Asia

Malaysia says aviation firms may need three years to recover from COVID-19
12Nov By Team FPNo Comments
Asia, Market, Singapore, World

Malaysia says aviation firms may need three years to recover from COVID-19

KUALA LUMPUR: Airlines in Malaysia could take three years to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic, depending on the outbreak in the country and abroad, the transport ministry said. Transport Minister Wee Ka Siong said earlier this week that in the Malaysian Aviation Commission's (MAVCOM) revised projections for passenger traffic this year, it expects passenger numbers to shrink as much as 75.6 per cent to 26.6 million, compared with the 109.2 million passengers recorded in 2019. "In this regard, airlines are expected to need a period of three years to fully recover the situation from the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, subject to the of the outbreak in the country and abroad," Wee said in a written parliamentary reply dated Monday (Nov 9). Airlines globally have taken a hit from ...
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J&K: Advanced research centre playing vital role in saffron cultivation
11Nov By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

J&K: Advanced research centre playing vital role in saffron cultivation

In the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, an advanced research Centre at Dussu area of Pampore district is playing a vital role in boosting the cultivation of saffron.“From irrigation to fertilizers, the research center has provided assistance to saffron growers, farmers are also cooperating with the center to boost the cultivation,” said a saffron grower, Syed Mohiud-din Amin.“Earlier, we were doing traditional farming, now they have introduced us with new technology, the farmers have also adapted it, said another saffron grower, Abdul Majeed.Under the National Saffron Mission (NSM) of the central government, the Advance Research Station For Saffron & Seed Spices was established by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) a few ...
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Maryam Nawaz says Pakistan PM Imran Khan, his party is like Coronavirus
11Nov By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia, World

Maryam Nawaz says Pakistan PM Imran Khan, his party is like Coronavirus

In a scathing attack on Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz Sharif, on Monday, likened coronavirus to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Prime Minister Imran Khan."The disease called COVID-19 came to the world recently, but it had already spread in Pakistan in 2018," she said while addressing a public gathering in Gupis, Gilgit-Baltistan.She further said that this disease does not go away by wearing masks, and has to be thrown out.The daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who is on a seven-day election campaign ahead of the Gilgit-Baltistan elections scheduled for November 15, said it "pained her to take the name of a person like Imran".She added that Khan and his party of 'turncoats' is the nam...
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Malaysia reports daily high of 869 new COVID-19 cases, 4 more deaths
8Nov By Team FPNo Comments
Asia, World

Malaysia reports daily high of 869 new COVID-19 cases, 4 more deaths

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported 869 new coronavirus cases on Saturday (Oct 17), its highest daily count so far, health authorities said. All of the new COVID-19 cases are local transmissions, involving 745 citizens and 124 non-Malaysians, Health Director-General Noor Hisham Abdullah said. Many of the cases continue to be in the state of Sabah, with 451 infections over the past 24 hours. Four more deaths were confirmed, bringing the total number of fatalities to 180. Saturday's case count is a sharp rise from the day before when 629 new infections were reported. After a recent surge in cases, Malaysia imposed targeted lockdowns this month, with Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya under a Conditional Movement Control Order until Oct 27. The country's tally of cases stand...
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Japan eases COVID-19 travel curbs for China, eight others
8Nov By Team FPNo Comments
Asia, China, Singapore, World

Japan eases COVID-19 travel curbs for China, eight others

TOKYO: Japan has eased travel curbs for China, Australia, South Korea and six other countries and regions, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Friday (Oct 30), as Tokyo steps up efforts to revive its economy while preventing the spread of COVID-19. Japan lowered its infection risk advisory level for Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, New Zealand, Brunei and Vietnam, besides China, South Korea and Australia, to 2 from 3, telling its citizens to avoid non-urgent, non-essential trips. Under the infection risk advisory level of 3, the public are instructed not to take any trips. Singapore and Japan launched a reciprocal green lane to facilitate short-term essential business and official travel between the two countries on Sep 18. The business track will allow the safe resumption of cr...
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J&K: Friendly match between specially-abled, PMMCT winners held
7Nov By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

