Asia Pacific

One of the realities of the North Korean “Hermit Kingdom” is that anyone can say anything they like about the country and no one knows if it’s true.

Singapore authorities are grudgingly going to permit ride-sharing apps like Uber, Hallo and Lyft to function in the Lion City, but with restrictions to “safeguard commuter safety and interests.

Vietnam’s National Assembly is revising the country’s investment law with the aim of creating a clear, open and transparent environment for foreign money.

A cinema chain in Thailand has chosen to cancel showing the latest film in The Hunger Games franchise. The decision follows the adoption by protesters against May’s military coup of the three-finger salute used in the movie.

Bangladesh has won undisputed ownership of what may be Asia-Pacific’s largest reserves of natural gas, but it is having a tough time persuading anyone to develop the fields.

China’s Ministry of Commerce says it expects to complete negotiations for a free trade agreement with South Korea by the end of this year and that the treaty will take effect by the end of 2015.

Swedish furniture and appliance giant Ikea will open its first outlet in South Korea next month, but the company is already in hot water.

Indonesia’s government plans to make the intellectual property rights sector a larger contributor to the country’s economy over the next five years.

Malaysians want all the trappings of middle-class lifestyles, such as televisions, refrigerators and cars.

At a time when many governments are encouraging the use of clean and renewable energy, Pakistan has imposed a 32.5% tax on imported solar panels.