Cultural, Creative Industry Contributes 6.8 Percent To Malaysia’s GDP In 2024

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 19 (NNN-BERNAMA) – The cultural and creative industry, contributed 6.8 percent to Malaysia’s gross domestic product (GDP), fuelling 130.7 billion ringgit (31.97 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, according to official data. The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM), said in a statement, yesterday that, the cultural and creative…

New Zealand Fruit Exports Surged On Chinese Demand

WELLINGTON, Dec 19 (NNN-RNZ) – New Zealand’s fruit exports rose 28 percent to 6.1 billion NZ dollars (3.52 billion U.S. dollars) in the year ended Nov, 2025, buoyed by strong Chinese demand for gold kiwifruit and apples, Stats NZ reported, today. This marked the second time that New Zealand’s fruit…

Japanese Gov’t Estimates 18,000 Could Die In Major Earthquake In Tokyo Metropolitan Area In Next Decades

TOKYO, Dec 19 (NNN-NHK) – A powerful earthquake, that has a high chance of occurring beneath Tokyo and nearby areas, within the next few decades, could kill up to 18,000 people, according to the damage estimates, released by the government today. The latest figure, made under the scenario of a…

Vietnam Kicks Off, Inaugurates 234 Major Projects Nationwide

HANOI, Dec 19 (NNN-VNA) – Ceremonies were held across Vietnam today, for the ground-breaking, inauguration, and technical traffic opening of 234 major projects and key works. The move is part of activities marking the upcoming 11th National Emulation Congress, and the 14th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam.…

Sri Lanka Expects Foreign Investment To Top 1.5 Billion USD Next Year

COLOMBO, Dec 19 (NNN-LNW) – Sri Lanka expects foreign direct investment (FDI), to be between 1.5 billion and two billion U.S. dollars next year, a senior official said, today. Chairman of the Board of Investment, Arjuna Herath said, FDI has exceeded one billion dollars, this year. Herath said, the government…

Earthquake Jolted Kabul And Its Vicinity

KABUL, Dec 19 (NNN-BNA) – A relatively strong earthquake struck Afghan capital, Kabul and its vicinity, at 10:04 a.m. local time today. A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck the Hindu Kush mountain region, in northern Afghanistan, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences. No reports of casualties have been recorded…

ADB Mobilises 40 Million USD Emergency Aid For Sri Lanka Following Cyclone

MANILA, Dec 19 (NNN-PNA) – The Asian Development Bank (ADB), yesterday said, it launched a 40-million-U.S.-dollar emergency assistance facility, to support Sri Lanka’s recovery from the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The ADB said, the facility will help finance essential imports, including food, medicines, and critical relief supplies, to address…

Oli Re-Elected As Chairman Of Nepal’s CPN-UML

KATHMANDU, Dec 19 (NNN-XINHUA) – KP Sharma Oli, has been elected as chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist and Leninist) (CPN-UML), through the 11th general convention that concluded yesterday. Oli defeated Ishwar Pokharel, the party’s former senior vice-chairman, announced, Bijay Subba, chair of the party’s election commission.…

Former Iraqi President Barham Salih Elected New UN High Commissioner For Refugees

GENEVA, Dec 19 (NNN-XINHUA) – The United Nations General Assembly, yesterday, elected former Iraqi President, Barham Salih, as the new UN High Commissioner for Refugees. Salih, born in 1960, served as president of Iraq from 2018 to 2022. He previously held posts including deputy prime minister of Iraq and prime…

Iraq Nabs Two Wanted Suspects In NE Syria

BAGHDAD, Dec 19 (NNN-NINA) – Iraqi security forces, conducted an airborne operation in north-eastern Syria, arresting two high-value suspects, wanted by the Iraqi judiciary, the Iraqi military said, yesterday. The Iraqi Falcon Intelligence Cell, operating under the Interior Ministry, conducted the operation in coordination with Syrian security forces, read a…