Washington, May 23 (PTI) The vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific that the United States and Japan share serves as the foundation for a global partnership that strengthens security, prosperity and order around the world, the White House has said.

In fact, the US-Japan alliance serves as the cornerstone of peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region, it said Wednesday, ahead of President Donald Trump's scheduled Japan visit beginning May 25.

Chennai, May 23 (PTI) The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu seemed to be on course to win a comfortable number of seats from the 22 Assembly segments where bypolls were held, signalling that K Palaniswami can breathe easy and continue in the saddle for another two years.

The party was leading in 10 of the 22 seats where polling was held in two phases-- on April 18 and May 19, according to the latest Election Commission data.

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/: Moscow’s Zamoskvoretsky Court has satisfied a motion filed by Russian blogger Alexei Navalny’s lawyer to unblock his accounts and securities that had been frozen during the investigation into the Yves Rocher case, TASS reported from the courtroom.

"The court satisfies the motion to unblock the funds and securities that had been frozen by Moscow’s Basmanny Court in 2013 filed by Alexei Navalny’s counsel," Judge Natalya Cheprasova announced the verdict.

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — The defeated candidate in Indonesia’s presidential election is expected to challenge the result in court Thursday as calm returned to the capital following a 24-hour spasm of apparently orchestrated violence.

The campaign team of former general Prabowo Subianto has alleged massive election fraud but not provided any credible evidence. It has said it will file a challenge to the Constitutional Court on Thursday.

WARSAW, May 23 (Xinhua) -- Four regions in southern Poland are on alert because of heavy rain and storms, with the military mobilised to help inhabitants and some locals being evacuated, local media reported on Thursday.

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/: Drugs have been found in an apartment of former Russian minister Mikhail Abyzov who is facing bribery charges, an investigator told a Moscow district court on Thursday.

"A narcotic substance has been found in Abyzov’s apartment during the search. Investigators have already received chemical analysis data," the investigator said at the Moscow Bamanny District Court session. He did not say however whether Abyzov had been charged with drug possession. Neither did he tell about the amount of drugs and their type.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A tornado caused heavy damage in Missouri’s capital city as severe weather swept across the state overnight, causing at least three deaths and injuring nearly two dozen people as homes and businesses were ripped apart.

The National Weather Service confirmed that the large and destructive tornado moved over Jefferson City shortly before midnight on Wednesday.

Budapest, Hungary: With a no-nonsense look etched on her face, Ada Hegerberg stares straight into the camera and says: “Now it’s time for action.”

It’s fitting the Norwegian superstar was chosen as the face of a recently launched campaign aimed at improving the profile and standards in women’s soccer.

Not just because, as the first ever female winner of the Ballon d’Or, she is the outstanding player in the women’s game.

NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Avenatti, the attorney who rocketed to fame through his representation of porn star Stormy Daniels in her battles with President Donald Trump, was charged Wednesday with ripping her off.

Federal prosecutors in New York City say Avenatti used a doctored document to divert about $300,000 that Daniels was supposed to get from a book deal, then used the money for personal and business expenses. Only half of that money was paid back, prosecutors said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A dozen times, Rep. Ayanna Pressley asked the witness for a yes or no answer on housing policy.

Not once did Ben Carson, President Donald Trump’s housing secretary, give her one. Instead, he mocked her: “Yes or no, can you ask me some questions yourself and stop reading?” Other times, he repeated: “You already know the answer.”

“I know the answer,” snapped Pressley. “Do YOU know the answer?”

MOSCOW, May 23. /TASS/: The alert air defense force destroyed four rockets, which terrorists fired from multiple launch systems at the Hmeymim airbase in Syria, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Thursday.

"At about 19:00 hours on May 22, terrorists fired four rockets from a multiple rocket launcher at the Hmeymim airbase. All the rockets were timely detected by the Russian air defense capabilities and destroyed," the ministry said in a statement.

Jaipur, May 23 (PTI) A woman in her 20's was allegedly tortured and raped by five persons including a doctor and a suspended police constable in the city, police said Thursday.

The accused left the woman in a semi-naked position on the Agra road here on Wednesday, they said.

The woman alleged that she was tortured and gang-raped on Tuesday night, they added.