Japan will start coronavirus vaccinations next week, its prime minister said Wednesday, but it is scrambling to secure suitable syringes so doses won't go to waste.

SINGAPORE: Images and videos of protests across Myanmar have been broadcast and shared online in the past week almost immediately as events unfolded in the country, a far cry from how it was in the past. With smartphones in the hands of more than 20...

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who himself first seized power in a coup, said on Wednesday (Feb 10) that he had received a letter from Myanmar's new junta leader asking for help to support democracy.

South Korea's drug safety ministry on Wednesday said it will approve use of AstraZeneca PLC's COVID-19 vaccine for all people, including those aged 65 and over.

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee said on Wednesday (Feb 10) that investigations into Sriwijaya Air SJ 182 that crashed last month would focus on the plane's autothrottle system.  Preliminary investigations showed ...

Time was running out to save dozens of people trapped inside a tunnel three days after a devastating flash flood likely caused by a glacier burst in India's Himalayan north, officials said Wednesday.

SINGAPORE: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke via telephone on Wednesday (Feb 10), in which they discussed regional developments including the situation in Myanmar.  The call came abou...

While many hope the Year of the Ox will herald times of plenty, a herd of wild cows in Hong Kong is going hungry after visitors to their habitat surged during the coronavirus pandemic.

China's consumer prices fell in January after a brief improvement at the end of last year, as the world's second-biggest economy was hit by the impact of fresh coronavirus outbreaks and decreased travel, official data showed Wednesday.

Protesters returned to the streets of Myanmar's capital Naypyidaw on Wednesday after the most violent day yet in demonstrations against a coup that halted a tentative transition to democracy under elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

SEOUL: South Korea's unemployment rate soared to a 21-year high in January, while the number of people employed fell at the sharpest pace in more than two decades, as curbs to contain the coronavirus continue to hurt the job market. The seasonally a...

A Muslim cleric convicted of leading an Australian terror cell that plotted to kill thousands will have his detention extended for up to three years beyond his original sentence, a court ruled Wednesday.

WELLINGTON: New Zealand said on Wednesday (Feb 10) that it was urgently seeking clarification from Chinese authorities after being informed that exports from two of its seafood facilities have been suspended. Exports from a Sanford facility that pro...

China reported 14 new COVID-19 cases on the mainland on Feb. 9, official data showed, unchanged from a day earlier, as the latest wave of the disease appears to have subsided ahead of the Lunar New Year break that begins on Thursday.

Korean American K-pop stars promote mental health awareness

WASHINGTON: A bipartisan group of senior US senators reintroduced a bill on Tuesday (Feb 9) to make it easier for people from Hong Kong fearing persecution after joining protests against China to obtain US refugee status. The 12 senators, led by Rep...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered the paths for his ruling Workers' Party to take with South Korea and external affairs, state media KCNA said on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON: The United States distanced itself on Tuesday (Feb 9) from a theory propagated by former president Donald Trump that COVID-19 came from a Chinese laboratory and voiced support for WHO researchers. A mission to China from the World Health...

The military’s actions resemble the start of the crackdown in 1988 except the public angst may be turbocharged by technology this time around, says Dr Nehginpao Kipgen.

From poon choi (or pen cai) served in bak kut teh gravy to prawn mee soup base, eateries are banking on the one-pot dish to drive sales this festive season.

When Ravi Chopra saw the devastating deluge of water and debris crash downstream from a Himalayan glacier on Sunday (Feb 7), his first thought was that this was exactly the scenario that his team had warned the Indian government of in 2014.

Myanmar's military raided the Yangon headquarters of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party late on Tuesday (Feb 9), officials said, hours after the United Nations condemned "unacceptable" violence against protesters demanding a return to democracy.

Indian rescue workers struggled on Tuesday (Feb 9) to dig away tonnes of rocks and mud to reach survivors in a choked Himalayan tunnel more than two days after a devastating flash flood likely triggered by a glacial burst.

The Indian army is training dogs to find COVID-19 in its ranks by sniffing human sweat and urine, a senior officer said on Tuesday.

YANGON: Myanmar's state television on Tuesday (Feb 9) reported injuries to police during attempts to disperse protesters it said were acting aggressively, in its first acknowledgement of demonstrations taking place in the country. MRTV on its nightl...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will allow diners to eat in at restaurants from Wednesday (Feb 10), limited to two customers per table, said Malaysia's Senior Minister (Security Cluster) Ismail Sabri Yaakob.  The National Security Council (MKN) will also al...

The WHO mission to China to uncover the origins of the coronavirus failed to identify the source of a pandemic that has swept across the world, but the team on Tuesday (Feb 9) ruled out the Wuhan lab-leak theory propagated by Donald Trump.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian lawmakers from across the political divide have spoken out against a decision to allow Cabinet ministers returning from official overseas visits to undergo a three-day observation period instead of the standard 10 days.  T...

