Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesian authorities have found no evidence that the country’s main intelligence service’s computers were compromised, after a U.S.-based private cybersecurity company alerted them of a suspected breach of its internal networks by a Chinese hacking group, an official said.

The Insikt Group, the threat research division of Massachusetts-based Recorded Future, said it discovered the hack in April when it detected malware servers operated by the “Mustang Panda” group communicating with hosts inside Indonesian government networks.

Beijing, Sep 20 (AP-PTI) Li Zhanguo's two children, aged eight and four, don't have their own smartphones, but like millions of other Chinese children, they are no strangers to online gaming.

If my children get their hands on our mobile phones or an iPad, and if we don't closely monitor their screen time, they can play online games for as long as three to four hours each time, he said.

Not anymore.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (NNN-Bernama) — The Malaysian government has agreed to administer COVID-19 vaccine booster shots as part of efforts to increase protection among vulnerable groups against the deadly virus.

Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said priority will be given to high-risk groups such as healthcare frontliners and immunocompromised patients.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (NNN-Bernama) — As one of the pioneer members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Malaysia is looking forward to welcoming economic powerhouse China into the fold, anticipated to be as early as next year.

“The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia is particularly encouraged with the recent move by China to formally apply for accession into the CPTPP,” the Ministry responded to Bernama’s query on China’s decision.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has not ruled out seeking re-election to parliament within the next two years, he told Reuters in an interview, despite a corruption conviction that would block him from running.

Najib's graft-tainted party, the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), clinched the premiership last month after it was ousted from power three years ago over a multi-billion dollar scandal. Opponents had expressed fears that party leaders facing criminal charges could secure leniency once back in control.

MANILA, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Boxing star Manny Pacquiao said on Sunday he will run for president of the Philippines next year, after railing against corruption in government and what he calls President Rodrigo Duterte's cozy relationship with China.

Pacquiao accepted the nomination of his political allies during the national assembly of the faction he leads in the ruling PDP-Laban Party, days after a rival faction nominated Duterte's long-time aide, Senator Christopher "Bong" Go, as its presidential candidate.

HONG KONG, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Hong Kong has held its first major election since improvements to the special administrative region's electoral system earlier this year, representing a steady step in its democratic advance.

The voting of the 2021 Election Committee's subsector ordinary elections ran from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. local time on Sunday at the six polling stations across Hong Kong.

Tehran, IRNA – Russian Ambassador to Tehran Levan Dzhagaryan said on Saturday that the beginning of Iran’s permanent membership process was the first foreign policy achievement of the Raisi administration.

Dzhagaryan expressed content over the decision made by Shanghai Cooperation Organization leaders to accept Iran’s permanent membership in the regional organization.

He said that this was the first foreign policy achievement of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

BEIJING (AP) — A boat that capsized on a river in southwest China has left at least 10 people dead, with another five still missing, according to state media on Sunday.

CCTV said that the ship overturned shortly after it departed Saturday evening in Guizhou Province. Preliminary investigations suggest that the ship was blown over by strong winds.

The tragedy struck days before China’s annual Mid-Autumn Festival, when families traditionally gather to have dinner and mooncakes.

BEIJING (AP) — Taiwan’s foreign minister said Sunday that a new tropical fruit import ban by China was a “hostile move”, amid souring relations between the two states.

Chinese customs authorities announced earlier Saturday that they would stop the import of custard and wax apples from Taiwan, citing pest concerns.