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Fri, 09 Apr 2021 16:42:51 +0800
Thailand faces growing COVID-19 outbreak ahead of Songkran travel
Thailand faces growing COVID-19 outbreak ahead of Songkran travel

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 16:34:14 +0800
Hong Kong defends plan to reduce corporate database transparency
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong official on Friday (Apr 9) defended plans to curb public access to company searches, a move transparency and media advocates have warned will hamper the exposure of shady corporate dealings. The semi-autonomous financial hub c...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 16:09:40 +0800
UN envoy to make Myanmar diplomatic push
YANGON: The UN's special envoy for Myanmar is to embark on an Asian tour to step up diplomatic efforts to tackle the crisis, as the death toll from the junta's crackdown on dissent passed 600 on Friday (Apr 9). The push by Christine Schraner Burgene...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 15:52:32 +0800
India's new COVID-19 infections hit record, deaths at more than 5-month high
NEW DELHI: India reported another record number of new COVID-19 infections on Friday (Apr 9) with daily deaths also hitting their highest in more than five months as the country battles a second wave of infections and states complain of a persistent ...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 15:23:59 +0800
US sanctions Chinese computer makers in widening tech fight
BEIJING: The Biden administration has added seven Chinese supercomputer research labs and manufacturers to a US export blacklist in a spreading conflict with Beijing over technology and security. The measure announced on Thursday (Apr 8) is the late...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 15:14:19 +0800
UK offers shelter to ousted Myanmar ambassador
Britain said it is willing to offer shelter to Myanmar's ambassador to London after he was ousted from his embassy by pro-junta diplomats.

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 15:10:37 +0800
Indonesia warns of risk of landslides, floods from new cyclone
JAKARTA: Indonesia's weather agency warned on Friday (Apr 9) that a second tropical cyclone in the space of a week could trigger floods and landslides in more central areas after cyclone Seroja killed 163 people in eastern parts of the country. Resc...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 13:41:15 +0800
COVID-19 patient in Japan receives lung transplant from living donors
TOKYO: Doctors in Japan announced on Thursday (Apr 9) that they have successfully performed the world’s first transplant of lung tissue from living donors to a patient with severe lung damage from COVID-19. The recipient, identified only as a woma...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 14:17:56 +0800
Hong Kong suspends its order of AstraZeneca COVID-19 jabs
HONG KONG: Hong Kong on Friday (Apr 9) confirmed it has requested AstraZeneca to suspend delivery of its COVID-19 vaccine amid fears of severe side effects and concerns over its efficacy against new variants of the coronavirus. Europe's medicines re...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 12:47:58 +0800
A dozen Bangkok hospitals suspend COVID-19 testing amid shortages
BANGKOK: At least 12 hospitals in Thailand's capital, Bangkok, said as of Friday (Apr 9) they were suspending testing for COVID-19 due to high demand and shortage of supplies, amid a new spike in cases. The hospitals issued notices on their social m...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 11:52:55 +0800
'Full capacity everywhere': Manila hospitals struggle as virus surges
MANILA: Angelo Barrera's father struggled to breathe from COVID-19 as he was driven around the Philippine capital in search of a hospital bed. After five hours he got on a waitlist, but died before he could get inside. More contagious variants of th...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 11:40:15 +0800
South Korea orders closure of nightclubs, karaoke bars amid concern over fourth COVID-19 wave
SEOUL: South Korea will reimpose a ban on nightclubs, karaoke bars and other nightly entertainment facilities, authorities said on Friday (Apr 9), after the number of new COVID-19 cases surged, fanning fears over a potential fourth wave of outbreaks....

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 11:15:41 +0800
Scar tissue: Vietnamese women find healing with tattoos
HANOI: In her tiny Hanoi apartment, tattoo artist Ngoc inks middle-aged women whose lives have been upended by divorce or illness, each of them searching for healing through an art form that is still largely taboo in Vietnam. Although attitudes are ...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 09:40:37 +0800
Japan to add Tokyo, other areas to COVID-19 'quasi-emergency' state
TOKYO: Japan plans to place Tokyo under a fresh month-long "quasi-emergency" state to combat surging COVID-19 case numbers, a minister said on Friday (Apr 9).  This comes less than a month after the capital and host of the Summer Olympics lifted a ...

