ASEAN News

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on January 20 that Japan may explore lowering COVID-19 to a less severe infectious illness and reducing its suggestion that people wear masks in public indoor locations as early as this spring. After meeting with relevant ministers, Kishida told the media that he had asked them to study the particular parameters for reclassifying COVID-19 into …

Chinese drugmakers scrambled to produce anti-fever medications and other COVID-19 therapies on Thursday, January 19, after President Xi Jinping expressed concern over the flow of holiday tourists to rural regions unable to deal with surprise outbreaks. Xi’s remarks came little over a month after his administration unexpectedly scrapped his “zero-COVID” rules, which had mainly protected China’s 1.4 billion people from …

State media claimed that Vietnam’s legislature authorized President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s resignation on Wednesday, amid a substantial escalation in the Southeast Asian nation’s anti-corruption drive. State media said that acting president will be Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan. According to sources, a new president is expected to be elected during the May meeting of the National Assembly. Tuesday, the …

On Monday, January 16, French fashion giant Dior made K-pop sensation Jimin a worldwide brand ambassador, announcing the partnership via social media with photographs of the BTS vocalist wearing Kim Jones-designed outdoor-inspired sportswear. European luxury brands are attempting to capitalize on the global appeal of K-pop singers, particularly among younger consumers. The LVMH-owned label has also built ties with K-pop …

The President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of UAE exchanged and announced a number of agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to advance cooperation in a number of disciplines in light of the notable strategic links uniting the two nations. The agreements and MoUs that were announced included …

This week, financiers at the center of a $200 billion sector that supports airline fleets are gathering in Dublin, speculating that China’s decision to allow free travel could hasten their recovery from a pandemic recession while warning of a jet scarcity. Three years after the spread of COVID-19 stopped thousands of airliners, air travel demand is soaring again, encouraged by …

RRR has emerged as an unexpected dark horse in this year’s awards season in Hollywood. The three-hour long, maximalist action epic directed by SS Rajamouli is one of the most expensive and highest-grossing films in the history of Indian cinema. It features NT Rama Rao Jr. and Ram Charan, two of the most famous actors in the country, and it …

China’s abrupt shift away from a zero-COVID plan in December 2022 makes its reopening one of the year’s most significant economic developments. In the context of escalating economic and social costs involved with maintaining rigorous containment measures, it has occurred quicker and earlier than analysts predicted. On the expectation that Chinese consumers will unleash their pent-up demand, reopening has fuelled …

The South Korean President, Yoon Suk Yeol, left for the United Arab Emirates on Saturday as part of a two-nation tour aimed at promoting South Korean exports, particularly those related to the energy and defense industries. Yoon is scheduled to arrive in Abu Dhabi on a state visit, the first such visit by a South Korean leader since the two …

People in China are resuming travel before to the Lunar New Year, despite concerns about infections, after Beijing lifted COVID-19 restrictions last month, with air passenger volumes rebounding to 63% of 2019 levels since the beginning of the annual travel season. China’s chief of the Civil Aviation Administration, Song Zhiyong, stated that the rapid economic recovery is putting pressure on …