Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

SEOUL, Nov 9 (Reuters) - North Korea fired at least one ballistic missile into the sea on Wednesday, as South Korea said it had identified debris from an earlier launch as part of a Soviet-era SA-5 surface-to-air missile.

Japan's Coast Guard said the ballistic missile appeared to have fallen into the sea minutes after the launch was reported.

The missile flew to an altitude of up to 50 km (31.07 miles), and covered a range of 250 km, Japan's Defence Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters.

HANOI, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- Vietnam's capital Hanoi is on alert as it has seen the biggest increase in dengue fever cases in the country, local media reported on Wednesday.

The weekly number of infections in the city has risen from 500 to 700 per week in September to 1,200 to 1,400 at the end of October, the Vietnam News reported.

The city has recorded nearly 10,000 dengue fever cases so far this year, almost tripling the number of the same period in 2021.

Since the beginning of the year, Vietnam has reported a total of 292,439 cases of dengue fever and 112 deaths.

CHANGSHA, Nov. 9 (Xinhua) -- The China-Africa Technical Measures to Trade Research and Evaluation Base was on Wednesday launched in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, according to Changsha Customs.

It is China's first technical trade service platform for Africa. The signing ceremony for this base was held at the Summit on High-quality Development of Non-tariff Measures to Trade during the ongoing fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE).

BANGKOK (AP) — World shares were mostly lower on Wednesday as investors awaited the outcome of the U.S. midterm elections and a major inflation update due Thursday.

Benchmarks fell in London, Paris, Frankfurt and Tokyo. Chinese shares declined after weak inflation data provided further evidence of weakening demand in the world’s second-largest economy. U.S. futures also declined.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 8 (NNN-Bernama) — More Malaysians in and outside the country can now vote in elections, thanks to the constitutional amendment lowering the voting age and automatically registering eligible Malaysians as voters, but institutional barriers remain that prevent many from voting.

The changes took effect in December last year and some 6.2 million new voters have been added to the electoral rolls, increasing the size of the electorate to over 21 million for the 15th general election (GE15).

BEIJING/BRUSSELS, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Chinese authorities behind a major trade expo in Shanghai pulled an opening ceremony address by the European Council president that was set to criticise Russia's "illegal war" in Ukraine and call for reduced EU trade dependency on China, diplomats said.

The pre-recorded video by Charles Michel was meant to be one of several from world leaders and heads of international organisations, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the opening of the China International Import Expo (CIIE) on Friday, three European diplomats told Reuters.

BEIJING, Nov 8 (Reuters) - China has vowed resolute opposition to any efforts by Taiwan to collude with external forces and pursue independence, a spokesman of its foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

The remarks came in response to a query about a plan announced this week by the self-ruled island to invest more than 10 million euros ($10 million) towards chip production in Lithuania.

HANOI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Police in southern Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City have busted a drug-trafficking ring, seizing more than 11 kg of drugs, Vietnam News Agency reported on Tuesday.

The police directed relevant authorities to crack down on a drug trafficking ring led by a 45-year-old woman, who is a resident of Ho Chi Minh City's District 1 on Nov. 5, the news agency reported.

TOKYO, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Japan's lower house of parliament on Tuesday approved a bill to revise the infectious disease prevention law to prepare for future pandemics.

The bill was approved at a lower house plenary meeting by a majority vote from members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea has denied American claims that it’s shipping artillery shells and ammunition to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine, and on Tuesday accused the United States of lying.

The denial follows dozens of weapons tests by North Korea, including short-range missiles that are likely nuclear-capable and an intercontinental ballistic missile that could target the U.S. mainland. Pyongyang said it was testing the missiles and artillery so it could “mercilessly” strike key South Korean and U.S. targets if it chose to.