Race for Japan's new prime minister kicks off
TOKYO, Sept 17: The campaign to become Japan's next prime minister kicks off on Friday, with four candidates vying for leadership of the ruling party in an unusually close race. The candidates include two women hoping to lead a country that has never had a female prime minister, though both are considered long shots. The race follows Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's shock announcement last month that would not run for head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Whoever the party picks in a September 29 vote will become prime minister and contest a general election that has to be held by late November. — AFP
World’s biggest tree gets blanket as US fire rages
California, Sept 17: Firefighters are wrapping fire-resistant blankets around ancient trees as blazes tear through California's world-famous Sequoia National Park. Officials fear the fire could reach the Giant Forest, a grove of some of the world's biggest trees, within hours. The forest hosts some 2,000 sequoias, including the 275ft (83m) General Sherman, the biggest tree by volume on Earth and about 2,500 years old. — BBC
Schools, colleges shut in Uttar Pradesh state amid heavy rains
NEW DELHI, Sept 17: India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday announced shutting down all schools and colleges for the next two days amid incessant rains for more than 24 hours, leading to a floods-like situation. A red alert has been sounded in many districts, even as the state government advised people not to venture out of their homes and avoid unnecessary travel for the next couple of days. — Xinhua
Argentina's VP Kirchner challenges president over resignations
BUENOS AIRES, Sept 17: Argentina's Vice President Cristina Kirchner directly challenged her boss, President Alberto Fernandez on Thursday, demanding a cabinet reshuffle and blaming the ruling coalition's recent electoral defeat on his economic policies. In a deepening political crisis, Kirchner wrote an open letter to Fernandez one day after five cabinet ministers and other senior officials offered to step down after a poor showing for the ruling coalition in weekend primary elections. Fernandez has rejected the resignations. — AFP
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