BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on Friday the government plans to offer visa-free travel to citizens of several more countries. Thailand has recently waived visas for citizens of China and India to boost tourism, a key driver of Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy. The visa-free programme for China has helped stimulate the …
Thailand plans to waive visas for more countries Read More »
SEOUL (Reuters) -The influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said that there is no impediment to closer ties with Japan and that there may come a day Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits Pyongyang, state news agency KCNA said on Thursday. Kishida, whose nation has no formal diplomatic ties with Pyongyang, has …
North Korea leader’s sister says Japan PM’s comments positive -KCNA Read More »
By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The World Bank Group said on Thursday its executive board endorsed a new approach to aiding Afghanistan that will deploy some $300 million from the bank’s International Development Association fund for poor countries through United Nations agencies and other international organizations. The development lender said the funds would remain outside …
World Bank approves shift to channel IDA funds to Afghanistan humanitarian aid Read More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States is concerned about reports of intimidation and voter suppression in Pakistan’s election, the White House said on Thursday after reports of protests in some parts of the country. Pakistan’s election last week did not return a clear majority for anyone but independent candidates backed by jailed former Prime Minister …
By Kate Lamb JAKARTA (Reuters) – Supporters of Indonesia’s Prabowo Subianto are celebrating his likely ascent to the presidency, but for Paian Siahaan it is a painful reminder of his missing son and the man he blames for his disappearance in 1998. Paian’s 22-year-old son Ucok was one of the pro-democracy activists who disappeared during …
Indonesia’s likely new president haunts father of missing activist Read More »
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) -A key aide of former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan said on Thursday that the jailed leader had nominated Omar Ayub Khan as a candidate in a parliamentary vote to elect a new premier following last week’s national elections. The party also announced countrywide protests against what it called widespread rigging against it …
Ex-Pakistan premier Imran Khan nominates Omar Ayub as PM candidate: aide Read More »
BANGKOK (Reuters) -Thai authorities warned that pollution levels in Bangkok and surrounding provinces had hit unhealthy levels on Thursday, ordering government employees in the capital to work from home for the next two days and urging others to do the same. Air pollution is caused by a combination of crop-related burning, industrial pollution and heavy …
Thailand warns of high pollution in capital, officials to work from home Read More »
(Reuters) – A cold snap is forecast to sweep across many parts of China from this weekend, with temperatures falling by up to 20 degrees Celsius as millions return from Lunar New Year trips, the national observatory said on Thursday. Heavy snow will hit Shaanxi and Shanxi province in the north, central Henan province and …
Cold snap expected in China as millions return from Lunar New Year trips Read More »
MANILA (Reuters) – The death toll from a landslide in the southern Philippines has risen to 92 as the search for missing people continues, officials said on Thursday. Provincial officials said 36 people were still unaccounted for after the landslide struck the town of Maco in the Davao de Oro province on Feb. 6. Torrential …
Death toll from Philippine landslide rises to 92, search continues Read More »
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine law enforcers arrested on Thursday a woman on a U.S. terror watch list for allegedly helping transfer funds to an Islamic State leader in Southeast Asia in 2016. Myrna Mabanza, who is on the U.S. Specially Designated Global Terrorist list and sanctions list of the United Nations Security Council, was arrested …
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