North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time on Thursday, in a summit intended to galvanise support amid Pyongyang’s stalled nuclear talks with Washington. The meeting on Russky Island near the Pacific port of Vladivostok is Kim’s first face-to-face talks with another head of state since returning from his […]
Drought in Southeast Asia may become even more frequent and intense if countries do not take steps to reduce its impact, according to a joint study from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) and Asean. “Ready for the Dry Years: Building resilience to drought in Southeast Asia”, released […]
Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to “declare war” on Canada within a week if it doesn’t clean up its act and remove tonnes of trash shipped to Manila is most likely just garbage. While it’s true the two nations have strained ties, Duterte’s erratic rants and incendiary remarks have become his calling card. He often […]
Detained former Nissan chair Carlos Ghosn paid 500 million yen ($4.5 million) in bail, the Tokyo District court said Thursday, clearing the way for his release but under strict conditions. Prosecutors appealed the decision by the court earlier in the day to grant release on bail. They say he may tamper with evidence or influence […]
The new cold war with China is on. This week, China will celebrate the 70th anniversary of its People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) by flaunting its naval might in a parade of ships off the port of Qingdao to impress and intimidate countries from the region and around the world. Meanwhile, the white and orange […]
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday that US talks with North Korea would be “bumpy,” but expressed hope there would be several more chances to discuss how to move forward to the country’s denuclearisation. In an interview with CBS News, Pompeo said North Korea’s possession of nuclear weapons put it at risk […]
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday he expected “bumpy” talks ahead with North Korea but that he still hoped to reach a potentially landmark denuclearisation deal. US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un cut short a summit in February in Hanoi, with Pyongyang later blaming Pompeo for pushing a […]
Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said Thursday they had good talks about their joint efforts to resolve a standoff over Pyongyang’s nuclear programme, amid stalled negotiations with the United States. Speaking at the start of the discussions at a university on the Russky Island across a bridge from Vladivostok, […]
North Korea has replaced Kim Jong Un’s right-hand man who steered nuclear talks with the United States, apparently blaming him for a failed summit between the two countries, a South Korean lawmaker said on Wednesday. Kim Yong Chol was removed as head of the United Front Department, the North Korean Workers’ Party apparatus that traditionally […]
China launched on Thursday a staunch defence of its Belt and Road global infrastructure project as it opened a summit with a pledge to ease concerns about debt linked to its signature foreign policy. President Xi Jinping’s pet project is a reboot of the ancient Silk Road to connect Asia to Europe and Africa through […]
Russia’s Vladimir Putin and North Korea’s Kim Jong Un met face-to-face for the first time on Thursday, vowing to seek closer ties as they look to counter US influence. The summit in Russia’s Far Eastern city of Vladivostok came with Kim locked in a nuclear stand-off with Washington and Putin keen to put Moscow forward […]
Hong Kong’s imprisoned Occupy protest leaders have room to appeal against their convictions, legal experts said on Thursday, but pushing back against their sentences could be risky. University of Hong Kong scholar Eric Cheung Tat-ming said there was a high chance the case would eventually reach the city’s top court, regardless of decisions taken by […]
Much of Vietnam’s illegal supply floods in from the lawless “Golden Triangle” zone that straddles Laos, Thailand and Myanmar Police in southern Vietnam have seized more than a tonne of methamphetamine after uncovering a smuggling operation involving at least two Taiwanese nationals and a Vietnamese man, the third massive bust in a week in the […]
Police in central Vietnam have seized more than half a tonne of methamphetamine in one of the largest drug busts in recent years in the communist country where synthetic drug use is on the rise. Four people were arrested after police stormed a house in central Nghe An province where they found 600 kilograms (1,300 […]
A Vietnamese man has been arrested for attempting to smuggle an entire tiger skin and tiger bones into China, police said Thursday in the southeast Asian country where illegal wildlife trade flourishes. Vietnam is both a consumption hub and popular trading route for illegal animal products destined for other parts of Asia, namely China. Border […]
