Asia Pacific – Page 1263 – Prologue Journal

Rebels in Indonesia’s Papua region say they killed 9 army soldiers

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. West Papua National Liberation Army spokesperson confirms attack after Jakarta did not respond to request for negotiations. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3217237/rebels-indonesias-papua-region-say-they-killed-9-army-soldiers?utm_source=rss_feed

Oman looks to raise profile in Asia after helping Saudi Arabia and Iran bury the hatchet

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. Oil-heavy nation aims to capitalise on success as Riyadh-Tehran intermediary, say analysts, and is involved in Yemen peace negotiations and energy deals – some of them green – with Asian partners. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3217161/oman-looks-raise-profile-asia-after-helping-saudi-arabia-and-iran-bury-hatchet?utm_source=rss_feed

South Korea repels North’s patrol boat after sea intrusion

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. The North Korean patrol boat crossed the so-called Northern Limit Line on Saturday while pursuing a Chinese fishing vessel in waters near South Korea’s Baekryeong island. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3217233/south-korea-repels-norths-patrol-boat-after-sea-intrusion?utm_source=rss_feed

Japan’s Kishida vows safety of G7 meetings after ‘smoke bomb’ attack

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. Japan must not allow acts of violence that attack the foundation of democracy, Kishida says, calling the incident ‘unforgivable’. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3217228/japans-kishida-vows-safety-g7-meetings-after-smoke-bomb-attack?utm_source=rss_feed

Indians ditch cash as QR codes and apps like PhonePe, Paytm make digital payments ‘much easier’

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. India, once a cash-only economy, is undergoing a digital revolution, thanks to the country’s home-grown scan-and-pay systems. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3216964/indians-ditch-cash-home-grown-apps-phonepe-paytm-and-qr-codes-make-digital-payments-much-easier?utm_source=rss_feed

G7 nears fossil fuel phase-out deal without coal exit deadline

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. Ministers could not reach agreement on exiting coal by a specific date, which they wanted to set at 2030, according to French minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher. https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3217225/g7-nears-fossil-fuel-phase-out-deal-without-coal-exit-deadline?utm_source=rss_feed

As Malaysia’s Hollywood dreams crumble with Iskandar studios sale, a Singapore firm swoops in

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund has sold its stake in Iskandar Malaysia Studios for a fraction of its initial investment, raising doubts about the wisdom of building a state-of-the-art studio complex there in the first…

China and Ukraine headline as G7 foreign ministers arrive in Japan

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. The Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which runs from Sunday to Tuesday in the Japanese resort town of Karuizawa, is set to be dominated by twin crises: China’s growing pressure on Taiwan and Russia’s war in…

Is US-Vietnam pledge to boost ties after Antony Blinken’s Hanoi visit mere ‘diplomatic symbolism’?

Disclaimer: The South China Morning Post’s content is directed by the Chinese Communist Party. It is not a reliable news source. A strategic partnership with US would ‘help Vietnam improve its diplomatic position’ but analysts say Vietnam has long been nervous about provoking China. https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3217203/us-vietnam-pledge-boost-ties-after-antony-blinkens-hanoi-visit-mere-diplomatic-symbolism?utm_source=rss_feed

‘The Tale of Genji’ Is More Than 1,000 Years Old. What Explains Its Lasting Appeal?

New York Times The book is often described as the world’s first novel and a touchstone of Japanese literature. But some of its themes, including its take on gender and power, have echoed over centuries. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/15/books/tale-of-genji-japan-women.html