KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia’s northern state of Penang has barred entry by overseas visitors seeking medical treatment until it finalises new health and safety procedures in light of the coronavirus crisis, the chief minister said on Monday. Authorities ... More »
KUANTAN, Malaysia (Reuters) – Some skin, eggs and tissue samples are all that remain of Malaysia’s last rhino, Iman, who died last November after years of failed breeding attempts. Now scientists are pinning their hopes on experimental stem cell technology to ... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia reported 1,687 new coronavirus cases on Monday, bringing its total to 127,083, data from government’s COVID-19 task force showed. The Southeast Asian country also added 42 new deaths, taking that total to 5,765, data showed. Sourc... More »
LONDON/TOKYO (Reuters) – Euro zone manufacturing activity expanded modestly last month, its first growth since early 2019, and Asia’s pain eased as the contraction slowed in export-reliant nations, adding to hopes the sector is emerging from the hit of the cor... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s economy likely posted the biggest contraction in more than two decades in the second quarter, as measures taken to combat the coronavirus pandemic hit most sectors, a Reuters poll showed on Monday. The median forecast of 20 anal... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia reported on Monday its second-highest daily increase in coronavirus-related deaths with 96 fatalities, a day after registering a record daily jump in deaths, data presented by health ministry official Achmad Yurianto showed. The c... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – President Joko Widodo said the coronavirus outbreak in Indonesia is expected to peak in August or September, the state news agency Antara reported on Monday, two to three months later than earlier projected. “Based on data the peak is (now)... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia reported 1,209 new coronavirus infections and 70 new deaths on Monday, its health ministry said. The case total is currently 64,958 and number of fatalities 3,241, said Achmad Yurianto, a ministry official. Source: https://www.reu... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia has resumed domestic flights for all passengers provided airlines operate at 70% capacity and follow strict rules brought into force on Tuesday, when the country announced its biggest daily rise in cases of the novel coronavirus. ... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s health ministry reported 1,043 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, its biggest daily rise in cases, taking the total number of infections to 33,076. There were also 40 new deaths, bringing total fatalities to 1,923, said Achm... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia reported on Tuesday 486 new coronavirus infections, taking the total in the Southeast Asian country to 18,496, the country’s COVID-19 task force reported on its official website. The task force also recorded 30 more deaths, taking... More »
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia criticised the World Health Organisation on Monday for advising adults to avoid palm oil in their diet during the COVID-19 outbreak and use alternatives such as olive oil. The WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office said in ... More »
SUKOHARJO, Indonesia (Reuters) – Volunteers clad as Superman and Spider-Man sprayed disinfectant against the coronavirus on Indonesia’s island of Java, flanking a colleague wearing the winged helmet of local superhero Gatotkaca who shouted, “Wear masks, wash h... More »
(Reuters) – It is a Ramadan like never before for Muslims across Asia as mosques that would normally be packed for prayers are deserted and in some places locked up as governments enforced measures to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus. At Indonesia’s ma... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Facebook Inc is preparing to apply for regulatory approval in Indonesia to launch mobile payments in partnership with three local digital fintech firms, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The plan, if approved, could be among the... More »
BAKU/DUBAI/LONDON (Reuters) – OPEC and allies led by Russia agreed on Sunday to a record cut in output to prop up oil prices amid the coronavirus pandemic in an unprecedented deal with fellow oil nations, including the United States, that could curb global oil... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – As coronavirus cases surge in Indonesia, doctors are working double-time treating patients both at hospitals and online through healthtech startups – an approach that is quickly becoming part of the national healthcare system. Doctor Mohamm... More »
(Reuters) – A tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City has tested positive for the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, in the first known case of a human infecting an animal and making it sick, the zoo’s chief veterinarian said on Sunday. Nadia... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday he plans to impose stricter limits on mobility between regions and also to implement a large-scale policy of social distancing to help curb the spread of coronavirus. “In implementing the poli... More »
