Vietnam's parliament elected the country's minister for public security, To Lam, as president on Wednesday. Lawmakers voted unanimously on a resolution that approved Lam's election. 

Lam's election followed the appointment by the National Assembly of a new chairman, former deputy Tran Thanh Man. After his election, Lam told lawmakers he would "resolutely and persistently continue the fight against corruption."

On Monday, the Delhi government in India issued a circular asking all schools that have remained open despite the ongoing heat wave to close immediately. 

In a circular issued by the Directorate of Education, all schools in the city were mandated to observe summer vacation from May 11 to June 30 for the current academic year. Delhi has experienced a consistent increase in temperatures in the past few days, reaching the peak of this summer on Sunday with the temperature at 44.4 degrees Celsius. 

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said his government will cut diesel subsidies to strengthen its fiscal position. The move is expected to save about 4 billion ringgit ($852 million) annually, Anwar said on Tuesday. He said savings from subsidy cuts could be re-directed to the needy, including cash assistance to eligible owners of diesel vehicles such as paddy farmers and small traders. 

"I caution that any targeted subsidy should not burden the majority of the people," Anwar said in a televised address. Malaysia subsidizes fuel, cooking oil and rice, among other items, but rising commodity prices have seen that climb in recent years, straining the government's budget.

China's Beijing-3C satellite constellation captured its first image on Tuesday, according to a report in the newspaper China Space News. The image was received by a satellite ground station in Beijing and shows a collection of buildings next to a river with clear textures, distinct layers, rich detail, vibrant colors and an overall smooth image quality. 

China launched a Long March-2D carrier rocket at 11:06 a.m. (Beijing Time) on Monday, sending Beijing-3C into a preset orbit. The constellation will be primarily used to provide remote sensing satellite data that has high spatial and temporal resolution.

A Japanese town has put up a large black screen to block out the view of the iconic Mount Fuji. Fujikawaguchiko town had become a photo spot where tourists would stop and take pictures of Japan's most famous tourist attraction. However, on Tuesday officials finished a 20-metre by 2.5-metre screen to obstruct the view. 

Reuters reported that, "March and April set all-time records for visitor arrivals, driven by pent-up demand after the pandemic and as the yen's slide to a 34-year low made Japan an irresistible bargain. That's been good news for the economy, with travelers spending a record 1.75 trillion yen ($11.2 billion) in the first three months of 2024, according to the tourist agency." However, the Japan Times wrote, "Although it might have been gold for your Instagram, the rush of tourists wasn't appreciated by residents, who complained that visitors were littering, blocking access to services used by residents and spilling out dangerously onto the road in the quest for the perfect shot. The end result: Now no one gets to enjoy the view.”

(Cover: To Lam takes his oath as Vietnam's president during the National Assembly's summer session in Hanoi, Vietnam, May 22, 2024. /CFP)