JAKARTA -- The number of casualties of flash floods and landslides in Indonesia's South Sulawesi province rose to 21 on Wednesday, with 31 others missing, an official said.

The search and rescue efforts were intensified in the flash flood-stricken district of Luwu Utara on Wednesday, involving 539 rescuers, said an official in charge at the Provincial Search and Rescue Office, who refused to be identified. (Indonesia-Floods-Casualties)

- - - -

TOKYO -- The Bank of Japan (BOJ) on Wednesday forecast the economy here to contract 4.7 percent in fiscal 2020 through March 2021, while saying it expects the consumer price index to retreat 0.5 percent in the same period owing to the effects of the pandemic.

The forecasts came following the conclusion of the central bank's two-day policy setting meeting at which it decided to maintain its ultra-easy monetary policy to help underpin the recession-hit economy. (Japan-Economy)

- - - -

NEW DELHI -- Authorities in India's eastern state of Bihar will impose a complete lockdown for a period of 16 days to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, officials said Wednesday.

The lockdown will begin from Thursday and will remain in force in the state until July 31.

According to the officials, the decision has been taken in the wake of an alarming spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state during the past three weeks. (India-Bihar-Lockdown)

- - - -

HONG KONG -- Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said she is determined to lead the financial hub to rally its strengths and efforts for recovery after a turbulent year of violence and unrest.

"The most challenging test has yet to come," Lam said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua two weeks after the enactment of the law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR. (Hong Kong-Carrie Lam)

- - - -

MANILA -- The number of COVID-19 cases in the Philippines surged to 58,850 after the Department of Health (DOH) reported 1,392 new cases on Wednesday.

The DOH said that the number of recoveries further rose to 20,976 after 517 more patients have survived the disease.

The death toll also increased to 1,614 after 11 more patients have succumbed to the viral disease, the DOH said. (Philippines-COVID19-Cases) Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)