China should consider imposing a digital tax on technology companies, Yao Qian, science and technology supervision bureau chief at the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) said at a forum recently.
Coronavirus latest: Japan, South Korea, Philippines and Singapore restrict travel from UK
Asian governments have moved to tighten border restrictions for travel from the UK due to the discovery of a highly infectious coronavirus mutation there.Japan will ban the entry of non-Japanese people from the UK beginning on Thursday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a news conference on Wednesday.South Korea will temporarily suspend flights from the United Kingdom until the end of December over fears of a new strain of the coronavirus.The Philippines suspended all flights from the…
Singapore further extends $60bn swap facility with US Fed through September 2021
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced the further extension of a $60 billion swap facility arrangement with the US Federal Reserve in a move which will provide US dollar (USD) loans to businesses in Singapore up until 30 September 2021.
Indonesia invites bids for solar and bioenergy projects
Indonesian state electricity company Perusahaan Listrikk Negara (PLN) has invited bids from developers for solar and bioenergy projects.
Japan plans 45GW offshore wind power by 2040
Japan plans to install 30-45 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power by 2040 as part of plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
$2.4bn Japan fund for ASEAN smart cities
Japan’s government is planning to provide ¥250 billion ($2.4bn) in funding to Japanese companies to develop smart city projects in Southeast Asia.
Indonesia’s Joko Widodo replaces health minister in cabinet reshuffle as coronavirus crisis deepens
Indonesia’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic will now be spearheaded by a new health minister who comes from the banking sector and has an educational background in nuclear physics.Budi Gunadi Sadikin was appointed to the position by President Joko Widodo as part of a cabinet reshuffle on Tuesday, replacing Terawan Agus Putranto, a controversial military radiologist and former personal doctor to Widodo’s late mother, who has been heavily criticised for his mishandling of the pandemic…
Ireland introduces new fund partnership structure to target “real asset” managers
Ireland is poised to become a leading international fund domicile for managers looking to invest in “real assets”, such as real estate, private equity, energy, infrastructure, sustainable finance, credit and loan origination, following the approval last week by the Irish government of new legislation, experts have said.
Grace Millane’s Tinder killer attacked at least two other women, New Zealand police reveal
The New Zealand man who murdered British backpacker Grace Millane committed violent sex crimes against at least two other women, a court revealed on Tuesday, as police urged any more victims to come forward.The Supreme Court overturned orders banning Jesse Shane Kempson being identified as the predator who strangled Millane in December 2018 after the pair met through the online dating app Tinder.The murder shocked New Zealand, which is usually regarded as a safe place to travel, prompting a…
Coronavirus latest: Malaysia buys 6.4 million AstraZeneca vaccine doses; South Korea shuts down tourism hotspots
Malaysia has signed a deal to procure 6.4 million doses of AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine, and is in final talks with Chinese and Russian manufacturers to secure more, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said on Tuesday.The Southeast Asian country has already secured 12.8 million doses from its deal with Pfizer-BioNTech signed last month, as well as from its participation in the global Covax facility, backed by the World Health Organization (WHO).“This means that we have secured vaccine supplies…