Wednesday, 27 Nov 2024

Asia

Asia News – Get latest breaking news & top stories today in Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia, East Asia, Australia/New Zealand at…

Vietnam start-up Bamboo Airways secures licence after delayed launch

HANOI (REUTERS) – Vietnam’s start-up Bamboo Airways has secured a licence from the local authorities, the company said, opening the way for its maiden flight in January after a string of delays. Bamboo, owned by hotel and leisure firm FLC Group, will operate 37 routes connecting major cities and tourist destinations in Vietnam to “reduce […]

Euro weakens on slowdown fears; dollar advances

LONDON (Reuters) – The euro fell on Tuesday as the euro zone economy showed more signs of slowing, while the dollar gained despite growing bets the U.S. central bank will pause its rate hike cycle. A unexpected fall in German industrial output for the third straight month helped to weaken the euro. The drop was […]

Shell fined $400k over Pulau Bukom fire that injured six workers

SINGAPORE – Oil giant Shell has been fined $400,000 for a health and safety breach that led to a fire at the Pulau Bukom petroleum refinery which left six workers with burns. Two groups of workers were carrying out different tasks in close proximity, resulting in flammable vapours coming into contact with sparks from a […]

German growth worries mount as industrial output plunges

BERLIN (Reuters) – German industrial output unexpectedly fell in November for the third consecutive month, adding to signs that companies in Europe’s largest economy are shifting into a lower gear due to mounting risks from abroad. Trade disputes driven by U.S. President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policies, the threat that Britain will leave the European […]

Dozens of Rohingya flee India for Bangladesh: Officials

DHAKA (AFP) – Dozens of Rohingya Muslims have crossed the border into Bangladesh from India in recent days, officials said on Tuesday (Jan 8) , as New Delhi faces censure for deporting the persecuted minority to Myanmar. Last week, India handed a Rohingya family of five to Myanmar authorities, despite the army there being accused […]

India's top court reinstates ousted investigative agency chief in blow for Modi

NEW DELHI (BLOOMBERG) – India’s Supreme Court overturned the federal government’s decision to oust the chief of the country’s top investigative agency in a blow to Prime Minister Narendra Modi just months before he seeks re-election. The government in October removed Central Bureau of Investigation’s director Alok Verma and special director Rakesh Asthana after their […]

US, China hold second day of trade talks overshadowed by Kim Jong Un visit

Beijing (AFP) – US officials held a second day of trade talks with Chinese counterparts in Beijing on Tuesday, overshadowed by an unannounced visit from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This is the first time the two sides have met face-to-face since US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping agreed to a tariff […]

Indonesia to double disaster relief budget in 2019 after year of tragedies

JAKARTA (REUTERS) – Indonesia will more than double its disaster response budget to 15 trillion rupiah (S$1.41 billion) in 2019, officials said on Tuesday (Jan 8), after a series of major natural disasters devastated three regions of the vast archipelago last year. The South-east Asian country suffered its deadliest year in over a decade in […]