India has ordered 10 million more doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from the Serum Institute of India (SII) and 4.5 million more of a homegrown one from Bharat Biotech, company representatives told Reuters.

SINGAPORE: Singapore gaming company Razer’s co-founder and director Lim Kaling said on Tuesday (Feb 9) that he will exit his investment in a tobacco firm in Myanmar after the military coup there caused him “grave concern". In a statement issued...

NAYPYIDAW: Police fired gunshots into the air and used water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets on Tuesday (Feb 9), as demonstrators across Myanmar defied a military ban on rallies. Four people were hurt by rubber bullets in the capital Naypyidaw, ...

Rescuers look for survivors of Indian glacier flood disaster

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen wished China a happy Chinese New Year on Tuesday (Feb 9), but said she will not yield to Chinese pressure and reiterated a call for dialogue to resume with Beijing.

Hong Kongers with dual nationality are not entitled to foreign consular assistance, the city's leader said on Tuesday, confirming warnings by Western diplomats that authorities have begun strictly enforcing Chinese nationality regulations in the fina...

Members of a World Health Organization-led team looking for clues about the origins of COVID-19 will hold a briefing on Tuesday after nearly a month of meetings and site visits in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the disease was first identified.

Hong Kong's top court on Tuesday ordered pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to stay behind bars as it sided with prosecutors in the first legal test of Beijing's sweeping new national security law.

Opponents of Myanmar's military coup vowed to continue non-violent action on Tuesday in the face of bans on big gatherings, night curfews and road closures after the biggest demonstrations in more than a decade.

The European Union has approved the first shipment of Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine to Japan, the minister overseeing Japan's vaccination programme said on Tuesday, as the country aims to start vaccination by mid-February.

China reported 14 new COVID-19 cases on the mainland on Feb. 8, official data showed on Tuesday, unchanged from a day earlier and the second day of no locally transmitted infections.

Tokyo Olympic organisers are planning to meet this week to discuss their response to sexist comments made by their boss that have prompted hundreds of volunteers to drop out, reports said Tuesday.

SINGAPORE: The Myanmar military still buckles under international pressure, even if it has said in the past that it is impervious to it, said the United Nations special rapporteur on Myanmar, Tom Andrews, on Monday (Feb 8). Such pressure include ec...

Japan’s poor record on gender equality, coupled with the exasperated stream of day-to-day discrimination reported on social media, made the gaffe impossible to laugh off, says the Financial Times’ Leo Lewis.

A great deal hinges on how successful the Chinese vaccine is and whether it can be open and transparent with data, says a Cambridge University researcher.

Hong Kong's top court is set to hand down a judgment on Tuesday in the first legal challenge to Beijing's sweeping national security law, deciding whether media tycoon Jimmy Lai can be granted bail.

U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed in a call on Monday to work closely to fight COVID-19, renew their partnership on climate change and defend democratic institution and norms around the world, including in Myanma...

The U.N. Human Rights Council will hold a special session on Friday to discuss the crisis in Myanmar after its elected civilian government was taken over by the military, the United Nations said in a statement on Monday.

The family of an Australian adviser to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi detained after a military coup overthrew her government called for his release on Monday, saying he had done nothing wrong.

Floods, heavy rain and power outages led people to evacuate their homes in parts of Indonesia's capital on Monday, with the conditions - worsened by the La Nina weather pattern - expected to continue until March or April.

YANGON: Myanmar's junta leader on Monday (Feb 8) called on the public to prioritise facts and not feelings, and said an election would be held and power handed to the winning party, as anti-coup protests took place nationwide. Senior General Min Aun...

PORTLAND, Maine: America's lobster exporters recovered from the Trump-era trade war with China to have a good 2020. But the industry is approaching one of the most critical times of the year with trepidation because of the coronavirus. Chinese New Y...

Hong Kong has decided against using a jury for the first trial under a sweeping national security law imposed by Beijing, a legal source with direct knowledge of the case told AFP on Monday (Feb 8).

Martial law was declared in parts of Myanmar's second-largest city Mandalay on Monday (Feb 8), after hundreds of thousands rallied across the country against the coup and the military issued a stern warning against further protests.

TAPOVAN, India: A whistle turned into a roar of water that trapped a dozen men in a Himalayan tunnel after a glacier burst in northern India, but Rajesh Kumar lived to tell the tale. Eighteen people were confirmed dead on Monday (Feb 8) and at least...

As Myanmar navigates its shaky future following a military coup that ended a decade-long experiment with democracy, young men have turned to the steady hands of tattoo artists to etch their resistance in ink on skin.