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 07:19:15 +0800
US Bill to pressure China on trade and rights, back Taiwan
US senators on Thursday (Apr 8) unveiled broad legislation on China that would step up pressure over Beijing's alleged theft of intellectual property and solidify US ties with Taiwan.

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 06:10:38 +0800
Commentary: A digital vaccine passport could open up Southeast Asia travel bubble but some changes needed first
Officials are discussing arrangements to reopen borders within Southeast Asia, but these plans risk data privacy pitfalls, say researchers.

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 06:10:38 +0800
Commentary: Japan’s slow-mo vaccination programme has a lot riding on it
With few mandatory restrictions, and national leaders focused on holding the Tokyo Olympics, vaccination should be a top priority and even that has been very slow, says Yuka Hasegawa.

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 07:02:04 +0800
Myanmar military government limits Internet, seizes satellite TV dishes
An information blackout under Myanmar's military government worsened on Thursday (Apr 8) as fibre broadband service, the last legal way for ordinary people to access the Internet, became intermittently inaccessible on several networks.

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 00:02:09 +0800
AstraZeneca: Who is using the jab, and who is not
The fallout over the AstraZeneca jab continued Thursday with several countries halting its use among younger people, as nations raced to secure much-needed vaccines in the face of fresh virus surges.

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 00:00:42 +0800
US blacklists Myanmar state-owned gems enterprise
WASHINGTON: The US Treasury Department on Thursday (Apr 8) imposed sanctions on a Myanmar state-owned gems enterprise in a bid to curtail the military junta's ability to generate revenues, according to a statement. The move is the latest from the B...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 23:03:20 +0800
Hundreds protest in Kyrgyzstan after bride kidnap and murder
Hundreds of people rallied in Kyrgyzstan's capital Bishkek on Thursday calling for police chiefs to be sacked after a young woman abducted for marriage was found dead in a country where bride kidnapping is systemic.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:55:43 +0800
Indonesia announces internal travel ban during Eid al-Fitr over COVID-19
JAKARTA: Indonesia on Thursday (Apr 8) announced an internal travel ban during next month's Eid al-Fitr celebrations, in an effort to prevent large-scale transmission of the coronavirus, a transport official said. The world's most populous Muslim-ma...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:20:37 +0800
Malaysia defends Myanmar envoy's meeting with junta after backlash
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Thursday (Apr 8) defended a meeting between its ambassador to Myanmar and a representative from the military government, after criticism that it was recognition of the junta amid a brutal crackdown on protesters. More than...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:02:34 +0800
Sarawak deputy chief minister contacted by police after being seen without face mask in public
KUCHING: Sarawak's deputy chief minister confirmed that he was contacted by the police after a video showing him not wearing a face mask in public went viral.  Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan was seen not wearing a face mask during a visit to the Matu...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 19:23:52 +0800
Cambodia's Angkor site shut for 2 weeks to curb COVID-19
PHNOM PENH: Cambodia is shutting its most popular tourist destination, the centuries-old Angkor temple complex, to visitors for two weeks to help curb the country's coronavirus outbreak. The closing of the world-famous site is the latest in a slew o...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 19:14:21 +0800
Sri Lanka arrests 'Mrs World' over assault
Colombo police on Thursday (Apr 8) arrested the current "Mrs World" on charges of assault over an on-stage fracas in which she pulled the crown off the head of the new "Mrs Sri Lanka".