African swine fever has been detected on three farms in Vietnam, authorities said on Tuesday, the first confirmed cases of the highly contagious disease in the Southeast Asia country. All pigs on the farms located in Hung Yen and Thai Binh provinces, southeast of the capital Hanoi, were culled, the Animal Health Department said in […]
Representatives from 13 countries across Asia and the Pacific gathered in Bangkok, Thailand, from 29 to 31 October to develop road maps to implement and expand pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and HIV self-testing in the region. In discussions on building capacity for the rollout of PrEP and HIV testing innovations in Asia and the Pacific, policy-makers, […]
The health ministry said today it will focus on eliminating mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B, after Malaysia became the first country in the Western Pacific to eradicate such transmissions in HIV and syphilis. Health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad said a few states will begin pilot programmes of targeted screening for Hepatitis B among pregnant mothers, after […]
TOKYO, Apr 25, 2019 – (JCN Newswire) – Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development, Inc. (TRI-AD), Toyota’s automated driving software development company, Maxar Technologies Inc., a global technology innovator powering the new space economy, and NTT DATA Corporation, a leading IT services provider, today announced they will collaborate on a proof of concept building automated high-definition (HD) […]
Commences partial operations of Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama TOKYO, Apr 25, 2019 – (JCN Newswire) – Toyota Motor Corporation has completed work on the central section of its new research and development facility, named Toyota Technical Center Shimoyama, located in a mountainous area straddling the cities of Toyota and Okazaki. This section, which primarily features […]
TOKYO, Apr 25, 2019 – (JCN Newswire) – Mazda Motor Corporation’s production and sales results for March 2019 and for April 2018 through March 2019 are summarized below. I. Production 1. Domestic Production (1) March 2019 Mazda’s domestic production volume in March 2019 decreased 4.3% year on year due to decreased production of passenger and […]
Drought in Southeast Asia may become even more frequent and intense if countries do not take steps to reduce its impact, according to a joint study from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (Escap) and Asean. “Ready for the Dry Years: Building resilience to drought in Southeast Asia”, released […]
Myanmar police have arrested one American and two locals after photos on Facebook led them to a huge plantation of towering marijuana plants near Mandalay. Pictures of the fields of weed started circulating on the platform last weeka rare sight online in a country where police photos of seized heroin and methamphetamine are far more […]
Recovery teams in Myanmar fought against a huge lake of sludge on Wednesday in their search for bodies after a landslide engulfed more than 50 jade minersthe latest fatal accident in a notoriously dangerous but highly-lucrative industry. Dozens die each year in landslides caused by jade mining, a poorly regulated industry rife with corruption. The […]
China is expected to showcase projects that it thinks can set the standard for its flagship “Belt and Road Initiative” and crack down on exploitation of the name as dozens of heads of state converge on Beijing this week to discuss the controversial grand infrastructure plan. Since its launch by Chinese President Xi Jinping in […]
Jiangxi Copper Co one of China’s biggest copper producers, plans to build a plant to produce refined copper in Malaysia’s eastern state of Sabah as the country emerges as a dismantling centre for non-ferrous scrap, its chair said. The company plans to use copper scrap and not copper concentrates as raw material for the plant, […]
Sitting lotus-style on an apartment floor, two women quietly rotate their arms in front of thema rare sight in China where public displays of Falungong meditation have all but disappeared. It is a shadow of the spiritual movement’s heyday in China, where the group once boasted more than 70 million followers before it was outlawed […]
The US Justice Department is calling for Goldman Sachs to plead guilty for its role in the massive corruption scandal involving Malaysian investment fund 1MDB, The Financial Times reported on Wednesday. That recommendation applies to any settlement between Goldman Sachs and US or state authorities, newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources. It would be the toughest […]
Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad visited Huawei Technologies’ Beijing office on Thursday morning in what was seen as a sign of Malaysian support for the Chinese telecommunications equipment supplier. Mahathir’s visit could be seen as an “endorsement” for Huawei which is still in the running to provide 5G gear for the country’s telecommunication networks, according […]