(Reuters) – The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics has dampened the hopes of Indonesia’s Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan of becoming the sport’s oldest gold medalists, but the pair is determined to stay in shape by restructuring their training program. A ne... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Alex Marquez celebrated a first MotoGP win — even if only virtually — in a ‘#StayAtHomeGP’ esports race featuring 10 top riders including older brother and six-time world champion Marc. Due to the coronavirus pandemic that has brought live s... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – The governor of Indonesia’s capital Jakarta on Friday declared a state of emergency for the next two weeks in the city, the center of Indonesia’s coronavirus outbreak. Governor Anies Baswedan told a news conference that public entertainment... More »
DEPOK, Indonesia (Reuters) – While many Muslims in Indonesia’s capital accepted advice to avoid religious gatherings and prayed at home on Friday elsewhere in the world’s most populous Muslim country, people ignored the risk of coronavirus and crowded into the... More »
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Malaysia will mobilise the army to help enforce curbs on movement aimed at reining in the coronavirus, the government said on Friday, as it grapples with the highest number of infections in Southeast Asia. Malaysia reported 130 new inf... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Two Indonesians have tested positive for coronavirus after coming into contact with an infected Japanese national, President Joko Widodo said on Monday, marking the first confirmed cases in the world’s fourth-most populous country. The disc... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s parliament will soon begin debating a sweeping new bill that proposes corporate tax cuts and seeks to make internet giants pay more taxes, as part of a wider plan to simplify laws and boost investments in Southeast Asia’s bigges... More »
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Badminton World Federation (BWF) said on Monday it has approved synthetic feather shuttlecocks for its international tournaments from next year as it bids to cut down on waste. The governing body said it collaborated with Japanese spor... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – A coalition of trade unions will mobilize thousands of people next week to block the Indonesian government’s plan to relax restrictive labor rules, as President Joko Widodo’s administration is set to hand over a bill to parliament. The prot... More »
PARUNG, Indonesia (Reuters) – On the outskirts of suburban Jakarta, housewife Dita Agusta lives with more than 250 cats she has taken in off the streets, creating a shelter for the animals she hopes will one day be adopted. “It is hard to see abandoned cats on... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia expects to sign more deals with the United Arab Emirates in the energy, health and education sectors during a visit to the country next month by President Joko Widodo, a ministry statement released on Monday said. The Indonesian g... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – A cave painting found on Indonesia’s island of Sulawesi, depicting human-like figures hunting animals, appears to be the earliest known pictorial record of story-telling, according to a study by a team of Australian and Indonesian researche... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – A wave of social unrest across developing countries this year has caught many investors off-guard and is challenging models designed to gauge political risk for investors, prompting some to pull money out. That has led to worries that a with... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Several Asian airlines have cut flights to Hong Kong over the coming weeks, an industry scheduling publication showed, as anti-government protests in the city grow increasingly violent and disrupt daily life. Routes Online said the latest sc... More »
(Reuters) – TikTok owner Beijing ByteDance Technology Co Ltd is in talks with big music labels – Universal Music, Sony Music and Warner Music – for global licensing deals to include their songs on its new music subscription service, the Financial Times reporte... More »
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (Reuters) – Swvl, an Egyptian startup with an app to book bus tickets, plans to launch operations in the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh by the end of next year, a senior official said. The startup, which operates buses along fixed ro... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – A former chief executive of Indonesian state electricity utility Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) [PLNEG.UL] has been cleared in a graft case related to a power plant project, a judge at the country’s corruption court said on Monday. Prosecu... More »
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand still has time to renegotiate with the United States over a suspension of duty-free preferences on imports of Thai goods before the suspension takes effect in April, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said on Monday. The United St... More »
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Asian countries held conclusive talks on what could be the world’s biggest trade pact and there will be an announcement of success at a summit in Bangkok, despite doubts raised by India, the Thai hosts said on Monday. But questions still hu... More »
BANGKOK (Reuters) – India is going to continue talks on an Asia-wide trade deal that is being discussed at a summit of regional leaders in Bangkok and which Thailand has said will be signed next year, Australia’s trade minister said on Monday. The comments thr... More »
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand said on Sunday that Southeast Asian nations are committed to signing a pact by February 2020 on forging what could become the world’s largest trade bloc, even after new demands by India dealt a blow to the process backed by China. ... More »
