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(Fixes typographical error in paragraph 1) (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russia’s close relations with China were unrelated to geopolitical events, speaking on Friday at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum. Putin, who made his comments shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s pre-recorded video address to the forum, said Russia’s cooperation with Beijing …

Putin says ties with China not driven by geopolitical events Read More »

(Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping said China-Russia cooperation was showing good momentum across the board, speaking in a pre-recorded video address to Russia’s St Petersburg International Economic Forum on Friday. Xi said he had full confidence in the health of China’s economy. (Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Kevin Liffey)

By Uditha Jayasinghe COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s government on Friday ordered public sector employees to work from home for two weeks due to severe fuel shortages as the island nation grapples with its worst financial turmoil in seven decades. Sri Lanka is scrambling to find foreign exchange to pay for desperately needed fuel imports, …

Sri Lanka asks government employees to work from home amid fuel shortages Read More »

By Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Pacific security issues can and should be dealt with by regional nations, Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa said on Friday, while adding that China’s size made it an attractive economic partner. China’s growing influence in the Pacific and the potential for militarisation in its small island nations has …

Samoa PM says Pacific can deal with its own security issues Read More »

BEIJING (Reuters) – The city of Beijing reported seven new local COVID-19 cases on Friday as of 3 p.m. local time (0700 GMT), a local health official said. The outbreak in the Chinese capital is stabilising, but virus vigilance should not be relaxed, Liu Xiaofeng, deputy director at Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, …

Beijing city reports 7 new local COVID cases on Friday as of 3 p.m. Read More »

TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan’s government is not liable for damages demanded by people whose lives were devastated by the Fukushima nuclear disaster, the country’s top court said on Friday, the first such ruling in a series of similar cases. The ruling’s effect as a precedent will be closely watched, media said. A massive tsunami set off …

Japan’s top court says govt not responsible for Fukushima damage Read More »

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand announced on Friday it would abandon its much-criticised pre-registration process for foreign visitors and no longer require face masks to be worn in public, responding to a slower COVID-19 spread. The “Thailand Pass” system, where foreign tourists must seek prior approval from Thai authorities, will be halted from July 1, Tourism …

Thailand eases entry rules for tourists, scraps mask policy Read More »