News Wire

Thai Ex-Prime Minister Returns From Exile Amid Growing Political Chaos

By Sui-Lee Wee and Muktita Suhartono | The New York Times

Thaksin Shinawatra, the former premier who was ousted in a coup and has been living in exile since 2006, returned to Bangkok for the first time in 15 years on Tuesday and was quickly taken into custody, adding to the country’s political drama on a day that Parliament was set to vote for a new prime minister.

More from WPR: The State of Democracy in Southeast Asia Is Bad and Getting Worse

Japan to Release Fukushima Water Into Ocean Starting Aug. 24

By Sakura Murakami and Tom Bateman | Reuters

Japan said on Tuesday it will start releasing more than 1 million metric tons of treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant on Aug. 24, putting into motion a plan that has drawn strong criticism from China, as well as local fishing groups.