The tropical island-nation of Singapore now boasts the world’s strongest passport, according to a new ranking. It’s the first time an Asian country has topped the list. Citizens of the Southeast Asian financial hub are able to enter the higher number of countries visa-free or with a visa on arrival, making Singapore’s passport the most […]

Cuban officials investigating U.S. complaints of attacks on diplomats in Havana said talk of acoustic strikes was “science fiction” and they accused Washington of “slander” while refusing to cooperate fully with Cuba’s enquiry. President Donald Trump said last week that he believed Havana was responsible for 24 diplomats being harmed. Earlier in October, Washington expelled […]

The Trump administration will temporarily delay processing of most refugees from 11 countries identified as high-risk, while resuming refugee admissions for other countries, government officials said on Tuesday. Most of the affected countries are in the Middle East and Africa, according to documents seen by Reuters. The administration also will place on hold a program […]

The world’s top 10 fastest growing tourism cities are all in Asia, according to new data from the World Travel and Tourism Council. The Council’s latest “City Travel and Tourism Impact” report shows that Asian cities will be at the forefront of tourism growth over the next decade, and that’s especially true for those in […]

U.S. stocks gained and the dollar edged up ahead of Asia’s Wednesday trading day as investors awaited the unveiling of China’s new leadership line-up. Tax reform was in focus stateside following news that House Republicans would introduce a tax bill on Nov. 1. The plan’s release will follow an expected House vote on a budget […]

Japanese authorities are conducting safety checks at a Kobe Steel Ltd aluminum plant that supplied components for a domestically built passenger aircraft, the transport minister said on Tuesday. Kobe Steel’s revelations of widespread tampering in the specifications of its products have sent a chill through global supply chains for cars, trains, airplanes and other equipment. […]

China’s finance minister said the country’s 2017 fiscal deficit will be less than the budget deficit target of 3 percent of GDP due to stronger-than-expected economic growth, South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Monday, citing a statement to the newspaper. The minister, Xiao Jie, reiterated that China’s switch to a value-added tax (VAT) system […]

One year after the U.S. lifted decades-long trade sanctions against Myanmar, the booming developing economy looks set to re-enter Washington’s bad side. In a statement released late on Monday, the U.S. State Department said it was considering “economic options” to target individuals associated with atrocities against Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslims. Washington is also “exploring accountability mechanisms […]

China’s ruling Communist Party on Tuesday approved an amendment to its constitution directly mentioning Chinese President Xi Jinping’s name and his “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristcs for a New Era.” No other leader has had an eponymous ideology included in the document while in office since Mao Zedong, the founder of modern […]