Top Asian News 2:47 a.m. GMT

Philippines deports US Marine in transgender killing

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A U.S. Marine convicted of killing a Filipino transgender woman was deported Sunday after a presidential pardon cut short his detention in a case that renewed outrage over a pact governing American military presence in the Philippines. Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton said in a farewell message that he was “extremely grateful” to President Rodrigo Duterte for pardoning him and expressed his “most sincere sympathy” to the family of Jennifer Laude, who he was convicted of killing in 2014 after finding out that she was a transgender in a motel northwest of Manila. During his five-year confinement, Pemberton said he spent “much time contemplating the many errors” he committed the night Laude died.

Australia minister warns foreign journalists amid China spat

SYDNEY (AP) — A senior Australian government minister on Sunday warned foreign journalists working in the country they might come under the scrutiny of federal agencies if they provide a “slanted view” of Australian affairs. Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton made the comments during a television interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corp., referring to journalists reporting to “a particular community.” While he didn’t mention China, Dutton's comments come after the evacuation from China last week of Australian journalists Bill Birtles and Mike Smith, who sheltered in Australian diplomatic compounds after being questioned by police. Australian Cheng Lei, who works as a business anchor for CGTN, China’s English-language state broadcaster, earlier was taken into custody.

China announces new restrictions on US diplomats' activities

BEIJING (AP) — China has announced new restrictions on the activities of U.S. diplomats working in mainland China and Hong Kong, in what it called a justified response to similar measures imposed on Chinese diplomats in the U.S. last year. In a statement posted online late Friday, a foreign ministry spokesperson said the rules would apply to senior diplomats and all other personnel at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and consulates throughout China. However, the spokesperson said that China supported “normal exchanges and cooperation between all sectors of the two countries," and that the restrictions could be lifted if the U.S.

Relatives urge China to return 12 detainees to Hong Kong

HONG KONG (AP) — Relatives of 12 Hong Kong activists detained at sea by Chinese authorities called Saturday for their family members to be returned to the territory, saying their legal rights were being violated. At an emotional news conference, the group said their relatives should be allowed to meet with lawyers they themselves have hired, not those appointed by Chinese authorities, They also said they should be provided with needed medications, be allowed to call their families and eventually be allowed to return to Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government has not provided any sort of concrete assistance, leading the families to come forward to urge authorities to help, said pro-democracy lawmaker Eddie Chu, who hosted the news conference.

Antarctica is still free of COVID-19. Can it stay that way?

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — At this very moment a vast world exists that’s free of the coronavirus, where people can mingle without masks and watch the pandemic unfold from thousands of miles away. That world is Antarctica, the only continent without COVID-19. Now, as nearly 1,000 scientists and others who wintered over on the ice are seeing the sun for the first time in weeks or months, a global effort wants to make sure incoming colleagues don’t bring the virus with them. From the U.K.'s Rothera Research Station off the Antarctic peninsula that curls toward the tip of South America, field guide Rob Taylor described what it’s like in “our safe little bubble.” In pre-coronavirus days, long-term isolation, self-reliance and psychological strain were the norm for Antarctic teams while the rest of the world saw their life as fascinatingly extreme.

Japan PM hopeful says he may need help from Abe on diplomacy

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese prime minister hopeful Yoshihide Suga said Saturday that he lacks the kind of diplomatic skills that outgoing leader Shinzo Abe has, including Abe's personal friendship with President Donald Trump, and that he will need his assistance if he assumes the top job. Abe in late August announced his intention to step down as prime minister due to health problems. He has led Japan since he returned to power in December 2012 for a second stint as prime minister. Suga, the chief Cabinet secretary, is expected to win Monday's party election and then be endorsed in a parliamentary vote on Wednesday because of the majority held by the ruling bloc.

Thousands march in Mauritius to protest disastrous oil spill

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Thousands of people protested in Mauritius again Saturday over the government’s handling of an offshore oil spill that has become the Indian Ocean island nation’s worst environmental disaster in years. New details indicate the Japanese ship that struck a coral reef in late July and leaked some 1,000 tons of fuel oil near protected coastal areas had strayed miles off course because the captain wanted to move closer to shore so crew members could get a mobile phone signal to call their families. “The change of course could be related to the birthday celebration of one of the crew members,” said a report this week by the maritime authority of Panama, where the MV Wakashio is registered.

Asia Today: India's cases cross 4.6M after record surge

NEW DELHI (AP) — India’s confirmed coronavirus tally has crossed 4.6 million after a record surge of 97,570 new cases in 24 hours. India on Saturday also reported another 1,201 deaths, taking total fatalities to 77,472. Infections are growing faster in India than anywhere else in the world and it is the second worst-hit country behind the United States. Experts say India’s limited and restrictive testing has masked the actual toll even as daily tests have been ramped up to more than 1 million. The Health Ministry said that over three-fourth of reported COVID-19 cases had either recovered or been discharged.

China releases 5 missing Indian nationals amid standoff

NEW DELHI (AP) — The Indian army said Saturday that China has released five Indian nationals who went missing earlier this month from the eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh amid simmering tensions between the two countries along a disputed mountain frontier. The five men were hunters and will be quarantined for 14 days as a precaution against the coronavirus before being handed over to their families, the army said in a statement. China’s state-run Global Times newspaper disputed India's claims, and said the released men were intelligence agents dressed as hunters. The five men went missing on Sept. 2, adding to the already heightened tensions between India and China.

China says Mars probe stable; no word on reusable spacecraft

BEIJING (AP) — China's Mars probe Tianwen-1, which blasted into space in July, is now more than 15 million kilometers (9 million miles) from Earth en route to the red planet, the National Space Administration said Saturday. The administration said that Tianwen-1 was in stable condition, having completed its first mid-course orbital correction early last month. It will be about 195 million kilometers (118 million miles) from Earth when it arrives at Mars around February, having traveled 470 million kilometers (292 million miles) in all to get there. The administration, however, has yet to release information about a mysterious reusable experimental spacecraft that returned to Earth a week ago after a two-day flight.