Category: Asia

Interview: Rising global protectionism causes concern: Brazilian analyst

Growing protectionist tendencies and rising conservative nationalism have raised deep concern in a global scenario with a deterioration of multilateral security mechanisms since World War II, a leading Brazilian analyst said Saturday. Luiz Fernando Horta, a historian and expert of international relations at the University of Brasilia , told Xinhua in an interview.

Roundup: China’s economy continues to perform strongly: media

China’s economy continues to be among the world strongest as the global powerhouse laid down its 2017 Gross Domestic Product growth target at around 6.5 percent on Sunday, international media reported. China has set its GDP growth target at around 6.5 percent for 2017, compared with a target range of 6.5-7 percent for 2016, according to a government work report released at an annual session of the National People’s Congress — China’s top legislature.

Islamic militants release 14 kidnapped Afghan civilians

Fourteen Afghan civilians kidnapped by the Islamic State militants in the country’s eastern province of Nangarhar were released Saturday, March 4, the Provincial Government said. “The 12 religious teachers and two education employees, who were kidnapped by Daesh militants in Haska Mina district about 40 days ago were released Saturday morning.

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At least five members of the Afghan security forces were killed early Sunday morning when their checkpoint came under an insurgent attack in northeastern Kunduz province, an Afghan official said. Gen. Abdul Hamid Hamid, provincial police chief in Kunduz, said a large group of Taliban fighters attacked the post near the city of Kunduz.

Kim Jong-nam murder: Malaysia expels North Korean ambassador

Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], Mar. 4 : Malaysia on Saturday expelled North Korean Ambassador Kang Chol and issued a notice asking him to leave the country within 48 hours. The envoy was expelled after his continuous criticism of the local investigations into the assassination of Kim Jong-nam, half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

South Korea to retaliate against China – discrimination’, says minister

Trade minister says China is taking unfair measures against Chinese firms in protest over Seoul’s decision to deploy an anti-missile shield South Korea’s trade minister said on Sunday the government’s responses against discriminating action by China towards South Korean companies will be strengthened and he feels “deep concern” over recent measures taken by Beijing.

What’s he on about? Li Keqiang’s annual report explained

It takes China’s premier 90 minutes to deliver his government work report, but you can cut to the chase in far less time Chinese Premier Li Keqiang is likely to put stability above all policy goals when he presents his annual report on Sunday, ahead of the once-every-five-years reshuffle of the Communist Party leadership late this year. Li’s government work report will give the outside world Beijing’s assessment of the country’s economy and its foreign and defence priorities – which are particularly uncertain this year with the new US administration of Donald Trump, European national elections and Britain’s looming exit from the EU.

UK Foreign Secretary Johnson to Come to Moscow for High-Level Talks

Britain’s foreign secretary will soon travel to Russian Federation on a visit his office says will be consistent with the country’s “engage but beware” policy toward Moscow. U.K.’s Foreign Secretary will visit Moscow in a few weeks to hold talks on UK-Russia relationship, Syria and Ukraine, a foreign office statement said Saturday.

Person seriously injured after coming into contact with Bloor Station train

Yonge-Bloor station Police are investigating after a man was hit by a train while standing on the platform Friday night A man in his 20s is in life-threatening condition after he came into contact with a southbound TTC subway train while standing on the platform at Bloor-Yonge Station on Saturday night. The man, who police said had been drinking, apparently leaned too close to the track as a train passed through the station.

Other mysterious deaths of North Korea’s perceived enemies

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un delivers a speech in Pyongyang in this undated image from video distributed on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017. SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — An outcast from North Korea’s ruling family was killed with a weapon believed to belong to North Korea’s chemical arsenal and several North Koreans are wanted for questioning.

Malaysia expels North Korean ambassador over Kima s killing

Malaysia’s foreign minister says the government has expelled North Korea’s ambassador for criticizing the investigation into the killing of the North Korean leader’s estranged half brother. Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said in a statement that a notice was sent to the North Korean Embassy on Saturday saying Ambassador Kang Chol must leave the country within 48 hours.

UN report shows North Korea using Africa to slip sanctions

A confidential report says North Korean weapons barred by United Nations sanctions ended up in the hands of U.N. peacekeepers in Africa. The annual report by a U.N. panel of experts, obtained by The Associated Press, illustrates how Pyongyang evades sanctions imposed for its nuclear and ballistic missile programs to cooperate “on a large scale” in Africa.

