Possible candidates for family reunion

SEOUL • South Korea's Red Cross has picked 500 candidates from separated families who could be allowed to join the reunion event with their long-lost relatives in North Korea.

Yesterday's selection process was launched after Seoul and Pyongyang agreed on Tuesday to hold the reunion of families, separated by the 1950- 1953 Korean War, at the gathering centre in the North's Mount Kumgang resort, from Oct 20 to 26. After exchanging the list of candidates with the North, the final list of 100 people would be determined by Oct 8.

XINHUA

Pakistan, China firm in project deal

KARACHI • Pakistan is set to sign a 40-year-lease with a Chinese company to develop a massive special economic zone in the deep sea port of Gwadar, officials said yesterday.

The scheme is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, an ambitious US$46 billion (S$65 billion) investment plan linking western China to the Arabian Sea with infrastructure, energy and transport projects.

The contract, assigning the 923ha swathe of tax-exempt land to China Overseas Port Holding Company, is likely to be signed this month or next, Mr Dostain Khan Jamaldini, chief of the Gwadar Port Authority, said.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Nabbed for alleged attack on robot

TOKYO • A Japanese man who allegedly attacked a phone shop robot in a drink-fuelled rage, because he was angry at the customer service, has been arrested, media reported.

Mr Kiichi Ishikawa, 60, was captured on a security camera aiming a kick at Pepper, a talking android used by mobile phone chain SoftBank to gather customer feedback.

Reports suggested Mr Ishikawa, who appeared to have been drinking, was annoyed at his treatment by a staff member, and took his annoyance out on the robot.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE