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MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines and Japan held their first joint military exercises in the South China Sea on Friday, the Philippine armed forces said, in the latest collaboration between countries that have pushed back against China’s regional assertiveness.  The drills, which took place within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, followed similar exercises between Manila …

Philippines, Japan militaries hold first joint exercises in South China Sea Read More »

By Kate Lamb JAKARTA (Reuters) – New rules issued this week by Indonesia will make the police the only authority allowed to give the go-ahead for abortions for rape victims, drawing criticism from rights activists who said the changes were regressive. Abortion is illegal in Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, except in …

Indonesian police given sole power to grant abortions for rape victims Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – Thirty people were killed and 35 are still missing in rains and storms in the wake of Typhoon Gaemi which swept into southern China last week, the state broadcaster said on Thursday. The dead and missing were from the city of Zixing in Hunan province, CCTV said. Extreme weather fuelled by the …

Remnants of Typhoon Gaemi leave 30 dead in China’s Hunan, CCTV reports Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – The former vice president of China Development Bank, Li Jiping, has been expelled from the Communist Party for suspected severe violations of discipline and laws, state news agency Xinhua reported on Thursday. (Reporting by Beijing newsroom; Editing by Andrew Heavens)