HANOI – Hà Nội is implementing the conversion of petrol‑ and diesel‑powered taxis to electric or green‑energy vehicles along a pre‑defined roadmap. The task to convert 100 per cent of fossil‑fuel taxis to electric or green‑energy taxis is to be completed by 2030 at the latest. The work is regulated under the ‘Plan on the conversion of taxis using fossil fuels to electric and green‑energy vehicles within the city’, issued by the Hà Nội People’s Committee on February 27. Based on the current status of taxi operators and vehicles, and after taking into account the views of relevant departments and…
Author: Asia News Network
ISLAMABAD – A senior security official on Monday dismissed speculation that after Iran, Pakistan could be the next target of US-Israeli military action, saying such perceptions were “devoid of facts” and were being spread by “agents of chaos”. According to a brief shared with Dawn, the official said Pakistan was unlike Iran, that it was fully integrated with the world and fully capable of defending itself. He said that those spreading “alarmist narratives” were pursuing “nefarious and vested interests.” His remarks came amid an escalating war in the Middle East in which Israel and the United States, for the second…
NEW DELHI – Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday pitched a strategic reset in India-Canada relations, declaring that bilateral ties have taken a “light-year leap” under the leadership of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and setting an ambitious target of USD 50 billion in two-way trade. Addressing the India-Canada CEO Forum, Modi said the relationship was entering a transformative phase marked by renewed trust and clarity, despite global economic uncertainty. “Today, we are going to write a new chapter in India-Canada relations,” he said, noting that although Carney has been in office for less than a year, ties have gained…
TOKYO – Financial markets were shaken at the start of the week following the U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran. Crude oil prices surged as the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime shipping route, was effectively blocked, heightening the risk of disrupted supplies from the Middle East. In Japan, the situation could reignite inflation, which had been showing signs of slowing down, and a prolonged closure could deal a major blow to the Japanese economy. “If [the price surge] continues, it will impact fuel costs,” said Yuji Saito, executive vice president of Japan Airlines Co., at a press conference on…
SINGAPORE – Oil prices jumped as much as 13 per cent as trading resumed amid a widening aerial conflict in the Middle East between Iran and the combined forces of the United States and Israel. Brent crude, a key global benchmark for oil prices, surged as high as US$82.37 per barrel in early trade, the highest since January 2025. It pulled back a tad to trade at US$79.86 – still 9.5 per cent higher than the close on Feb 27 and up about 30 per cent since the start of 2026. The US oil benchmark – West Texas Intermediate crude…
YANGPYEONG – Once reconnaissance drones transmitted live footage of suspected enemy positions — identifying troops and possible landmines ahead — a column of armored vehicles began advancing toward hostile terrain. Uncrewed systems moved first. Four-legged robotic platforms and explosive-ordnance disposal robots scanned the ground for hidden threats, while drones hovered overhead maintaining surveillance. Behind them, an armored vehicle equipped with an artificial intelligence-based remote weapon control system locked onto targets, followed by a Korean Combat Engineer Vehicle clearing a safe passage for advancing forces. The scene unfolded during the Army’s first live operational drill featuring the Korean Combat Engineer Vehicle,…
TOKYO – Bear sightings in areas close to human dwellings have continued even during hibernation season. Since the beginning of this year, there have been cases of bears injuring people and entering buildings. The number of bear appearances reported in November and December was two to three times higher than in 2023, when the previous record number of cases was set. Experts believe the bears have been avoiding hibernation after learning there is food available near human settlements. Local municipalities and others are on high alert against bears. On Jan. 13 in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, a 1.2-meter-long bear entered a…
SINGAPORE – Travellers between Asia and Europe should brace themselves for longer journeys, as well as higher fares, owing to airspace closures across the Middle East since Feb 28, warned aviation analysts. As airlines flying over the region take longer routes to avoid the conflict, fuel consumption also increases, resulting in cost pressures that directly translate into pricier flight tickets. After the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate in the region, multiple airlines have announced widespread cancellations in what is currently the biggest disruption to global air transportsince the Covid-19 pandemic. Airlines that are…
TOKYO – The number of elementary school students falling victim to crimes through social media rose 20% to a record 167 last year, according to National Police Agency data. They were among a total of 1,566 people under 18 involved in such cases, an increase of 80 from the year before. The agency is calling for increased vigilance as the exploitation of generative AI to create fake sexual images of children has emerged as a serious problem. More than 80% of the victims were junior and senior high school students. According to the agency, junior high school students numbered 758,…
DHAKA – Despite mounting debt in the power sector, the government is taking steps to avoid raising electricity prices for now, Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku said today. He said that while electricity supply has improved, the country is carrying a heavy financial burden. “You may say there were blackouts before and now there is electricity. But a mountain of debt has been left on the nation’s shoulders. It is better to endure hardship than to remain submerged in debt,” he said. The minister was speaking at a programme at the Secretariat marking the handover…