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Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1000 GMT, April 10

Xinhua, April 10, 2015 Adjust font size:

No consultation was made Friday about the deployment of an advanced U.S. missile defense system, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), on the Korean Peninsula during talks between South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo and visiting U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.

"There has not been any decision made by the U.S. government and neither has there been any consultation on the deployment of THAAD between the two governments," Han said during a joint press conference after the dialogue with Carter who arrived Thursday in South Korea, the second leg of his first Asian tour since he took office in February. (S.Korea-US-THAAD)

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SEOUL -- Samsung's new flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, on Friday officially go on sale worldwide to challenge iPhone lineup's market dominance, while Apple's iWatch began taking orders at its Tokyo and was set to start global online reservations.

Samsung Electronics Co. said the new galaxy series will be first sold in 20 countries including South Korea, the United States, Britain and Germany, and will expand to other regions step by step in future. (S.Korea-Smartphone)

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GHAZNI, Afghanistan -- A roadside bomb struck a vehicle in Ghazni province on Friday, killing 12 civilians aboard, deputy to provincial police chief Mohammad Ali Ahmadi said.

"A mine planted by militants struck a civilian vehicle in Dehmullah village of Khogiani district at around 10:00 a.m. local time today, leaving 12 people aboard dead," Ahmadi told reporters here. (Afghanistan-Bomb)

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NAY PYI TAW -- Myanmar began a high-level six-party talks in Nay Pyi Taw Friday to discuss domestic political issues including constitutional amendment, general election and peace process.

The six parties involve President U Thein Sein, Commander-in- Chief of the Defense Services Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, speaker of the House of Representatives (Lower House) U Shwe Mann, speaker of the House of Nationalities (Upper House) U Khin Aung Myint and parliament member of the Upper House Dr. Aye Maung, who is chairman of Arakan National Party (ANP) selected to represent ethnic nationalities. ( Myanmar-Constitutional Amendment-Talks)

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ISLAMABAD -- Pakistani parliament on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution, calling upon the United Nations and Organization of Islamic Cooperation to stop war in Yemen.

The parliament session was convened this week to seek proposals from the lawmakers on how to respond to the situation arising out after the Saudi-led airstrikes against the Shiite Houthi group in Yemen. (Pakistan-Yemen War) Endi