A Thai court on Monday overturned its order for an opposition figure to remove social media videos in which he criticised the government's coronavirus vaccine strategy, which he had called opaque, slow and unfairly favourable to a royal-owned company...

Two Christian men were publicly flogged on Monday (Feb 8) in Indonesia's ultra-conservative Aceh province for drinking alcohol and gambling, in a rare instance of non-Muslims facing a punishment frequently condemned by rights groups.

SEOUL: With one of the fastest ageing populations in the world, South Korea this week sought to reassure elderly residents as it said it would push ahead with AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine but is still examining its efficacy for people older than ...

YANGON: Myanmar's generals issued a stern warning against further protests on Monday (Feb 8) as a mass uprising against their coup gathered pace, with hundreds of thousands on the streets demanding the release of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Th...

Pet cats and dogs with a fever, cough or breathing difficulties will be offered COVID-19 tests if they have been exposed to carriers, the Seoul metropolitan government said on Monday (Feb 8).

TOKYO: Japan said Monday (Feb 8) it has protested to China over two incursions into Japanese territorial waters that come after Beijing enacted legislation toughening its response to violations of its maritime territory. Japan and China dispute owne...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani military helicopters continued to search for three missing climbers on the world's second highest mountain K2 on Monday (Feb 8), as hope of their survival faded rapidly. Muhammad Ali Sadpara, 45, of Pakistan, John Snorri, 47, of...

Chinese unable to re-unite with loved ones this Lunar New Year are sending them a taste of home instead, using food packages to bridge the distance, as coronavirus warnings in some regions put a stop to the usual lengthy journeys home.

BANGKOK: Myanmar police on Monday (Feb 8) warned protesters to disperse or face force, shortly after state television signalled impending action to stifle mass demonstrations against a military coup and the arrest of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi....

Thousands of people joined anti-coup protests across Myanmar on Monday (Feb 8) as workers went on a nationwide strike, demanding the release of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the return of democracy.

The Philippines and the United States will meet this month to iron out differences over a two-decade-old Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), Manila's top diplomat said, amid renewed concerns in the region over China's assertive maritime agenda.

Hundreds of military personnel were deployed in the Indian Himalayas on Monday to help find at least 125 people unaccounted for after a part of a glacier broke away, setting off a torrent of water, rock and dust down a mountain valley.

Indonesia's air accident investigator expects to release the preliminary report into last month's deadly crash of a Sriwijaya Air plane on Feb. 10, the agency's head said on Monday.

SYDNEY: An Australian journalist who worked as an anchor for Chinese state television has been formally arrested for "illegally supplying state secrets overseas", six months after she was detained in China without explanation, Canberra said on Monda...

South Korea reported the lowest daily number of new coronavirus cases since late November as the government slightly eased social distancing restrictions in the face of growing criticism from businesses impacted by the rules.

Opponents of Myanmar's coup called for more protests and work stoppages on Monday after tens of thousands of people joined weekend demonstrations against the removal and detention of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi a week ago.

Dwarfed by a 21-storey-tall statue of the Hindu god Vishnu riding the mythical eagle Garuda, a tour guide on the Indonesian resort island of Bali said he was staring at a dismal Lunar New Year season as the coronavirus wreaks havoc on tourism.

TOKYO: A majority of Japanese remain opposed to holding the Olympics this summer amid the coronavirus pandemic but the ratio lowered significantly from recent polls, a Yomiuri newspaper poll showed on Monday (Feb 8). Some 28 per cent of respondents...

SHANGHAI: China reported no new locally transmitted mainland COVID-19 case for the first time in nearly two months, official data showed on Monday (Feb 8), adding to signs that it has managed to stamp out the latest wave of the disease. The total n...

The city is facing extreme weather more frequently, its flood mitigation responses have not kept pace, and a proposed sea dyke has sparked debate. The programme Insight finds out why the solutions will not be easy.

China’s practical stance stands in contrast to Joe Biden’s focus on democratic values and push for sanctions which could alienate Asian countries, says Dr Nehginpao Kipgen.

BANGKOK: There have been concerns over data privacy in Thailand’s COVID-19 contact tracing app, as the country battles a new wave of infections. Despite these challenges, the authorities are trying to encourage more people to use the app, includi...

Fears are growing for three climbers missing while attempting to summit the world's second-highest mountain, K2, after helicopters failed to spot them on the second day of searching, the Alpine Club of Pakistan said Sunday.

Afghanistan received half a million doses of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine from India Sunday, the first consignment to arrive in the country that was hit hard by the virus last year.

Myanmar's military took power in a coup on Monday (Feb 1), ousting the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Here is a look at the events of the past week.

