Former Singapore minister jailed for corruption

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - S. Iswaran, Singapore's ex-transport minister, was sentenced to one year in prison Thursday for accepting gifts worth about 74,000 Singapore dollars (approximately US$55,000) during his tenure. This marks the first imprisonment of a minister-level official for corruption in Singapore since 1975, sending shockwaves through the nation known for its low corruption rates. Iswaran pleaded guilty to four charges of receiving inappropriate gifts from business-r

October 4, 2024

Avian influenza outbreak kills 48 big cats in Vietnamese zoos

SEOUL, October 04 (AJP) - Nearly 50 tigers, lions, and leopards have died at multiple Vietnamese zoos, with some testing positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus. Since August, 44 tigers, three lions, and one leopard have perished at the Mango Garden Zoo in Dong Nai province and the My Quynh Zoo in Long An province. At Mango Garden Zoo, 17 tigers and one leopard died after showing symptoms of fatigue and weakness. Autopsies on two tigers suggested pneumonia

October 4, 2024

Junior doctors go on strike in India following rape, murder case

SEOUL, October 04 (AJP) - Medical interns have once again gone on a mass strike in eastern India, following an earlier strike in August after a female trainee doctor was raped and murdered at a public hospital. According to news reports, trainee doctors in Kolkata, West Bengal, declared a complete work stoppage starting on Tuesday. Thousands of interns gathered in downtown Kolkata the previous day, demanding the state government fulfill its promises to install CCTV camera

October 4, 2024

Dried seaweed price soars at fastest rate in 37 years

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) – The price of dried seaweed surged by 32.7 percent in September year-on-year, marking the largest increase in nearly 37 years, according to government data. The steep rise is attributed to poor harvests caused by abnormally high sea temperatures. The average sea surface temperature from June to August reached 23.9 degrees Celsius, the highest in a decade, delaying the seeding process and reducing supply. The state-run Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corp.

October 4, 2024

Chinese envoy calls for de-escalation amid tension between Lebanon and Israel

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - China's UN representative Fu Cong voiced urgent concerns over the escalating conflict between Lebanon and Israel at a UN Security Council emergency session early this week. Fu described the situation as "hanging by a thread," warning of potential uncontrolled escalation if provocations continue. Fu's remarks on Wednesday came amid Israel's ground operations in southern Lebanon and Iran's missile strikes on Israel. He expressed China

October 4, 2024

China launches campaign to combat online misinformation

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - China's top internet regulator on Thursday has kicked off a three-month campaign to crack down on misinformation in online news services, aiming to boost the credibility of mainstream media and create a healthier online environment. This effort, led by the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission, will focus on five key areas. First, it will tackle the spread of fake or misleading news, including exaggerated headlines, distorted or fabricated

October 4, 2024

Qatar condemns Middle East crisis as 'collective genocide'

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani stated on Thursday that the ongoing crisis in the Middle East amounts to "collective genocide," emphasizing that Qatar has consistently warned against Israel's "unchecked actions." Speaking at the Asia Cooperation Dialogue summit in Doha, he noted that the situation in Gaza is clearly a form of genocide, further stating that the Gaza Strip is being rendered uninhabitable, paving the way

October 4, 2024

US considers strikes on Iran following missile attack on Israel

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. is considering strikes on Iran's oil facilities in retaliation for Tehran's missile attack on Israel. Concurrently, Israel's military launched new airstrikes in Beirut targeting Hezbollah. As Israel weighs its response to Iran's significant attack, Biden was asked if he would support strikes on Iranian oil infrastructure. He confirmed, "We're discussing that," which caused

October 4, 2024

OPINION: How Middle East conflict could influence US election – and why Arab Americans in swing states might vote for Trump

SEOUL, October 4 (AJP) - As we near the first anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, the conflict in the Middle East has escalated significantly. Iran just launched nearly 200 missiles on Israel, and Israel has continued its fight against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in Gaza. In addition to the assassination of top Hezbollah commanders, including its leader Hassan Nasrallah, Israel has struck hundreds of targets in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa and the suburbs of Beirut in the

October 4, 2024

Toyota delays US electric vehicle production to 2026

SEOUL, October 04 (AJP) - Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest automaker by volume, announced Thursday it will postpone the launch of electric vehicle (EV) production in the United States to 2026, a delay of several months from its initial 2025 target. The Japanese auto giant cited a need to ensure product quality as the primary reason for the schedule adjustment. The company aims to deliver improved products to consumers through this revised timeline. The decision comes a

October 4, 2024