DHAKA — Bangladesh’s total exports in the first half of the current 2021-22 fiscal year (July 2021-June 2022) reached nearly 25 billion U.S. dollars, up 28.41 percent year on year, according to the latest official data.
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data posted on its website showed that Bangladesh earned 24,698.55 million dollars from exports in the July-December period, compared to 19,233.45 million dollars a year earlier. (Bangladesh-Export)
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MANILA — The Philippines’ Department of Health (DOH) reported 5,434 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday, pushing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 2,861,119.
The DOH also reported that 18 more people died from COVID-19 complications, bringing the country’s death toll to 51,604.
The Philippines is grappling with a sharp increase in infections believed to be driven by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, with the positivity rate standing at 26.2 percent. (Philippines-COVID-19-Omicron-Update)
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NEW DELHI — The local government in northern Indian state of Punjab on Tuesday announced the closure of schools and colleges, besides imposition of night curfew to restrict public movement in the wake of surge in COVID-19 cases.
The fresh curbs were announced after Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi chaired a review meeting to take stock of the COVID-19 situation in the state. (India-Punjab-COVID 19)
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KABUL — At least seven Afghans died and 26 were wounded in multiple traffic accidents on Monday amid turbulent traffic conditions after heavy snowfall in the Asian country, local officials said on Tuesday.
In northern Jawzjan province, one commuter was killed and 11 were wounded after two vehicles collided head-on along Jawzjan-Andkhoy highway, Abdul Ghani Musamim, chairman of provincial public health directorate, told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Road Accident-Snow)
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BANGKOK — Thailand’s manufacturing sector contracted in December 2021 due to lackluster demand amid a slow economic recovery, a survey showed Tuesday.
The country’s manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to 49.5 in December from 50.6 in November, a signal of a deterioration in the health of the country’s manufacturing sector, according to the IHS Markit, a London-based global information provider that compiles the index. (Thailand-Economy-PMI)
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TOKYO — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday that he will abandon provisional plans to visit the United States and Australia for summit talks prior to the start of a regular Diet session here in mid-January.
Kishida said that in the year ahead he had been hoping to enhance diplomatic talks with U.S. President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison. (Japanese PM-Visit Plan-Cancel)
