Archives

Singapore News Asia

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:34:35 +0800
Thailand sees daily record 959 new COVID-19 cases amid mass testing
BANGKOK: Thailand reported a daily record of 959 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday (Jan 26), due to what authorities said was a ramping-up of testing at the epicentre of its most recent outbreak. The new infections, the highest daily rise since the 7...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:20:18 +0800
Top-ranked Tai handed tough draw for badminton showpiece
Badminton's world number one Tai Tzu-ying was handed a tough draw at Thailand's World Tour Finals Tuesday as she was bracketed with home favourite Ratchanok Intanon and Indian star PV Sindhu.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:16:04 +0800
Indonesia escorts seized Iran-, Panama-flagged tankers to Batam dock for investigation
The Iranian- and Panamanian-flagged vessels seized by Indonesian authorities for suspected illegal oil transfers are making their way to dock at Batam island in the country's Riau Islands province for further investigation, a Indonesia coast guard sp...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:10:37 +0800
Indonesia says new sovereign wealth fund attracts US$10 billion commitment
JAKARTA: Indonesia has received investment commitments of up to $10 billion from global firms for its ambitious sovereign wealth fund, a senior minister said on Tuesday (Jan 26), ahead of its launch expected this year. The Indonesia Investment Autho...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:03:47 +0800
Tokyo revises COVID-19 contact tracing strategy to focus on higher-risk cases
Tokyo has revised its contact-tracing strategy to prioritise outreach to higher-risk individuals affected by coronavirus, according to a letter sent by the metropolitan government to public health authorities last week.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:50:37 +0800
Tajik leader says country has no COVID-19 but urges precautions
DUSHANBE: Tajikistan's authoritarian leader Emomali Rakhmon said on Tuesday (Jan 26) that the coronavirus pandemic had ended in his impoverished Central Asian country but warned citizens to remain vigilant. The poorest country in the former Soviet U...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:20:37 +0800
Anwar initiates judicial review over PM Muhyddin's advice to Malaysia king on suspension of parliament
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has filed a lawsuit against Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the federal government, by initiating a judicial review challenging Mr Muhyiddin's advice to the king to suspend paliamentary sitt...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 16:02:09 +0800
Lawmakers say North Korean diplomat defected to South Korea
Lawmakers say North Korean diplomat defected to South Korea

