Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING, June 13 (APP): Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haq on Sunday said that Hunan province of China would play a greater role in building the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of Belt and Road Initiative.

“Pakistan and China are “iron brothers” and Chairman Mao Zedong has made a great contribution to the friendship between the two countries, and I am pleased to be in Chairman Mao’s hometown of Hunan on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China,” he said in an exclusive interview with Hunan Daily.

TOKYO, June 11. /TASS/: Kazuo Miyasaka, former head of a Japanese tech research company detained in Japan, allegedly handed over US military technology data to an employee of the Russian trade mission, the Kyodo news agency informed on Friday, citing sources close to the investigation.

It is noted that the handover of this data is banned by the US anti-Russian sanctions. The police searched Miyasaka’s house and car, seizing his phone and personal computer.

(Reuters) --- Group of Seven leaders on Sunday scolded China over human rights in Xinjiang, called for Hong Kong to keep a high degree of autonomy and demanded a full and thorough investigation of the origins of the novel coronavirus in China.

After discussing how to come up with a unified position on China, leaders issued a highly critical final communique that delved into what are for China some of the most sensitive issues, including also Taiwan.

MANILA, June 13 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine security forces killed four suspected terrorists in a before-dawn shootout on Sunday in Sulu province in the southern Philippines.

Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan, commander of the Western Mindanao Command, said the shootout broke out around 2 a.m. local time when a team of soldiers and police swooped down on the suspects' hideout in Jolo town.

"Sensing the presence of the operating troops, the (suspects) opened fire, thereby prompting the government forces to retaliate," Vinluan said in a statement.

BEIJING, June 13 (Xinhua) -- An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 jolted South Sandwich Islands region at 07:24:46 GMT on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The epicenter, with a depth of 10.0 km, was initially determined to be at 60.9198 degrees south latitude and 25.705 degrees west longitude. 

HONG KONG, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam on Sunday called on residents to get the COVID-19 vaccine to let daily lives in the global financial hub return to normal at an early date.

Hong Kong must work to raise the vaccination rate so that people can make trips for businesses, tourism or family reunions as before, Lam said on her social media account.

BANGKOK, June 13 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's capital Bangkok is going to ease some restrictions against the COVID-19 pandemic as the national vaccination program is accelerating.

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said in a social media post late Saturday that from the upcoming Monday onwards, five types of places are allowed to reopen as the situation in the capital is deemed more controllable and more residents have been vaccinated.

Places that he referred to include public parks, museums, beauty clinics, foot massage and nail salons.

BEIJING (AP) — At least 12 people were killed and 39 seriously injured Sunday after a gas line explosion tore through a residential neighborhood in central China.

Responders to the early morning blast in the Hubei province city of Shiyan sent more than 150 people to hospital, according to a statement on the city’s official social media channel.

The statement said rescue efforts were continuing but gave no word on the cause of the explosion.

(Reuters) --- Toshiba Corp (6502.T) shareholders should vote against the re-appointment of board chairman Osamu Nagayama and four other directors, shareholder advisory firm ISS recommended on Saturday.

The recommendation by Institutional Shareholder Services Inc (ISS) follows an explosive, shareholder-commissioned investigation that accused Toshiba of colluding with the Japanese government to pressure foreign investors.

KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 (Xinhua) -- Continued high daily COVID-19 infections and a healthcare system under strain are among Malaysia's challenges in containing the pandemic within its borders, when the government is looking for an exit plan by speeding up vaccination.

The country extended its nationwide lockdown restrictions on Friday after authorities declared that the number of cases remained high despite the lockdown since June 1.