DHAKA: Bangladesh launched a nationwide COVID-19 vaccination drive with the Oxford University-AstraZeneca vaccine on Sunday (Feb 7), aiming to inoculate 3.5 million people in the first month. The south Asian country is seeking to inoculate 80 per ce...

VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis on Sunday (Feb 7) expressed "solidarity with the people of Myanmar" following last week's military coup, urging the army to work towards "democratic coexistence" as protesters took to the streets. The pope was speaking as ...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia on Sunday (Feb 7) eased COVID-19 restrictions for Chinese New Year reunion dinner, just days after announcing the initial curbs. Up to 15 family members from different households will now be allowed to dine together for their ...

PHNOM PENH: The first 600,000 doses of coronavirus vaccines donated by China to Cambodia arrived in Phnom Penh on Sunday (Feb 7) by special plane, with the doses earmarked to vaccinate health workers and the military. The Southeast Asian nation of a...

NEW DELHI: India has approved the shipment of COVID-19 vaccines to Cambodia and plans to supply Mongolia and Pacific Island states, officials said on Sunday (Feb 7), as supplies arrived in Afghanistan: All part of the country's widening vaccine diplo...

BEIJING: China's market regulator released new anti-monopoly guidelines on Sunday (Feb 7) that target Internet platforms, tightening existing restrictions faced by the country's tech giants. The new rules formalise an earlier anti-monopoly draft law...

PEKALONGAN, Indonesia: An Indonesian village was inundated by crimson-coloured water after flooding hit a fabric dyeing centre in central Java, sparking a social media frenzy. Residents of Jenggot, near the town of Pekalongan, were seen wading throu...

HONG KONG: A Hong Kong Internet radio host was arrested on Sunday (Feb 7) under a little-used colonial era sedition law that authorities have begun to wield against Beijing's critics. Officers from the police's national security department arrested ...

YANGON: Internet access was partially restored in Myanmar on Sunday (Feb 7), as a nationwide web and social media blockade failed to curb public outrage and massive protests against the military coup that ousted elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. "Par...

NEW DELHI: Nine people were confirmed dead and at least 140 missing in northern India, after a Himalayan glacier broke and swept away a hydroelectric dam on Sunday (Feb 7), with floods forcing the evacuation of villages downstream. Surjeet Singh, a...

ISLAMABAD: An aerial search was underway on Sunday (Feb 7) to find three experienced climbers who lost contact with base camp during their ascent of the world’s second highest mountain in northern Pakistan, officials said. Karrar Haideri, a top of...

PONTIANAK, Indonesia: An escaped tiger that killed a keeper at a zoo on Borneo island has been captured alive after a day on the loose, police said. The white Bengal tiger was found wandering in a jungle surrounding Sinka Zoo in the town of Singkawa...

TAIPEI: Taiwan's central bank on Sunday (Feb 7) said it had banned Deutsche Bank from trading Taiwan dollar deliverable and non-deliverable forwards and suspended them for two years from trading forex derivatives as part of a crackdown on speculation...

BEIJING: Private social audio app Clubhouse is attracting masses of new users from mainland China, where the US app remains uncensored by authorities despite flourishing discussions on rights, national identity and other sensitive topics. Western so...

MANILA: A strong earthquake hit the southern Philippines on Sunday (Feb 7), though there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, the US Geological Survey and local officials said. The 6.0-magnitude quake struck the town of Bansalan on Min...

YANGON: Thousands rallied against the Myanmar coup in Yangon on Sunday (Feb 7), as an Internet blackout failed to quash outrage over the military's power grab from elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The fresh rally followed the largest protests to dat...

LONDON: Jihyun Park shares the civic concerns of any other would-be town councillor in Britain, from local education to potholes in the roads. But she is unique in one regard: No other candidate has fled North Korea. Park is believed to be the first...

MAJURO, Marshall Islands: The Pacific Islands Forum leadership rift widened on Sunday (Feb 7) as the Marshall Islands voiced its disapproval with the central political body in a region where the United States and China are competing for influence. ...

Little is understood about which COVID-19 conspiracy theories are popular on Chinese social media, how this differs from misinformation on US social media, says an observer.

JAKARTA: Setiap lapisan kue lapis legit diyakini oleh orang Indonesia keturunan Tionghoa sebagai simbol keberuntungan. Kue lapis legit terdiri dari tumpukan pelbagai lapisan kue tipis yang terbuat dari mentega, margarin, susu, dan telur. Untuk mena...

JAKARTA: Each layer of the kue lapis legit is believed by Indonesians of Chinese descent to symbolise fortune. Also known as thousand layer cake, it comprises many thin layers piled on each other, made of butter, margarine, milk and egg. To add ...