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:58:58 +0800
Philippines keeping 'options open' on South China Sea: Government
MANILA: The Philippine defence department said on Thursday (Apr 8) it was keeping "all our options open" as a diplomatic row with Beijing grows over hundreds of Chinese vessels in the contested South China Sea. Tensions over the resource-rich waters...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 17:16:00 +0800
Philippines suspends AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for under 60s
MANILA: The Philippine health department suspended on Thursday (Apr 8) the use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 jab for people under 60 after reports of blood clots overseas, in a setback for the country's already slow vaccine rollout. It comes amid a re...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 17:17:34 +0800
China says UK sheltering 'wanted criminals' after HK asylum ruling
China on Thursday accused the UK of sheltering "wanted criminals" after prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Nathan Law said he had been granted political asylum there.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 16:58:37 +0800
Rallies, religious gatherings aggravate India's worst COVID-19 surge
India's COVID-19 cases have soared 13-fold in barely two months, a vicious second wave propelled by open disregard for safety protocols in much of the vast country.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 16:20:37 +0800
Malaysia not seen as ‘strategic environmental partner’ by US, says DAP leader on climate summit snub
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is clearly not seen as a “strategic environmental partner on climate action” by the United States, said Democratic Action Party's secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on Thursday (Apr 8).  This came after environment minister...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 18:49:21 +0800
China weighs carrots and sticks in push to vaccinate millions against COVID-19
Tickets to tourist attractions, shopping coupons and report cards naming and shaming stores where staff haven't been vaccinated: China is veering from compulsion to persuasion in its bid to inoculate its population against COVID-19.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 15:09:12 +0800
Thailand eyes nightlife curbs to arrest third COVID-19 wave
BANGKOK: Thailand is considering closing entertainment venues in Bangkok and 40 provinces, its COVID-19 taskforce said on Thursday (Apr 8), as authorities rushed to tackle a new wave of coronavirus cases and the arrival of a highly contagious variant...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 14:21:03 +0800
Myanmar crisis sounds death knell for garment industry, jobs and hope
Two years after opening his garment factory in Myanmar, Li Dongliang is on the verge of closing down and laying off his 800 remaining workers.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 13:24:39 +0800
Modi gets second COVID-19 vaccine dose as India hits new record
NEW DELHI: India’s prime minister received his second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine as the country hit another peak on Thursday (Apr 8) with 126,789 new cases reported in the past 24 hours. “Vaccination is among the few ways we have, to defeat th...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 13:04:16 +0800
Aid flows into cyclone-struck Indonesia as death toll rises
Two Indonesian navy ships packed with aid arrived Thursday in a cyclone-ravaged section of the archipelago, as the disaster's death toll rose to nearly 180 people, including dozens killed in neighbouring East Timor.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 13:09:40 +0800
Twitter spotlights Asia protest movements with #MilkTeaAlliance emoji
Twitter has launched an emoji to spotlight the "#MilkTeaAlliance" online protest movement that has forged links between activists across Asia, the social media giant said on Thursday.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 14:31:52 +0800
Myanmar actor arrested as junta hunts 120 celebrities
YANGON: A leading Myanmar actor, singer and model who has backed the country's anti-coup protests was arrested on Thursday (Apr 8), reports said, as the junta hunts more than 100 celebrities for supporting the movement. The country has been rocked b...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 14:38:00 +0800
Indonesia says about 100 million AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses face arrival delays
JAKARTA: Indonesia's health minister said on Thursday (Apr 8) the schedule for about 100 million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccines faced delays, as an official warned that supply issues could hamper the country's inoculation programme. Healt...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 11:50:15 +0800
Crushing poll defeats for South Korea's ruling party
South Korea's conservative opposition won landslide victories in elections for the mayors of the country's two biggest cities, results showed Thursday, in a bad sign for Moon Jae-in's Democratic Party a year before the next presidential poll.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 14:20:30 +0800
Singapore sends condolences to Indonesia and Timor-Leste after floods, landslides kill more than 100
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan on Wednesday (Apr 7) sent condolences to his counterparts in Indonesia and Timor-Leste, after landslides and floods devastated both countries. Tropical cyclone Seroja pounded ...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 11:40:37 +0800
Malaysia deliberating over use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after EU findings
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is deliberating whether to proceed with using the AstraZeneca vaccine for its national COVID-19 immunisation programme, following the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) review. Coordinating Minister for the Immunisation Progra...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 11:34:56 +0800
Video saved the K-pop stars: Brave Girls reborn via YouTube
SEOUL: The Brave Girls were losing courage just weeks ago, on the verge of breaking up and abandoning their dreams of K-pop stardom after years of going nowhere. Then a pseudonymous YouTuber called Viditor uploaded a compilation of them performing o...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 10:31:24 +0800
China protests transit of US destroyer through Taiwan Strait
China protests transit of US destroyer through Taiwan Strait