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:32:22 +0800
Thailand backs amendment allowing early-stage abortions
BANGKOK: Thai lawmakers have voted in favour of allowing abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy while retaining penalties for later terminations, a move that pro-choice activists said fell short of protecting the rights of the mother. In a late night ...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:23:15 +0800
Nepal team that scaled K2 receive hero's welcome back home
KATHMANDU: A team of 10 Nepalese climbers who became the first to scale the world's second-highest peak during the harsh winter season received a hero's welcome on return home to Nepal on Tuesday (Jan 26). Mountaineers, supporters, friends and famil...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:23:30 +0800
Hyundai Motor's Q4 net profit jumps 78%
South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor defied the coronavirus pandemic to post a surprise 78 percent surge in fourth-quarter profits Tuesday, as robust domestic sales offset weak overseas demand.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:21:51 +0800
Indian farmers breach barricades in Republic Day tractor rally
Thousands of Indian farmers, many on tractors, breached police barricades to launch a protest march into New Delhi on Tuesday as the government held its main Republic Day military parade.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:05:03 +0800
Taiwan air force flexes muscles after latest Chinese incursion
TAINAN: Armed and ready to go, Taiwan air force jets screamed into the sky on Tuesday (Jan 26) in a drill to simulate a war scenario, showing its fleet's battle readiness after dozens of Chinese warplanes flew into the island's air defence zone over ...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 14:25:53 +0800
Philippines confirms local transmission of Britain COVID-19 virus variant
MANILA: The Philippines has confirmed domestic transmission of the new, highly contagious British variant of the coronavirus, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to abandon a plan to allow some minors to go outside their homes. "Right now, we have l...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 14:10:05 +0800
China, New Zealand ink trade deal as Beijing calls for reduced global barriers
WELLINGTON: China and New Zealand signed a deal that upgrades their existing free trade pact on Tuesday (Jan 26), giving exports from the Pacific nation greater access to the world's second-largest economy. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:31:45 +0800
Vietnam's Communists tout pandemic, economic successes at party congress
HANOI: Vietnam's ruling Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong hailed booming economic development and containment of the COVID-19 pandemic as major achievements on Tuesday (Jan 26) as he presided over the opening of a key party congress in Hanoi. O...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 13:59:01 +0800
Hong Kong police obtain financial records of arrested democracy activists
Hong Kong authorities are scrutinizing the financial records of pro-democracy activists as they crack down on political opposition, according to some activists and a senior bank executive.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 15:38:19 +0800
China's peak Chinese New Year air travel season fizzles as COVID-19 cases rise
BEIJING: Iphie Nie, a 30-year-old designer in Beijing who usually travels to visit family in her hometown of Shenzhen during the Chinese New Year, has like many Chinese reluctantly decided against booking a flight for the mid-February holiday. To...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 13:09:31 +0800
China to conduct military drills in South China Sea amid tensions with US
China said on Tuesday it will conduct military exercises in the South China Sea this week, just days after Beijing bristled at a U.S. aircraft carrier group's entry into the disputed waters.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 13:30:17 +0800
Hotel Equatorial Penang to shut down over COVID-19 impact
SINGAPORE: Hotel Equatorial Penang will shut down operations by the end of March because of "adverse business conditions caused by COVID-19", the hotel's management announced on Tuesday (Jan 26). "This is a very sad and difficult decision," the ho...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:08:38 +0800
Indonesia passes 1 million COVID-19 cases as vaccinations roll out
JAKARTA: Indonesia surpassed 1 million coronavirus cases on Tuesday (Jan 26), a grim milestone for the Southeast Asian nation that has struggled since last March to get the COVID-19 pandemic under control. The country reported 13,094 new cases on T...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 13:14:43 +0800
How Shanghai saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust
SHANGHAI: As an infant Kurt Wick escaped almost certain death in a Nazi concentration camp by taking refuge in Shanghai, a little-known sanctuary for thousands of Jews fleeing the Holocaust. Now 83, he has spent the last two decades spreading the wo...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 11:31:22 +0800
Sports face COVID-19 vaccine dilemma ahead of Olympics, Euros
PARIS: As Olympic organisers deny reports that the Tokyo Games this summer will be postponed again, they, and other sports bodies, are wrestling with the issue of vaccinating participants for COVID-19 at international events. On Monday (Jan 25), De...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:40:37 +0800
China reports decline in new COVID-19 cases
BEIJING: China reported a fall in new COVID-19 infections as the number of cases in two of the provinces particularly hard hit by the latest coronavirus wave fell to single digits, official data showed on Tuesday (Jan 26). A total of 82 confirmed ca...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:22:25 +0800
Pfizer wants India to order COVID-19 vaccine before pursuing approval
Pfizer will pursue its request for India to approve its COVID-19 vaccine if the government commits to buying shots, the U.S. drugmaker told Reuters on Monday, even as global supplies tighten.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 09:01:36 +0800
South Korea posts worst growth in two decades
South Korea recorded its worst growth in more than two decades in 2020, the central bank said Tuesday, but it is expected to be among the best-performing OECD economies in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 06:29:56 +0800
Commentary: How will President Biden deal with the North Korea challenge?
After a most unusual four years under the Trump administration, President Biden needs to recalibrate how he deals with North Korea and it has to tap on Asian allies, says this observer.

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 23:44:58 +0800
Thailand confirms record 914 new COVID-19 cases, 2 deaths
BANGKOK: Thailand on Monday (Jan 25) confirmed a record 914 new cases of COVID-19, all in Samut Sakhon province near Bangkok where a major outbreak began in December. The new cases shot the national total past 14,000. The previous high was on Jan 4...

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 07:54:04 +0800
Biden signs 'Buy American' order, pledges to renew US manufacturing
US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Monday (Jan 25) giving American companies and products priority in contracting with the federal government, as the new administration attempts to spur domestic manufacturing.

