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JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia President Joko Widodo announced a minor cabinet reshuffle of six positions on Monday, including a new communications minister whose predecessor is on trial accused of accepting $1.14 million in illegal kickbacks. Budi Arie Setiadi, a deputy minister for villages, replaces Johnny G. Plate, who was arrested in May of taking payments …

Indonesia president names new communications minister after graft scandal Read More »

By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday blamed authorities’ failure to follow disaster response rules as the death toll from days of torrential rain rose to 40, including a dozen people found dead in a submerged underpass. Deluges have pummelled central and southern regions since Thursday as the rainy …

South Korea flood death toll rises to 40, Yoon blames botched responses Read More »

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) -Swiss watchmaker Swatch Group has filed a lawsuit against the Malaysian government for confiscating rainbow-coloured watches that celebrate LGBT rights, in an act the company says has damaged its reputation. Homosexuality is a crime in Muslim-majority Malaysia, and rights groups have warned of growing intolerance against the country’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender …

Swiss watchmaker Swatch sues Malaysia for seizure of Pride watches Read More »

By Xinghui Kok SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Two senior lawmakers from Singapore’s ruling party have resigned over their “inappropriate relationship”, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday, the latest high-profile scandal in a city-state otherwise known for its political stability. Lee said the resignations of house speaker Tan Chuan-Jin and lawmaker, Cheng Li Hui, were …

In rare political drama, Singapore lawmakers quit over “inappropriate relationship” Read More »

(Reuters) – Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manesseh Sogavare returned to Honiara on Monday after a week-long official visit to China, telling reporters Beijing would provide more budget support, and that criticism by Australia was “unneighbourly”. The United States, Australia, New Zealand and Solomon Islands’ opposition party have called for Sogavare to publish details of a …

Solomon Islands PM returns from Beijing, calls Australia ‘unneighbourly’ Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – A remote township in China’s arid northwest endured temperatures of more than 52 Celsius (126 Fahrenheit) on Sunday, state media reported, setting a record for a country that was battling minus 50C weather just six months ago. Temperatures at Sanbao township in Xinjiang’s Turpan Depression soared as high as 52.2C on Sunday, …

China logs 52.2 Celsius as extreme weather rewrites records Read More »

(Reuters) -At least four people died after a boat carrying 20 people sank in Bangladesh’s Buriganga river near the capital Dhaka on Sunday, a fire service official said.  Most of the passengers were believed to have swum ashore as the water bus sank close to the bank, according to fire service official Anwarul Islam. Four …

Four dead as boat sinks in Bangladesh’s Buriganga river Read More »

By Lucy Craymer AUCKLAND (Reuters) – New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said on Monday that the Pacific region is becoming more contested, less predictable, and less secure as China becomes more assertive. “China’s rise and how it seeks to exert that influence is also a major driver of the increasing strategic competition, particularly in …

New Zealand prime minister says Pacific region more contested, less secure Read More »