Türkiye welcomes Omani Sultan in first-ever state visit

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman to Ankara on Thursday in a historic first state visit from Oman to Türkiye. "This is the first-ever visit at the level of head of state from Oman to Türkiye,” Erdoğan said. He emphasized the deep historical ties between the nations and pledged to strengthen relations in areas including trade, health, agriculture, and defense. During the visi

November 29, 2024

India's Reliance Industries acquires 21% stake in US-based Wavetech Helium

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - India's Reliance Industries has acquired a 21-percent stake in Wavetech Helium, a U.S.-based helium production company. Reliance Finance and Investments USA announced Thursday that it purchased the stake for around $12 million. Reliance Group operates the world's largest refinery in Jamnagar, Gujarat, western India. In 2021, the Indian conglomerate announced plans to invest $10 billion in green energy and achieve net-zero emissions by 2035.

November 29, 2024

Japan names former currency chief Kanda as ADB president

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - Japan's former top currency diplomat Masato Kanda will serve as the next president of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), following his selection by the bank's board of governors, the Manila-based institution said. Kanda, 59, who currently serves as a special adviser to Japan's prime minister, will assume the role as the bank's 11th president on Feb. 24, 2025, succeeding Masatsugu Asakawa. The appointment on Thursday maintains Japan's

November 29, 2024

Remains of over 40 Chinese soldiers died in Korean War return home

SEOUL, November 29 (AJP) - The remains of 43 Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) soldiers who died during the Korean War (1950–1953) were returned to China on Thursday from South Korea. A Chinese People's Liberation Army aircraft, carrying the remains and 495 personal items belonging to the soldiers, landed at Shenyang's Taoxian International Airport at 12:07 p.m. The landing was marked by a water cannon salute. Soldiers carried the caskets from the plane, followe

November 29, 2024

Malaysia's shop sign rule sparks ethnic tension, tourism concerns

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Kuala Lumpur city authorities launched a crackdown on Nov. 21 enforcing regulations that require all advertising signs to display Malay language text larger than other languages, following former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's criticism of Chinese-language dominated signage on Nov. 18. Tourism Minister Tiong King Sing warned on Sunday that "Kuala Lumpur's decision raises questions about Malaysia's openness and inclusivity among touris

November 28, 2024

Japan to revamp tax system for international visitors

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - Japan is likely to overhaul its tax-free shopping program for international visitors, implementing a new tax refund system in late 2026 that requires tourists to claim consumption tax reimbursements upon departure. The reform reported on Wednesday, set to be included in Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's December tax policy package, aims to combat the illegal resale of duty-free goods by tourists who reportedly sell tax-exempt purchases for profit before

November 28, 2024

Google Maps directs car onto broken bridge, causing fatal crash in India

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - A vehicle heading to a wedding in northern India, fell about 15 meters into the Ramganga River after following Google Maps directions onto an under-construction bridge, leaving three occupants dead. The accident happened on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly district. Local police said the bridge was damaged in last year's floods and undergoing repairs. The driver was unaware the structure was incomplete, causing the car to fall. Authorities s

November 28, 2024

Israel, Hezbollah agree to ceasefire after yearlong conflict

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - A ceasefire between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah took effect on Wednesday, following an agreement facilitated by the U.S. and France. As a result, people in both nations began returning to their homes in the border region, which had been devastated by 14 months of conflict. A long-awaited ceasefire has brought some relief to Lebanon, where over 3,500 people have been killed and more than a million displaced due to Israeli airstrikes.

November 28, 2024

China launches modified carrier rocket

SEOUL, November 28 (AJP) - China launched a modified carrier rocket on Wednesday from a commercial space innovation pilot zone in northwest China. The ZQ-2 Y-1, also called ZQ-2E Y-1, which carried two test satellites into planned orbits, was developed by the private Chinese company LandSpace. It is a two-stage rocket powered by liquid oxygen and methane. It measures 47.3 meters in length, has a takeoff thrust of 282 tons, and can transport up to 4 tons to a 500-km sun-synchronou

November 28, 2024