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 19:10:37 +0800
Malaysia reports 3,048 new COVID-19 cases, 11 deaths; 351 active clusters nationwide
KUALA LUMPUR: The Klang Valley, comprising Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, accounted for about a third of Malaysia’s 3,048 new COVID-19 cases on Monday (Jan 25).  There were 1,035 cases in Selangor and 305 in the capital Kuala Lumpur. A further 529 in...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 19:04:05 +0800
Nine trapped Chinese miners confirmed dead, one still missing
BEIJING: Chinese rescue workers have found the bodies of nine more miners after an explosion a fortnight ago, local officials said Monday (Jan 25), raising the death toll to 10. It comes a day after 11 miners were pulled out alive from the mine in e...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:28:22 +0800
China tackles COVID-19 pandemic with mass construction once again
BEIJING: A sprawling quarantine centre of more than 4,000 rooms is being thrown up in northern China in response to a COVID-19 outbreak in Shijiazhuang, a city of more than 10 million people in Hebei province. Satellite images from the European Spa...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:18:10 +0800
Pfizer requests South Korea approval of COVID-19 vaccines ahead of February rollout
SEOUL: Drugmaker Pfizer has filed an application seeking approval of its COVID-19 vaccines to be used in South Korea as the country gears up to begin inoculations next month, authorities said on Monday (Jan 25). The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:03:39 +0800
Iran asks Indonesia to explain seizure of tanker accused of illegal oil transfer
JAKARTA: Iran has asked Indonesia to provide details about the seizure of an Iranian-flagged vessel, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday (Jan 25), a day after Jakarta said it had seized Iran and Panama-flagged tankers ...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:52:59 +0800
China says US military in South China Sea not good for peace
BEIJING: The United States often sends ships and aircraft into the South China Sea to "flex its muscles" and this is not good for peace, China's Foreign Ministry said on Monday (Jan 25), after a US aircraft carrier group sailed into the disputed wate...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:46:10 +0800
Nepal's caretaker PM ejected from ruling party, remains in office
KATHMANDU: Nepal's caretaker Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was ejected from the country's ruling Communist party on Monday (Jan 25), his opponents said, in protest at his abrupt move in December to dissolve parliament and call for an early general el...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 16:06:54 +0800
Indian farmers ride caravan of tractors into capital ahead of Republic Day
Caravans of tractors clogged a key highway in northern India on Monday as tens of thousands of farmers protesting against agriculture reforms streamed into the capital ahead of celebrations for Republic Day.

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 05:53:52 +0800
India, China suffer new casualties in border flare-up
Indian and Chinese troops clashed anew on their contested Himalayan border, resulting in injuries on both sides, officials said on Monday (Jan 25), highlighting the fraught state of relations between the giant nuclear-armed neighbours.

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:03:55 +0800
480,000 killed by extreme weather this century: Analysis
PARIS: Almost half a million people have died in natural disasters linked to extreme weather events in the last 20 years, according to a new assessment of the direct threat posed to humanity by climate change. The mortality burden of climate-relate...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 15:06:52 +0800
Japan likely to hit COVID-19 herd immunity in October, months after Olympics: Researcher
LONDON: Japan is likely to achieve herd immunity to COVID-19 through mass inoculations only months after the planned Tokyo Olympics, even though it has locked in the biggest quantity of vaccines in Asia, according to a London-based forecaster. That ...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 14:02:42 +0800
China says coronavirus traces found in vaccination sites, but not infectious
BEIJING: China has found harmless traces of the coronavirus in some COVID-19 inoculation sites potentially linked to vaccine liquid, its disease control centre said. Samples taken from tables, walls, doorknobs and hallways of the sites tested posit...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 13:58:18 +0800
South Korean left-wing party chief sacked for sexual harassment
SEOUL: The head of a left-wing South Korean political party that has championed gender equality was sacked on Monday (Jan 25) for sexually harassing one of his own members of parliament, a prominent rights campaigner. Kim Jong-cheol was chairman of...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 13:12:36 +0800
From factory to faraway village: Behind India's mammoth COVID-19 vaccination drive
KORAPUT, India: Reena Jani rose early, finished her chores in the crisp January cold and walked uphill to the road skirting her remote tribal hamlet of Pendajam in eastern India. Riding pillion on a neighbour's motorcycle for 40 minutes through hill...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:58:22 +0800
Japan PM Suga faces mounting pressure over COVID-19 response
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga faced renewed pressure on Monday over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with a new opinion poll showing many believed the government was too slow to respond to the latest wave of infections.

