Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

HOHHOT, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Erenhot, the largest land port on the China-Mongolia border, has handled more than 1 million inbound and outbound travelers so far this year, with a single-day high of over 8,800 people, local authorities said on Thursday.

Customs clearance services for passenger traffic at the Erenhot highway port, located on the border of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, resumed on Jan. 8, and China-Mongolia international passenger train services resumed on Aug. 30.

PHNOM PENH, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and his visiting Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin held a meeting here on Thursday, discussing ways to further promote bilateral ties and cooperation.

According to a news release after the meeting, the two prime ministers held talks in a cordial and friendly atmosphere, where they had in-depth exchange of views on bilateral cooperation.

YANGON, Sept. 28 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar earned over 4.46 billion U.S. dollars from exports of manufacturing goods in over five months (from April 1 to Sept. 15) of the present fiscal year 2023-2024, according to figures released by the Commerce Ministry on Thursday.

The figure was over 1.04 billion dollars less than that of the same period last year when the country registered over 5.51 billion dollars.

The manufacturing goods sector topped the list in terms of the most export value, followed by agriculture and fishery sectors.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for an exponential increase in production of nuclear weapons and for his country to play a larger role in a coalition of nations confronting the United States in a “new Cold War,” state media said Thursday.

The Korean Central News Agency said Kim made the comments during a two-day session of the country’s rubber-stamp parliament which amended the constitution to include his policy of expanding the country’s nuclear weapons program.

BEIJING, Sept 27, (APP): “The 2nd SCO Pharmaceutical Cooperation Development Conference has demonstrated the commitment of member states to foster international cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry. Through this platform, SCO member states aim to promote mutual benefits, strengthen regulatory frameworks, encourage research and development collaboration, and expand market access,” highlighted Asim Rauf, CEO of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

YANGON, Sept 27 (NNN-MNA) – Myanmar authorities seized 12.55 million stimulant tablets worth over 18.8 billion kyats (over 8.95 million U.S. dollars), in the central region of Mandalay, according to the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC), late yesterday.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotic police searched a vehicle in Patheingyi township of Mandalay region, last Thursday and confiscated the drugs.

Three suspects were arrested for the case, the committee said.

TOKYO, Sept 27 (NNN-NHK) – The construction of the Torch Tower, Japan’s new tallest skyscraper in central Tokyo, kicked off today, according to the property developer.

Located across the street from Tokyo Station, the structure, which will soar to approximately 390 metres upon expected completion in the fiscal year 2027, is set to be Japan’s tallest by surpassing its urban neighbour, the 330-metre Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia’s economy is expected to continue to moderate in the near term based on data in July and August, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

DOSM noted that Malaysia’s economy exhibited moderate growth during the first half of 2023, expanding by 4.2 per cent.

Chief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the half-year performance came after a 5.6 per cent growth in the first quarter and 2.9 per cent in the second quarter.

ALMATY, Sept 27 (Reuters) - U.S. astronaut Frank Rubio, who broke the record for the longest continuous space flight by an American, and two Russian cosmonauts landed in the steppe of Kazakhstan on Wednesday after more than a year on the International Space Station (ISS).

Their Soyuz MS-23 capsule undocked from the ISS a minute earlier than scheduled, and took around three and a half hours to make it down to Earth, landing southeast of the city of Zhezqazghan.

BEIJING, Sept. 26 (APP): The representative from more than 120 countries have so far confirmed their participation in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing scheduled to be held this October, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin said on Tuesday.