Doors closed US embassies that would normally be open this Sunday - including those in Abu Dhabi, Baghdad and Cairo - will be closed that day because of unspecified security concerns, the US State Department said on Thursday. Photo by Nir Elias / Reuters

Australia

Canberra signs new asylum deal

The tiny country of Nauru on Saturday became the second Pacific island nation to agree to settle refugees who attempt to reach Australia by boat, in a deal aimed at deterring asylum seekers that was quickly attacked by critics. Nauru signed the agreement two weeks after Papua New Guinea made a similar deal with the Australian government in return for foreign aid.

Malaysia

High-speed rail report completed

Malaysia has finalized its full report on the proposed high-speed rail link between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, Singapore TV Channel NewsAsia reported on Saturday. Mohd Nur Ismal Mohamed Kamal, CEO of the Malaysia Land Public Transport Commission, said the two sides will meet after the Eid al-Fitr celebrations at the end of the month. He said details of the project, including the modality and funding, will be made public after discussions with Singapore officials.

Russia

Snowden 'is in a safe place'

Former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden was safe and felt fine after leaving the transit zone of Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, his lawyer said on Friday. On Thursday, Snowden was granted a one-year permit to stay in Russia following a monthlong confinement in the airport's transit area. An official invitation will also be sent to Lon Snowden, Edward's father, to come to Moscow, Kucherena said, adding that for security reasons, the time "has not come yet" to disclose Snowden's location.

France

Paris ramps up tourist security

France said on Friday it would work harder to safeguard tourists in Paris after a spate of muggings of Asian visitors made such headlines in China, prompting the Chinese embassy to demand action. Interior and Tourism Ministers Manuel Valls and Sylvia Pinel said on a tour of the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower that 200 police had been put on patrol to protect tourists and steps were being taken to help foreigners prevent and report crime. France is the world's most-visited country and solid tourism revenue is a bright spot in its depressed economy.

Italy

Traffic diverted to prevent pollution

The city of Rome has from Saturday barred private vehicles from using the main road to the Colosseum to protect the iconic monument that has been blackened by pollution and is in a poor state. Cars, lorries and other private vehicles were barred from using the last trunk of the avenue Via dei Fori Imperiali, which links Piazza Venezia to the Roman amphitheatre. Traffic has been diverted to an adjacent route and only public transport will be allowed on the old route.

Pakistan

Rainstorms wreak havoc, 29 dead

At least people 12 were killed on Saturday, bringing the death toll to 29 in several rain-related accidents across Pakistan, local media said. The country's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province remained the worst-hit in the current spell of torrential rains where 13 people were killed and 34 others injured in separate rain-triggered accidents.

News Watch

Solution to solar panels case adopted

The European Commission on Friday endorsed the amicable solution to the European Union-China solar panels case announced by Commissioner Karel de Gucht last weekend. The commission said it had adopted a decision to accept the undertaking offered by Chinese exporting producers of solar panels, and a regulation exempting these participating companies from the payment of provisional anti-dumping duties. "Both legal acts will enter into force on Aug 6," said the commission. As a result, those Chinese companies participating in the price undertaking will be exempted from paying any anti-dumping duties as of Aug 6.

Xinhua - Reuters - Agence France-Presse

(China Daily 08/04/2013 page2)