KUALA LUMPUR -- Malaysia's producer price index (PPI), which measures the prices of goods at factory gate, slipped to a negative growth of 0.8 percent in February against 1.3 percent in January, official data showed Monday.

The Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM) said in a statement that this is the first negative rate recorded since January 2021 due to base effect and lower prices of primary commodities. (Malaysia-PPI)

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NEW DELHI -- India's parliament was adjourned on Monday as lawmakers belonging to the Indian National Congress (INC) protested against the disqualification of senior opposition leader Rahul Gandhi from the lower house of the parliament.

A former INC president, Rahul Gandhi had been a lawmaker since 2004. He is the son of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, grandson of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, and great-grandson of the country's first prime minister Jawahar Lal Nehru. (India-Parliament-Adjournment)

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KABUL -- Seven people including a suicide bomber were killed and several others wounded as the suicide bomber was gunned down by security forces in Police District 2 of Kabul city on Monday, police of the Afghan capital said.

"The suicide bomber, who was approaching a checkpoint in Malik Asghar area on the road leading to the foreign ministry, was identified and gunned down by security forces, but his explosive device exploded, killing six civilians and wounding several others including three security personnel," police spokesman Khalid Zadran told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Blast-Deaths, 2nd LD)

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KUALA LUMPUR -- China's whole-process people's democracy has complete institutional procedures and participatory practices, which aim to bring efficient governance to the country and meet the needs of the people, Ong Tee Keat, chairman of Malaysia-based think tank the Center for New Inclusive Asia said.

Ong once worked as the deputy speaker of Malaysia's lower house of parliament, Malaysian transport minister and president of Malaysian Chinese Association. (Malaysia-China-Democatic Governance, INTERVIEW)

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VIENTIANE -- The Lao government and a China-Lao joint venture have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the project of the Asia-Potash International Intelligent Circular Industrial Park.

Tong Yongheng, general manager of the Sino-Agri International Potash Company, and Khamchanh Vongsaenboun, the Lao deputy minister of planning and investment, signed the MoU on Friday in the Lao capital Vientiane, with the attendance of representatives from both sides. (China-Laos-Industrial Park)