Asia (except ME & Indian SC)

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Nov 5  (NNN-Bernama) —  A new chapter was written in Malaysia’s history books when 945 candidates from various parties submitted their nomination papers, the highest in the election history, to contest the 222 parliamentary seats in the 15th General Election (GE15).

Based on the data displayed at the Media Centre of the Election Commission (EC) headquarters here, a total of 441 candidates will also contest for the 117 state seats in the GE15.

BEIJING, Nov 5 (Reuters) - China will persevere with its "dynamic-clearing" approach to COVID-19 cases as soon as they emerge, health officials said on Saturday, adding that measures must be implemented more precisely and meet the needs of vulnerable people.

The country's strict COVID containment approach is still able to control the virus, despite the high transmissibility of COVID variants and asymptomatic carriers, an official from the China National Health Commission told a news conference.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea added to its recent barrage of weapons demonstrations by launching four ballistic missiles into the sea on Saturday, as the United States sent two supersonic bombers streaking over South Korea in a dueling display of military might that underscored rising tensions in the region.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the four short-range missiles fired from a North Korean western coastal area around noon flew about 130 kilometers (80 miles) toward the country’s western sea.

BEIJING (AP) — In a much-scrutinized meeting Friday with President Xi Jinping in Beijing, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz urged China to exert its influence on Russia, while the Chinese leader repeated a call for talks between Moscow and Ukraine and warned against the conflict going nuclear.

Scholz was in Beijing for a one-day visit that has drawn criticism over China’s tacit support for Russia, lingering controversies over economic ties and human rights issues, as well as the timing of the trip.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 3 (NNN-Bernama) — Central bank of Malaysia has raised the overnight policy rate (OPR) by 25 basis points (bps) to 2.75 per cent, the fourth consecutive hike since May this year as the central bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) decided to further adjust the degree of monetary accommodation.

In wrapping up its last meeting of the year, the central bank said the ceiling and floor rates of the corridor of the OPR are correspondingly increased to 3.00 per cent and 2.50 per cent, respectively.

TOKYO, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Japan and Germany have agreed to work towards a military logistics pact, a Japanese government official said on Thursday, as Tokyo and Berlin tighten security relations on the back of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China's growing military might.

The official made the comment during an online media briefing following a meeting of the two countries' foreign and defence ministers in Germany.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — When Kim Kap Soo watched live broadcasts of the harrowing Halloween party crush that killed more than 150 people in Seoul last weekend, there was shock and sadness — but also the embarrassed realization that this wasn’t the first time he’d seen South Korea suffer a devastating disaster as a result of official incompetence and safety failures.

BEIJING (AP) — Canadian public broadcaster CBC said it is closing its China bureau after the Chinese government ignored requests to base a reporter in Beijing.

CBC said its applications had been met “by monthslong silence from Chinese officials.” The broadcaster’s last correspondent left Beijing as China closed down amid the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The bureau, located in one of Beijing’s high-security diplomatic compounds, had remained open in anticipation of restaffing.

BANGKOK (AP) — Amnesty International is urging suppliers of aviation fuel to Myanmar to suspend their shipments to prevent the military from using them to conduct an increasing number of air attacks on civilian targets.

In a report released Thursday, the London-based rights group documented diversion of aviation fuel that is supposed to be used only for civilian travel and transport to the military. It also called on refiners, shipping companies and others in the aviation fuel supply chain to stop shipments until they can ensure they won’t be diverted to military use.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea fired at least six missiles into the sea on Thursday, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that triggered evacuation warnings and halted trains in northern Japan, adding to a recent barrage of weapons tests that has escalated tensions in the region.

The ICBM test was followed by launches of two short-range ballistic missiles in the morning, drawing swift condemnation by North Korea’s neighbors and the United States, which reacted by extending ongoing joint air force exercises with South Korea.