HONG KONG -- John Lee on Friday thanked the central government for appointing him as the sixth-term chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The State Council, China's cabinet, made the decision of appointment at a meeting on Friday. (Hong Kong-John Lee-Pledge)

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COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka will soon implement laws banning anyone from holding foreign currency notes over 10,000 U.S. dollars, the central bank said on Friday.

Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe told reporters that the law will be brought in to prevent the hoarding of foreign currency and draw them into the banking system. (Sri Lanka-Foreign Currency Notes)

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PHNOM PENH -- Cambodia will start offering a fifth dose of COVID-19 vaccines to priority groups from June 9 onwards, Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Friday.

The priority groups include leaders of the government, the senate, the parliament, frontline health workers, government officials, civil servants, armed forces, the elderly, staff of embassies, national and international organizations, journalists, and celebrities. (Cambodia-COVID-19 Vaccine-5th Dose)

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TOKYO -- The Japanese government said Friday that Japan will ease its COVID-19 border controls, doubling the cap on overseas arrivals to 20,000 people per day starting next month.

The government also plans to relax rules regarding COVID-19 testing and quarantine, dividing countries and regions into three categories based on their infection situation. (Japan-COVID-19-Border Control)