Australia and Papua New Guinea failed to sign a long-awaited mutual defense treaty as expected on Wednesday, as Canberra seeks to deepen ties with Pacific nations and counter Beijing's rising influence.

China's coast guard said Tuesday it had "taken control measures" against several Philippine vessels at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, as Beijing moves to reinforce its territorial claims and maritime rights in the contested region.

The pact -- seen as an attempt to counter Beijing's rising Pacific influence -- is expected to be signed by leaders Anthony Albanese and James Marape on Wednesday in Port Moresby.

More than 1,000 people, mostly university students, rallied near the National Parliament in Dili to protest against the plan approved last year to procure cars for each of the 65 members of parliament.

The Foreign Ministry is repatriating Indonesian nationals in batches from Nepal following the deadly anti-government protests in the Himalayan country last week, while advising citizens to postpone plans to visit the country despite the situation beginning to stabilize.

With the world order in flux and economic rivalries intensifying, Indonesia and India must recognize their shared weight as major Global South powers and step up cooperation to advance a multipolar world order, experts and officials urged at a forum in Jakarta on Monday.

The fresh defence agreement will be signed by Prime Ministers Anthony Albanese and James Marape on Wednesday in Port Moresby, part of celebrations to mark 50 years of Papua New Guinea's independence from Australia.

The long-awaited national climate risk assessment found that rising temperatures will have "cascading, compounding, concurrent" impacts on life in Australia, home to more than 27 million people.

The announcement came just hours after Paudel appointed former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to lead the country, following the deadly "Gen Z"-led anti-graft protests that forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.

The raid has threatened to destabilize ties at a time when the countries are seeking to finalise a trade deal, which includes a US$350 billion investment fund to support strategic US industries.

The industry involves sprawling compounds housing tens of thousands of workers, many of them trafficked, who are forced to scam victims around the world.

According to the ministry’s data, all 125 Indonesians known to be in the South Asian country when the initial protest erupted on Monday are safe.

The capital's 35-year-old mayor, a former rapper who often appears on Instagram and in public wearing a dark blazer and sunglasses, is in the spotlight after deadly protests prompted the resignation of Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli, 73. 

The order is the first phase in a refresh of the Singapore Armed Forces maritime security capabilities. The aircraft will replace existing Fokker 50 planes, which have been in service since 1993, the statement said. 

Stung into action, they turned to still-accessible apps such as Viber and TikTok to rally thousands, sparking protests that left at least 19 protesters dead and ultimately forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli from office on Tuesday.

In the upcoming presidential race of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, triggered by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's announcement he will resign, the spotlight will be on whether his successor can offer a vision for a new coalition.

Protests had began Monday in the Nepali capital against the government's ban on social media and over corruption, but escalated into an outpouring of rage nationwide with government buildings set on fire after a deadly crackdown claimed at least 19 lives.

Tokyo and Manila boost cooperation on defense equipment and technology in response to China's assertiveness in the East and South China seas.

Indonesia was the pioneer in submarine operations in Southeast Asia by acquiring two submarines in 1959, the first among countries in the region. 

After nearly two decades of dodging punishment, Thailand's most influential and polarizing politician must now serve a prison term - the country's first ex-premier to face jail.

Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said the government has set up a team to respond to Thursday's arrest of over 300 Koreans at the facility in the southern state of Georgia and that he may go to Washington to meet with officials if needed. 

"His Majesty the King has endorsed Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul to be prime minister from now onwards," said secretary-general of Thailand's lower house of parliament Arpath Sukhanunth, reading aloud a royal command in a ceremony at Anutin's Bhumjaithai Party headquarters in Bangkok.

Anutin Charnvirakul, 58, started his entry into politics with the Thai Rak Thai party founded by Paetongtarn's billionaire father, Thaksin Shinawatra.

Prabowo met with Xi in Beijing, after making a surprise attendance at China's military parade despite protests at home.

Prabowo met with Putin on the sidelines of China's military parade.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un brought his teenage daughter to Beijing this week in her first public outing overseas, fueling further speculation that she may be his potential successor in the family's dynastic rule over the nuclear-armed state.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy was rocked by the widespread protests, which left at least 10 dead and were initially sparked by the handing out of lavish perks to lawmakers.