Swiss banking giant UBS has admitted that its senior officer Kelvin Tay had made wrong assertions about Malaysia’s economy when he said that the country had a current account deficit. According to a report by Malaysiakini, the bank’s Singaporean branch said Tay, UBS’ regional chief investment officer, had also erred in saying that the removal […]
Indonesians staying in Singapore overwhelmingly endorsed President Joko Widodo for a second term in office, giving him more than 87 per cent of their votes in last week’s presidential election. The incumbent and his running mate, cleric Ma’ruf Amin, received 42,011 of the 47,911 valid votes or 87.68 per cent cast by post or in […]
Calls have been mounting for incumbent Indonesian President Joko Widodo and rival Prabowo Subianto to immediately hold a one-on-one meeting and ease tensions between the two camps, as concerns abound over the potential for post-election conflict. Vice-President Jusuf Kalla and a number of prominent Muslim figures are the latest to echo the calls, saying that […]
Political hopeful Yayat Abdurahman bet that he would be a winner among some 245,000 candidates in Indonesia’s huge election last week, but his dreams of public office are fading fast as the votes get tallied. So the stressed-out candidate checked into an Islamic healing centre where a cleric prayed for his future and doused him […]
A made-in-Singapore weight loss capsule with a self-inflating balloon mechanism may hit the shelves of pharmacies as early as 2024, and it could help tackle obesity. The “non-invasive” breakthrough could replace a procedure that moderately obese patients or those too ill to undergo surgery typically opt for: a 500ml intragastric balloon that is inserted into […]
Singapore’s tripartite partners are in the “advanced stage” of determining the new retirement and re-employment ages with “good progress made”, said National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng. “We still need a little more time to iron out some of the details but once a consensus has been reached, we will ensure that […]
With many Singaporeans, from netisens to government officials, still critical of the National University of Singapore (NUS) and its response to the now-viral “peeping tom” incident involving one of their male students getting caught filming a female student in a dorm room shower the university’s president has released a letter to the school’s alumni apologising […]
Thailand is set to see the most funds raised from IPOs in Southeast Asia this year, with more than $5 billion expected to be garnered in the second half, sources said, as a tourist boost to the economy trumps jitters stoked by inconclusive elections. Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy is expected to see listings from the […]
Internet users are divided over Chinese celebrity Angelababy’s cover shoot for T Magazine, the Chinese edition of The New York Times Style Magazine. The magazine has released nine photos, taken on a beach in Phuket, Thailand, by fashion photographer Fan Xin, on microblogging platform Weibo. One of the photos is a nod to a photo […]
Thailand’s royal astrologer cast King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s horoscope on Tuesday in an important ritual to prepare for his elaborate coronation ceremonies next week.Saffron-clad Buddhist monks chanted as the horoscope for the king’s reign was cast on a golden plaque. The three-hour ceremony included the inscription of the king’s name and new royal title on another […]
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to “go to war” with Canada if the country doesn’t take back tonnes of trash a Canada-based company had shipped to Manila several years ago. “I’ll give a warning to Canada maybe next week that they better pull that (trash) out,” he said Tuesday, according to CNN Philippines. “We’ll […]
Charge d’Affaires Elmer Cato on Wednesday (April 24) reiterated his plea for overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Tripoli to go home. Cato reported on his social media post that another Filipino, whom he did not name, was wounded when a mortar round fell and exploded in their compound near the Tripoli International Airport. He added […]
Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to “declare war” on Canada within a week if it doesn’t clean up its act and remove tonnes of trash shipped to Manila is most likely just garbage. While it’s true the two nations have strained ties, Duterte’s erratic rants and incendiary remarks have become his calling card. He often […]
Emperor Akihito, 85, will step down on April 30, the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in nearly two centuries. His son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will inherit the throne the next day. Below are some key dates in Akihito’s life. – August 15, 1945Akihito, 11, evacuated from Tokyo to the mountains, hears his father, Emperor Hirohito, […]
