Japan’s Fuji TV bosses resign over sex assault scandal

The chairman and president of Japan’s Fuji Television resigned Monday, weeks after a celebrity presenter was accused of sexual assault, causing a public relations storm and the mass exit of advertisers. A leading tabloid magazine reported last month that Masahiro Nakai, a J-pop megastar turned TV host, had performed a sexual act without a woman’s […]

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Saudi Arabia allows foreigners to invest in firms with property in Mecca, Medina

The move will allow foreigners to invest in firms whose revenues rely on the Islamic pilgrimage, one of the top revenue sources for the oil-rich kingdom. Saudi Arabia’s market regulator said on Monday it would allow foreign investment in listed companies that own real estate within Islam’s two holiest sites of Mecca and Medina, as […]

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Foreign direct investment in Bangladesh’s EPZs drops 22.33% in July-December, exports rise 22.41%

Foreign direct investment in export processing zones (EPZs) dropped 22.33% year-on-year during the July-December period of 2024, while exports increased by 22.41%. According to the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza), foreign investment in EPZs declined to $126.33 million from $162.66 million in the second half of 2023. Bepza, which manages EPZ operations, attributed the […]

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“Just bread and tea”: WFP says aid cuts to Afghanistan leave millions hungry this winter

The head of the World Food Programme in Afghanistan says the agency can only feed half the millions of Afghans in need after cuts in international aid and an impending freeze in U.S. foreign funding. Many people were living on just “bread and tea”, WFP Country Director Hsiao-Wei Lee told Reuters. Afghanistan was tipped to […]

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Kazakhstan’s daily oil output at record high amid Chevron-led expansion

Oil production in Kazakhstan reached a daily record high of 278,499 metric tons on Sunday just after it embarked on an expansion of its largest oilfield, Chevron-led (CVX.N), opens new tab Tengiz, according to official data. Kazakhstan – which relies on Tengiz and two other major fields, Karachaganak and Kashagan, for most of its production […]

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Bank of Japan raises interest rates to highest in 17 years, yen jumps

The Bank of Japan raised interest rates on Friday to their highest since the 2008 global financial crisis and revised up its inflation forecasts, underscoring its confidence that rising wages will keep inflation stable around its 2% target. The decision marks the BOJ’s first rate hike since July last year and comes days after the […]

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Bangladesh received $1.68 billion in remittance in first 25 days of January

Bangladesh received $1.68 billion in remittances through legal channels during the first 25 days of January. On average, expatriates sent $67.04 million per day during this period. According to the latest data from Bangladesh Bank (BB), the total remittance flow for January is likely to surpass $2 billion if the current trend continues. A breakdown […]

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A tale of two Tajikistans: the macro and micro realities

From 30,000 feet, a recently released International Monetary Fund report suggests that Tajikistan’s economy is flying high. The on-the-ground picture of most citizens’ daily lives looks a lot bleaker. In its Tajikistan: First Review Under the Policy Coordination Instrument, published on January 6, the IMF gives the Central Asian nation a favorable outlook. “Tajikistan is […]

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Sri Lankan govt. struggles with shortages in stock and data

Amidst several contradictory statements coming from the NPP government ministers over the ongoing rice shortage in the country, it has come to light that the government finds itself in a quandary since it has no accurate data on last year’s paddy production. As conflicting reports are put forward by the agricultural authorities, the government is […]

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