Malaysia expels North Korean ambassador after Kim Jong Nam murder

Malaysia on Saturday expelled the North Korean ambassador to the country, declaring him “persona non grata” and asking the envoy to leave Malaysia within 48 hours. The move comes nearly three weeks after Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, was murdered at Kuala Lumpur’s airport with a toxic nerve agent.

DNA Test On Jong-nam Can Be Performed Using Health, Dental Records – Hilmi

GEORGE TOWN, March 4 — The deoxyribonucleic acid profile test on Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, can be performed through the health or dental records of the man if the DNA from his family could not be obtained. Deputy Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Hilmi Yahaya said currently the ministry was still awaiting next course of action by the police.

White House eyes steep cuts to leading US climate science agency

Washington: President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash one of the government’s premier climate science agencies by 17 per cent, delivering steep cuts to research funding and satellite programs, according to a four-page budget memo obtained by The Washington Post.The proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would also eliminate funding for a variety of smaller programs including external research, coastal management, estuary reserves and “coastal resilience,” which seeks to bolster the ability of coastal areas to withstand major storms and rising seas.

White House eyes steep cuts to leading US climate science agency

Washington: President Donald Trump’s administration is seeking to slash one of the government’s premier climate science agencies by 17 per cent, delivering steep cuts to research funding and satellite programs, according to a four-page budget memo obtained by The Washington Post.The proposed cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would also eliminate funding for a variety of smaller programs including external research, coastal management, estuary reserves and “coastal resilience,” which seeks to bolster the ability of coastal areas to withstand major storms and rising seas.

10:46 President of Turkmenistan attends ECO Summit in Islamabad

The President of Turkmenistan took part in the 13th Summit of heads of member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Islamabad. Speaking at the summit, Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said that Turkmenistan sees the international system of energy supplies as one of the fundamental components of the global economy.

10:46 President of Turkmenistan attends ECO Summit in Islamabad

The President of Turkmenistan took part in the 13th Summit of heads of member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization in Islamabad. Speaking at the summit, Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov said that Turkmenistan sees the international system of energy supplies as one of the fundamental components of the global economy.

Bush has ‘no regrets’ about invading Iraq and Afghanistan

‘I just had to show them off!’ Savannah Guthrie surprises her Today co-stars with an on air visit from her daughter Vale and her newborn son Charley Disgraced former journalist is arrested by FBI for bomb threats against eight Jewish Community Centers in a bid to ‘set up lover who dumped him’ after subjecting her to a vile Twitter hate campaign ‘My skin crawls watching this man wear the uniform of my service’: ‘Admiral’ Trump angers veterans AGAIN by donning Navy flight jacket and military cap Silicon Valley high school makes $24million in the Snapchat IPO five years after a parent convinced it to invest $15,000 in seed money Naked man ‘breaks into his neighbor’s apartment at 4am, makes her strip and rapes her in front of her two children’ Why sleep tracking apps are BAD for your health: Study reveals people are so worried about following the rules that they can’t get quality shut-eye … (more)

Warrant Issued for North Korean Airline Employee in Kim Jong Nam Case

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia-Malaysian police issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee in the killing of Kim Jong Nam, hours after freeing the only North Korean who had been detained in the case. Police issued the warrant for Kim Uk Il, describing him as a 37-year-old employee of North Korean state carrier Air Koryo who arrived in Malaysia at the end of January.

Warrant Issued for North Korean Airline Employee in Kim Jong Nam Case

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia-Malaysian police issued an arrest warrant for a North Korean airline employee in the killing of Kim Jong Nam, hours after freeing the only North Korean who had been detained in the case. Police issued the warrant for Kim Uk Il, describing him as a 37-year-old employee of North Korean state carrier Air Koryo who arrived in Malaysia at the end of January.

SBI, associate banks merger: Share swap record date Mar 174 min ago

New Delhi, Mar 3 State Bank of India today fixed March 17 as the record date of share swap for the merger of its 5 associate banks with itself. The merger process of the associates banks – State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur , State Bank of Mysore , State Bank of Travancore , State Bank of Patiala and State Bank of Hyderabad – will take effect from April 1. The executive committee of the central board of SBI fixed March 17 as the record date for determining the eligible minority shareholder of SBBJ, SBM and SBT entitled to receive equity shares of face value of Re 1 each, of SBI at the agreed swap ratio, the bank said in a regulatory filing on stock exchanges.

