Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (NNN-BERNAMA) – Malaysia reported 1,977 new COVID-19 infections, as of midnight, bringing the national total to 4,815,679, according to the health ministry.

There are two new imported cases and 1,975 local cases, data released on the ministry’s website showed.

Another six deaths have been reported, pushing the death toll to 36,305.

The ministry reported 2,018 new recoveries, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 4,752,216.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 17 (NNN-Bernama) — The two-way trade between Malaysia and China is expected to hit a new record high this year with the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement, said Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Lim Ban Hong.

Lim said the trade is expected to grow despite the pandemic’s effects and the global uncertainty caused by geopolitical tensions.

TOKYO, Sept 17 (Reuters) - The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a special typhoon warning on Saturday for Kagoshima prefecture on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's main islands, as the region braces for a powerful and potentially destructive super typhoon.

The warning came after the weather agency earlier in the day urged residents to evacuate parts of the Kyushu, ahead of the typhoon Nanmadol, expected to bring up to half a metre (20 inches) of rain when it makes landfall on Sunday.

SAMARKAND, Uzbekistan, Sept 16 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Friday denied Russia had anything to do with Europe's energy crisis, saying that if the European Union wanted more gas it should lift sanctions preventing the opening of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

Speaking to reporters after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan, Putin blamed what he called "the green agenda" for the energy crisis, and insisted that Russia would fulfil its energy obligations.

SHAOXING, China (AP) — Ninety minutes after Queen Elizabeth II died, orders for thousands of British flags started to flood into a factory south of Shanghai.

More than 100 employees at Shaoxing Chuangdong Tour Articles Co. set aside other work and put in 14-hour days starting at 7:30 a.m. making nothing but British-themed flags.

They turned out at least 500,000 the first week, according to general manager Fan Aiping.

Samarkand, Sep 16 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation to create trusted and resilient supply chains to offset the disruptions caused by the Ukraine crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic and said the members of the grouping should give each other full transit rights to expand connectivity.

Samarkand, Sep 16 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday attended the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in this Silk Road city but there was no sign of any thaw in bilateral ties that came under severe strain following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley around 27 months back.

It is for the first time that Modi and Xi came face-to-face since the start of the border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

16 Sep 2022; MEMO: Uzbek President, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, announced on Friday plans for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) to expand, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Speaking at a meeting of the SCO leaders in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Mirziyoyev said a Memorandum about Iran's accession to the Organisation is set to be signed.

16 Sep 2022; MEMO: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said yesterday that Tehran is boosting cooperation with Russia to neutralise the limitations of sanctions imposed by the United States.

This came during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin held on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Uzbekistan.

SAMARKAND, Sep 16 (APP): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday departed here after completing his two-day visit to Uzbekistan mainly to attend the annual Meeting of the Council of Heads of State of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

“Leaving Samarkand on a satisfactory note. There is now a renewed awareness about the potent threat of climate change,” the prime minister said who spoke in detail at the Summit about the threats posed by climate change and the devastation caused by climate change-induced floods in Pakistan.