World Briefs: Solomon Islands ends recognition of Taiwan

Solomon Islands ends recognition of Taiwan

HONG KONG • The Solomon Islands has become the latest nation to break diplomatic ties with Taiwan in favour of China, leaving the democratically run island with just 16 diplomatic partners amid Beijing's efforts to isolate it.

It is the seventh nation - and the first in the Pacific - to establish ties with Beijing since Taiwan's independence-leaning President Tsai Ing-wen was elected in January 2016.

Taiwan severed relations with the Pacific Island nation in a reciprocal move yesterday.

BLOOMBERG

US auto workers shut down ops at GM

DETROIT • More than 49,000 members of the United Auto Workers walked off the General Motors (GM) factory floors or set up picket lines yesterday as contract talks with the company deteriorated into a strike.

Workers shut down 33 manufacturing plants in nine states across the US, as well as 22 parts distribution warehouses. It is the first national strike by the union since a two-day walkout in 2007 that had little impact on the company.

The union has picked GM as its target company this year because it is the most profitable of the country's three main automakers, and its plans to close four US factories have angered union members.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar at risk: UN

YANGON • Rohingya Muslims remaining in Myanmar still face a "serious risk of genocide", United Nations investigators said yesterday, warning that the repatriation of a million already driven from the country by the army remains "impossible".

The fact-finding mission to Myanmar, set up by the Human Rights Council, last year branded the army operations in 2017 as "genocide" and called for the prosecution of top generals.

Some 740,000 Rohingya fled burning villages, bringing accounts of murder, rape and torture over the border to sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh.

In the final report, due to be presented today in Geneva, the UN team said the 600,000 Rohingya still inside Myanmar's Rakhine state remain in deteriorating and "deplorable" conditions.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 17, 2019, with the headline World Briefs: Solomon Islands ends recognition of Taiwan. Subscribe