Asia

China: Surge in demand for raw materials, industrial profits surge

Editorial Bureau April 27, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA): As demand for raw materials surged along with the economic recovery, profits at China’s industrial firms saw a sharp growth in March compared to a low base a year ago. Profits rose to 711.18 billion yuan ($109.66 billion) in March, up 92.3% from a year ago, when the economy was

Asia

Myanmar: Junta to ‘positively’ consider ASEAN suggestion to resolve crisis

Editorial Bureau April 27, 2021

Myanmar’s junta has said that it will give “careful consideration to constructive suggestions” from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on ways to solve violent crisis triggered by a Feb. 1 coup. “The suggestions would be positively considered if it … serves the interests of the country and was based on purposes and principles […]

Asia

India: COVID-19 cases stay above 300,000; army called to help, world nations pledge support

Editorial Bureau April 27, 2021

BENGALURU (INDIA): With India’s new COVID cases staying above 300,000 for a sixth consecutive day, the army pledged urgent medical aid to help battle the staggering spike in infections. It reported 2,771 new deaths, but health experts believe the tally runs significantly higher. Over the past 24 hours, India recorded 323,144 new cases, below Monday’s […]

Asia

Chinese experts in the group that will monitor Fukushima’s water disposal

Editorial Bureau April 26, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) -China said on Monday the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) would invite Chinese experts to join a working group to monitor and assess Japan’s disposal of contaminated water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant. In a move that angered China and South Korea, Japan said this month it would release into the sea more […]

Asia

Russia suspends Activities of the Kremlin critic Navalny’s regional groups

Editorial Bureau April 26, 2021

MOSCOW (RUSSIA) -Moscow prosecutors ordered regional campaign groups supporting jailed Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny to stop their activities pending a request to outlaw them and his Anti-Corruption Foundation, representatives of the groups said. A court ruling that the groups are “extremist” would give authorities the legal power to hand down jail terms to

Asia

Many factors to be considered, date and location of Putin-Biden summit not yet decided

Editorial Bureau April 26, 2021

MOSCOW (RUSSIA) – The Kremlin has informed that Russia and the United States had not yet agreed on a date and place for a summit meeting of President Joe Biden and President Vladimir Putin and that many factors still needed to be looked at before it is finalised. A Kremlin aide said that the meeting […]

Asia

India reports daily rise of 349,691 coronavirus infections

Editorial Bureau April 25, 2021

CHENNAI (INDIA ) – India reported a record daily rise of 349,691 new coronavirus infections, taking its overall tally to 16.96 million infections. A total of 2,767 people were reported dead on Sunday, according to health ministry data, taking total coronavirus fatalities to 192,311.

Asia

China jeopardizes peace in South China Sea: EU

Editorial Bureau April 25, 2021

BEIJING (CHINA) – The European Union called out China for endangering peace in the South China Sea and urged all parties to abide by a 2016 tribunal ruling which rejected most of China’s claim to sovereignty in the sea, but which Beijing has rejected. The EU last week released a new policy aimed at stepping […]

Asia

Criticisms pave way for large vaccination centers in Japan

Editorial Bureau April 25, 2021

TOKYO (JAPAN) -In a bid to speed up its inoculation drive, the Japanese government is planning to open large vaccination centres in Tokyo and Osaka in the coming weeks. A newspaper reported that the government will open a vaccination site in central Tokyo as early as May that will be able to vaccinate around 10,000 […]

Asia

Indonesian president says missing submarine sunk in Bali sea

Editorial Bureau April 25, 2021

JAKARTA (INDONESIA) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo said that he had been informed by the navy that a missing submarine had been found sunken in the Bali Sea and sent his condolences to the 53 crew’s families. “The army and navy have changed the status of the KRI Nanggala 402 submarine from having lost contact […]