TAIWAN: It was on Wednesday (Jul. 6) that Taiwan’s air force showed off its new locally built and manufactured jet trainer, showcasing its more advanced, combat-capable qualities. As China, which claims the island as its own, pushes up its military modernization efforts and conducts drills near Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has made the development of an advanced home-grown defense sector …

INDONESIA: “Really soon,” Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture responded in answer to CNA’s questions on Wednesday, when asked about Indonesian chicken exports to Singapore (Jul 6). It also stated that additional enterprises are working with the government to get licences for the exportation of poultry. Earlier this month, Singapore stated that Indonesia had been added to its list of countries from …

MALAYSIA: A 25-basis-point increase in interest rates was announced by Malaysia’s central bank on Wednesday (July 6). This is the second rate increase this year. Ceiling and floor rates were correspondingly hiked to 2.50 percent and 2.00 percent, respectively, in the overnight policy rate corridor (OPR). An announcement from Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) claimed the increase was necessary due to …

MUMBAI: Trading volumes have plunged by as much as 90 percent since India implemented a new cryptocurrency tax earlier this month, adding to the country’s wider financial sector troubles. Since the beginning of this month, there has been an additional 1% tax on cryptocurrency trades in India, discouraging investors in a sector where the regulatory load and 30% digital income …

COPENHAGEN: As the city continues to deal with the aftermath of the weekend shooting at a mall that claimed the lives of three people, Copenhagen prepared for a memorial service for the victims on Tuesday (July 5). There will be a massive tribute on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. local time outside Fields, a shopping complex located between the city …

WASHINGTON: The White House said on Tuesday (Jul 5) that President Joe Biden’s team is still considering whether to reduce tariffs on Chinese imports in an effort to reduce inflation. As of late Tuesday, the US Trade Representative’s office had received more than 400 petitions to maintain tariffs in place on Chinese imports. This complicates Biden’s decision-making. A group of …

MANILA: Since its premiere in 2001, Hayao Miyazaki’s film “Spirited Away” has pushed the limits of what is possible in the world of animation. For 19 years, it was Japan’s highest grossing picture of all time, and it changed the public’s perception of animated films, showing that they can be more than just cartoons for children. It was also the …

US: When Thor: Ragnarok came out in 2017, he had to deal with his brothers and sisters, his planet’s impending annihilation, a booze-fueled sidekick, a gigantic dog and the death of his father. A Taika Waititi film is at its most intense when it has everything: slow-motion strolling, stupid antlered headdresses, sword fighting and laser cannons, capes and zombie soldiers, …

NEW ZEALAND: Will Jordan, David Havili, and Jack Goodhue missed the first test against Ireland because of COVID-19, but captain Sam Cane says they are under no obligation to play in Saturday’s second test against Ireland. After missing Auckland’s 42-19 victory over Ireland last weekend, all three players returned to training on Tuesday in preparation for Dunedin’s second test match …

NEW YORK: Due to the obvious Supreme Court’s decision last week to overturn Roe v. Wade, which restricts safe, legal abortion access in many states, women seeking abortions are increasingly turning to online alternatives. Traffic on telemedicine abortion platforms has increased 456 percent after the leaked draft ruling was made public in May and an additional 20 percent month-over-month in …