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 10:04:09 +0800
South Korea reports surge in COVID-19 cases, more restrictions expected
SEOUL: South Korea reported 700 new COVID-19 cases, its highest daily figure since early January, and the prime minister reiterated warnings on Thursday (Apr 8) that new social distancing rules would likely be needed. Wednesday's tally compares with...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 09:55:59 +0800
Hong Kong democracy activist Nathan Law granted political asylum by Britain
Hong Kong democracy activist Nathan Law said he has been granted political asylum in Britain, where he arrived last July after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on his home city that has been heavily criticised by the West.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 09:10:37 +0800
Press freedom in Macau’s gambling hub under spotlight as China ramps up scrutiny
HONG KONG: At a meeting at the Portuguese unit of Macau's public broadcaster TDM on Mar 10, two senior journalists addressed about 25 staff members, reading new editorial rules requiring them to promote "patriotism, respect and love" for mainland Chi...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 15:59:34 +0800
Japan denies report of COVID-19 vaccine priority for Olympic athletes after outcry
The Japanese government is thinking of prioritising COVID-19 vaccines for athletes taking part in the Olympics and Paralympics, which start at the end of July, Kyodo news agency said.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 07:45:06 +0800
US warns China over moves on Philippines, Taiwan
The United States on Wednesday (Apr 7) warned China against what the Philippines and Taiwan see as increasingly aggressive moves, reminding Beijing of Washington's obligations to its partners.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 23:52:36 +0800
Britain slams 'bullying' Myanmar over London embassy standoff
LONDON: Britain on Thursday (Apr 8) condemned "bullying" by the Myanmar junta after the country's ambassador to London was ousted in an extraordinary diplomatic coup having called for the release of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Diplomats loyal...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 05:00:37 +0800
What dead pets on Hong Kong shores have to do with the COVID-19 pandemic
CNA correspondent Wei Du stumbles on the mystery of vanished pets in Hong Kong, and a much bigger problem behind the phenomenon, in the programme Undercover Asia.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 11:50:24 +0800
Commentary: How COVID-19 vaccines are being weaponised as countries jostle for influence
A new hybrid Cold War is underway, with US, China and pivotal states engaging in a power play, says NUS Business School’s Alex Capri.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 10:02:38 +0800
Commentary: China’s foreign loans, as a recent study shows, is full of ‘Chinese characteristics’
China’s lending has been secretive, with clauses to protect political interests and subject disputes to Chinese law. These could create a “China Club” that rivals the Paris Club, says Professor Bo Zhiyue.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 06:10:39 +0800
Commentary: As Myanmar coup persists, ethnic armed groups come under greater pressure to act
Despite calls for them to get involved in a wider resistance against the Tatmadaw, Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups are not casting their lots in yet. They have ample reasons for not doing so, says ISEAS-Yusof-Ishak Institute’s Andrew Ong.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 04:11:44 +0800
US prepared to consider North Korea diplomacy aimed at denuclearisation: White House
The United States is prepared to consider diplomacy with North Korea if it leads to a path of denuclearisation, White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said on Wednesday (Apr 7).

