TAIPEI: Taiwan will resume visa free entry for visitors from countries including the United States and Canada from next week, the government said on Monday (Sep 5), as it continues to ease controls put in place to contain the spread of COVID-19. Taiwan had kept its entry and quarantine rulesContinue Reading
TOKYO: Japan’s government ministries have made budget requests totalling US$784 billion for the next fiscal year – their second-largest total to date, driven largely by the defense ministry’s request for a rise in spending to record levels. The combined total spending requests made for next year’s budget came to ¥110Continue Reading
BEIJING: A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck southwestern China on Monday (Sep 5), according to the US Geological Survey. The quake hit around 43km southeast of the city of Kangding in Sichuan province at a depth of 10km, the USGS said. There were no immediate reports of any casualties. Tremors were feltContinue Reading
BEIJING: China’s Shenzhen moved away on Monday (Sep 5) from a weekend COVID-19 lockdown covering most parts of the city as new infections showed signs of stabilising in its latest outbreak, while entertainment venues and large events remained suspended. An outbreak since late August prompted Shenzhen to temporarily order mostContinue Reading
KUALA LUMPUR: Former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak whose graft conviction was affirmed by the country’s apex court two weeks ago will remain as member of parliament as he has filed a petition seeking for a royal pardon. Parliament speaker Azhar Azizan Harun said that Najib had filed the petitionContinue Reading
MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr will meet his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo on Monday (Sep 5) for a state visit set to focus on bolstering joint defence and counter-terrorism work between the two neighbours. The trip by Marcos, the son and namesake of the late ruler who was overthrownContinue Reading
JAKARTA: Indonesia finance ministry expects inflation to pick up in September and October following a price hike announced at the weekend on subsidised fuels, a senior official said. Deputy Minister Suahasil Nazara, however, said in a TV interview with CNBC Indonesia that the ministry expects the month-to-month inflation to normaliseContinue Reading
TOKYO: Disapproval of Japanese Perfect Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet edged above 40 per cent the first time, propelled by uncertainties over whether his ruling party might ever be without any ties to the Unification Church , according to a public opinion election. Facts of long-running hyperlinks to the church startedContinue Reading
TOKYO: Japan’s services sector actions shrank for the first time throughout five months that kicks off in august as a resurgence regarding COVID-19 infections distressed demand, a business market research showed. The contraction demonstrates a recovery of the tallest 3g base station third-largest economy is still fragile at best andContinue Reading
Typhoon Hinnamnor is expected to hit South Korea, with its disaster agency upgrading its emergency response posture to the highest level initially in five yrs for typhoons.Continue Reading