Taiwan will extend compulsory military service to one year from four months from 2024 due to the rising threat the democratically governed island faces from its giant neighbor China. The move, which had been well-flagged ahead of time, comes as China ramps up military, diplomatic and economic pressure on Taiwan …
Read More »South Korea pardons jailed ex-president Lee
Jailed former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak received a presidential pardon on Tuesday, cutting short his 17-year sentence on corruption charges, the justice minister said. Lee was on a list of more than 1,300 people who received special pardons “from the perspective of broad national unity through reconciliation, tolerance and …
Read More »‘Blizzard of the century’ leaves nearly 50 dead across US
Emergency crews in New York were scrambling Monday to rescue marooned residents from what authorities called the “blizzard of the century,” a relentless storm that has left nearly 50 people dead across the United States and caused Christmas travel chaos. Blizzard conditions persist in parts of the northeastern U.S., the …
Read More »Asian markets up after China ends travel quarantine
Asian markets rose on Tuesday after China said it would end quarantine for arrivals, spurring hopes for the revival of the world’s second-largest economy and boosting oil which continued its upward surge on fears of Russian production cuts. China has abruptly reversed its strict pandemic restrictions even as a surge …
Read More »Japan to require negative Covid test upon arrival for Chinese travelers
Japan will require a negative Covid-19 test upon arrival for travelers from mainland China due to the rapid spread of the virus in the country, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday. Travelers from China who test positive will be required to quarantine for seven days, Kishida told reporters, adding …
Read More »Pi Network may be considered for listing, cryptocurrency exchange says
A major cryptocurrency exchange platform said it would consider the Pi Network for listing “once the main network is upgraded successfully.” “Once the main network is upgraded successfully, Pi will be reviewed for listing at the soonest,” cryptocurrency exchange platform Huobi said in an announcement on Monday. “With the positive …
Read More »China to scrap Covid quarantine rule for inbound travelers
China will stop requiring inbound travelers to go into quarantine starting from Jan. 8, the National Health Commission said on Monday in a major step towards easing curbs on its borders, which have been largely shut since 2020. China’s management of Covid-19 will also be downgraded to the less strict …
Read More »Nigerian man injured in chain traffic collision
A Nigerian man was injured in a traffic accident on Ho Chi Minh Road in Gia Lai Province in the Central Highlands on Tuesday. Lliyabuba, 39, was driving a car on a section of Ho Chi Minh Road through the province’s Chu Se District at around 8:30 a.m., when he …
Read More »HCMC’s gateway enlarged to boost connectivity with Mekong Delta
A section of National Highway 50 linking the Mekong Delta with HCMC’s Binh Chanh District will be widened from 8m to 34m. Work started on the project on Tuesday morning to expand a 7-km section of the highway that runs between Nguyen Van Linh Boulevard and the border of Ho …
Read More »HCMC to ban container trucks on more downtown streets
To reduce traffic jams and accidents, container trucks will be banned permanently on Nguyen Dinh Chieu and Vo Van Tan streets in Ho Chi Minh City. The HCMC Department of Transport said that the ban will take effect from December 31. On Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street in District 1, container …
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