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 13:34:46 +0800
Makers of Sophia the robot plan mass rollout amid COVID-19 pandemic
HONG KONG: "Social robots like me can take care of the sick or elderly," Sophia says as she conducts a tour of her lab in Hong Kong. "I can help communicate, give therapy and provide social stimulation, even in difficult situations." Since being unv...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:35:02 +0800
Samsung chief will not appeal two-and-a-half-year jail term, says lawyer
SEOUL: The de facto chief of South Korea's Samsung business empire will "humbly accept" the court ruling that sentenced him to two-and-a-half years in prison for corruption and will not appeal, his lawyer said on Monday (Jan 25). Lee Jae-yong, vice...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 12:10:26 +0800
Ruling Communist Party to set Vietnam's course this week
Almost 1,600 leading members of Vietnam’s ruling Communist Party meet this week to approve future policy and help select the nation’s top leaders amid talk whether the current party chief will stay.

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:30:37 +0800
Men enlisted to fight 'tradition' of gender violence in Cambodia
PHNOM PENH: Dinner is late. The laundry isn't done. The pickles aren't sour enough. When it comes to reasons for a man to beat his wife, Rem Ran has heard it all. For most his 40 years, the construction worker saw domestic violence as "a normal part...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:02:46 +0800
French court hears Agent Orange case against chemical firms
EVRY, France: A French court will on Monday (Jan 25) hear a case against more than a dozen multinationals, accused by a French-Vietnamese woman of causing grievous harm to her and others by selling the Agent Orange defoliant to the US government, wh...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 09:10:37 +0800
Hong Kong lifts lockdown in Kowloon district after testing 7,000 people
HONG KONG: The Hong Kong government lifted a lockdown in an area of Kowloon district in the early hours of Monday (Jan 25) after testing about 7,000 people for COVID-19 to curb an outbreak in the densely populated area. The government set up 51 te...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 09:38:44 +0800
China's daily COVID-19 cases rise, driven by previously asymptomatic patients
SHANGHAI: China reported a climb in new COVID-19 cases driven by a spike in infections among previously symptomless patients in northeastern Jilin province, official data showed on Monday (Jan 25). The total number of confirmed cases in the mainlan...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 06:03:38 +0800
Last mangrove ecosystem in Jakarta city under threat from land subsidence and climate change
JAKARTA: The flimsy, makeshift bamboo walkway creaked and bent as Ade Djuhana treaded his steps carefully metres above trash-strewn water in a coastal area of Jakarta.  At the end of the 500m passageway, the rows of mangrove trees opened up reveali...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 07:39:20 +0800
US reaffirms Taiwan support after China sends warplanes
The US has reaffirmed its support for Taiwan following China’s dispatch of warplanes near the island in an apparent attempt to intimidate its democratic government and test the resolve of the new American presidential administration.

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 23:16:06 +0800
Police to let protesting farmers into New Delhi on Republic Day: Official
NEW DELHI: Police in India's capital New Delhi will allow thousands of protesting farmers to drive through the city after this week's Republic Day military parade, despite security concerns, a senior official said on Sunday (Jan 24). The police stat...

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 09:51:30 +0800
Indonesia says it has seized Iranian and Panamanian tankers
JAKARTA: Indonesian authorities said that they seized an Iranian tanker and Panamanian tanker suspected of carrying out the illegal transfer of oil in their country's waters on Sunday (Jan 24). The tankers - the Iranian-flagged MT Horse and the Pana...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 20:54:11 +0800
Taiwan to put 5,000 people into quarantine over hospital COVID-19 cluster
TAIPEI: Taiwan will more than double the number of people who have to quarantine at home to more than 5,000 as it seeks to contain a rare domestic cluster of COVID-19 connected to a hospital, the health minister said on Sunday (Jan 24). While Taiwan...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 20:37:11 +0800
Philippines universities reject accusation of Maoist rebel recruitment on campus
MANILA: Four Philippine private universities rejected accusations on Sunday (Jan 24) by the authorities that they serve as recruitment grounds of Maoist rebels, days after students protested against security force patrols at some university campuses....