China’s ‘unofficial’ sanctions rattle South Korea

South Korean businesses were rattled Friday by signs that the deployment of a controversial U.S. missile system in the country could spark a travel boycott by China. The government in Seoul said it believed Chinese authorities had told travel agencies in Beijing to stop selling trips to South Korea, intensifying fears of a trade war between the neighbors.

Rail freight service to connect India with Iran, Turkey12 min ago

New Delhi, Mar 3 In an ambitious move, Indian Railways is exploring the possibility of a transcontinental rail freight service connecting India with Iran and Turkey. Considered to be a major boost for trade and economic development of the Asia Pacific region, a trans-container goods train from Dhaka to Istanbul covering Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey.

One N. Korean freed, another sought in nerve-agent killing

North Korean Ri Jong Chol, center, who was arrested in connection with the death of Kim Jong Un’s half-brother, is transferred from Sepang district police station in Sepang, Malaysia Friday, March 3, 2017. Earlier Thursday, Malaysian authorities said they will release Ri from custody Friday because of a lack of evidence.

Gazprom’s Medvedev Channels Mao in Quest to Sell China Gas

Gazprom PJSC deputy head Alexander Medvedev is taking solace in old sayings by the founding father of the People’s Republic of China as the natural gas giant pushes ahead with a plan to become its biggest supplier. “Do you know this Chinese saying ‘Hard work for three years, happiness for 10,000’?” Medvedev said in an interview, referring to a loosely translated version of a Mao Zedong slogan.

Nepal needs more conducive framework for higher Indian FDI: Arun Jaitley6 min ago

New Delhi, Mar 3 : India is ready to provide more soft loans for new infrastructure projects to Nepal, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said, while asking it to develop a conducive legal and regulatory framework to attract more FDI. Addressing the ‘Nepal Investment Summit 2017’ in Kathmandu yesterday, Jaitley said that with “early completion of power projects like Upper Karnali and Arun-III, Nepal would be able to export electricity to India”.

2 training runs on the 2018 Olympic course, 2 wins for Vonn

The 32-year-old Vonn’s return from injury is still on track as she prepares for Saturday’s World Cup downhill at the venue for the Pyeongchang Games, where she won training runs on back-to-back days. In bright sunshine and mild conditions in the Pyeongchang region of South Korea on Friday, Vonn finished the 2.7-kilometer course 0.10 ahead of Ilka Stuhec, the world downhill champion from Slovenia.

Malaysia Scraps Visa Waiver for N.Koreans

Malaysia on Thursday abruptly scrapped a visa-free pact with North Korea over the assassination of Kim Jong- nam at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Feb. 13. Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the move was motivated by concerns for national security, according to the Bernama news agency. The North has infuriated Malaysians by denouncing the police investigation after four suspects fled to Pyongyang while two others remain holed up in the embassy.

Xi Jinping may have signaled a huge transformation for China’s economy

More specifically, he gave a speech about the death of highly indebted industrial state-owned enterprises to make room for new more privately owned service industry companies, a painful process to be sure. Which is why it isn’t surprising that since this talk began in earnest, at the end of 2015, Chinese officials spoke in little detail, especially regarding “Authorities must deal with zombie companies in a ‘resolute manner,’ offer laid-off workers new posts or vocational training opportunities, and ensure those who are unable to find a job are covered by the social safety net or other aids, Xi said at the meeting of the Central Leading Group on Finance and Economic Affairs, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.”

Maharashtra govt launches pilot project to map wakf lands

State government statistics suggest that Maharashtra has around 93,418 acres of wakf land spread over about 23,566 registered properties. In a first step to assess the extent of wakf lands spread out in prime areas across the state, the Maharashtra government has launched a pilot project to map out these properties and the encroachments on them.

North Korea ties at worst point in decades, South Korea says

North Korea relations have fallen to their worst point in decades and talks are off the table until Kim Jong Un’s regime is ready to give up its nuclear weapons, South Korea Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo said in an interview. “It’s been over 20 years since North Korea’s nuclear threats started, and tensions are at their worst,” Hong, who oversees policy on North Korea, said on Thursday in Seoul.