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THAILAND, Lopburi (Reuters) – American soldiers received Muay Thai lessons from a champion fighter in Thailand during the annual multilateral “Cobra Gold” military drills hosted by the Asian nation. Soldiers took instruction and punched and kicked alongside Thai champion Sombat Banchamek, or Buakaw (White Lotus) as he is widely known in the country. “For every …

US soldiers receive Muay Thai lessons from Thai champion Read More »

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Families of those on board Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, which disappeared mysteriously nine years ago, called on the Malaysian government on Sunday to allow U.S. seabed exploration firm Ocean Infinity to mount a new search for the missing plane. The fate of flight MH370 became one of the world’s greatest aviation …

Nine years on, families urge new search for missing Malaysia plane MH370 Read More »

SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) – South Korea and Japan may be near resolving a dispute over colonial-era forced labour that has overshadowed political and trade relations between the two neighbours, with media reports saying Seoul could announce plans on Monday. The South Korean government plans to announce on Monday morning its solution to the historical and legal …

South Korea, Japan near landmark deal on wartime labour dispute – media Read More »

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese joined 50,000 revelers on Sunday in a march across Sydney’s Harbour Bridge to celebrate the final day of WorldPride festival. The crowd, decked out in rainbow flags and colourful outfits, streamed across the bridge on Sunday morning in sight of the iconic Opera House, just off to …

50,000 march across Australia’s Harbour Bridge for WorldPride Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s nearly 3,000-member National People’s Congress (NPC), the country’s legislature, kicked off its annual gathering in Beijing on Sunday, with delegates set to review government reports and choose its leaders for the next five years. This year also marks the start of China’s country’s 14th legislature, whose delegates serve five-year terms. When …

Factbox-Schedule of China’s annual parliamentary meeting Read More »

JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia will relocate residents living near a fuel-storage fire that killed 16 people or remove the depot owned by state energy company Pertamina to a safer location, President Joko Widodo said on Sunday. The decision will rest with State-Owned Enterprise Minister Erick Thohir, Pertamina and Jakarta Governor Heru Budi Hartono, he said, …

Indonesia to relocate residents or move fuel facility after fire Read More »

By Yew Lun Tian and Ben Blanchard BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged “peaceful reunification” with Taiwan on Sunday as well as resolute steps to oppose Taiwan independence, with Taipei responding that Beijing should respect the Taiwanese people’s commitment to democracy and freedom. China, which claims democratic Taiwan as its own territory, has increased …

China proffers ‘peaceful reunification’, Taiwan says respect our democracy Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – China will prevent and control health outbreaks in a more scientific, precise and efficient way, and upgrade vaccines and develop new medicines to ensure enough supply for the public, Premier Li Keqiang said on Sunday. The country was battered with a surge in COVID-19 cases after it abruptly abandoned its zero-COVID policy …

China to promote vaccine development, new medicines Read More »

By Yew Lun Tian BEIJING (Reuters) -China will boost defence spending by 7.2% this year, slightly outpacing last year’s increase and faster than the government’s modest economic growth forecast, as Premier Li Keqiang called for the armed forces to boost combat preparedness. The national budget released on Sunday showed 1.55 trillion yuan ($224 billion) allocated …

China plans 7.2% defence spending rise this year, faster than GDP target Read More »