Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana), the operator of the Rapid Rail, stage bus and the Rapid Ferry services, will revert to the normal operating hours of 6 am to midnight when the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) takes effect on Monday.

This followed Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s announcement today of the government’s intention to reopen the nation’s economic sector in stages from May 4, subject to tight conditions and procedures.

NUR-SULTAN, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Kazakhstan has resumed domestic passenger flights between its capital Nur-Sultan and its largest city Almaty, which were suspended on March 30 due to COVID-19.

Six flights will be operated between Nur-Sultan and Almaty per day beginning Friday. Flights from Nur-Sultan and Almaty to Kyzylorda, Oskemen, Semey and Petropavlovsk will resume on May 4.

Daulet Khamzin, executive director of the Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport, said all necessary safety measures will be taken during the quarantine period.

PYONGYANG, May 2 (Xinhua) -- Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a phosphatic fertilizer factory on Friday, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Saturday.

"All the participants broke into thunderous cheers of 'hurrah!', extending the greatest glory to the Supreme Leader who has brought about a new change" in the development of fertilizer industry, the report said.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made his first public appearance in 20 days as he celebrated the completion of a fertilizer factory near Pyongyang, state media said Saturday, ending an absence that had triggered global rumors that he may be seriously ill.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency reported that Kim attended the ceremony Friday in Sunchon with other senior officials, including his sister Kim Yo Jong, who many analysts predict would take over if her brother is suddenly unable to rule.

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Almost all economic sectors and business activities in Malaysia will be allowed to resume operations starting May 4, subject to the terms and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) set by the authorities, said Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

He said the Economic Action Council, the National Security Council and the Cabinet had discussed on ways to balance between the need to revive the country’s economy and curbing the COVID-19 pandemic.

SINGAPORE, May 1 (NNN-CNA) — Some foreign workers who have recovered from COVID-19 in Singapore have started living aboard a cruise ship docked at Marina Bay Cruise Centre, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said.

The first workers boarded the SuperStar Gemini – one of two cruise ships cleared to house these workers temporarily – on Wednesday.

The second ship, the SuperStar Aquarius, has also passed checks by the authorities and is ready to receive the workers.

TOKYO, May 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to extend a nationwide state of emergency imposed over the coronavirus, possibly by another month, local media reported.

The measure was initially declared on April 7 across seven regions experiencing a spike in infections, but was later expanded to cover the entire country.

BEIJING, Apr 30 (APP): China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, a top legislative body, has ratified the treaty on the transfer of sentenced persons between Pakistan and China.

The 17th session of the standing committee of the 13th NPC, which concluded on Wednesday, was chaired by its chairman Li Zhanshu, and attended by 123 committee members in person and 46 others via video link, China Economic Net reported on Thursday.

BEIJING, April 29. /TASS/: The Chinese authorities support Russia’s official position and believe that the existence of US biological laboratories in the territory of some former Soviet republics is fraught with risks, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Geng Shuang said on Wednesday.

1 May 2020; AFP: Singapore tycoon O.K. Lim built up his oil empire from a single-truck outfit through hard work and high-risk gambles, a rags-to-riches tale that made him a legend among crude traders.

But it all came crashing down when oil markets were plunged into unprecedented turmoil by the coronavirus pandemic and revealed the keen poker player appeared to have overplayed his hand.