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 19:50:37 +0800
Malaysia reports 3,346 new COVID-19 cases and 11 deaths
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported 3,346 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday (Jan 24), taking the national tally to 183,801 infections. There were also 11 more deaths involving ten citizens and one foreigner, aged 34 to 91. Malaysia’s death toll from the d...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:57:52 +0800
Indonesia to deport Russian social media star who held party
DENPASAR: A Russian social media celebrity was being deported from Indonesia on Sunday (Jan 24) after he held a party at a luxury hotel on the resort island of Bali attended by more than 50 people despite COVID-19 restrictions. The party held on Jan...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:40:37 +0800
Badminton: Spain's Marin claims back-to-back titles in Bangkok
BANGKOK: Reigning Olympic badminton champion Carolina Marin on Sunday (Jan 24) claimed her second Thailand Open title in a fortnight against the same opponent - women's singles top seed Tai Tzu-ying. Thailand is hosting three consecutive badminton t...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:22:56 +0800
US carrier group enters South China Sea amid Taiwan tensions
TAIPEI: A US aircraft carrier group led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt has entered the South China Sea to promote "freedom of the seas", the US military said on Sunday (Jan 24), at a time when tensions between China and Taiwan have raised concern in...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 13:05:22 +0800
Tears and fears as India's huge COVID-19 vaccine push falters
GREATER NOIDA, India: India's huge coronavirus vaccination drive is behind schedule, with a third of recipients not showing up for appointments because of safety fears, technical glitches and a belief that the pandemic is ending. After one week, In...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 12:34:51 +0800
Myanmar's displaced Christians rebuild lives on Yangon's outskirts
YANGON: Hammering at bamboo poles to erect a stilt house, minority Christians who have fled conflict in northern Myanmar are building a sanctuary on the outskirts of Yangon. The small Christian community in the Buddhist-majority nation is part of 2...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 12:00:37 +0800
Alleged Asia drug kingpin arrested after Australia probe
SYDNEY: The alleged ringleader of Asia's biggest crime syndicate and one of the world's most wanted men has been arrested in the Netherlands, with Australian authorities pushing for his extradition to face trial. Police had been chasing alleged drug...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:01:54 +0800
Trapped for 2 weeks, 11 workers rescued from China gold mine
BEIJING: Chinese rescuers pulled 11 gold miners to safety on Sunday (Jan 24), 14 days after they were trapped by an underground explosion, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Footage showed the first miner to be rescued, a black blindfold across his e...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 13:13:59 +0800
Normal diets for trapped China miners as rescue continues
Normal diets for trapped China miners as rescue continues

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 11:24:09 +0800
South Africa Tests mark 'monumental moment' for Pakistan cricket
KARACHI: South Africa will play their first Test in Pakistan for 14 years this week, a match being described as a "monumental moment" for the revival of international cricket in the country. The match in the port city of Karachi starting on Tuesday ...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 17:20:23 +0800
Taiwan reports large incursion by Chinese air force
TAIPEI: Eight Chinese bomber planes and four fighter jets entered the south-western corner of Taiwan's air defence identification zone on Saturday (Jan 23), and Taiwan's air force deployed missiles to "monitor" the incursion, the island's defence min...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 09:00:37 +0800
China reports 80 new COVID-19 cases
BEIJING: China reported 80 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday (Jan 23), down from 107 cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Sunday. The National Health Commission, in a statement, said 65 of the new cases were local infe...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 06:57:33 +0800
Wuhan returns to normal as world still battling COVID-19 pandemic
WUHAN: A year ago, a notice sent to smartphones in Wuhan at 2am announced the world's first coronavirus lockdown, bringing the bustling central Chinese industrial and transport centre to a virtual standstill almost overnight. It would last 76 days. ...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 06:10:38 +0800
'Uncle Kentang' bantu golongan miskin Malaysia dengan bayaran serendah 10 sen
KUALA LUMPUR: Barangan keperluan harian 10 sen (US$0.03), perkhidmatan teksi 10 sen dan rumah transit yang mengenakan bayaran RM1 sehari. Semua ini merupakan sebahagian daripada usaha murni Kuan Chee Heng, 57, pengasas Persatuan Kepolisan Komuniti ...

