Sri Lanka travel visa costs doubled to $100 last month. The reason for the hike is disputed
The cost to obtain a short-term visa to visit Sri Lanka rose from $50 to $100 in April.
Country asian news
Amazon-backed Anthropic launches its Claude AI chatbot across Europe
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence startup backed by Amazon, said Monday it's launching its generative AI assistant Claude in Europe on Tuesday. It will be available to individuals and businesses through the web and via an iPhone app.
With Chinese loans looming, Maldives gets IMF warning over ‘debt distress’
The International Monetary Fund warned the Maldives against looming “debt distress” on Monday, as the small but strategically placed luxury tourist destination looks set to borrow more from main creditor China.
Asia-Pacific a money-laundering hotbed: bad actors exploit shell companies, cryptocurrency while AI chases, report says
Shell companies and a growing market for cryptocurrency have become the new hotbeds for money laundering across the Asia-Pacific region, but new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) have emerged as effective tools to counter the crime, according to Forrester Research.
New Singapore PM Lawrence Wong's test: Change with continuity
SINGAPORE -- When 72-year-old Lee Hsien Loong steps down as Singapore's prime minister on Wednesday night after 20 years in office, it will mark the end of an era for the country.
Japan to set 2040 green energy strategy to court data centers, chip fabs
TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Monday instructed government officials to draw up a national decarbonization and industrial policy toward 2040, as the country aims to reduce its carbon footprint while courting energy-intensive industries like semiconductors.
India inks 10-year deal to operate Iran's Chabahar port
NEW DELHI (Reuters) -- India signed a 10-year contract with Iran on Monday to develop and operate the Iranian port of Chabahar, the Narendra Modi-led government said, strengthening relations with a strategic Middle Eastern nation.
China and Cambodia to begin annual military exercise to strengthen cooperation, fight terrorism
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia and China begin their annual Golden Dragon military exercise this week to strengthen cooperation and exchange military experiences, a Cambodian official said Monday.