Top Asian News 2:48 a.m. GMT

New President Subianto announces Indonesia’s largest-ever Cabinet, with 109 members

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Newly inaugurated President Prabowo Subianto announced Indonesia’s largest-ever Cabinet late Sunday, with 109 members representing his pledge for a strong government. He named his Cabinet of ministers, vice ministers and head of national agencies the “Red and White Cabinet,” referring to the colors of Indonesia’s flag. Subianto became the eighth president of Southeast Asia’s largest economy on Sunday. The Cabinet of Subianto’s predecessor, Joko Widodo, had 34 ministers and head of government agencies. Subianto has said earlier that he needs a strong administration, even though analysts said that his “fat” Cabinet would bloat the bureaucracy. “I want to create a strong government that would unite our multicultural society and diverse political interests,” Subianto said before inviting more than 100 people for interviews at his residence last week.

Indonesia swears in ex-general Prabowo Subianto as president

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Prabowo Subianto was inaugurated Sunday as the eighth president of the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, completing his journey from an ex-general accused of rights abuses during the dark days of Indonesia’s military dictatorship to the presidential palace. The former defense minister, who turned 73 on Thursday, was cheered through the streets by thousands of waving supporters after taking his oath on the Quran in front of lawmakers and foreign dignitaries. Banners and billboards filled the streets of the capital, Jakarta, where tens of thousands gathered for festivities. Wearing a blue Betawi traditional cloth and a dark baseball cap, Subianto stood up in the sunroof of a white van and waved, occasionally shaking people’s hands, as his motorcade struggled to pass through the thousands of supporters calling his name and chanting “Good luck Prabowo-Gibran,” filling the road leading from the parliament building to the presidential palace.

King Charles and Queen Camilla lay wreaths at Australian War Memorial then greet well-wishers

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — King Charles III and Queen Camilla laid wreaths at the Australian War Memorial in the national capital Canberra on Monday then shook hands with well-wishers on the second full day of their visit. Charles, 75, is being treated for cancer, which has led to a scaled-down itinerary. It is Charles’ 17th trip to Australia and the first since he became king in 2022. It is the first visit to Australia by a reigning British monarch since his late mother Queen Elizabeth II traveled to the distant nation in 2011. Charles and Camilla rested the day after their arrival before they made their first public appearance of the trip at a church service in Sydney on Sunday.

Expelled Indian high commissioner denies involvement in murder of Sikh leader in Canada

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — India’s high commissioner to Canada has denied any involvement in the murder of a Canadian Sikh leader who was killed in British Columbia last year even though the Canadian government has named him as a person of interest in the assassination. Sanjay Kumar Verma, who was expelled last Monday along with five other Indian diplomats, said in an interview on CTV’s Question Period Sunday that the allegations are politically motivated. “Nothing at all,” Verma said when asked if he had any role in in the shooting of Hardeep Singh Nijjar who was killed outside a cultural center in Surrey, British Columbia on June 18, 2023.

Japan, UK and Italy to expedite next-generation fighter jet to replace F-2s and Eurofighter Typhoons

TOKYO (AP) — The defense ministers of Japan, the U.K. and Italy agreed to accelerate the joint development of a next-generation fighter jet, and announced that a trilateral government organization would be established by the end of this year to work with the parties producing the aircraft, Japanese officials said Sunday. The three countries agreed in 2022 to jointly produce a new combat aircraft that will be ready for deployment in 2035, under the Global Combat Air Program, or GCAP, to strengthen cooperation in the face of growing threats from China, Russia and North Korea. The next-generation stealth fighter jet would replace Japan’s retiring F-2s that it jointly developed with the U.S., and Eurofighter Typhoons, which were produced in partnership with the U.K, Italy, Spain and Germany.

A small blast in Myanmar’s second-biggest city damages Chinese Consulate

BANGKOK (AP) — The Chinese Consulate in Myanmar’s second-largest city has been slightly damaged by an explosive device, but there were no casualties, the military, independent media and a city resident said Saturday. No public claims of responsibility were made for the attack on Friday in Mandalay. China is a major ally of Myanmar’s military, which came to power after ousting the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 but is now fighting fiercely against resistance forces challenging its rule. The military said in a statement sent to journalists on Saturday evening that roof tiles on the two-story Chinese Consulate were damaged by a explosion Friday afternoon.

Japan’s beloved former Empress Michiko marks her 90th birthday as she recovers from a broken leg

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s beloved former Empress Michiko received greetings from her relatives and palace officials to celebrate her 90th birthday Sunday as she steadily recovers from a broken leg, officials said. Michiko is the first commoner to become empress in modern Japanese history. Catholic-educated Michiko Shoda and then-Crown Prince Akihito married on April 10, 1959, after what is known as their tennis court romance. The couple retired after Akihito abdicated in 2019 as their son, Emperor Naruhito, ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne and his wife, Masako, became empress. Since then, Akihito and Michiko have largely withdrawn from public appearance to enjoy their quiet life together, taking daily walks inside the palace gardens or occasionally taking private trips, hosting small gatherings for book reading and music, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

Video published by Ukraine allegedly shows North Korean soldiers in Russia

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A video purporting to show dozens of North Korean recruits lining up to collect Russian military fatigues has been released by Ukrainian officials, who say it shows the introduction of troops sent by Pyongyang into the conflict. The video, published by Ukraine’s Center for Strategic Communications and Information Security, which operates under the Culture and Information Ministry, allegedly shows North Korean soldiers standing in line to pick up bags, clothes and other apparel from Russian servicemen. The Associated Press couldn’t verify the video independently. “We received this video from our own sources. We cannot provide additional verification from the sources who provided it to us due to security concerns,” said Ihor Solovey, the head of the center.

‘This is the beginning': 91-year-old sister of longest death row inmate sees hope in his acquittal

HAMAMATSU, Japan (AP) — Hideko Hakamada, 91, spent much of her life working to free her brother from nearly a half-century on death row. Now that he has been acquitted she feels that the siblings are beginning a new chapter of their lives. She backed her brother, Iwao Hakamada, the world’s longest-serving death row inmate, through decades of frustrating, at times apparently hopeless, legal wrangling as his mental condition worsened. “No matter what people said about me, I lived my own life and appreciated my freedom. I did not belittle myself as the sister of a death row inmate. I lived without shame,” she told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview at her home in the central Japanese city of Hamamatsu.

Train hits and kills 2 wild elephants in Sri Lanka as 2 of its fuel-carrying tankers derail

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — A train carrying thousands of gallons of fuel hit a herd of wild elephants in northeast Sri Lanka, killing two of the giant mammals and injuring one other as two of its tankers got derailed, authorities said. The collision happened in the town of Minneriya — about 200 kilometers (124 miles) from the capital, Colombo — renowned for its nature park and wildlife. The train driver told The Associated Press that the herd of nearly 20 elephants suddenly tried to cross over the railway track Friday. “There was about 10 meters (32 feet) between us. So, we couldn’t do anything.