Asia

Indian govt asks Twitter to remove 1,178 Pak-Khalistani handles over provocative content on farmers’ protest
9Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Indian govt asks Twitter to remove 1,178 Pak-Khalistani handles over provocative content on farmers’ protest

Amid the ongoing farmers' protest in India, the Central government has directed Twitter to remove 1,178 Pakistani-Khalistani accounts spreading misinformation and provocative content on farmers agitation, according to sources.External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday had said that there was a reason why the MEA reacted to the remarks of some celebrities in relation to protest by farmer unions and noted that they spoke "on matters on which they obviously didn't know very much".Jaishankar said that the 'toolkit' case, which is being probed by police, has revealed a lot."I think it has revealed a lot. We have to wait and see what comes out. You can see there was a reason why the foreign ministry reacted to the statements which some celebrities gave out on matters on which they obviou...
Read More
Peace in Kashmir possible if Pak’s terrorist activities are curtailed: Experts
9Feb mmBy Joe RodriguezNo Comments
Asia

Peace in Kashmir possible if Pak’s terrorist activities are curtailed: Experts

In a webinar held on the 37th anniversary of diplomat Ravindra Mhatre’s killing and India’s fight against international terrorism, a panel of experts unanimously said that peace in Kashmir was a possibility only if Pakistan's actions were curtailed and if the international community played a proactive role in the process.Participating in the webinar, senior journalist Akhlaq Ahmed Usmani remarked that Pakistan sponsored-terrorism had hampered the peace situation in Kashmir Valley.Usmani asserted that such actions were strictly un-Islamic and had to be discussed by the international community to fix accountability on the sponsors.Shujaat Ali Qadri, President, Muslim Students Organisation (MSO), equated the killing of the diplomat as an "act of war against India" and highlighted the restrain...
Read More
Myanmar police file charges against Aung San Suu Kyi after coup
9Feb By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, USA, World

Myanmar police file charges against Aung San Suu Kyi after coup

Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi attends the Leaders Plenary Session of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -Australia Special Summit in Sydney on March 18, 2018. Mark Metcalfe | AFP | Getty Images Myanmar police have filed charges against ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi for illegally importing communications equipment and she will be detained until Feb. 15 for investigations, according to a police document. The move followed a military coup on Monday and the detention of Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi and other civilian politicians. The takeover cut short Myanmar's long transition to democracy and drew condemnation from the United States and other Western countries. A police request to a court detailing the accusations against Suu Kyi, 75, said six walkie-talkie radios had b...
Read More
Asia shares pare losses as China GDP pips forecasts
9Feb By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, China, Market, World

Asia shares pare losses as China GDP pips forecasts

Asian share markets retreated from highs on Monday as disappointing news on U.S. consumer spending tempered risk sentiment ahead of a closely-watched reading on the health of the Chinese economy. SYDNEY: Asian share markets pared early losses on Monday as data confirmed China's economy had bounced back last quarter as factory output jumped, helping offset recent disappointing news on U.S. consumer spending. Chinese blue chips edged up 0.4per cent after the economy was reported to have grown 6.5per cent in the fourth quarter, on a year earlier, topping forecasts of 6.1per cent. Industrial production for December also beat estimates, though retail sales missed the mark. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan trimmed losses and were off 0.2per cent, having hit a st...
Read More
Quad countries working to arrange first meeting amid China’s growing influence
7Feb mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, China, World

Quad countries working to arrange first meeting amid China’s growing influence

Amid China’s growing influence, members of the Quad countries - the US, India, Japan and Australia - are working to arrange the first meeting of their leaders, according to media reports.This comes as the US President Joe Biden’s new administration has expressed its eagerness to build on renewed attention to the grouping of the four major Indo-Pacific democracies. National security adviser Jake Sullivan even called it “a foundation upon which to build substantial American policy in the Indo-Pacific”.According to a source, the US has already proposed to other countries the idea of holding an online meeting of the Quad leaders.During the envisioned meeting, the Quad members are expected to discuss cooperation for the realisation of a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” amid concerns over China’s ma...
Read More
Shares rally, retail surge drives silver to 8-year high
6Feb By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, Market, World