Sun, 24 Jan 2021 06:10:39 +0800
Malaysia's 'Uncle Potato' helps the needy for as little as RM0.10
KUALA LUMPUR: Daily necessities at RM0.10 (US$0.03), a taxi ride at RM0.10 and a transit hostel that costs RM1 a day.  These are some of the philanthropic initiatives by Kuan Chee Heng, 57, who founded non-governmental organisation (NGO) Communit...

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 21:25:05 +0800
Larry King, broadcasting giant for half-century, dies at 87
Larry King, broadcasting giant for half-century, dies at 87

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 21:30:14 +0800
Malaysia reports record 4,275 new COVID-19 cases
Malaysia health authorities reported 4,275 new coronavirus cases on Saturday, the highest daily infections so far, raising the total number of confirmed cases to 180,455.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 20:51:38 +0800
Endangered Siamese crocodile in rare sighting at Thai national park
The critically endangered Siamese crocodile has been spotted for only the second time in a decade at Thailand's largest national park, according to photos released on Saturday.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 17:35:41 +0800
A year after Wuhan lockdown, China reports small rise in COVID-19 cases
China on Saturday reported a slight increase in new cases of COVID-19 as it marks the anniversary of the world's first coronavirus lockdown, in the city of Wuhan where the disease emerged in late 2019.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 16:43:40 +0800
China law empowers coast guard to use force amid disputes
China law empowers coast guard to use force amid disputes

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 16:06:32 +0800
Biden administration to review US-Taliban withdrawal deal
The Biden administration said Friday it will review a landmark US deal with the Taliban, focusing on whether the insurgent group has reduced attacks in Afghanistan, in keeping with its side of the agreement.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 15:07:22 +0800
Inside the world's biggest vaccine factory, India's Serum Institute
PUNE, India: The tiny clinking vials supervised by silent PPE-wearing technicians belie the excitement inside the world's largest vaccine manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India, a major player in the fight against coronavirus. The firm, founded ...

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 14:32:55 +0800
Sri Lankan health minister tests positive for COVID-19 after endorsing sorcery
Sri Lanka's health minister, who publicly endorsed sorcery and magic potions to stop surging coronavirus infections in the island, has tested positive and will self-isolate, officials said Saturday.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 12:50:01 +0800
Animal activist in China's Wuhan happy to be back to routine rescues
On the anniversary of the world's first coronavirus lockdown, in the Chinese city of Wuhan, life for animal lover Du Fan has returned to something like normal.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 17:35:53 +0800
Pride and caution in Wuhan on COVID-19 lockdown anniversary
Exactly one year after it thrust the word "lockdown" into the global conversation, Wuhan passes the anniversary on Saturday with a mix of pride at recovering from the coronavirus and caution over a possible relapse.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 11:34:33 +0800
Hong Kong orders thousands to stay home in 2-day COVID-19 lockdown
Thousands of Hong Kongers were ordered to stay home on Saturday (Jan 23) in the city's first COVID-19 lockdown.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 12:41:47 +0800
'Everybody determined' to get Tokyo Games going: IOC chief
TOKYO: The entire Olympic movement is united in its determination to ensure the Tokyo Games happen in July and August, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said in a video message to mark the six-month countdown to the opening ...

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 06:10:38 +0800
Commentary: Kimchi controversies and culture wars: What’s South Korea’s and China’s beef?
A Mukbang star got herself into a pickle with Chinese and South Korean netizens – over the origins of kimchi. But a larger food fight has been brewing for some time, says Steven Borowiec.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 06:10:38 +0800
Away from their families, Malaysians in Singapore brace themselves for a quiet Chinese New Year
Due to COVID-19, many Malaysians stuck in Singapore will be celebrating Chinese New Year without their extended family. CNA spoke to some of them about the challenges faced.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 07:39:37 +0800
Modi says India self-reliant on COVID-19 vaccines as 1 million inoculated
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday India was completely self-reliant on coronavirus vaccine supplies as the world's second-most populous country inoculated more than one million people within a week of starting a massive campaign.

