Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

BEIJING, Sep 23 (Xinhua/APP): Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the member states of Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) via video on Sept. 24.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said on Wednesday that Wang Yi will hold in-depth discussions with the heads of delegations from other member states on the joint fight against COVID-19, the international and regional situations, as well as CICA cooperation in various fields.

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia),  Sept 23  (Bernama) — Malaysia will get official information regarding permission to perform the Umrah from the Saudi Arabian government, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri.

“Any decision pertaining to the permission to perform the Umrah has to be discussed carefully with the Saudi Arabian government first,” he told reporters after opening a seminar at the Putrajaya Islamic Complex here Wednesday.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China’s foreign ministry said on Wednesday foreigners with valid residence permits can enter the country without needing to re-apply for visas from Sept. 28.

Foreigners whose residence permits expired after March 28 can apply for visas at Chinese embassies and consulates for entry, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

China in March temporarily suspended the entry of foreigners with valid Chinese visas and residence permits as an interim measure in response to the coronavirus epidemic.

Beijing, Sep 23 (PTI) China, which in recent years tried to catch up with the US in the design and production of new generation warplanes, is trailing the American air force in the development of the sixth-generation fighter jets by several years, according to a media report.

America is leading the world in the sixth-generation fighter jets with the US Air Force saying it has flown a prototype a milestone that is still years away for China, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Wednesday.

BEIJING, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- China firmly opposes the United States' fabrication of lies and groundless accusations against China, made for shady political purposes, at the United Nations (UN) podium, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"Facts have proven once again that unilateralism and bullying practices are the most serious threats facing the world," Wang Wenbin said at a press briefing in response to U.S. leader's remarks about China at the general debate of the 75th session of the UN General Assembly on Tuesday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said Wednesday he has secured a majority in Parliament to form a new government, but parties in the ruling coalition called it a “cheap publicity” stunt.

Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said Anwar must provide evidence, and “until proven otherwise, my National Alliance government still stands firm and I am still prime minister.” He urged Malaysians to stay calm.

BEIJING, Sep 22 (APP): A special flight of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) will transport around 217 Pakistani nationals from Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu, China to Islamabad on Thursday (September 24).

In view of the disruption of commercial flight operations, it will be ninth special flight of the national flag carrier to transport Pakistani nationals from China to back home, Qadir Bux Sangi, PIA Country Manager for China said on Tuesday.

BEIJING, Sep 22 (APP): Chinese and Pakistani companies have signed a strategic agreement for establishment of a Cancer Precision Medical Laboratory.

According to the agreement, Beijing Anlong Gene Medicine Technology Co., Ltd. and Life Rehealth Technology Pakistan Co., Ltd., will jointly establish a cancer precision medical laboratory.

Under the framework, the two companies will jointly carry out exploration and research on cancer medical treatment, and the Chinese company will also share its existing medical technologies with Pakistan.

PHNOM PENH, Sept 22 (NNN-AKP) – The impact of tropical storm Noul has left 11 people dead and one missing in Cambodia, a disaster control spokesman said on Monday.

National Committee for Disaster Management spokesman, Khun Sokha, said, heavy rain, strong wind and lightning began on Sept 17-20, as a result of the storm which battered the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos.

(Reuters) - TikTok has proposed a global coalition of social media firms for early identification and removal of harmful content, the company said on Tuesday, as networking apps face a barrage of criticism over issues ranging from misinformation to data privacy.

The company, owned by China’s ByteDance and at the center of a political battle between Washington and Beijing, said it had sent letters to nine companies for a memorandum of understanding on content moderation.