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Talks to agree what could be the world’s biggest trade bloc were conclusive and an announcement on their success will be made later on Monday, Thailand’s commerce minister said on Monday. The prospects of reaching agreement on the 16-nation... More »
BANDUNG, Indonesia (Reuters) – A watchmaker in Indonesia’s Bandung city thinks the next step in sustainability is a wristwatch with a strap made out of the complex root structure of a mushroom. Mycelium leather, as the material is known, is fibrous and tough y... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo will officially open a new $128 million bridge in Papua on Monday amid a renewed pledge to develop one of the country’s poorest regions, which has seen a spike in unrest over perceived racial discrimination.... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The head of a U.S. Senate panel reviewing two catastrophic Boeing 737 MAX crashes told Reuters ahead of hearings this week that the plane would not return to U.S. skies until “99.9% of the American public” and policymakers are convinced ... More »
(Reuters) – The killing of Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a U.S. raid is a further blow to a jihadist group that once held a swathe of territory in Iraq and Syria, experts said, but the organization and its ideology remain dangerous. Where once t... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian President Joko Widodo said on Monday he wanted “innovative” ministers in his cabinet for a second term, as the co-founder of tech startup Gojek said he would join and a former chairman of Inter Milan soccer club was tipped for a ... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Gojek CEO and co-founder Nadiem Makarim said on Monday he had resigned to join Indonesia’s cabinet, and the ride-hailing and payments company said two senior officials would jointly take over running operations of the $10 billion firm. Pres... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia warned its citizens of more choking smoke from forest fires on Tuesday as several provinces closed schools due to worsening air quality. An El Nino weather pattern this year has intensified annual dry-season fires, often caused by... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – An Indonesian journalist and documentary filmmaker, Dandhy Laksono, was detained by police on Thursday night amid a crackdown on activists sympathetic to self-determination for the country’s easternmost provinces of Papua and West Papua. La... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Thousands of Indonesians prayed for rain in haze-hit towns on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo on Wednesday, as forest fires raged at the height of the dry season, the state Antara news agency reported. Fires have burnt through parts of Su... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – SoftBank-backed ride hailer Grab is in talks to merge OVO, an Indonesian digital payments firm in which it owns shares, with an Ant Financial-backed local peer to build heft and power ahead of archrival Gojek, people familiar with the matte... More »
STORY_TIME: 1219 GMT (Reuters) – The story headlined “Thousands celebrate East Timor’s 20th anniversary but the scars remain”, which moved on Aug 31, is withdrawn for clarity issues. There will not be a replacement story. Source: https://www.reuters.com/articl... More »
KOMODO, Indonesia (Reuters) – Almost every day 20-year-old Rizaldian Syahputra puts on his blue uniform, laces up his high boots and leaves his wooden house on stilts for a job many nature-lovers would envy. But by next year, he may no longer be employed. Syah... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Sovereign wealth funds’ distaste for equities mostly faded in the second quarter, with some investors turning to emerging- market passive equity funds, data from the research firm eVestment showed on Thursday. Passively managed equity funds ... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s police chief said on Monday that authorities in the easternmost Papua region were regaining control after protesters set fire to tires and torched a local parliament building over the recent detention of scores of Papuan student... More »
SRAGEN, Indonesia (Reuters) – An Indonesia man is walking backwards from his home in eastern Java to the capital Jakarta to raise awareness of deforestation in a country with one of the highest rates in the world. The more than 700 km (435 miles) would be ardu... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm Grab on Monday said it will invest $2 billion into Indonesia over five years using capital received from Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp, which wants to increase its exposure to the region’s most populous marke... More »
MOJOKERTO, Indonesia (Reuters) – An Indonesian province has put 50 overweight police on a crash program of aerobics, swimming and jogging, telling them they’d better shape up for the job. The officers in East Java are being closely monitored on the two-week pr... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – There were no reports on Monday of major damage in Indonesia from a weekend earthquake of magnitude 6.9 off the northeastern coast of the island of Sulawesi, and authorities lifted a tsunami warning. The quake, late on Sunday, struck out at... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Activists welcomed a goal set by the Group of 20 major economies’ to reduce additional plastic trash leaking into the ocean to zero by 2050, but said it avoided getting at the heart of the problem – slashing the output of wasteful, single-use... More »
