Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

HANOI, Mar 24 (NNN-VNA) – Vietnam rejected U.S. human rights report as based on false information.

“Vietnam feels sorry that the 2022 human rights report, by the U.S. Department of State, has made biased comments, based on false information about the real situation in Vietnam,” deputy spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pham Thu Hang, said, at a regular press briefing in Hanoi yesterday.

The spokeswoman reaffirmed Vietnam’s consistent policy, to protect and promote human rights.

BEIJING, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Britain's decision to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing ammunition containing depleted uranium has elicited a strong reaction from Russia, spurring fears that the current crisis in Ukraine might escalate and spiral out of control.

Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said in Washington on Wednesday that Western countries led by the United States have decided to bring humankind to the brink of a nuclear Armageddon, TASS news agency reported.

YANGON, March 24 (Xinhua) -- An exhibition marking the seventh anniversary of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) was held in Nay Pyi Taw, the capital of Myanmar, on Thursday, according to a release from the Chinese embassy in Myanmar.

The exhibition showcased the achievements of the LMC projects implemented by 16 ministries and agencies of Myanmar, the release said.

Speaking at the event, Union Minister for Foreign Affairs of Myanmar U Than Swe praised the LMC's contribution to the regional sustainable development and its assistance to the people of Myanmar.

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares fell Friday in Asia as worries over turmoil in the banking sector and recession risks overshadowed gains on Wall Street.

Benchmarks declined in most major markets, while U.S. futures were higher. Oil prices fell.

Investors are worried that more banks might suffer a debilitating exodus of customers following the second- and third-largest U.S. bank failures in history. That turmoil is clouding the outlook for what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates after hiking them to market-rattling heights over the last year.

BEIJING (AP) — When China suddenly scrapped onerous zero-COVID measures in December, the country wasn’t ready for a massive onslaught of cases. Hospitals turned away ambulances, crematoriums burned bodies around the clock, and relatives hauled dead loved ones to warehouses for lack of storage space.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea claimed Friday to have tested a nuclear-capable underwater drone designed to generate a gigantic “radioactive tsunami” that would destroy naval strike groups and ports. Analysts were skeptical that the device presents a major new threat, but the test underlines the North’s commitment to raising nuclear threats.

BANGKOK (AP) — China threatened “serious consequences” Friday after the U.S. Navy sailed a destroyer around the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea for the second day in a row, in a move Beijing claimed was a violation of its sovereignty and security.

The warning comes amid growing tensions between China and the United States in the region, as Washington pushes back at Beijing’s growingly assertive posture in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway it claims virtually in its entirety.

BEIJING, Mar 23 (APP): The commemorative flag of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, which was carried into space, was displayed at an exhibition in China.

The ‘Dreaming of the Universe and Asking the Sky: 30 Years of China’s Manned Spaceflight Achievement Exhibition’ was recently held in the West Hall of the National Museum of China, featuring an impressive collection of items that highlight China’s success in space exploration.

BEIJING, Mar 23 (APP): Pakistan Day was celebrated with national spirit and great fervor at the Embassy of Pakistan, Beijing here on Thursday.

Pakistan Day commemorates the passing of the Lahore Resolution on March 23, 1940, when the All-India Muslim League demanded a separate homeland for the Muslims of the British Indian Empire.

The ceremony commenced with the recitation of verses from Holy Quran. Pakistan Ambassador to China, Moin ul Haque raised the national flag and hoisted it to the mast’s summit, with the invigorating tune of the national anthem.

BEIJING, March 23. /TASS/: Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Russia made it possible to expand and deepen bilateral trade and economic cooperation, Shu Jueting, spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce of China, announced on Thursday.

"During the visit, documents were signed on trade and economic cooperation, in particular on soybeans, forestry, trade shows, the supply of frozen products and infrastructure facilities. The parties are gradually expanding and deepening bilateral cooperation," she said at a briefing, commenting on the Chinese leader’s trip to Moscow.