J&K: Friendly match between specially-abled, PMMCT winners held

In the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), a friendly cricket match between specially-abled team (SAT) of Kulgam district and winners of Police Martyrs Memorial Cricket Tournament (PMMCT) was played at the Sports Stadium in Kulgam.The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kulgam, Showkat Aijaz Bhat who was Chief Guest on the occasion along with SP Kulgam Gurinder Pal Singh interacted with participants and applauded the efforts put forth by specially-abled persons.The event was organized by District Police of Kulgam under ‘Civic Action Programme’ in the memory of “police martyrs for their supreme sacrifices in safeguarding the unity and integrity of the nation.”The Specially-abled team won the match by 28 runs. The match was played as a revolutionary initiative to boost the morale ...
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J&K: Real Kashmir FC lifts Anantnag Knockout Football Tournament trophy
7Nov By Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

J&K: Real Kashmir FC lifts Anantnag Knockout Football Tournament trophy

In the final match of the ‘Anantnag Champions Knockout Football Tournament 2020’, Real Kashmir FC lifted the winning trophy after defeating Solina FC by 2:1 at the Anantnag Sports Stadium located in Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.In the high voltage game, both the teams played aggressively for the title while the fans thronged the venue in huge numbers. As the match started, forwards of both the teams started attacking other goalposts to seize an early initiative. However, defense lines of both the teams ensured that no damage was done. Real Kashmir FC maintained their reputation of attacking football with Ateeb and Ibrahim going close in the early exchanges. The team was finally rewarded when Ibrahim Rasheed scored with a delightful finish on a Corner kick.Ateeb was the secon...
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India’s biggest festival Diwali to boycott Chinese products
7Nov By TheGreenZoneNo Comments
Asia, China, Market

India’s biggest festival Diwali to boycott Chinese products

While we’ve noted the extent to which markets have been flooded with ‘cheap quality yet affordable’ products from China, with PM Modi’s push towards Atmanirbhar Bharat, it seems changes can be plotted especially this festive season. As trends suggest, this is the peak season for huge amounts of imports from China to meet the demand of customers for diverse goods. Yet, this year has brought a twist in the tale. What accounted for almost 70-80% of market share some 5-6 years ago has fallen to a mere 10% share of imported Chinese goods this year. Traders importing Idols of gods and goddesses have declined rapidly. Forces behind this change range from anti-China product demonstrations to a significant change in consumer sentiments as demand for Made in India sees a rise. This in turn ha...
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Confrontation with China reboots Indian economy
7Nov By TheGreenZoneNo Comments
Asia, China

Confrontation with China reboots Indian economy

The tense relations due to border standoff between China and India led to a campaign by Indian traders to boycott Chinese products and Indian authorities mulling higher trade barriers. In terms of global value chains, India is looking to create its own industrial base and alternate global value chain, introducing many preferential policies, economic stimulus and incentives for Indian industry. Additionally, some Indian industrial sectors which rely on supplies from China are now looking to create alternate and reliable supply chains. China has been a top trading partner of India for years, while China's exports to India have accounted for about 2 percent of its total exports. India can take confidence East Asian countries who have developed highly integrated industrial chains. India...
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Swedish clothing icon H&M joins global clamour to end human rights abuses in Xinjiang
7Nov By TheGreenZoneNo Comments
Asia, China

Swedish clothing icon H&M joins global clamour to end human rights abuses in Xinjiang

Swirling reports about human rights abuses in Xinjiang are now beginning to hurt China's export-led economy, with Swedish clothing icon H&M deciding not to buy raw materials from the region's farms and factories suspected of using "forced labour". The fashion house said on Tuesday that it would no longer source cotton from Xinjiang-China's largest growing area of the cash crop. It also clarified that it did not work with any garment factory in the region. H&M said it had conducted "an inquiry at all the garment manufacturing factories we work with in China aiming to ensure that they are not employing workers ... through what is reported on as labour transfer programmes or employment schemes where forced labour is an increased risk." By de-linking from restive Xinjiang, where...
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