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Google’s bet on balloons to deliver cell service soon faces a crucial test amid doubts about the viability of the technology by some potential customers. Loon says its balloons will reach Kenya in the coming weeks for its first commer... More »
SATUN, Thailand (Reuters) – The son of a Thai fisherman, Anurak Saruethai never really took to life at sea. But seafood has been good to him. Hawking dried shrimp, squid and fish in nightly Facebook (FB.O) livestreams, Anurak, who is quick with a joke and adep... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Bank Indonesia is expected to keep its benchmark interest rate steady at a policy review on Thursday, but it may begin to follow other Asian central banks by cutting later this year, a Reuters poll showed. All but three of 22 analysts surve... More »
HONG KONG/SYDNEY (Reuters) – Fears of a global recession are on the rise as the U.S.-China trade war re-escalated in May, sending investors to the safety of U.S Treasuries, the Japanese yen and gold. But in Asia, investors are exploring new sanctuaries, from C... More »
SYDNEY/HONG KONG (Reuters) – China may be an odd choice for investors seeking shelter from a Sino-U.S. trade war. Yet, money managers in Asia are pouring funds into Chinese stocks as the long-term promise of a growing middle class trumps more immediate fears a... More »
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Factory activity contracted in most Asian countries last month as an escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing raised fears of a global economic downturn and heaped pressure on policymakers in the region and beyond to roll out m... More »
(Reuters) – Ratings agency S&P said on Friday it had raised Indonesia’s sovereign credit rating to ‘BBB’, citing the country’s strong economic growth prospects and supportive policy dynamics. S&P had previously rated Indonesia at ‘BBB-‘, the lowest investable ... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore, the tiny Southeast Asian city-state, is an unlikely place for a farming revolution. With tiered fish farms, vegetable plots atop office buildings and lab-grown shrimp, the island aims to beef up its own food production and rely... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. military said two of its warships sailed near islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on Monday, a move that could anger Beijing at a time of tense relations between the world’s two biggest economies. The South China Sea... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s economy expanded more slowly than expected in the first quarter of this year, as investment dropped ahead of elections and campaign spending failed to sustain growth momentum. Southeast Asia’s largest economy grew 5.07 percent i... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s central bank will keep interest rates on hold on Thursday, a Reuters poll showed, though some economists say a rate cut to bolster economic growth is coming – and one sees a possible trim next month. All 23 analysts in the poll ... More »
OTTAWA (Reuters) – As Boeing Co and global airlines work to restore public confidence in the 737 MAX after two deadly crashes, they will have a play book they can use. This is not the first time that Boeing has faced a crisis after launching a new plane with i... More »
SINGAPORE/ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – Boeing Co said it invited more than 200 global airline pilots, technical leaders and regulators for an information session on Wednesday as it looks to return the 737 MAX to commercial service. The meeting is a sign that Boeing... More »
BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s aviation regulator on Monday grounded nearly 100 Boeing Co 737 MAX 8 aircraft operated by its airlines, more than a quarter of the global fleet of the jets, after a deadly crash of one of the planes in Ethiopia. An Ethiopia... More »
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – An Indonesian woman accused in the 2017 killing of the North Korean leader’s half-brother was freed on Monday, as a Malaysian court dropped the murder charge against her in a case that drew suspicions of being a political assassination... More »
MUMBAI (Reuters) – Cricket will return to the next Asian Games at Hangzhou 2022 after the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) added it to its sports program for the next edition of the continental event. Cricket has struggled to grow beyond its traditional bases and... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia and Australia on Monday signed an economic partnership agreement aimed at stepping up trade and investment between them in areas ranging from cattle to education and cars to wheat. Though neighbors, the two countries are not top t... More »
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) – A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Florida on Thursday night carrying Israel’s first lunar lander on a mission that if successful will make the Jewish state only the fourth nation to achieve a controlled touchdown on the... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian police have apologised and pledged disciplinary action after officers draped a live snake around the neck of a suspect to persuade him to confess during an interrogation session in the easternmost area of Papua. A video circulate... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – An Indonesian variety of the durian – a pungent, spiky fruit considered a delicacy across many parts of Asia — has been sold in a store on the island of Java for a hefty $1,000 per fruit. The “J-Queen” durian was selected by a panel of farm... More »
