SEOUL – South Korean President Moon Jae-in has sent a congratulatory message to United States President-elect Joe Biden, voicing “great expectations” for the future of bilateral ties. “Our alliance is strong and the bond between our two countries is rock-solid,” Mr Moon wrote on Twitter. “I very much look forward to working with you for […]

Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Monday, Nov 9. Asia expects Biden to stress diplomacy China’s leadership remains conspicuously silent as other governments express hopes for closer relations.  READ MORE HERE Keep cycle of good governance and stability going: PM Lee Hsien Loong This virtuous circle must not be broken even […]

TOKYO (Reuters) – Business sentiment of Japanese manufacturers and service-sector firms was the least pessimistic in nine months in November, likely as the world’s third-largest economy showed signs of pulling out of a coronavirus-induced recession, a Reuters poll showed on Monday.FILE PHOTO: A man walks in front of containers and cranes at an industrial port […]

BANGKOK/YANGON – Long queues formed at polling stations across Myanmar on Sunday (Nov 8) as the country held its second democratic election amid the coronavirus pandemic. With the ruling National League for Democracy party widely expected to triumph again, the polls are seen more as a barometer of public satisfaction on its first-term performance under […]

SINGAPORE – Researchers here have developed a simulation which more accurately models the spread of droplets when a person with Covid-19 coughs in Singapore’s tropical environment. A team from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s (A*Star) Institute of High Performance Computing said with the ability to simulate this, they are working with public agencies […]

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish Finance Minister Berat Albayrak said on Sunday he was resigning for health reasons, the second surprise departure of a top economic policymaker in two days after the central bank chief was ousted.FILE PHOTO: Turkish Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak attends a news conference in Istanbul, Turkey, April 10, 2019. REUTERS/Umit […]

MANILA (BLOOMBERG) – The Philippines is examining financial transactions of a law office and a tour operator that “appeared to have acted for” Wirecard or the company’s former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said. The National Bureau of Investigation has submitted a progress report on its probe with the Anti-Money Laundering Council, […]

SINGAPORE – Voters in the July general election sent the “unequivocal signal” that they wanted the People’s Action Party back in power, even as they felt the pain of the downturn and wanted more alternative voices to check the government, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday. The PAP will act on feedback given […]

HONG KONG — The Chinese state news media reacted with cautious optimism to former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s victory in the United States presidential election, expressing hope that he would stabilize the fast-deteriorating relations between the two countries. But many outlets also continued to warn of future tensions between the superpowers, and to […]

SINGAPORE – The People’s Action Party must maintain its core identity and continue representing all Singaporeans even as it responds to Singapore’s changing politics, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Nov 8). He stressed that the party must continue to govern Singapore well, work the ground, stay accessible to voters and lead by example, […]