Shares rally, retail surge drives silver to 8-year high

LONDON: Global shares bounced and silver markets surged on Monday (Feb 1) as retail investors expanded their social media-fuelled battle with Wall Street to drive the precious metal to an eight-year high. Stock markets were roiled last week after a spike in retail demand to buy the stocks most bet against by hedge funds drove huge gains in companies such as GameStop, and prompted fresh concern that COVID-19 monetary and fiscal support measures were fuelling a market bubble. With chatrooms abuzz with talk that silver was the new target, silver-exposed stocks, funds and coins jumped, helping push spot silver up more than 11 per cent, before gains were trimmed and it last traded up around 9 per cent. The bullish spirit helped London-listed miners post strong gains, including one of mor...
Read More
Thailand reports 819 new COVID-19 cases, 1 additional death
6Feb By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, World

Thailand reports 819 new COVID-19 cases, 1 additional death

BANGKOK: Thailand on Wednesday (Jan 27) reported 819 new COVID-19 cases, taking its total infections to 15,465. One additional death was reported, bringing total fatalities to 76. More than 700 of the new infections were in Samut Sakhon province, the epicentre of the most recent outbreak, the Thailand COVID-19 task force said at a briefing. On Tuesday, Thailand's health minister called for understanding and sought to explain the country's coronavirus vaccine procurement plan, following criticism that the government has lacked transparency and been too slow in securing supplies. The strategy came under scrutiny last week when banned opposition politician Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit said the government had been too reliant on a company owned by King Maha Vajiralongkorn to produce va...
Read More
India a major player in the Indian Ocean Region: Madagascar Defence Minister
5Feb mmBy Mike TrudellNo Comments
Asia, World

India a major player in the Indian Ocean Region: Madagascar Defence Minister

India is a major player in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and the neighbouring countries rely on India to play its part in ensuring peace and prosperity in that region, said Madagascar Minister of Defence, General Richard Rakotonirina on Thursday.He was speaking at the IOR Defence Minister’s Conclave on the sidelines of Aero India 2021, Asia’s largest Aero show held at Bengaluru.At the Conclave, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that India was ready to supply various types of missile systems, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) and other weapons systems including missiles, helicopters, tanks and artillery guns to friendly foreign countries in the IOR.He also pointed out that India’s approach and vision to tackle the global challenge in IOR is highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s d...
Read More
Geylang Serai Hari Raya Bazaar to be held online on new digital platform due to COVID-19 outbreak
5Feb By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, Singapore, World

Geylang Serai Hari Raya Bazaar to be held online on new digital platform due to COVID-19 outbreak

SINGAPORE: The annual Geylang Serai Hari Raya Bazaar will continue to be held online this year, said the People's Association (PA) on Wednesday (Jan 13). "In view of the evolving COVID-19 situation, physical bazaars and trade fairs, which traditionally attract large crowds, will not resume," said PA in a media release, adding that for residents' safety and wellbeing, the Geylang Serai bazaar will continue to be held online and on a new digital platform. The bazaar will take place from Apr 9 to May 13, and will be a "celebration of the Malay/Muslim culture and heritage, with varied food and lifestyle experiences for Singaporeans from all walks of life to enjoy", the association said. "Similar to last year, the online experience will enable many residents to learn new skills and enj...
Read More
COVID-19 batters Asia’s already-struggling democracies
3Feb By Desk TeamNo Comments
Asia, China, Singapore, World

COVID-19 batters Asia’s already-struggling democracies

Over the past 15 years, democracy across Asia has regressed. Although the region still has strong democracies like South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, many other leading Asian democracies and countries with democratic potential have slid backwards, turning into near-autocracies or outright authoritarian states. While Thailand had been one of the freest states in Asia in the late 1990s and early 2000s, it has suffered two military coups in the past decade and now is run by a parliamentary government that took power after a seriously flawed election in 2019. Bangladesh had built itself into a shaky but increasingly vibrant democracy by the early 2010s, but in the past decade has deteriorated into a de facto one-party regime, with opposition activists, civil society leaders and journalists jailed...
Read More