Friday, 15 Nov 2024

Asia

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Biden official speaks to Taiwan minister on trade ties

WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Joe Biden’s administration held virtual talks on Thursday (June 10) with a Taiwanese minister on boosting commercial ties, after China warned the United States against pursuing a trade deal. US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, a member of Mr Biden’s cabinet, spoke to minister without portfolio John Deng on “the importance of […]

South-east Asian pilgrims hit by grief and uncertainty over haj this year

SINGAPORE – Indonesian teacher Sri Wahyuni and her elderly mother were left disappointed again after the government in Indonesia cancelled the haj pilgrimage to Mecca for the second year running because of the Covid-19 pandemic. They had memorised the religious rituals they were to perform in the holy city in Saudi Arabia, and prepared the […]

China passes law to counter foreign sanctions

BEIJING – China on Thursday (June 10) passed an anti-sanctions law, which it says will help it retaliate against punitive measures from Western governments. The law was passed by China’s top lawmaking body, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, during the closing session of its latest meeting, reported state broadcaster CCTV. Few details have been […]

Garuda Indonesia grounds two-thirds of aircraft fleet

JAKARTA (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – Indonesia’s national carrier Garuda Indonesia has grounded two thirds of its fleet, citing leasing issues and maintenance needs. Garuda wrote in a statement filed with the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) on Wednesday (June 9) that it was only operating 53 airplanes of the 142 in its fleet. The […]

Japan eyes another big stimulus package before possible Sept poll – Nikkei

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is likely to compile another big economic stimulus package before calling a snap election in September, the Nikkei newspaper said on Thursday, although most major economies have scaled back crisis-mode policies to combat the coronavirus.FILE PHOTO: Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga speaks during a news conference after the […]

Are 'agonising' racist acts one-off or reflective of wider issue, asks President Halimah

SINGAPORE – Weighing in on the recent “agonising” incidents of hatred and chauvinism perpetrated by Singaporeans against each other, President Halimah Yacob on Thursday (June 10) said: “We wonder whether these are one-off incidents or reflective of a larger problem. “Such displays are so hurtful because we thought that we had done so much to […]

The 'tube houses' that dominate Vietnam capital Hanoi's streets

HANOI (AFP) – Tall, thin and brightly coloured, Hanoi’s “tube houses” dominate the city’s streets as nine million people compete for space in Vietnam’s bustling capital. Although Vietnam saw a number of villas and garden houses built during the French colonial period, Hanoi has few of these grand residential homes. Instead, tree-lined streets are packed […]

South Korea considers vaccinating workers at major companies: Reports

SEOUL (REUTERS) – South Korea is considering plans to vaccinate workers at key businesses including chip and electronics firms to prevent disruptions to production, an official at the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The labour ministry has sent letters to companies including Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and LG Electronics seeking information on their […]