Indonesia is the world's biggest nickel producer, a product that is vital in the production of electric vehicles (EV), and has increased domestic processing of the metal.

The scramble to replace current premier Fumio Kishida was sparked in August when he announced his intention to step down over a series of scandals that plunged the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) ratings to record lows.

Japan's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi declined to comment on the reports at a regular briefing because they concerned military operations.

China had announced the rare trial on Wednesday, saying that the missile was carrying a dummy warhead.

Economic relationships remain India’s weak point, and it again lost a ranking in its score, being overtaken by Indonesia.

The US Army said in April it had deployed the Typhon mid-range missile system in the northern Philippines for annual joint military exercises, but did not pull it out after the war games. The two countries are bound by a mutual defence pact.

Beijing has stepped up its nuclear development in recent years, with the Pentagon last October warning China was developing its arsenal more quickly than the United States had anticipated.

Lashio is the largest urban center to fall to any of Myanmar's myriad ethnic minority armed groups -- who have been fighting the central authorities on and off for decades -- since the military first seized power in 1962. 

Among other middle powers in Asia, Indonesia saw an increase in its diplomatic influence in the region despite the limited resources it has, a recent report by think tank the Lowy Institute has found.

Ex-transport minister S. Iswaran, known for helping bring Formula One to the financial hub, was earlier this year hit with 35 charges mostly related to graft in a nation often cited as one of the world's least corrupt.

S. Iswaran, known for helping bring Formula 1 to the financial hub, resigned in January after being hit with dozens of charges as part of a corruption probe, including accepting gifts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In 2022, the Quad security framework, which is comprised of the four countries, agreed to establish the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) framework for detecting suspicious vessels in the Indo-Pacific, among other purposes.

The election was a referendum on Wickremesinghe, who led the heavily indebted nation's fragile economic recovery from an economic meltdown but the austerity measures that were key to this recovery angered voters.

In 2023, 1,670 majors were cancelled, while 1,673 new majors were added, according to official data.

Despite challenging conditions such as intense heat, no electricity and no phone signal, about 150 people, including police, military personnel and voluntary rescue teams, have been working tirelessly to assist the villagers.

The new Destination Thailand Visa (DTV), designed to attract remote workers, offers extended stays and simplified visa application procedures.

AUKUS, formed in 2021 to address shared worries about China's growing power, is designed to allow Australia to acquire nuclear-powered attack submarines and other advanced weapons such as hypersonic missiles.

Campaigners against the death penalty have long argued that the practice, carried out by shooting an inmate in the heart from behind as they lie face-down on the ground, is an inhumane method of punishment.

During the meeting, which took place at the Malacanang Palace, Prabowo expressed his appreciation for the warm welcome for him and the Philippines’ role in the region as Indonesia’s strategic partner, especially in defense.

In August 2023, Japan began discharging treated water from Fukushima into the Pacific Ocean in an operation it insists is safe, a view backed by the UN atomic agency. 

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters that Moscow supported Chinese actions to defend its sovereignty.

The sanctions came after the US Department of Defense’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency confirmed on Tuesday that the US State Department had approved a US$228 million arms sale to the Taiwan region.

Wednesday's attack, on the anniversary of a notorious 1931 incident in the run-up to Japan's occupation of Manchuria, came against a backdrop of worsening bilateral relations.

Authorities are investigating Global Ikhwan Services and Business (GISB) for allegedly running charity homes from which police last week rescued more than 400 children and youth. Police said many showed signs of sexual abuse and neglect.

Prabowo visited Vietnam over the weekend, ostensively as an extension to his three-day ASEAN tour in early September, and met with Vietnamese leaders to discuss bilateral cooperation as well as to convey his condolences to people affected by Typhoon Yagi.

Philippine Coast Guard says the ship's return was not related to China's demand for Manila to withdraw its vessel, instead it was so it could be repaired and to attend to the crew's medical needs.

Shanghai halted transportation links, recalled ships and shut tourism spots including Shanghai Disney Resort on Sunday as it braced for Typhoon Bebinca, in what could be the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Chinese financial hub since 1949.

The Philippines is returning to port a coast guard vessel anchored in the contested Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea after a five-month deployment as its mission is accomplished, the maritime council said on Sunday.

The death toll in Myanmar in the wake of Typhoon Yagi has jumped to 74, state media reported on Sunday, a day after its junta made a rare request for foreign aid.

The 87-year-old pontiff's comments on the US presidential hopefuls came as he defied health concerns to connect with believers from the jungle of Papua New Guinea to the skyscrapers of Singapore.