Town Hall News

By Tetsushi Kajimoto TOKYO (Reuters) -Crisis-stricken Sri Lanka should be able to conclude newly-launched debt restructuring talks by September, or November at the latest, its president said on Thursday, adding that the negotiations had made “remarkable” progress. Sri Lanka secured a $2.9 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund in March but must set up a debt restructuring framework by September to carry forward the program, or risk undermining a […]

By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea will launch its homegrown Nuri space rocket at 6:24 p.m. (09:24 GMT) on Thursday, after the launch was cancelled a day earlier due to technical glitches, the science ministry said. The third flight of the Nuri rocket would mark a major step in South Korea’s nascent space programme as the country seeks to become a key player in an intensifying race with its […]

By Choonsik Yoo and Jihoon Lee SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea’s central bank held interest rates steady for a third meeting on Thursday, as expected, after a 1-1/2-year-long tightening cycle while slightly downgrading this year’s economic growth projection. The Bank of Korea announced its seven-member monetary policy board voted to keep its policy rate unchanged at 3.50%, without elaborating. Governor Rhee Chang-yong is due to hold a news conference soon. The […]

By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea will launch its homegrown Nuri space rocket at 6:24 p.m. (09:24 GMT) on Thursday, after the launch was cancelled a day earlier due to technical glitches, the science ministry said. The third flight of the Nuri rocket would mark a major step in South Korea’s nascent space programme as the country seeks to become a key player in an intensifying race with its […]

By Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea will launch its homegrown Nuri space rocket at 6:24 p.m. (09:24 GMT) on Thursday, after the launch was cancelled a day earlier due to technical glitches, the science ministry said. The third flight of the Nuri rocket would mark a major step in South Korea’s nascent space programme as the country seeks to become a key player in an intensifying race with its […]

By Kane Wu and Yantoultra Ngui HONG KONG (Reuters) – Private equity firms Boyu Capital, Hillhouse Capital and BPEA EQT are among bidders vying for Longreach Group’s Hong Kong-based medical device maker Quasar, three people with knowledge of the matter said. Longreach, an Asia-focused private equity firm, is targeting a valuation of as much as $600 million or more for the entire company, said one of the three sources and […]

CAIRO (Reuters) -A ship has grounded in the Suez Canal, “leaving behind” at least four vessels, shipping agent Leth Agencies said early on Thursday. Suez Canal tugboats are trying to refloat the vessel, named Xin Hai Tong 23, the company said. There was no immediate comment from Canal authorities. “M/V XIN HAI TONG 23 has grounded in the Suez Canal at KM 159/0400 hrs,” Leth Agencies said in a tweet, […]

CAIRO (Reuters) -A ship has grounded in the Suez Canal, “leaving behind” at least four vessels, shipping agent Leth Agencies said early on Thursday. Suez Canal tugboats are trying to refloat the vessel, named Xin Hai Tong 23, the company said. There was no immediate comment from Canal authorities. “M/V XIN HAI TONG 23 has grounded in the Suez Canal at KM 159/0400 hrs,” Leth Agencies said in a tweet, […]

TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will meet Sri Lanka’s president on Thursday as the South Asian nation looks to bolster efforts to restructure its debt and repair an economy deeply scarred by a severe financial crisis. Kishida’s meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe comes days after the International Monetary Fund (IMF) called for achieving timely restructuring agreements with the country’s creditors. The global lender said Sri Lanka’s macroeconomic […]