Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING, April 8 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Friday reiterated China's position on U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's planned visit to Taiwan, urging the plan must be canceled immediately.

Spokesperson Zhao Lijian made the remarks at a daily news briefing when answering a relevant question. According to reports, Pelosi's planned visit will be postponed to a later date due to her positive test result for COVID-19.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea is demolishing a South Korean-owned hotel at a North Korean resort that was one of the last symbols of inter-Korean engagement, according to Seoul officials who called for the North to stop the “unilateral” destruction.

BANGKOK (AP) — Foreign business groups in Myanmar have raised concerns about new rules requiring businesses and individuals to convert all foreign currency held in bank accounts into the local currency.

A statement issued Friday by the American Chamber of Commerce and British, French, Australian chambers and similar groups says the rules would lower Myanmar standards of living, stop foreign business activity and foreign investment and cause trade tensions.

TOKYO (AP) — Global shares were trading higher Friday as investors eyed the war in Ukraine and what the world’s central banks might do to keep inflation in check.

Benchmarks rose in Paris, London and Frankfurt after Asian markets finished higher. Oil prices rose.

Investors have been weighing the latest updates from the U.S. Federal Reserve amid concerns about rising inflation. The Fed has signaled it is prepared to keep raising interest rates and reducing its stockpile of bonds and mortgage-backed securities in order to rein in the highest inflation in 40 years.

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s government says it is expelling eight Russian diplomats over their country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hikariko Ono announced the decision Friday. Deputy Foreign Minister Takeo Mori has notified Russian Ambassador Mikhail Galuzin, she said.

European countries have expelled dozens of Russian diplomats as their relationships have plunged over Moscow’s war against Ukraine.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian authorities resumed search for a third day Friday for three Europeans, including two teenagers, who disappeared while diving off a southern island.

Authorities had expressed hope for finding them after Norwegian diving instructor Kristine Grodem was rescued Thursday. She told authorities the four surfaced safely Wednesday afternoon but they drifted away from the boat and were separated by the strong current.

BEIJING (AP) — Three local officials in Shanghai have been sacked over a slack response to the COVID-19 outbreak in China’s largest city, where residents are complaining of harsh lockdown conditions leading to shortages of food and basic necessities.

An official notice Friday gave no details of the allegations against the three officials, but said their failure to fulfill their duties in epidemic prevention and control had allowed the virus to spread, leading to a “serious impact” on efforts to control the outbreak.

BEIJING, Apr 7 (APP): The international community should pay close attention to the worrying level of Islamophobia in India and take resolute measures to stop the Indian authorities from committing systematic human rights violations against minorities particularly Muslims.

These views were expressed by Cheng Xizhong, Visiting Professor of Southwest University of Political Science and Law in a statement on Thursday.

KUALA LUMPUR, April 7 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia’s e-commerce income is again expected to surpass the RM1 trillion (US$237 billion) mark this year, after hitting RM1.1 trillion (US$260.7 billion) last year.

The chief executive of Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) Mahadhir Aziz said the projection is in line with the country’s aim of achieving an e-commerce market size worth RM1.65 trillion (US$391.1 billion) by 2025.

April 7 (Reuters) - South Korea's president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol said on Thursday strong deterrence was crucial in the face of nuclear and missile threats from North Korea amid a renewed warning by a top U.S. envoy of a potential nuclear test as early as next week.

Yoon, who has pledged to boost defence capability to counter the North's threats, spoke to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Gen. Paul LaCamera during a rare visit to Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, the command centre of the 28,500-strong U.S. military stationed in South Korea.