Wednesday, 27 Nov 2024

Asia

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Bangkok residents grapple with shortage of N95 masks as smog continues to engulf city

BANGKOK (THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – After spending several days choking on high levels of fine particle dust, many Bangkok residents have opted for masks to protect themselves. But some were unable to find the N95-grade face masks required and are calling for the authorities to cover the shortage. Meanwhile, an online poll conducted by […]

U.S. union boss heads to oil contract talks after win for steelworkers

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Buoyed by concluding a big pay raise for steel workers last month, a United Steelworkers union top negotiator squares off on Wednesday against oil companies seeking to win a 24 percent wage hike for 30,000 refinery and chemical employees. The stakes are high for the union and oil industry, which scored big […]

Millions of Hindus gather for holy dip in India

ALLAHABAD (India) • The largest gathering of humanity on the planet began yesterday, with tens of millions showered in rose petals and holy ash at a spectacular Hindu festival on India’s sacred riverbanks. The Kumbh Mela is expected to attract more than 100 million pilgrims to Allahabad over the next seven weeks to bathe in […]

Top stories from The Straits Times on Wednesday, Jan 16

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Wednesday, Jan 16. No-confidence vote tabled after British MPs resoundingly reject May’s Brexit deal 432 to 202 Few expect the deal to pass, but the scale of Prime Minister Theresa May’s defeat could determine whether she tries again, loses office, delays Brexit – or if […]

Fed's Kashkari: Don't snuff out growth with rate hikes

(Reuters) – Neel Kashkari, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, on Tuesday repeated his view that the U.S. central bank should not raise interest rates as long as inflation remains low. “There’s no need to snuff the economy before it really heats up,” Kashkari told the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, adding that […]

European shares edge up, helped by China stimulus hopes

LONDON (Reuters) – European shares rose on Tuesday after China signaled more stimulus measures to soften the blow from a tariff war with the United States, although fresh worries over bad loans hit Italian banks and uncertainty dominated ahead of a key Brexit vote. The pan-European STOXX 600 rose 0.4 percent, while Germany’s DAX .GDAXI […]

Weidmann to get another eight years at Bundesbank: German source

FRANKFURT/BERLIN (Reuters) – The German government is likely to reappoint Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann’s tenure for a second eight-year term, a government source said on Tuesday. Weidmann, a member of the European Central Bank’s governing council, was hired in 2011 and his first term expires in April. Asked whether Weidmann would stay on, the source […]

Mexico to delay clean diesel rule as fuel is scarce: sources, documents

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexico’s government, dealing with fuel shortages stemming from a crackdown on theft, is expected to postpone a new rule requiring pumping stations to sell cleaner diesel, according to sources with knowledge of the decision and documents from the regulator. This marks the first delay of a 2016 regulation that had been […]

Afghanistan: Gunmen attack Kabul military academy

At least 11 soldiers killed in attack on the Marshal Fahim military academy in the Afghan capital claimed by ISIL. At least 11 soldiers have been killed and 16 others wounded in a pre-dawn attack on a military compound in Kabul, days after more than 100 people were killed in a suicide attack in the […]

Yemen: Separatists take over government headquarters in Aden

Yemeni PM accuses southern separatists of staging a coup after taking over government buildings in the port city. Yemen’s Prime Minister Ahmed bin Dagher has accused separatist forces backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of staging a coup in the southern city of Aden, after they took over government headquarters. The prime minister also […]