Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

JAKARTA, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday inaugurated a $7.3 billion high-speed railway connecting the country's capital with the city of Bandung, a China-backed project that has been marred with problems.

The 142-kilometre (88.23-mile) railway, one of the president's flagship infrastructure projects and part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, has faced problems ranging from land procurement issues, pandemic-related delays and ballooning costs.

SEOUL, Oct 1 (Reuters) - North Korea accused the United States on Sunday of letting a "terrorist" act against Cuba take place on U.S. soil, saying a recent attack against the Cuban embassy in Washington was the result of "despicable anti-Cuban" U.S. intentions.

The United States has neglected to ensure the safety of the Cuban mission and was only keen to put countries it dislikes, such as Cuba, on its list of state sponsors of terrorism, a spokesman of North Korea's foreign ministry said in a statement.

MANILA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Monday said it has approved a loan of 66.1 million euros (72.3 million U.S. dollars) as additional financing to support Armenia in building earthquake-resilient schools and strengthening its capacity for seismic disaster risk management.

"Armenia is located in a seismically active region and is prone to earthquakes that can cause significant human suffering and economic losses," said ADB Senior Project Officer in Armenia Gohar Mousaelyan.

BAKU, September 29. /TASS/: Azerbaijan will make sure that the rights and security of Armenians in Karabakh are protected and has already outlined its vision of reintegration to them, President Ilham Aliyev said at the second National Urban Planning Forum in Zangilan on Friday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (NNN-Bernama) — The United Kingdom (UK) will continue its collaboration with Malaysia to support the country’s ambition in making technical and vocational education and training (TVET) a key driver of economic prosperity.

British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ailsa Terry said the UK is dedicated to improving access to skills and education, ensuring the future readiness of the global workforce as well as encouraging social inclusivity and gender equality.

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Sept 28 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysian King Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Thursday calls on the people to emulate the Prophet Muhammad’s noble character in speaking the truth, being honest and avoiding slander and lies. 

Al-Sultan Abdullah said words in the forms of insults, lies and slander only undermine the country’s stability and harmony. 

Sept 28 (Reuters) - Beijing and Washington are paving the way for Chinese President Xi Jinping to visit the U.S., the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Both sides are discussing a trip to Washington by Xi’s top economic-policy aide, Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, the report said citing people briefed on the matter.

TASHKENT, Sept 28 (Reuters) - One person was killed and 162 injured by a powerful explosion on Thursday at a warehouse near Tashkent's airport that sparked a fire and shattered windows in apartment blocks nearby, authorities in Uzbekistan said.

A teenage boy died after a window frame fell on him, the health ministry said in a statement, adding that 24 people had been hospitalised, but faced no threat to their lives, while 138 were treated for injuries.

Flights were operating as normal at the international airport in the capital, its administration said.

BEIJING, Sept 28 (Reuters) - China launched its first high-speed rail line that will travel across several bays and skim along the coast of the southeastern province of Fujian near the Taiwan Strait, state media reported on Thursday.

A bullet train departed from Fuzhou, the capital of east China's Fujian province Thursday morning, setting up the opening of the 277-km (172-mile) Fuzhou-Xiamen-Zhangzhou railway, Xinhua reported.

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Taiwan unveiled its first domestically developed submarine on Thursday, a major step in a project aimed at strengthening the island's defence and deterrence against the Chinese navy, though it won't enter service for another two years.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has made the indigenous submarine programme a key part of an ambitious project to modernise its armed forces as Beijing stages almost daily military exercises to assert its sovereignty.