Solomon Islands, China establish ties

BEIJING • China and former Taiwan ally the Solomon Islands established diplomatic ties yesterday in a sign of Beijing's growing influence in the Pacific that has angered Washington, with a top Chinese diplomat saying the time was almost up for the rest of Taiwan's friends.

In a setback for self-ruled and democratic Taiwan, which China claims as a province with no right to state-to-state ties, Beijing last week won over two previous Taiwanese allies in the Pacific - the Solomon Islands and Kiribati.

China has yet to formally sign up Kiribati, which had originally abandoned Beijing in Taipei's favour in 2003.

REUTERS

18 hurt as typhoon strikes Okinawa

TOKYO • A powerful typhoon hit Japan's southern Okinawa Islands yesterday, cutting power to more than 15,000 homes and grounding hundreds of flights.

Typhoon Tapah - packing wind gusts of up to 180kmh - was moving north and is expected to progress through the sea separating South Korea and western Japan. At least 18 people were injured, according to officials.

Tapah follows on the trail of Typhoon Faxai, which barrelled through Tokyo earlier this month, packing record winds that brought down power lines, brought travel chaos and disrupted Rugby World Cup preparations.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Protests in Egypt against President

CAIRO • Rare small protests have been staged in Cairo and other Egyptian cities calling for the removal of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, but the authorities quickly dispersed them and arrested dozens, a security source said.

Hundreds of citizens took to the streets late last Friday to protest, chanting slogans including "Leave, Sisi!" and holding up placards.

At least 74 were arrested overnight, a security source said, with plain-clothed policemen patrolling side streets of downtown Cairo.

The country effectively banned protests under a 2013 law and a state of emergency is still in full effect.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE