Reuters Asia Top

By Ismail Shakil OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly told her Chinese counterpart that foreign interference will not be tolerated in Canada’s internal affairs, amid calls for a broad public inquiry into China’s alleged meddling in the past two elections. “Canada will never tolerate any form of foreign interference in our democracy and internal …

Canada will ‘never tolerate’ foreign interference, minister tells China Read More »

GENEVA (Reuters) -The World Health Organization (WHO) is still working to identify the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic, its director general said on Friday, after a U.S. agency was reported to have assessed the pandemic had likely been caused by a Chinese laboratory leak. “I have written to and spoken with high-level Chinese leaders on …

WHO still working to identify the origins of COVID-19 Read More »

By Uditha Jayasinghe and Swati Bhat COLOMBO (Reuters) -Sri Lanka’s central bank raised interest rates on Friday to tackle inflation and said it would relax its currency band to move towards a market-determined exchange rate as it seeks to secure a bailout from the International Monetary Fund. The bank raised its standing deposit facility rate …

Sri Lanka raises rates, relaxes currency band as it seeks to secure IMF bailout Read More »

By Ananda Teresia and Stanley Widianto JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s judicial oversight body on Friday said it would summon judges from a district court to explain what it called a “controversial” ruling that effectively ordered a delay in 2024 presidential and general elections. Handling a lawsuit from an obscure party whose election registration was denied, …

Indonesia judicial body to question judges over election delay ruling Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – The National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country’s top political advisory body, will end on March 11, the conference’s spokesperson told a news conference on Friday. The CPPCC meeting will kick off on March 4 and last a total of 7.5 days. (Reporting by Beijing newsroom; editing …

Chinese people’s political consultative conference will end on March 11 Read More »

By Prak Chan Thul PHNOM PENH (Reuters) -Prominent Cambodian opposition figure Kem Sokha was sentenced on Friday to 27 years of house arrest after being found guilty of treason, in a case condemned by the United States as politically motivated. Judge Koy Sao also told the court in the capital, Phnom Penh, that Kem Sokha …

Cambodian opposition figure Kem Sokha sentenced to 27 years of house arrest Read More »

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s space agency said it plans to launch what would be its first new medium-lift rocket in three decades on March 6, more than two weeks after the initially scheduled launch was aborted. The final decision will be made taking into account weather conditions, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said on …

Japan reschedules H3 rocket launch to March 6, after Feb. 17 abort Read More »

By Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) -The United States and South Korea will conduct more than 10 days of large-scale military exercises in March, including amphibious landings, officials from the two countries said on Friday. The “Freedom Shield” drills will be held from March 13 to March 23 to strengthen the allies’ combined defensive posture, the …

US, S.Korea to hold big exercises with focus on N.Korea “aggression” Read More »

By Yimou Lee TAIPEI (Reuters) -Taiwan’s government believes China is set to renew a charm offensive targeting “opinion leaders” to win hearts and minds as the island gears up for a presidential election in less than a year, a security agency said in an internal report. China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its own, …

Taiwan wary of China charm offensive ahead of presidential vote – agency Read More »