Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

KUALA SELANGOR (Malaysia), Sept 10 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysian government is optimistic that the economy in the third quarter (Q3) of this year will show stronger growth based on current positive economic indicators.

Finance Minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz said economic growth was in line with the unemployment rate which was recorded at 3.7 per cent in July, compared to 3.8 per cent previously.

He said the rate was also better than the unemployment rate during the pandemic which was around 5.3 per cent in May 2020.

JAKARTA, Sept 10 (NNN-Bernama) — European Investment Bank (EIB) has opened its Southeast Asia and the Pacific regional representation office here to speed up financial support for high-impact investment.

According to the bank, it will prioritise financing for Southeast Asia’s €2.6 billion worth of projects in the pipeline such as climate action, urban transport, healthcare, energy security and sustainable projects.

BANGKOK, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Senior officials from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies wrapped up a meeting on Saturday, during which they focused on efforts to promote the recovery of the region's micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

The 28th APEC Small and Medium Enterprises Ministerial Meeting was held in Phuket under the theme of "Inclusive Recovery of APEC MSMEs through the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model and High Impact Ecosystem."

YANGON, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has accelerated its control and prevention measures for COVID-19 as transmission increases in the country, according to media reports.

The measures included boosting vaccinations, encouraging and sharing knowledge of wearing a face mask, providing hand basins in the markets, spraying disinfectant, and continuously publishing related information, announcements, notices, prevention guidance and strategies through media.

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court sentenced five speech therapists to nearly two years in prison Saturday for their role in the publication of children’s books deemed seditious.

The penalties are the latest sign of China’s hard line against free speech and any sign of political opposition in the city following the 2019 antigovernment protests.

Beijing responded to the monthslong demonstrations by imposing a sweeping National Security Law and disqualifying, imprisoning or silencing political opponents, many of whom have sought asylum abroad.

BEIJING, Sep 9 (APP): The first Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Scientific and Expert Forum on Information Security was held in Tashkent at the initiative of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev the other day (September 6).

The Forum was organised by the Institute of Strategic and Interregional Studies under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in association with the Executive Committee of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS), according to SCO Secretariat here.

BEIJING, Sep 9 (APP): China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Regions government has donated a batch of relief supplies worth RMB one million to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) for tackling the flood.

The relief supplies include quilt with cotton wadding, cotton-padded clothes, tents and others. All the relief supplies were handed over to GB authorities at a ceremony held at the Khunjerab pass, according to China Economic Net (CEN).

Gilgit-Baltistan has been severely affected by rains and floods, according to a Gilgit-Baltistan government report issued in August.

SEOUL, Sept 9 (Reuters) - North Korea has officially enshrined the right to use preemptive nuclear strikes to protect itself in a new law that leader Kim Jong Un said makes its nuclear status "irreversible" and bars denuclearisation talks, its state media reported on Friday.

The secretary-general of the United Nations, which has long-standing sanctions on North Korea's nuclear and missile programs, said he was "deeply concerned" by the new law and reiterated calls for Pyongyang to return to denuclearisation talks. 

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stressed his country will never abandon the nuclear weapons it needs to counter the United States, which he accused of pushing to weaken the North’s defenses and eventually collapse his government, state media said Friday.

Kim made the comments during a speech Thursday at North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament, where members passed legislation governing the use of nuclear weapons, which Kim described as a step to cement the country’s nuclear status and make clear such weapons will not be bargained.

Seoul, Sep 9 (AP-PTI) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stressed his country will never abandon the nuclear weapons it needs to counter the United States, which he accused of pushing to weaken the North's defenses and eventually collapse his government, state media said Friday.