Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

Tokyo, Mar 31 (AP-PTI) Japan is calling for further investigation into the origins of COVID-19, saying the WHO report released this week was based on work that faced delays and lacked access to essential virus samples.

In order to prevent future pandemics, it is indispensable to carry out prompt, independent and experts-led investigations that are free of surveillance, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters. We are concerned that the latest investigation faced delays and the lack of access to virus samples.

MAE SAM LAEP, Thailand (AP) — The military launched more airstrikes Tuesday in eastern Myanmar after earlier attacks forced thousands of ethnic Karen to flee into Thailand and further escalating violence two months after the junta seized power.

Thailand’s prime minister said the villagers who fled the weekend airstrikes returned home of their own accord, denying that his country’s security forces had forced them back.

But the situation in eastern Myanmar appeared to be getting more, not less, dangerous.

BEIJING (AP) — China’s factory activity rebounded in March from a three-month slowdown as export orders rose, a survey showed Wednesday.

A monthly index of manufacturing issued by the China’s statistics agency and an industry group rose to 51.9 from February’s 50.6 on a 100-point scale on which numbers above 50 show activity expanding.

Chinese manufacturing has rebounded to above pre-pandemic levels in most industries but consumer and export demand have been slower to recover.

BEIJING, Mar 30 (APP): Under the wise leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the Pakistani people’s war against the third wave of the pandemic is fully supported by China as at this difficult time, the Chinese people stand firmly together with them.

These views were expressed by Cheng Xizhong, Visiting Professor at Southwest University of Political Science and Law and former military diplomat in South Asian countries in a statement issued here on Tuesday.

DUSHANBE (Tajikistan), March 30 (APP): Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Tuesday said Pakistan would continue to support a peaceful and stable Afghanistan through a political instead of a military solution to the conflict.

In his address at the 9th Heart of Asia-Istanbul Process (HoA-IP) Ministerial Conference in the Tajik capital, the foreign minister called for a united approach by regional countries to help restore the prosperity of the Afghan people.

CYBERJAYA, March 30 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia will have its first 5G Cybersecurity Test Lab by 2023, said CyberSecurity Malaysia (CSM) chief executive officer (CEO) Dr Amirudin Abdul Wahab.

The facility, to be located within CSM’s premises in Cyberjaya, will encompass a comprehensive 5G testbed ecosystem incorporating technologies such as 5G radio access network, Edge Network, Core Network, Cloud Application as well as End User devices which are equipped with security test tools.

(Reuters) - Rubbish piled up on the streets of Myanmar’s main city on Tuesday after activists launched a “garbage strike” to oppose military rule as the toll of pro-democracy protesters killed by the security forces since a Feb. 1 coup rose to more than 500.

Security forces shot and killed one man in the southernmost town of Kawthaung as they cleared the streets, the Mizzima news portal reported, and one person was killed in the northern town of Myitkyina, a relative of the 23-year-old victim told Reuters.

HONG KONG (AP) — China has sharply reduced the number of directly elected seats in Hong Kong’s legislature in a setback for the territory’s already beleaguered democracy movement.

The changes were announced Tuesday after a two-day meeting of China’s top legislature.

The legislature will be expanded to 90 seats, and only 20 will be elected by the public. Currently, half of the 70-seat legislature — 35 seats — is directly elected.

Beijing, Mar 30 (AP-PTI) China has sharply reduced the number of directly elected seats in Hong Kong's legislature in a setback for the democracy movement.

The changes were announced Tuesday after a two-day meeting of China's top legislature.

MAKASSAR, Indonesia (AP) — A recently married couple with suspected militant links used pressure cooker bombs to blow themselves up outside a Roman Catholic cathedral during Palm Sunday Mass, Indonesian officials said Monday.

The attack wounded 20 people, including four church guards, and broke windows at the church and nearby buildings in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province.

The couple were married six months ago and police were investigating their house in Makassar, National Police spokesperson Argo Yuwono said.