training facilities in northern Queensland which will be fully funded by Singapore," the prime minister told reporters.

"Singapore will invest up to two-and-a-quarter billion dollars (US$1.67 billion) in the expansion of two of our most important military training facilities," he said, naming Shoalwater Bay and Townsville.

Turnbull said upgrading the Free Trade Agreement between the countries would make it much easier for Australians to live and work in Singapore.

"This is a great day for the Australian Singapore relationship," he said, dismissing concerns that deeper ties between Canberra and Singapore could rankle China.

Some 6,600 Singaporean troops already train each year in northern Australia. Under the new deal this will climb to 14,000, staying for 18 weeks instead of the current six, trade envoy Andrew Robb said.

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) signed with Canberra last year was "an ambitious package covering many aspects of our relationship".

"Our two countries are politically like-minded, strategically aligned and economically complementary. We have much to gain by working closely together," he said in a statement.

Singapore is Australia's fifth-largest trading partner, with gold and crude petroleum key exports.

As it looks to Asian markets for growth, Australia will encourage greater collaboration in research with Singapore and locate one of its five start-up "landing pads" in the city state to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

© 2016 AFP

More than 70 dead as Syria army battles jihadists south of Aleppo

BEIRUT (AFP) - 

Fighting between Syrian regime forces and Al-Qaeda-affiliated jihadists and their allies has left more than 70 dead south of the battleground city of Aleppo, a monitor said on Friday.

Al-Nusra Front and allied Islamists seized Khan Tuman and surrounding villages after less than 24 hours of clashes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

© 2016 AFP

Spain reports first case of Zika-related microcephaly

BARCELONA (AFP) - 

Spanish health authorities said they had detected the country's first known case of the microcephaly birth defect in the foetus of a pregnant woman infected with the Zika virus.

"A pregnant woman was infected by Zika and dengue and the foetus has shown various defects," the health authority of the Catalonia region said in a statement.

This was Spain's first case of Zika-related microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads and sometimes brain damage.

A total of 105 people in Spain have been infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus, according to official statistics from May 3.

Spanish authorities have said all the infection cases -- including 13 pregnant women -- are "imported cases" found in people either "from, or who have visited affected countries" in Latin America.

The current Zika outbreak began in early 2015 in Brazil, where some 1.5 million infections have been reported. Since then, the epidemic has spread to several other countries in the Americas.

Scientists believe the virus to be responsible for a surge in Brazilian infants born with microcephaly.

There is no vaccine or treatment for the virus, which in most people causes only mild symptoms -- a rash, joint pain or fever.

© 2016 AFP