Asia Briefs: Residents rally to save ex-CCP leader's statue

Residents rally to save ex-CCP leader's statue

HONG KONG • More than 1,000 people have gathered outside the burial place of former Chinese Communist Party chairman Hua Guofeng in China's northern Shanxi province since Wednesday to protest against the local authorities' plans to tear down his statue. The plan has now been put on hold, reported the South China Morning Post.

Residents erected the bronze statue of Mr Hua - Mao Zedong's hand-picked successor who led the party from 1976 to 1981 - at a square outside Mr Hua's cemetery in Jiaocheng county last month.

Pakistan probes deadly attack on India airbase

ISLAMABAD • The Pakistani authorities have started a probe into the deadly attack on an Indian airbase last month that has renewed tensions between the rivals, a police spokesman said yesterday.

The Jan 2 attack on the Pathankot airbase, in which seven Indian security personnel were killed, has stalled hopes of revived peace talks between both countries.

India said it gave actionable intelligence to Pakistan in the weeks following the attack.

REUTERS

Aquino orders pay rise for 1.3m govt workers

MANILA • Philippine President Benigno Aquino yesterday signed an order to raise the 2016 compensation for more than 1.3 million government workers.

The move aims to boost domestic consumption, a key driver of economic growth.

Mr Aquino approved the pay increase, the first since 2009, less than five months before his presidency ends.

REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on February 20, 2016, with the headline Asia Briefs: Residents rally to save ex-CCP leader's statue . Subscribe