JAKARTA, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia, through state-owned energy company Pertamina, is seeking alternative crude oil import sources as tensions in the Middle East disrupt shipping activities.
Simon Aloysius Mantiri, president director of PT Pertamina, said on Thursday that the company has taken anticipatory measures to secure domestic energy supplies by diversifying its import sources. (Indonesia-Oil Security)
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BANGKOK -- Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday that his Bhumjaithai Party has secured enough support for its bid to form a new coalition government following the February general election.
Anutin said during a press conference that the Bhumjaithai Party would lead the alliance, backed by a total of 13 parties and commanding around 291 seats in the freshly elected House of Representatives. (Thailand-Election)
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KATHMANDU -- The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has emerged as the largest force in Nepal's House of Representatives by winning 182 seats in the March 5 parliamentary election, the Election Commission said on Thursday.
The party, formed just four years ago, won 125 seats under the first-past-the-post system and 57 seats under the proportional representation system in the 275-member chamber. (Nepal-Parliamentary Election)
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TOKYO, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Nearly half of Japanese people oppose easing their country's export ban on lethal weapons, a Jiji Press survey showed Thursday.
In the March survey, 48.2 percent of respondents rejected the Japanese ruling coalition's proposal to ease restrictions on arms exports and allow the export of lethal weapons. (Japan-Poll-Weapon)
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NEW DELHI -- At least 26 workers were injured Thursday after a fire broke out inside an electric meter manufacturing factory on the outskirts of the Indian capital territory Delhi, police said.
The fire inside Capital Power System Limited in Sector 4's Thana Phase 1 of Noida triggered chaos and panic among workers at the factory, and many jumped from the roof of the factory and were injured, a police official said. (India-Factory Fire) ■