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 01:12:09 +0800
Scientists call for new probe into COVID-19 origins - with or without China
A joint China-World Health Organization (WHO) study into COVID-19 has provided no credible answers about how the pandemic began, and more rigorous investigations are required - with or without Beijing's involvement, a group of international scientist...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 00:48:13 +0800
Some Indian states warn of vaccine shortage as COVID-19 cases peak
India reported a record 115,736 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, a 13-fold increase in just over two months, raising pressure on the government to expand its vaccination campaign.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 23:47:55 +0800
China-EU relations face challenges, Xi tells Germany's Merkel
President Xi Jinping told German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday that he saw "various challenges" in relations between China and the European Union and hoped the EU could "independently" make correct judgements, a Chinese government statement s...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 23:42:53 +0800
US Olympic chiefs oppose Beijing Winter Olympics boycott: Official
LOS ANGELES: The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) reiterated its opposition to a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on Wednesday (Apr 7), saying athletes should not be used as "political pawns". In remarks to reporter...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 22:33:44 +0800
Bhutan vaccinates 60% of population against COVID-19 in record time
Bhutan on Wednesday said it had given about 60 percent of its entire population a first jab against Covid-19 since the Himalayan kingdom started an ambitious vaccination drive nine days ago.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 22:26:29 +0800
Climate envoy Kerry praises but prods coal-hungry India
US climate envoy John Kerry has praised India as a "world leader" in renewable energy but said during a visit to the fossil fuel-dependent nation that the globe needs to phase out coal faster.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 20:30:37 +0800
Malaysia says South Korean and Japanese firms to invest US$3.9b in coming years
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia said on Wednesday (Apr 7) it had secured potential investments from South Korea and Japan amounting to RM16.05 billion (US$3.89 billion) and export purchases of about RM986.2 million to be realised in the coming years. Malaysi...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 20:06:17 +0800
South Korea suspends AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots for people under 60 amid European review
SEOUL: South Korea said on Wednesday (Apr 7) it will temporarily suspend providing AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to people below 60 amid a European review, while approving a Johnson & Johnson shot in a bid to speed up its inoculation roll-out. The ...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 19:43:08 +0800
Philippines' Duterte cancels address as COVID-19 spreads among staff
Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday cancelled his weekly national televised address due to an increase in active cases of COVID-19 among his staff, including some of his security detail, government officials said.

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 09:07:03 +0800
'Mrs Sri Lanka' regains title after on-stage fracas
A Sri Lankan beauty pageant winner who had her crown yanked off by last year's champion in an ugly on-stage fracas has been re-declared the victor and says she will sue.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 18:50:37 +0800
Taiwan says it may shoot down Chinese drones in South China Sea
TAIPEI: Taiwan has spotted Chinese drones circling the Taipei-controlled Pratas Islands in the South China Sea and may shoot them down if they stray too close, a government minister said on Wednesday (Apr 7), a move that could dramatically increase t...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 18:13:29 +0800
Backlash after Pakistan PM links rape to how women dress
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan rights campaigners have accused Prime Minister Imran Khan of "baffling ignorance" after the former playboy cricketer blamed how women dress for a rise in rape cases. In a weekend interview on live television, Oxford-educated Kha...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 18:00:37 +0800
President Halimah, PM Lee congratulate Vietnam counterparts on appointments
SINGAPORE: Singapore President Halimah Yacob and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have congratulated their Vietnamese counterparts President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on their appointments. Mr Phuc and Mr Chinh were e...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:41:24 +0800
Cambodia starts vaccinating textile factory workers
Cambodia started on Wednesday to vaccinate workers in its textile industry, concentrating on the US$7 billion backbone of its economy to help jump-start a post-pandemic recovery.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 21:52:49 +0800
Myanmar security forces kill 13 protesters, Chinese-owned factory set ablaze
YANGON: Myanmar troops fired at anti-coup protesters on Wednesday (Apr 7), killing at least 13 people and wounding several, a media outlet said, as a series of small blasts hit the commercial capital Yangon and a Chinese-owned factory was set on fi...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 17:31:42 +0800
Philippine police probe death of COVID-19 curfew violator forced to do squats
MANILA: Philippine police said on Wednesday (Apr 7) they are investigating the death of a COVID-19 lockdown violator who was forced to do a hundred squat-like exercises as a penalty for breaking curfew. Police have punished more than 10,000 people f...

