HONG KONG -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said Wednesday that she supports the proposals in the just-unveiled 2020-21 Budget to combat COVID-19, offer aids to people in need and bolster the economy.

The Financial Secretary of the HKSAR government Paul Chan on Wednesday morning delivered the annual budget of the government at a time when Hong Kong is facing unprecedented challenges to the health of the economy and well-being of the community.

Chan promised counter-cyclical measures worth over 120 billion Hong Kong dollars (15.4 billion U.S. dollars), tax reduction and cash handout for residents and businesses, and further efforts to develop a diversified economy.

"I support the bold and substantive proposals in the 2020-21 Budget," Lam said in a statement. (Hong Kong-Chief Executive-Economy)

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NEW DELHI -- As the death toll in the communal violence in the Indian capital city on Wednesday rose to 20, the country's main opposition party demanded that the federal home minister should resign.

The demand came from Congress party President Sonia Gandhi while briefing media in the wake of deadly violence.

"The centre (federal government) and the union (federal) home minister is responsible for the present situation in Delhi. The union home minister should resign," Gandhi told media. (India-Violence-Toll)

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MANILA -- The Philippines announced on Wednesday that it has imposed a travel ban on South Korea's North Gyeongsang province following a spike of novel coronavirus cases in that province.

"The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has approved to impose a ban on the entry of travelers coming from the North Gyeongsang Province of South Korea into Philippine territory, effective immediately," Philippine Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo told a news conference at the Philippine presidential palace.

With respect to other parts of South Korea, he said the inter-agency task force "shall conduct a risk assessment of the situation in the country within 48 hours to analyze whether it is necessary to expand the travel ban thereto." (Philippines-Travel Ban-South Korea)

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SEOUL -- South Korea confirmed 284 more cases of the COVID-19 on Wednesday, raising the total number of infections to 1,261, and the death toll rose to 12.

As of 4:00 a.m. local time (0700 GMT), the number of infected patients totaled 1,261, up 284 from the previous day. The number of deaths from the virus increased to 12 with two more deaths reported. (South Korea-COVID 19 Cases-Update)

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HONG KONG -- Hong Kong will step up efforts to develop a diversified economy and strive to seize opportunities from the development of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Belt and Road Initiative, the financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said Wednesday.

While reinforcing traditional pillar industries, Hong Kong needs to identify new growth engines by actively developing emerging industries, Paul Chan said when delivering the annual budget at the Legislative Council.

He promised greater support from the HKSAR government for innovation and technology (I&T), cultural and creative industries, and nurturing talents.

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