Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 14  (NNN-BERNAMA) — A total 138,901 illegal immigrants have returned to their countries of origin voluntarily through the Back For Good (B4G) programme as of Dec 12 since it was launched on Aug 1.

Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Khairul Dzaimee Daud said of that number, Indonesians   were the highest with 53,328 illegal immigrants, followed by those from Bangladesh (38,734), India (22,964), Myanmar (6,923), while the rest were from other countries.

JAKARTA, Dec 14 (NNN-WAM) – Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Bowardi, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, met with General Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs of Indonesia, to discuss bilateral cooperation and friendship relations between the two countries.

During the meeting – which was held in Jakarta – the two sides exchanged talks on opportunities to further develop cooperation in various fields, with the aim of enhancing the partnership between the two countries.

MANILA, Dec 14 (NNN-PNA) – A Jetstar Airways plane bound for Japan, veered off a runway and got stuck at the grassy portion of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), before dawn on Saturday (today), airport authorities said.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), said, all passengers and crew were safely evacuated after the aircraft, an Airbus A320, overshot the runway, at 2:35 a.m. local time, while attempting to take off, and got stuck at the grassy portion of the runway.

YANGON, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Red Cross Societies of China and Myanmar agreed on Friday to further strengthen cooperation in a meeting between officials from both sides.

Chen Zhu, vice president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and president of Red Cross Society of China, visited Myanmar and held a meeting with Tin Nyunt, acting president of Myanmar Red Cross Society.

NUR-SULTAN, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- China and Kazakhstan will continue to promote high-quality alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Bright Path new economic policy, Chinese Ambassador to Kazakhstan Zhang Xiao said Friday.

Two-way trade is expected to reach a new record of more than 20 billion U.S. dollars in 2019, Zhang said at a reception for representatives of business circles from China and Kazakhstan, adding that a number of important industrial projects have been launched.

BEIJING (AP) — China put a positive face Saturday on a first-step trade agreement that dials down a trade war it blames the U.S. for starting.

Chinese experts and news media joined government officials in saying the deal would reduce uncertainty for companies, at least in the short term. They remained cautious, saying both sides will have to show a willingness to compromise to resolve the more fundamental differences between them.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea said Saturday it successfully performed another “crucial test” at its long-range rocket launch site that would further strengthen its “reliable strategic nuclear deterrent.”

The announcement comes as North Korea continues to pressure the Trump administration over an end-of-year deadline set by leader Kim Jong Un to salvage faltering nuclear negotiations.

TOKYO (AP) — During Pope Francis’ recent visit to Japan, Harumi Suzuki stood where his motorcade passed by holding a sign that read: “I am a survivor.”

Katsumi Takenaka stood at another spot, on another day, holding up his banner that read, “Catholic child sexual abuse in Japan, too.”

The two are among a handful of people who have gone public as survivors of Catholic clergy sexual abuse in Japan, where values of conformity and harmony have resulted in a strong code of silence.

Xinjiang (AP) -- The Xinjiang regional government in China’s far west is deleting data, destroying documents, tightening controls on information and has held high-level meetings in response to leaks of classified papers on its mass detention camps for Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities, according to four people in contact with government employees there.

SEPANG, Malaysia, Dec 13 (NNN-BERNAMA) — A total of 373 Chinese nationals were charged at the Sessions Court 1 here today on charges for online scam activities.

There were from a group of 680 who had been arrested in Cyberjaya recently following a raid on a building alleged to have been the location for online scam activities.