Xinhua Asia-Pacific News Summary at 1600GMT, July 13

The Indonesian government will raise the issues of UN roles since it was established 70 years ago,and other issues at the General Assembly session in September in New York, Indonesian minister said here on Monday.

Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla is to represent Indonesia at the international meeting, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said.(Indonesia-UN)

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BANGKOK -- Lower-than-normal precipitation in July is expected to exacerbate Thailand's current drought crisis, with parts of four provinces declared disaster areas.

The national disaster warning center has declared 15 districts and 79 sub-districts in provinces of Prae, Chonburi, Sukhothai and Pathum Thani disaster areas, according to the National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT).(Thailand-Drought)

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TOKYO -- A group of experts who convened in parliament for a public hearing Monday to present arguments for and against the contentious security legislation being pitched by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to boost the scope of Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) remained at odds ahead of a parliamentary committee vote slated for Wednesday.

Out of five experts who presented their cases in the Lower House special committee, two who were hand-picked by Abe's ruling coalition were in favor of the security bills, the passage of which to the upper house for enactment into law has been delayed owing to opposition party resistance and public disapproval, despite the ruling coalitions majority in both chambers, while two voiced arguments against the security package.(Japan-Security legislation)

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PUL-E-KHUMRI -- Some 20 people were feared injured in a bomb attack that targeted a mosque in Pul-e-Khumri city, capital of northern Afghanistan's Baghlan province on Monday evening, sources and witnesses said.(Afghanistan-Attack) Endi