BEIJING: Several cities in southern China raised their cyclone warning signals on Wednesday (Aug 24), bracing for Tropical Storm Ma-on, which is expected to make landfall along the coast of Guangdong province on Thursday. At 12.40pm, the Hong Kong Observatory issued a strong wind advisory, with speeds up to 62kmhContinue Reading
BEIJING: China’s unemployment insurance payouts hit a record high in June, adding to signs of a struggling labour market as the economy has been badly hit by COVID-19 outbreaks and a property crisis. Payments by China’s unemployment insurance fund rose 256.6 per cent in June from a year earlier toContinue Reading
Thailand PM Prayut Chan-o-cha, who had survived four parliamentary no-confidence votes, was suspended from official duty on Wednesday (Aug 24) while the Constitutional Court decides if he has reached his 8-year term limit.Continue Reading
Japan in June opened up to tourists for the first time in two years, but requirements that they apply for visas and stick to guided, package tours have kept actual numbers of inbound visitors small. Local media reported on Tuesday that Japan may raise a daily cap on inbound travellersContinue Reading
TOKYO: Japan will restart more idled nuclear plants and look at developing next-generation reactors, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday (Aug 24), setting the stage for a major policy shift on nuclear energy a decade after the Fukushima disaster. The comments from Kishida – who also said the governmentContinue Reading
BANGKOK: Thai media reported on Wednesday (Aug 24) that the constitutional court has suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha from official duty pending the result of a legal review of his term limit. ThaiPBS, Khaosod and Workpoint media reported the court’s decision without citing sources. Reuters could not independently verify theContinue Reading
BEIJING: China is set to name Zhang Qingsong as a vice governor of the central bank, financial magazine Caixin said on Wednesday (Aug 24). Zhang, president of the Agricultural Bank of China, one of the “big four” state banks, is likely to fill a vacancy left after Liu Guiping wasContinue Reading
SHANGHAI: Extreme heat in China played havoc with crops and power supplies on Wednesday (Aug 24) despite lower temperatures in some regions, with authorities across the Yangtze river basin rushing to limit the damage from climate modify on crops plus livestock. The southwestern region of Chongqing continues to be hitContinue Reading
BANGKOK: Thailand’s economy is expected to grow by about 3 per cent this year and about 4 per cent the next, with low chances of aggressive interest rate hikes unless necessary, the central bank governor said on Wednesday (Aug 24). The baht has been volatile but there have been noContinue Reading
Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (Singtel) on Wed (Aug 24) published a 41 per cent jump in their first-quarter net profit, assisted by partly-owned Bharti Airtel’s resilient transformation. Singtel’s net profit for the quarter ended June 30 and went up to S$628 million (US$450. 15 million) from S$445 million a year ago.Continue Reading