Saturday, 28 Sep 2024

Asia

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

Indonesia president Jokowi calls to 'reboot' economy amid coronavirus pandemic

JAKARTA (REUTERS, BLOOMBERG) – Indonesia must use the coronavirus pandemic to reboot South-east Asia’s biggest economy, including by improving food and energy security, as well as processing more natural resources at home, President Joko Widodo said on Friday (Aug 14). Likening the current economic situation to “a computer crash” causing stagnation, Mr Joko, popularly known as […]

Malaysian man remanded over organ-trafficking allegations

KUCHING (THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – A 48-year-old Malaysian man suspected of being involved in organ trafficking has been remanded seven days for further investigations. Assistant Registrar Mosidi Husseini granted the order after investigating officer ASP Nor Elyanis Mohd Yusoff applied for the remand at the Kuching Magistrate’s Court in Sarawak on Friday (Aug 14). […]

National Wages Council to reconvene in August amid Covid-19's profound impact on jobs

SINGAPORE – Amid the growing threat to jobs posed by the coronavirus pandemic, tripartite partners will reconvene the National Wages Council (NWC) later this month, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a statement on Friday (Aug 14). The council will update guidelines issued in March on wage and employment-related issues for more timely and relevant guidance to employers. […]

Coronavirus: Malaysia jails man who broke quarantine, causing infections

KUALA LUMPUR • A Malaysian court jailed an Indian national for five months yesterday for violating a home quarantine order which led to dozens of new coronavirus infections, the Bernama state news agency reported. Nezar Mohamed Sabur Batcha, 57, who resides in Malaysia and owns a restaurant in the northern state of Kedah, pleaded guilty […]

China July industrial output rises 4.8% year-on-year; retail sales down 1.1%

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s July industrial output rose 4.8% from a year earlier, data showed on Friday, expanding for the fourth straight month but growth was less than expected as the economy gradually recovers from coronavirus-related lockdowns. Analysts polled by Reuters had expected growth to quicken to 5.1% year-on-year from a 4.8% gain in June […]

Dollar drifts higher as caution returns to currency markets

SINGAPORE (Reuters) – The dollar drifted higher on Friday, helped by strong U.S. jobs data as well as firmer global demand for safe-havens amid concerns about the coronavirus recovery, setting the currency up to potentially snap a seven-week losing streak. Early moves in the Asia session were modest as traders awaited Chinese trade data due […]

Latest askST@NLB talks to kick off on Aug 28 in new video format

The latest series of askST @ NLB talks kicks off on Aug 28, in a new video format but similarly tackling hot topics of the day. Straits Times invest editor Tan Ooi Boon and SingCapital chief executive Alfred Chia will headline the first talk, which is on how to manage one’s money amid the Covid-19 crisis. The […]

Indonesia capital Jakarta extends social restrictions as Covid-19 infections rise

JAKARTA (REUTERS) – Indonesia’s capital Jakarta extended its social restrictions on Thursday (Aug 13) to stem surging coronavirus transmission as the country reported 2,098 new cases, its governor said. Indonesia has reported 132,816 coronavirus infections and 5,968 deaths. Jakarta logged 608 new cases on Thursday, bringing the total to 27,761, the most in Indonesia’s 34 […]

China's Huawei, ZTE set to be shut out of India's 5G trials

NEW DELHI (BLOOMBERG) – China’s Huawei Technologies and ZTE are set to be kept out of India’s plans to roll out its 5G networks as relations between the two countries hit a four decade low following deadly border clashes. The South Asian nation will apply investment rules amended on July 23 that cite national security […]