Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

TOKYO (AP) — Images captured by a robotic probe inside one of the three melted reactors at Japan’s wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant showed exposed steel bars in the main supporting structure and parts of its thick external concrete wall missing, triggering concerns about its earthquake resistance in case of another major disaster.

The plant’s operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, has been sending robotic probes inside the Unit 1 primary containment chamber since last year. The new findings released Tuesday were from the latest probe conducted at the end of March.

BEIJING (AP) — Furious at U.S. efforts that cut off access to technology to make advanced computer chips, China’s leaders appear to be struggling to figure out how to retaliate without hurting their own ambitions in telecoms, artificial intelligence and other industries.

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mixed in Asia on Tuesday as investors watched for the latest moves by central banks, while oil prices steadied after shooting higher the day before following an announcement that major exporters plan to cut production.

Benchmarks rose in Tokyo, Shanghai and Seoul but fell in Hong Kong and Sydney.

Australia’s central bank kept its key interest rate unchanged at 3.60%

Beijing, Apr 3 (PTI) China responded positively on Monday to Russia's new foreign policy concept, saying Beijing, Moscow and New Delhi are emerging "major powers" with "notable influence" and it was ready to boost ties with them and send a "positive signal" to the world in view of the complex changes. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the new Foreign Policy Concept Friday last, which said strengthening and deepening relations with China and India is a diplomatic priority for Russia.

SEOUL, April 3 (Xinhua) -- South Korea, the United States and Japan began a two-day naval exercise in international waters south of South Korea, officials said on Monday.

The anti-submarine and search-and-rescue exercise will be staged from Monday to Tuesday in international waters south of the South Korean southern island of Jeju, according to South Korea's Ministry of National Defense.

BANGKOK, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Thailand on Monday saw the registration of House of Representatives candidates for its general election to be held next month began nationwide.

The application process for the constituency candidates on Monday went smoothly and orderly in the Southeast Asian country, Election commissioner Thitichet Nuchanart told reporters.

It will take up to seven days for the Election Commission to check the candidates' qualification before approving their eligibility, Thitichet said.

TOKYO, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Japan's newly created Children and Families Agency began its full-scale operations on Monday, in a bid to eliminate the vertically segmented administration of child-related policies previously overseen by multiple government agencies.

The new administrative body, established with about 400 personnel, is designed to serve as a control tower for a wide range of policies, such as supporting child-rearing, alleviating child poverty, helping to prevent child abuse and tackling the falling birthrate.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The South Korean, U.S. and Japanese navies began their first anti-submarine drills in six months on Monday to boost their coordination against increasing North Korean missile threats, South Korea’s military said.

The two-day drills come as North Korea’s recent unveiling of a type of battlefield nuclear warhead prompted worries the country may conduct its first nuclear test since 2017.

BANGKOK (AP) — Oil prices soared nearly 6% on Monday after Saudi Arabia and other major oil producers said they will cut production by 1.15 million barrels per day from May until the end of the year. Shares in Asia were mixed.

Beijing, Apr 2 (PTI) Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang on Sunday urged his Japanese counterpart Yoshimasa Hayashi not to "help a villain do evil" by backing the US tech restrictions against Beijing as the two ministers held rare talks here amid China's increasing criticism against Tokyo's backing for Washington-led Indo-Pacific strategy.

The United States "used bullying tactics to brutally suppress the Japanese semiconductor industry, and now it is repeating its old tricks against China", Qin told Hayashi.