HONG KONG -- Hong Kong maintained the fourth place in an index of global financial centers published Thursday by British and Chinese think tanks, showing its resilience as a leading financial center despite challenges.

The Global Financial Centres Index (GFCI) 34 report, released by British think tank Z/Yen Group and the China Development Institute in Shenzhen, showed that Hong Kong's overall rating increased notably. (HK-Financial Centers)

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MANILA -- Philippine authorities on Thursday seized 14.36 kilograms of cocaine at Manila's international airport from two female Singaporeans who allegedly tried to smuggle the illicit drugs.

In an initial report, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Inter-Agency Drug Interdiction Task Group said the suspects, aged 63 and 39, arrived from Doha, Qatar. (Philippines-Cocaine-Seizure)

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KUALA LUMPUR -- Cooperation with China has allowed Malaysia to pursue independent and competitive technology development, according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

By changing Malaysia's initial model of a single 5G network provider to a dual model, Malaysia has opened the way for more effective participation by Chinese telecom giant Huawei in the country, Anwar said in remarks at the closing ceremony of the Malaysia ICT Summit 2023 on Wednesday evening. (Malaysia-Technology-China)

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TOKYO -- Japan's Osaka District Court has ordered the central government and other parties to pay compensation to more than 120 plaintiffs.

A total of 128 plaintiffs, previously rejected from a special Minamata disease relief program as sufferers of the disease, were all recognized as Minamata disease patients by the court. (Japan-Minamata Disease-Court Ruling)