Eight people have been confirmed dead and nine more remain missing after a budget hotel collapsed in the eastern Chinese city of Suzhou, the local government said Tuesday.

The Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), a leading onshore financial and business centre in the region, saw as many as 136 firms start their operations, representing a steady 32% year-on-year growth during the first half (H1) of 2021 despite the ongoing Covid-19 disruption.

Qatar Petroleum (QP) has entered into a new, 20-year Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) for the supply of 2 million tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG to the Republic of Korea.

The family of late Samsung Electronics Co Ltd Chairman Lee Kun-hee said on Wednesday they will pay over 12 trillion won ($10.8 billion) in inheritance tax for his estate and donate his vast private art collection to state curators.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered officials on Wednesday to explore petitioning an international court over Japan's decision to release water from its Fukushima nuclear plant, his spokesman said, amid protests by fisheries and environmental groups.

The United States, South Korea and Japan began a day of talks on Friday to discuss President Joe Biden's long-awaited review of North Korea policy and other pressing concerns, including a shortage of semi-conductor chips.

North Korea has attempted to steal Covid-19 vaccine technology by hacking Pfizer Inc according to South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS), Yonhap news agency reported on Tuesday.

The de facto chief of South Korea's Samsung business empire was convicted Monday over a huge corruption scandal and jailed for two and a half years, in a ruling that deprives the tech giant of its top decision-maker.

South Korea is reviewing AstraZeneca's request for approval of its coronavirus vaccine, as it expands a ban on private gatherings of more than four people to the whole country with daily cases topping more than 1,000 in four days.

South Korea said on Tuesday it had scrambled fighter jets in response to an intrusion into South Korea's air defence identification zone by 19 Russian and Chinese military aircraft.

South Korea's President Moon Jae-in warned on Sunday that Covid-19 restrictions may be raised to the highest level after a second day of record increases in cases as the country battles a harsh third wave of infection.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in called on Monday for expanded coronavirus testing and more thorough tracing as the country struggled to control its latest and largest wave of infections.