SAGAR ISLAND, India: Hundreds of thousands of Indian pilgrims began packing an island in the Ganges on Thursday for a vast religious festival as Covid-19 cases surge nationwide, prompting fears of a superspreader event.

VIENNA: The world's largest security body will meet in Vienna on Thursday, hoping to push Russia, the United States and its European allies towards dialogue to defuse the mounting crisis on Ukraine's border.

A United Nations special envoy has urged Southeast Asian countries to support international efforts to engage all sides in the crisis in army-ruled Myanmar, days after a top regional leader travelled there to meet its junta chief.

ALMATY (KAZAKHSTAN): Over 2,000 Russia-led troops began withdrawing from Kazakhstan after being deployed when peaceful protests over an energy price hike turned into unprecedented violence claiming dozens of lives.

KANCHANABURI: Four men wanted for killing two Bengal tigers found skinned, their meat cooking on a grill, in a jungle camp near the Myanmar border surrendered to police on Thursday.

Japan and Thailand agreed on Thursday to launch new energy policy dialogue and implement joint projects to promote decarbonisation, Japan's industry ministry said, as the two countries aim for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

More action is needed to counter the rising rate of suicide, especially among young people, the national mental health committee said on Thursday.

The entire music industry is mourning the loss of national artist and legendary luk thung stalwart Wipoj Phetsuphan, who passed away peacefully in hospital on Wednesday afternoon aged 79 years.

BEIJING: Two hospitals in China's locked-down city of Xi'an, including one that refused to treat an eight-month pregnant woman who later miscarried, have been closed while they "rectify" mistakes, authorities said Thursday.

BEIJING: China is sealing the Beijing Olympics inside an impenetrable giant bubble cocooning thousands of people and stretching nearly 200 kilometres in an effort to thwart the coronavirus.