Reuters Asia Top

By Asif Shahzad and Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Pakistan’s two largest political parties were on Monday wrangling over who will be prime minister after an inconclusive election last week forced them to join forces and try to form a coalition in a parliament dominated by independents. The squabbling is likely to deepen concerns …

Pakistan parties wrangle over premiership, vote rigging allegations rejected Read More »

MANILA (Reuters) – The death toll from a landslide in the southern Philippines has climbed to 68 as officials said on Monday the window of finding more survivors is closing. Rescuers were looking for 51 more people in the wake of the Feb. 6 landslide, which struck outside a gold mine in Maco town in …

Death toll from Philippines landslide jumps to 68 Read More »

PARIS (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron named the former head of gas utility Engie as its special envoy to a multinational rail and ports project linking the Middle East and South Asia tipped as an alternative to China’s Belt and Road initiative. By naming Gerard Mestrallet, a well-connected veteran of the energy industry, Macron …

Macron names former Engie chief as envoy for future Asia-EU corridor Read More »

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s prime minister called for dialogue in “safe spaces” on Monday over the once-taboo issue of royal family motorcades, after more than a dozen people were injured in weekend brawls between ultra-royalists and monarchy-reform activists. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s comments came amid a public row triggered earlier this month when monarchy-reform activist …

Thai PM urges royal convoy debate in ‘safe spaces’ after violence Read More »

By Kate Lamb SEMARANG, Indonesia (Reuters) – His name is not on the ballot, but Indonesia’s wildly popular President Joko Widodo, or “Jokowi”, looms large over Wednesday’s election in the world’s third-largest democracy, and nowhere more than in his home province of Central Java. Campaign posters plastered along the riverside in provincial capital Semarang proclaim …

‘Jokowi effect’: How Indonesia’s outgoing leader shaped election to succeed him Read More »

By Kate Lamb JAKARTA (Reuters) – Dismissed from the military amid speculation of rights abuses, exiled in Jordan, and once banned from the United States over his alleged dark past, Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto is now in pole position to be Indonesia’s next leader. The twice presidential loser is trying his luck for a third …

Once disgraced, military man Prabowo eyes Indonesia presidency after makeover Read More »

By Martin Petty and Kanupriya Kapoor (Reuters) – Indonesia, the world’s fourth-most populous nation, will hold an election on Feb. 14. Here’s what you need to know. WHO IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT? Three candidates are vying to succeed incumbent President Joko Widodo, better known as Jokowi, who is finishing the second of the maximum two …

Explainer-How will Indonesia’s presidential election play out? Read More »