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 09:49:32 +0800
Men in Black and Ghostbusters to star in Sony's Thai theme park
TOKYO: Men in Black rides and Jumanji water slides are some of the star attractions of a theme park being jointly built in Thailand by Sony as the tech giant seeks to broaden its entertainment offerings. The venue near Pattaya - a tourist hotspot ...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 16:58:19 +0800
Hong Kong tycoon Jimmy Lai among three pleading guilty to illegal assembly
HONG KONG: Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and two pro-democracy activists pleaded guilty on Wednesday (Apr 7) to charges of participating in an illegal march during mass anti-government protests in 2019. The plea of guilty to joining the citywide ...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 18:07:40 +0800
Bangkok could be declared COVID-19 red zone ahead of Thai water festival
BANGKOK: Bangkok could be declared a COVID-19 red zone ahead of the Thai water festival next week after new clusters involving pubs and bars caused a sharp increase in infections in the Thai capital.  The Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administratio...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 16:38:35 +0800
Seoul voters go to polls after abuse scandal
Voters in Seoul went to the polls Wednesday to pick a successor to the mayor of South Korea's capital, who took his own life following allegations of sexual abuse.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 16:20:37 +0800
Zahid denies phone call with Anwar after UMNO general assembly, says audio clip is a ‘political ploy’
KUALA LUMPUR: United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi has denied having any conversation with Parti Keadilan Rakyat chief Anwar Ibrahim after his party's general assembly, after an audio clip purportedly of the two...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 19:21:56 +0800
World's largest COVID-19 vaccine maker says it needs Indian government funds
estrictions on exporting its COVID-19 vaccines have left India's Serum Institute needing financial help from the government, its CEO said, with the world's largest jab manufacturer under pressure at home from soaring cases.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:36:01 +0800
Foreign cricketers 'give up' on mental health in COVID-19 pandemic: Ganguly
Indian cricket chief Sourav Ganguly has stoked the debate on the pressures of bio-secure bubble cricket by saying Indian players are better at handling mental health than foreign stars.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:28:44 +0800
Malaysia's ex-PM Najib faces bankruptcy over tax bill
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's scandal-plagued former prime minister Najib Razak is facing bankruptcy for allegedly failing to pay more than US$400 million in taxes, which could bring his political career to an end. Najib lost power in 2018 when his party...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:51:37 +0800
India helped Paraguay get COVID-19 vaccines despite China pressure: Taiwan
TAIPEI: Taiwan worked with other democracies to help its diplomatic ally Paraguay get COVID-19 vaccines after China put pressure on the South American country to ditch Taipei in exchange for shots, and India stepped in to help, Taiwan's foreign minis...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 19:45:57 +0800
Osaka moves Olympic torch run off public roads, declares COVID-19 emergency
The Japanese metropolis of Osaka is to declare a medical emergency as new COVID-19 infections climb to all-time highs, the Kyodo news agency reported on Wednesday.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:59:07 +0800
India posts record COVID-19 cases, 13-fold jump over two months
NEW DELHI: India's second wave of COVID-19 infections continued to swell as it reported a record 115,736 new cases on Wednesday (Apr 7), a 13-fold increase in just over two months and raising pressure on the government to expand its vaccination campa...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:28:43 +0800
Rakuten CEO Mikitani says hosting Tokyo Games this summer 'too risky'
TOKYO: Hiroshi Mikitani, chief executive of Japanese e-commerce group Rakuten, said on Wednesday (Apr 7) it was "too risky" to hold the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this summer, as the nation struggles with a nascent fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mik...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:39:01 +0800
Cheering banned as South Korea, China finally battle for Tokyo Games
SHANGHAI: After repeated postponements stretching back more than a year because of COVID-19, South Korea and China's women's football teams will finally meet on Thursday (Apr 8) for a last-ditch spot at the Tokyo Olympics. The first leg takes place ...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:34:16 +0800
Taiwan says it will fight to the end if China attacks
TAIPEI: Taiwan will fight to the end if China attacks, its foreign minister said on Wednesday (Apr 7), adding that the United States saw a danger that this could happen amid mounting Chinese military pressure, including aircraft carrier drills, near...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:54:44 +0800
Thai rescue unit frees Buddhist monk trapped in flooded cave
