Will China’s 731 film on Japan’s war crimes worsen already frayed ties?

By Vanessa Caiin Shanghai For a movie about a particularly dark chapter of China’s history, 731 has been doing exceptional business. The film, released on Thursday, focuses on Japan’s Unit 731, which conducted biological warfare in northeastern China during the second world war, using disease prevention research as cover to kill civilians. It has topped […]

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New Saudi-Pakistan pact signals evolving alliances amid US-China tension, Qatar attack

By Meredith Chen,Dewey Sim,Zhao Ziwen and Seong Hyeon Choi Saudi Arabia’s new mutual defence pact with nuclear-armed Pakistan underscores deepening doubts over Washington’s security commitments in the region amid its strategic rivalry with Beijing, according to observers. They said China was likely to view such diversified partnerships positively, which could also open new opportunities to […]

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Japan and Bahrain eye greater business cooperation

TOKYO: Japan’s Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Bahrain’s Prime Minister and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa held talks here on Friday to boost business cooperation. Iwaya highlighted frameworks for such cooperation including the Foreign Ministers’ Strategic Dialogue, Tokyo’s Foreign Ministry reported. Iwaya and his Bahraini counterpart Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Alzayani held the first […]

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Indian sugar mills to miss export quota, ship around 775,000 tonnes

India’s sugar exports are likely to fall below 800,000 tonnes this season, missing the one million-tonne quota, as rising Brazilian supplies push global prices lower and undercut Indian shipments, trade and government officials said. In January, India, the world’s biggest sugar producer, allowed exports of one million tonnes in the current season through 30 September […]

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From Hydropower to Human Capital: Japarov Plans Strategic Visit to Japan

BY Stephen M. Bland Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov is preparing for a visit to Japan that underscores growing strategic ties between the two countries. Kyrgyz officials say they plan to sign energy and infrastructure agreements in Tokyo, including support for a training center for the national electric grid and upgrades at the Kurpsai hydropower plant, […]

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Bangladesh, UK discuss scholarship opportunities under commonwealth framework

Bangladesh and the United Kingdom (UK) have discussed ways to further strengthen their educational partnership, with a focus on expanding scholarship opportunities and fostering joint research between universities of the two countries. The issues were highlighted during a meeting between Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Abida Islam and Chief Executive of the Commonwealth Scholarship […]

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