Sat, 23 Jan 2021 01:51:11 +0800
Italy probes TikTok 'blackout challenge' death of 10-year-old girl
Italian prosecutors have opened a probe into the accidental death of a 10-year-old girl who allegedly took part in a "blackout challenge" on the video-sharing network TikTok.

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 23:25:05 +0800
Some Malaysia cargo drivers run into delays at Singapore checkpoints on 1st day of mandatory COVID-19 tests
SINGAPORE: Cargo drivers from Malaysia delivering essential goods to Singapore on Friday (Jan 22) said they experienced delays at the land entry checkpoints, on the first day the Singapore government implemented mandatory COVID-19 tests.  Sing...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 19:52:53 +0800
Families of Indonesian Sriwijaya Air jet crash victims hold memorial at sea
Relatives of 62 people killed when an Indonesian passenger jet slammed into the sea scattered flowers at the crash site Friday, as investigators look for clues to why the plane dropped from the sky minutes after takeoff.

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 19:55:06 +0800
Hong Kong to impose first COVID-19 lockdown on virus-hit district: Reports
Thousands of Hong Kongers will be ordered to stay in their homes for the city's first coronavirus lockdown, local media reported Friday, as authorities battle an outbreak in one of its poorest and most densely packed districts.

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 19:50:37 +0800
Malaysia reports 3,631 new COVID-19 cases with 18 new deaths, highest daily fatalities
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian health authorities reported 3,631 new coronavirus cases on Friday (Jan 22) with 18 new fatalities, the highest daily death toll so far. Friday's figures take the total number of infections to 176,180. A total of 660 peopl...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 20:34:58 +0800
Work begins on Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link station
SINGAPORE: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link moved a step closer to reality as work on the Singapore station of the rail link began on Friday (Jan 22).  The RTS Link Woodlands North station would be constructed underground a...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 18:02:20 +0800
Myanmar receives first batch of COVID-19 vaccines from India
Myanmar on Friday received 1.5 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine supplied by India to inoculate 750,000 people, the first vaccine batch delivered to the Southeast Asian country as it fights one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the region.

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 16:24:25 +0800
China finds COVID-19 cluster in major chicken processing plant
BEIJING: China reported its first cluster of COVID-19 cases among workers in a meat processing plant, raising fears among local consumers who have until now mainly worried about the safety of imported foods. Ten confirmed cases were found in a facto...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 15:22:42 +0800
Truck with quarry explosives blasts in India, killing 5
Truck with quarry explosives blasts in India, killing 5

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 14:52:06 +0800
Taiwan says realistic about US trade deal, but one will happen eventually
TAIPEI: Taiwan is under no illusions it can quickly sign a long hoped for free trade deal with the United States but feels when the time is right "success will flow naturally", the island's chief trade negotiator said on Friday (Jan 22). Taiwan has ...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 13:16:55 +0800
Japan Cabinet approves Bill for tougher COVID-19 measures
TOKYO: Japan's Cabinet approved draft laws to toughen coronavirus restrictions on Friday (Jan 22), a move that could threaten rule-breakers with fines and prison sentences for the first time since the outbreak began. With just six months until the v...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 12:30:37 +0800
Indonesia probing whether faulty autothrottle system contributed to Sriwijaya Air crash
JAKARTA: Indonesia's air accident investigator is probing whether a problem with the autothrottle system, which controls engine power automatically, contributed to the Sriwijaya Air crash on Jan 9 that killed 62 people, an official said on Friday (J...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 11:39:23 +0800
15 more days to reach trapped China mine workers, authorities say
BEIJING: It will take at least 15 more days to get through a massive amount of debris and reach miners already trapped for 11 days since an explosion in a gold mine in eastern China, authorities said on Thursday (Jan 21). The mine shaft is blocked 3...



home