BANGKOK: Thai rescue workers said on Wednesday (Apr 7) they had freed a Buddhist monk trapped inside a flooded cave in Thailand's Phitsanulok province, after he went inside days ago to meditate. The monk, identified by a local rescue unit as 46-year...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:27:28 +0800
'Suddenly we heard people scream - Flood!': Survivors recount disaster on Indonesian island
ADONARA, Indonesia: Homeless, injured, and with his daughter dead, Sugeng stares blankly as he comes to grips with the devastation left by floods and landslides on Indonesia's Adonara island. The 60-year-old was asleep with his family on Sunday (Apr...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 13:22:11 +0800
'It's the tone': Palau president explains his China mistrust
HONG KONG: He leads one of the world's smallest nations, but Surangel Whipps says Palau will not be bullied by anyone into deciding its future - least of all by China. Whipps, 52, became Palau's president after last year defeating an opponent who f...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 23:59:16 +0800
Myanmar group compiles junta rights abuse dossier
YANGON: A group representing Myanmar's ousted civilian government said on Wednesday (Apr 7) it has gathered 180,000 pieces of evidence showing rights abuses by the junta including torture and extrajudicial killings. The country has been in turmoil ...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 18:18:20 +0800
Indonesia readies hospital ships for Cyclone Seroja survivors
LEMBATA, Indonesia: Indonesia's navy readied hospital ships on Wednesday (Apr 7) to help treat injured survivors of a cyclone that has killed about 160 in the archipelago and neighbouring Timor-Leste, as fears grow over coronavirus outbreaks in cramp...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 11:49:56 +0800
3D projection mapping provides bird’s-eye view of Tokyo
TOKYO: It's Tokyo, but unlike you've ever seen it before - a miniaturised 1:1000 scale version of one of the world's biggest capitals, displaying everything from sea levels to population densities. Pairing a 3D model with projection mapping, the Urb...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 11:12:47 +0800
China sentences Uyghur former government officials to death for 'separatist activities' 
Two Uyghur former government officials in China's Xinjiang have been handed death sentences for carrying out "separatist activities", a court said, as Beijing comes under increasing fire for its actions towards minority groups in the region.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 10:27:04 +0800
Cambodia PM orders home treatment for COVID-19 patients as hospitals struggle
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered health officials on Tuesday to prepare to treat coronavirus patients at home, as the country's biggest COVID-19 outbreak so far tests the capacity of its fragile healthcare system.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 10:06:23 +0800
North Korea's Kim urges 'grassroots' party members to be more proactive
SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has called on "grassroots" members of the ruling Workers' Party to be more proactive and responsible in carrying out the country's new five-year economic plan, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday (Apr 7). Th...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 09:50:20 +0800
Japan PM Suga signals chance of calling snap election: Report
TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said there was a chance he could call a snap general election before his current term as head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) ends in September, according to the Asahi newspaper. The remark,...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 09:53:36 +0800
South Korea reports highest daily COVID-19 count in 3 months
SEOUL: South Korea on Wednesday (Apr 7) reported 668 new COVID-19 cases for Tuesday, the highest daily count since Jan 8 amid a rise in cluster infections, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) said. The new cases bring the country'...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 09:43:37 +0800
Punching out of poverty: Despite risks, 9-year-old Thai fighter eager to return to ring
BANGKOK: Nine-year-old Thai kickboxer Pornpattara "Tata" Peachaurai is eager to get back in the ring after COVID-19 curbs brought his fight season to a halt more than five months ago. The money he earns is vital income for his family. "All the money...

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 06:10:37 +0800
Commentary: Don't be too quick to dismiss the economic benefits of RCEP for Southeast Asia
Reductions in tariffs on goods, which benefit China, are often overestimated in such calculations, whereas reduction in barriers impacting services, which favour ASEAN, are undervalued, says Deborah Elms.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 15:47:56 +0800
Commentary: Thailand as a model? Why Myanmar military may follow Prayuth's example
It would be far smarter for the Tatmadaw to build support within a pseudo-democratic system—as Thailand’s military has done, says ISEAS’ Dr Paul Chambers.

Wed, 07 Apr 2021 05:41:23 +0800
Russian FM in Pakistan, Afghan talks to dominate agenda
Russia’s foreign minister arrived on Tuesday (Apr 6) in Pakistan for a two-day visit expected to focus on efforts to bring peace to neighbouring Afghanistan.



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