Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

Japan: Toyota Motor’s Global Production Rose To Record High For May

TOKYO, Jun 29 (NNN-NHK) – Toyota Motor Corp., today said, its global production of cars in May, increased to a record high for the month, amid improving availability of semiconductors.

According to the Aichi-based automaker, its global output of cars increased 33.4 percent from a year earlier to 847,000 units, helped by solid production in North America and Europe, with output in Japan jumping 72.2 percent to 248,287 units.

Turkmenistan opens futuristic city dedicated to leader

ARKADAG, Turkmenistan, June 29 (Reuters) - Turkmenistan opened a new, futuristic "smart" city on Thursday dedicated to its former president Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov.

The city is named Arkadag, or protector, an unofficial title by which Turkmen media have long referred to Berdymukhamedov, who on Thursday marked his 66th birthday by travelling to the Muslim holy city of Mecca.

A source close to the government told Reuters the new city for 73,000 residents cost $3.3 billion to build and there were plans to spend as much again in the next few years.

South Korea shoppers buy up salt before Japan's Fukushima water dump

SEOUL, June 29 (Reuters) - South Korean shoppers are snapping up sea salt and other items as worry grows about their safety with Japan due to dump more than 1 million metric tons of treated radioactive water from a wrecked nuclear power plant into the sea.

The water was mainly used to cool damaged reactors at the Fukushima power plant north of Tokyo, after it was hit by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011.

The release of the water from huge storage tanks into the Pacific is expected soon though no date has been set.

South Korea: DPRK holds ceremony marking completion of Friendship Tower interior remodeling project

SEOUL, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) held a ceremony Wednesday to mark the completion of an interior remodeling project for the China-DPRK Friendship Tower in Pyongyang.

Choe Ryong-hae, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) and chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of DPRK attended the ceremony, among other officials from the country's ruling party, government and armed forces as well as citizens of the capital city.

Duterte voices concern over U.S. military presence in Philippines

MANILA, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The presence of U.S. military forces and equipment in the Philippines would put the country in danger, former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said.

"We are in a bind. If the Americans are here to stay and bring arms ... it would be too pretty naive or stupid for Filipinos to think that the Americans would only bring conventional warheads," Duterte said in a recent interview with a local media SMNI, aired late Wednesday night.

Finance ministers of Japan and South Korea agree to resume currency swap agreement as ties warm

TOKYO (AP) — Japan and South Korea agreed Thursday to revive a currency swap agreement for times of crisis, in the latest sign of warming ties as the countries work to smooth over historical antagonisms.

Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki announced the agreement after meeting with his South Korean counterpart, Choo Kyungho. It was the first time the two countries have held annual financial talks in seven years, though Suzuki and Choo also met in South Korea in May.

China, Pakistan sign agreement for co-building workshop of modern chemical engineering

BEIJING, June 28(APP): China’s Hunan Chemical Vocational Technology College (HCVTC) and Infinity School of Engineering, Pakistan have signed an agreement for co-establishment “Chuyi Workshop” to create a platform for exchange of knowledge and expertise in the field of modern chemical engineering.

President of Hunan Chemical Vocational Technology College, Ms. Long Peng and President of Infinity School of Engineering, Pakistan, Abdul Razzaq Gauhar signed the agreement and also inaugurated the workshop in a ceremony held online.

Malaysia state assemblies dissolved ahead of key local elections

KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Several Malaysian state assemblies were dissolved on Wednesday ahead of key local elections that will determine six new state governments.

The states of Terengganu, Penang and Kedah dissolved their state assemblies on Wednesday, while Kelantan and Selangor were dissolved on Thursday and Friday, respectively. The remaining state assembly of Negeri Sembilan will be dissolved on Saturday, according to state news agency Bernama.

Japan: Regulators begin final safety inspection before treated Fukushima wastewater is released into sea

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese regulators began a final inspection Wednesday before treated radioactive wastewater is released from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean.

The inspection began a day after plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings installed the last piece of equipment needed for the release — the outlet of the undersea tunnel dug to discharge the wastewater 1 kilometer (a thousand yards) offshore.

Pak-China collaboration to promote Pakistan’s pharmaceutical development

BEIJING, June 27 (APP): China has equalized or surpassed the developed nations’ pharma standards over a period of time.

With 30 years of experience in cooperation with China, our progress is accompanied by the dividend of the development of China’s pharmaceutical industry,”highlighted Waheed Ahmed, Chief Executive of Shaigan Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd at the CPHI & PMEC China.

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