Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

Beijing, Mar 30 (PTI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in China on Wednesday to take part in the third meeting of the foreign ministers of Afghanistan's neighbouring countries being organised by Beijing, amid the Ukraine crisis.

Lavrov arrived in Tunxi, east China's Anhui Province, for the third meeting of foreign ministers on Afghanistan, Russia's official news agency Tass reported on Wednesday.

BEIJING (AP) — As millions of people in Shanghai line up for coronavirus tests, authorities are promising tax refunds for shopkeepers in the closed-down metropolis and to keep the world’s busiest port functioning to limit disruption to industry and trade.

This week’s shutdown of most activity in China’s most populous city to contain virus outbreaks jolted global financial markets that already were on edge about Russia’s war on Ukraine, higher U.S. interest rates and a Chinese economic slowdown.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 29 (NNN-Bernama) — Singapore Defence Minister Dr Ng Eng Hen has called upon ASEAN member states to strengthen cooperation to combat cyberterrorism in the region.

Speaking to Putrajaya Forum 2022 participants here Tuesday, he noted that cyber attacks are a constant threat despite border restrictions due to COVID-19 and multi-lateral efforts by all countries are needed to tackle this issue.

“Despite COVID restrictions, terrorist groups are still active in organising, instigating and conducting attacks including in our region. 

BEIJING, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Tuesday warned the United States about backing the "Taiwan independence" forces under the pretext of "democracy," and the attempt to serve the strategy of using Taiwan to contain China will get nowhere.

TAIYUAN, March 29 (Xinhua) -- A modified version of the Long March-6 carrier rocket with solid strap-on boosters made its maiden flight on Tuesday, sending two satellites into planned orbit.

The rocket blasted off from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province at 5:50 p.m. (Beijing Time).

The modified rocket is China's first type of carrier rocket equipped with solid strap-on boosters. It uses non-toxic and non-polluting propellants and can send satellites to the sun-synchronous orbit.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities sought to reassure companies and jittery investors on Tuesday as a two-phase lockdown of Shanghai’s 26 million people entered its second day, casting an unusual quiet over the normally bustling center of finance, manufacturing and trade.

The omicron outbreak in Shanghai is one of a series across the country that is testing the government’s ability to enforce a strict “zero-COVID” strategy without overly disrupting the economy and people’s daily lives.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (NNN-Bernama) — Airbus is well placed to offer an A400M-C295 strong mixed fleet solution to support both strategic and tactical requirements for Malaysia’s defence needs, said its head of Asia Pacific Airbus Defence and Space, Johan Pelissier. 

He said Airbus is awaiting the government’s decision for the acquisition following its participation in the country’s maritime patrol aircraft tender.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia and Indonesia will be the focus of international oils and fats trade this year, supported by the projection of four per cent world economic growth and higher demand for vegetable oils, said the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC).

Chief executive officer Wan Aishah Wan Hamid said demand for vegetable oils is growing in tandem with the economic recovery but supply disruption has caused vegetable oil prices to record high levels, especially over the past few months.

KUALA LUMPUR, March 28 (NNN-Bernama) — The ‘Saudi Visa Bio’ biometric app launched in Malaysia Monday will facilitate the registration of Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from Malaysia, besides shortening the period of entry procedures into the Holy Land.

According to Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Malaysia Dr Mahmoud Hussein Saeed Qattan, Saudi Arabia’s move to launch the smartphone app in Malaysia reflects the strength of the relationship between the two countries.

SEOUL, March 28 (Reuters) - Reports suggest North Korea's biggest missile test ever may not have been what it seemed, raising new questions over the secretive country's banned weapons programme.

North Korea said it had test-fired its new Hwasong-17 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday, the first test of a missile that size since 2017.

North Korean state media heralded the launch as an "unprecedented miracle", and South Korean and Japanese officials independently confirmed flight data that showed it flew higher and longer than any previous test.