India's second-richest man indicted on bribery charges in New York

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Gautam Adani, India's second-richest individual, was indicted in New York on Wednesday. Adani and his accomplices are accused of offering billions of dollars in bribes and committing other crimes. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York announced that Adani and seven accomplices have been charged with bribing Indian government officials with more than $250 million to secure lucrative solar energy supply contracts. Prosecuto

November 21, 2024

Thailand to give 10,000 baht handout to 4 million elderly in new stimulus

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Thailand's economic revival policy committee agreed to provide cash handouts of 10,000 baht ($285) to about 4 million elderly citizens by Lunar New Year in early February, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichaya Chunhavan announced on Tuesday. The 40-billion-baht ($1.14 billion) program targets citizens aged 60 and above with monthly incomes under 70,000 baht and bank savings below 500,000 baht. "We think this group needs help,"

November 21, 2024

India, China reaffirm commitment to strengthening bilateral ties

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - The foreign ministers of India and China met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit and reaffirmed their commitment to improving bilateral relations. According to China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where the G20 Summit took place. Yi said that the recent meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime

November 21, 2024

PHOTOS: Italian Michelin chef showcases Puglia cuisine in Seoul

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Michelin-starred chef Cristina Bowerman demonstrated Mediterranean cooking techniques at a special event on Wednesday, as part of the Week of Italian Cuisine in the World. The showcase featured traditional recipes from Italy's Puglia region, known for its high-quality olive oil and diverse ingredients. The week-long event, running through November 24, is jointly organized by the Italian Embassy in Seoul, the Italian Cultural Institute, and other Italian organ

November 21, 2024

Indonesia to hand over death row inmate to the Philippines

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Indonesia has approved the transfer of Mary Jane Veloso, a 39-year-old Filipino death row inmate convicted of drug trafficking in 2010, to the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos announced on Wednesday, following more than a decade of diplomatic negotiations. "After more than a decade of diplomatic work and consultation with the Indonesian government, we have managed to defer her execution indefinitely and finally reached an agreement to bring h

November 21, 2024

US vetoes UN resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - The United States has vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution calling for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza, arguing it would strengthen Hamas. The resolution, supported by 14 of the 15 council members, also demanded the unconditional release of all hostages. The US insisted that any ceasefire must be tied to the release of hostages. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood defended the veto, saying the resolution failed to address the need

November 21, 2024

Chinese vice premier calls for global cooperation to tackle cybersecurity challenges

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on Wednesday called for international efforts to address challenges such as the digital divide and cybersecurity risks. The remarks came during his keynote speech at the opening of the 2024 World Internet Conference (WIC) Wuzhen Summit in Zhejiang Province, China. Ding said China's role in sharing modernization opportunities with the world and contributing to global development. He highlighted the transformative im

November 21, 2024

China's electricity consumption jumps in first 10 months

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - China's electricity consumption increased by 7.6 percent year-on-year in the first 10 months of this year, according to official data released on Wednesday. The data from the National Energy Administration revealed that the country's power usage grew by 4.3 percent, compared to the same period last year in October alone. From January to October, electricity consumption in the primary industries rose by 6.7 percent year-on-year, while the seconda

November 21, 2024

Hamas leaders leave Doha as Qatar suspends Gaza ceasefire mediation

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya and other key negotiators have left Doha, Qatar, according to Qatar's government and a Palestinian official. The departure follows Qatar's suspension of its mediation efforts for a Gaza ceasefire. Qatar's foreign ministry said that Hamas' office in Doha no longer serves a function but denied its permanent closure. The Palestinian official noted that Hamas negotiators are keeping their movements discreet t

November 21, 2024

OPINION: Why Trump's election win fueled stock market surge

SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - Following Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, Bitcoin was one of the assets that surged in value. This was widely felt to be a response to Trump's promise to establish a strategic Bitcoin reserve – essentially holding a large stock of the cryptocurrency as a security. On Nov. 13, the week after Trump's win, Bitcoin broke through the US$90,000 (£71,340) price threshold for the first time, and the value of the gl

November 21, 2024