SEOUL (Reuters) – State-owned Saudi Aramco plans to invest up to $1.6 billion for a nearly 20 percent stake in South Korean refiner Hyundai Oilbank, expanding its foothold in one of its biggest Asian buyers of crude oil. Saudi Aramco is already the biggest sha... More »
MANILA (Reuters) – Philippines security forces investigating a deadly twin bombing at a church on a predominantly Muslim southern island are zeroing in on what they say is an affiliate of the militant Abu Sayyaf Group. Twenty people were killed and more than 1... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia is bringing in new rules requiring e-commerce sellers to share data with authorities, while also stressing that they must pay taxes, the finance ministry said on Monday. Surging smartphone use and a rising middle-class income in I... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s health ministry has sought to reassure HIV patients that sufficient antiretroviral (ARV) drugs will be available for their treatment after some hospitals had run out of supplies. At least 29 hospitals and health centres in Indon... More »
GENEVA (Reuters) – The palm oil industry is deploying tactics similar to those of the alcohol and tobacco industries to influence research into the health effects of its product, a study published by the World Health Organization said on Tuesday. Evidence of t... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T) is nearing a deal to invest $1.5 billion in Grab, three times a previously expected $500 million, as Southeast Asia’s biggest ride-hailing firm looks to expand, a person with knowledge of the matter said. Six-... More »
PARIS/JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s Lion Air is reviewing airplane purchases from Boeing Co and has not ruled out canceling orders as relations worsen in a spat over responsibility for a 737 jetliner crash that killed 189 people in late October. Co-founder R... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesian conglomerate Lippo Group said on Tuesday it had invested 628 billion rupiah ($44.35 million) in Chinese internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd through shares and equity-linked notes. Lippo said in a statement that the investment wou... More »
NILAI, Malaysia (Reuters) – Malaysia has made its largest ever seizure of crystal methamphetamine, officials said on Monday, finding nearly 1.2 tonnes of the drug disguised as tea in a shipment from Myanmar, and arrested six suspected traffickers. The bust com... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A fresh examination of Chinese ceramics and other cargo from an important Java Sea shipwreck has led researchers to conclude that the vessel sank a century earlier than previously thought, providing insight into Asia’s maritime trade mor... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A group of lizards inhabiting the island of New Guinea boasts one of the most exotic traits of any animal: green blood. And scientists have been trying hard to figure out what benefit this characteristic — caused by high levels of an ord... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – In a warehouse on the outskirts of Indonesia’s capital, supervisors at e-commerce company Lazada use bikes or electric scooters to zip around a floor the size of four soccer fields, where up to 3,000 staff pack and dispatch goods around the... More »
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – To deal with a familiar combination of falling currencies and uncertainty about economic growth, Asian central banks are reverting to their classic policy playbook. They are intervening in currency markets while concurrently injecting cas... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia, like other emerging markets, has historically struggled to keep accurate records due to a lack of expertise and resources, but the public and private sectors are now looking at blockchain technology to overcome some of these chal... More »
SINGAPORE/HONG KONG (Reuters) – Asia’s most externally vulnerable economies – India, Indonesia and the Philippines – have just taken a one-two punch. U.S. 10-year Treasury bond yields US10YT=RR hit 3 percent this week, a level long touted as one to watch for p... More »
MANILA/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Philippines and Malaysia said on Monday they will look into whether Uber Technologies’ [UBER.UL] move to sell its Southeast Asian business to ride-hailing rival Grab hinders competition, days after Singapore began a probe into t... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia is making it mandatory for Go-Jek and Grab to register as transport companies within two months to ensure they meet safety requirements as a public transport provider, potentially increasing costs and scrutiny of the ride-hailing ... More »
FILE PHOTO: A Go-Jek driver rides a motorcycle on a street in Jakarta, Indonesia, December 15, 2017. REUTERS/Beawiharta SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Indonesia’s Go-Jek has raised a higher than targeted $1.5 billion in a fundraising round from a dozen investors includ... More »
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde (L) and Indonesian President Joko Widodo leave Tanah Abang market following their visit in Jakarta, Indonesia February 26, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Whiteside JAKARTA (Reuters) – International Monetary... More »
FILE PHOTO: An orangutan hold its baby at the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center in the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island on January 11, 2004. REUTERS/Bazuki Muhammad/File Photo WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Hunting by people and habitation destruction b... More »
