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Malaysia open to talks with Beijing over dispute in South China Sea – PM

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Monday said he was prepared to negotiate with China over a maritime dispute between the two countries, days after a think tank reported Chinese patrolling close to a Malaysian offshore gas project. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, through which about …

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South Korea, US, Japan hold anti-submarine drills to counter North Korea threats

SEOUL (Reuters) – The navies of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan will hold two days of anti-submarine exercises starting Monday to better counter North Korea’s evolving nuclear and missile capabilities, South Korea’s defence ministry said. The drills will be staged in international waters off South Korea’s southern island of Jeju, involving a U.S. carrier …

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Japan PM demands release of businessman detained in China

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Monday the government would continue to strongly demand that Beijing releases an Astellas Pharma employee detained in China, as fears remain over the safety of China’s business environment. The government also requested consular visits with the detained man and would provide support, including contacting his …

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Japan’s foreign minister urges China to release detained national

By Laurie Chen, Kiyoshi Takenaka and Sakura Murakami BEIJING/TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi met his Chinese counterpart on Sunday and urged Beijing to promptly release a detained Japanese national. Hayashi’s meeting with Qin Gang was the first visit to Beijing for a Japanese foreign minister in over three years, as the two …

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Taiwan strengthens ties with Guatemala following Honduras rupture

By Sofia Menchu GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) – Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen completed a three-day trip to Guatemala on Sunday where she offered more cooperation with Guatemalan President Alejandro Giammattei’s government, one of Taiwan’s few allies in the world. Tsai’s tour, which will take her to Belize on Sunday afternoon, comes a week after Honduras severed …

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Japan’s Ryuichi Sakamoto, composer of ‘The Last Emperor’ score, dies aged 71

By Elaine Lies TOKYO (Reuters) – Ryuichi Sakamoto, the Oscar-winning Japanese composer famed for his scores for “The Last Emperor”, “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” and other epic films, has died aged 71. Sakamoto was also known for his acting, and for his work with the pioneering electronic music band Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) which he …

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Private Chinese firm scores first with liquid-propellant rocket launch

BEIJING (Reuters) – Beijing Tianbing Technology Co on Sunday successfully launched a kerosene-oxygen rocket, becoming the first private Chinese launch company to send a liquid-propellant rocket into space and taking another step towards developing reusable rockets. Chinese commercial space firms have rushed into the sector since 2014, when private investment in the industry was allowed …

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Filipino Catholics mark Palm Sunday praying for Pope Francis’ health

By Jay Ereno and Peter Blaza ANTIPOLO, Philippines (Reuters) – Thousands of Filipino Catholics attending church on Palm Sunday marked the beginning of Holy Week with prayers for the health of Pope Francis as they presented palm fronds to be blessed. At a church in Antipolo City about 20 km (12.4 miles) east of Manila, …

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