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Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 0600 GMT, Aug. 14

Xinhua, August 14, 2015 Adjust font size:

Australian port workers sacked last week via Internet will head back to work on Friday after winning a temporary reprieve, successfully arguing Hutchison Ports Australia failed in its workplace responsibilities.

Hutchison Ports Australia (HPA) workers walked off the job in Sydney and Brisbane last Friday in protest of the 97 workers that were sacked by e-mail messages, blockading the dock and setting up picket lines. (Australia-Port Worker-Dispute)

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TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will issue a statement to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two later on Friday, with focuses on whether the leader could atone for Japan's dark past through offering an apology to victims of its wartime atrocities.

The statement is expected to be approved by the cabinet around 5 p.m. local time and will be released by Abe during a press conference about one hour later, according to Japan's Kyodo News. (Japan-Abe-Statement)

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JAKARTA -- Food prices instability, graft, weak low enforcement are the main obstacles for Indonesia to revive economy, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said here on Friday.

The gap between the poor and rich is also challenging the country, the president, also known as Jokowi, said in an annual speech to lawmakers. (Indonesia-President-Address)

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CANBERRA -- Divisions within the Australian government were becoming increasingly apparent on Friday, as senior ministers bickered over whether to send the issue of same-sex marriage to a referendum.

Education Minister and leader of the house Christopher Pyne was the latest to voice his opinions on the matter, telling the Nine Network that a public referendum, which, as Prime Minister Tony Abbott suggested, would be taken after the next federal election, was unnecessary. (Australia-Same-Sex-Marriage)

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WELLINGTON -- United States diplomats in New Zealand have warned U.S. nationals to avoid going near a march in Auckland to protest against the controversial 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal on Saturday.

The U.S. Consulate in Auckland put a notice on its website and reportedly e-mailed U.S. nationals in New Zealand on Friday that New Zealand police expected about 8,000 people would attend the march in central Auckland at 1 p.m. local time. (NZ-TPP- Demonstration)

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NAY PYI TAW -- Myanmar's ruling party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), has made a major reshuffle of its leadership ahead of November's general election.

It reformed its 47-member central executive committee (CEC) Thursday and retaining President U Thein Sein as the party's chairman, the original post which he held in the party leadership. (Myanmar-Leadership) Endi