KHARTOUM (Reuters) -- Soldiers arrested most of the members of Sudan's cabinet and a large number of pro-government party leaders on Monday in an apparent military coup, three political sources said.

The information ministry said "joint military forces" had arrested civilian members of the Sovereign Council and members of the government and had taken them to an undisclosed location.

There was no immediate comment from the military. Sudanese state TV broadcast as normal.

A Reuters witness saw joint forces from the military and from the powerful

SHANGHAI -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday called on all nations to defend the status quo of the United Nations-backed international order, batting off attempts by the U.S. to expand Taiwan's participation in the global organization.

Xi's comments came in a speech in Beijing at a meeting to mark the 50th anniversary of China's admission to the UN. On Oct. 25, 1971, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 2758 to include the

MANILA -- The majority stockholder of the Philippines' power grid operator, which has courted controversy over issues including Chinese ownership, is set to kick off a crucial share sale on Tuesday to comply with regulations.

Synergy Grid & Development Phils plans to sell up to 1.15 million shares, including overallotment option, at 12 pesos ($0.24) apiece in a follow-on offering to increase its public ownership, a requirement to remain listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The $27

JAKARTA/TAIPEI -- Indonesia and iPhone assembler Foxconn have held talks over electric vehicle investment in the Southeast Asian country, though the two sides differ on what was decided.

Both sides in separate statements confirmed investment discussions took place late last week. Any such entry into Indonesia by Foxconn would be huge boost for a country that aims to position itself as a key player in the global EV supply chain.

Indonesia said on Sunday that Foxconn "plans to build" electric vehicles and batteries there, though the Taiwanese company stopped short

TOKYO -- U.S. President Joe Biden is committed to avoiding confrontation with China despite ongoing political tensions, his chief diplomat for the Indo-Pacific region told a Nikkei-sponsored event on Monday.

"We are trying to clearly explain to Chinese interlocutors that the dominant paradigm for U.S.-China relations going forward is going to be one of competition," Kurt Campbell, coordinator for Indo-Pacific affairs at the U.S. National Security Council, told the Nikkei Virtual Global Forum.

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TOKYO -- Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said Monday that promoting sustainable finance will be at the core of the city's updated strategy to become a global financial center under the Tokyo Global Financial Center concept, which Koike introduced in 2017.

"If we develop green finance and finance that supports transitions to decarbonization, it will lead to our increased presence as an international financial city," Koike said in a video message at the Nikkei Virtual Global Forum. Tokyo will support the issuance of green bonds by covering

SEONGNAM, South Korea -- Two South Korean airforce jets painted the national flag in the sky over Seoul Air Base on Friday, marking the close of the nation's biggest ever arms show.

The five-day Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition, or ADEX, was buzzing with military officers, sales representatives, and ordinary citizens snapping thousands of pieces of weaponry and military equipment on display from 440 companies representing 28 nations.

Inside halls showed drones, robots, aerospace equipment and laser arms, while jet

TAIPEI -- For the first quarter-century of its existence, the United Nations had a credibility problem. It claimed to represent the nations of the world, yet the People's Republic of China, which was home to roughly one-fifth of humanity, was not a member.

That changed on October 25, 1971, with the admission of the People's Republic to the global body, where it took one of the five permanent veto-wielding seats on the Security Council. The

TOKYO -- A Japanese bedding manufacturer has set up a climate-controlled space to collect hard data on how its blankets and other products perform under a variety of weather conditions.

As the tester sleeps in the supplied bedding, Kyoto-based Romance Kosugi takes measurements of the space between the blankets and mattress, including airflow, temperature, texture, and how much the subject sweats.

The climate-controlled room can simulate different seasons, from Japan's hot, humid summers to its cold, drier winters, with temperatures