Panasonic Corp may upgrade one of its battery plants in Japan to produce advanced-format battery cells for Tesla Inc if needed by the US electric vehicle (EV) maker, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Panasonic, currently the exclusive battery cell supplier for Tesla, produces cells for the EV maker at their […]
Tokyo on Thursday displayed a drawing thought to be the work of Banksy, as the city’s mayor urged the famous and mysterious street artist to get in touch. Curious Tokyoites, tourists and art lovers flocked to see the work depicting a rat holding an umbrella that was spotted on a panel near a monorail station […]
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met at a summit on Thursday intended to show Washington is not the only power with enough clout to engage with Pyongyang on its nuclear programme. The two men were holding a day of talks on an island off the Russian Pacific city of […]
The Latest on the summit between Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un (all times local): 2:20 a.m. Thursday North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has stepped out of his khaki-green armored train in far-eastern Russia, smiling and upbeat ahead of a much-anticipated summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin The summit Thursday comes amid deadlocked global […]
Russian President Vladimir Putin told North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday he expected his visit to Russia would help the two countries understand how to reach settlement over the Korean peninsula and develop bilateral ties. Putin also said he welcomed Kim’s efforts to normalise Pyongyang’s relations with the United States. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/putin-says-kims-visit-help-way-towards-korea-043157720.html
A woman from mainland China was arrested in Hong Kong on Wednesday night over theft of a HK$80,000 watch and HK$900 in cash, seven hours after the victim, a 69-year-old man, was lured into a guest house for a massage service. Police were investigating if the woman, 28, who was visiting the city, was also […]
The body of a half-naked woman was found in a restaurant that was under renovation on Thursday, sparking a criminal investigation in Hong Kong. Emergency personnel were called to the location on the first floor of the Honour Building on To Kwa Wan Road at 10.14am over a report of a dead body. “An initial […]
Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) expressed regret Wednesday after a court in Hong Kong handed down prison sentences of up to 16 months earlier that day on nine leaders of pro-democracy demonstrations in 2014. In a statement, the MAC, Taiwan’s top China policy-making body, said that the court ruling proved China’s “one country, two systems” […]
Belise will continue its support for Taiwan and speak for it on the international stage, Belisean Senate President Lee Mark Chang pledged Wednesday at a ceremony launching a Taiwan-Belise association of national legislators. Chang promised that the Belisean government will continue to stand together with Taiwan to help it to have its voice heard in […]
Some of the world’s largest companies said on Wednesday that plans to grant equal marriage to LGBT+ couples in Taiwanthe first Asian nation to do sowould boost the country’s economy. Taiwan’s parliament is expected to vote by late May, a deadline set by the constitutional court when it ruled in 2017 that same-sex couples could […]
The current Agriculture Department trade mission to Taiwan is not connected to US trade negotiations with the People’s Republic of China, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Ken Isley told reporters today in a call from Taipei. The People’s Republic of China and Taiwan have a complicated relationship. The Communist government on the mainland considers Taiwan […]
* Tien Phong Plastic JSC (NTP) said its consolidated net profit in the first quarter of 2019 surged 77.58% from a year earlier to VND71.62 billion, backed by lower management and sales costs. Its net revenue rose 19.59% year-on-year to VND1 trillion in January-March. * Phat Dat Corporation Real Estate Development (PDR) reported a 0.36% […]
China was the largest source of greenfield Investment in Vietnam in Q1/2019 with $732.2 million, accounting for 18.9 percent of the total. As Sino-US trade tensions have continued to weigh, multinational companies have been shifting their production facilities from China to Vietnam and recruiting a large number of employees, leading to a surge in manpower […]
The Vietnam Maritime Commercial Joint Stock Bank (MSB) is planning to list its shares on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE) in the third quarter of 2019. The plan was unveiled at the bank’s annual general meeting of shareholders in Hanoi on April 23. MSB general director Huynh Buu Quang said the bank’s board […]
