Thailand reported 1,543 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the sharpest increase since the start of the pandemic and the fourth record rise this week, amid a third wave of infections in the Southeast Asian country.

Japan's prime minister heads to Washington on Thursday to become the first foreign leader to hold face-to-face talks with US President Joe Biden, with concerns about China topping the agenda.

Hong Kong police displayed a cuddly bear mascot and unveiled a new goose-step march Thursday as the financial hub held a "National Security Education Day", part of its push to instil patriotism in a city chafing under China's rule.

GUJARAT, India: Roshni Thakor left school to harvest salt from a sun-baked Indian desert, a backbreaking trade practised by her ancestors for centuries but now threatened by climate change. For eight months every year, farmers toil in scorching hea...

Relations between Taiwan and the United States are "stronger than ever", an envoy for President Joe Biden said Thursday during a visit to the democratic island as it faces increasingly hostile moves by China.

KUALA LUMPUR: Corruption in Malaysia is at a worrying level although the situation has yet to become a pandemic, its anti-graft chief said.  Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) chief commissioner Azam Baki was responding to a question dur...

MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has lifted a moratorium on new mineral agreements imposed in 2012, reopening the door to fresh mining investments as he seeks to boost state revenues to fund infrastructure projects and other initiatives. ...

Spiralling Covid-19 cases have put Cambodia "on the brink of death", its strongman premier Hun Sen has warned, as the country imposed lockdowns in the capital Phnom Penh and a nearby city.

NEW DELHI: India reported a record 200,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday (Apr 15) and the financial hub of Mumbai entered a lockdown, as many hospitals treating coronavirus patients reported severe shortages of beds and oxygen supplies. The surge ...

When Thailand's transport minister was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, it was Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha who got a headache.

A senior Japanese ruling party official said cancelling this year's Olympic Games is an option, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday.

HONG KONG: Beijing's top representative in Hong Kong said on Thursday (Apr 15) that any foreign powers that try to use the global financial centre as a pawn will face counter measures, amid escalating tensions between the city and Western governments...

Mainland China reported 10 new COVID-19 cases on April 14, down from 12 cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Thursday.

With no end in sight, the military coup will only derail Myanmar’s economic and political trajectory, says a research fellow.

The US is once again warning that China might invade Taiwan, but a more gradualist approach by Beijing seems more likely, says Christian Le Miere.

Economic gains have been highlighted but political considerations may have also contributed to the East Coast Rail Link re-routing, says ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute’s Kevin Zhang.

WASHINGTON: US spy agency leaders warned on Wednesday (Apr 14) of the "unparalleled threat" posed by China, citing Beijing's regional aggression, cyber capabilities and economic clout as they testified at a public congressional "Worldwide Threats" h...

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's interior minister on Wednesday (Apr 14) recommended a ban on an Islamist political party whose supporters held violent rallies this week to condemn the arrest of their leader that left at least five people dead. Saad Rizvi, a M...

PARIS: Climate change is making India's monsoon stronger and more chaotic, scientists said on Wednesday (Apr 14), warning of potential severe consequences for food, farming and the economy affecting nearly a fifth of the world's population. A new an...

China's CanSino Biologics Inc said on Wednesday that no serious blood clot cases related to its COVID-19 vaccine had been reported so far.

NEW DELHI: India set itself the goal of improving its Olympic medal tally to a "double digit" in Tokyo, with the country's top sports officials pledging every help to the athletes with 100 days to go to the Games. The world's second-most populous n...

YANGON: Myanmar's ruling junta has charged at least 19 medical doctors for participating in civil disobedience protests against the military's Feb 1 coup, a state-run newspaper reported on Wednesday (Apr 14). Doctors, nurses and medical students ha...

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka on Wednesday (Apr 14) banned 11 organisations, including the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, a week ahead of the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings which killed 279 people. Anyone linked to the groups - the...

US envoy John Kerry will visit China this week for climate change talks -- the first official trip under the Biden administration -- in a trip Washington hopes will put aside diplomatic spats and focus on joint environment challenges.

TOKYO: A western Japanese city cancelled the Tokyo Olympics torch relay over spiking COVID-19 cases on Wednesday (Apr 14), the second area to scrap the event as the clock ticks down to the postponed Games. The decision comes 100 days before the 202...

TOKYO: Japan's nuclear regulator said on Wednesday (Apr 14) that it would bar Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), operator of the wrecked Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, from restarting its only operable atomic power station due to safety breaches unco...

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's electoral reform Bill was introduced in the city's legislature on Wednesday (Apr 14), setting in motion changes that will give Beijing greater control over the process while reducing the number of directly elected representativ...

SEOUL: South Korean President Moon Jae-in ordered officials on Wednesday (Apr 14) to explore petitioning an international court over Japan's decision to release water from its Fukushima nuclear plant, his spokesman said, amid protests by fisheries an...

Anti-coup protesters in Myanmar sloshed red paint in the streets on Wednesday (Apr 14) to symbolise the blood spilled and more than 700 lives lost in a brutal military crackdown.

A record fine, public penitence from a tech giant and a 'who's who' of digital firms warned to "rectify" their ambitions within a month -- state regulators are showing no one is bigger than Beijing in Xi Jinping's China.

HARIDWAR/AHMEDABAD, India :India's new coronavirus infections hit a record on Wednesday, as crowds of pilgrims gathered for a religious festival despite oxygen shortages and strict curbs in other areas.

TAIPEI: Taiwan said on Wednesday (Apr 14) its chip companies will adhere to US rules after Washington added seven Chinese supercomputing entities last week to an economic blacklist and after a Taipei-based chipmaker halted orders from one of the e...

Once a shining symbol of Japan's advanced technology and economic power, Toshiba has been rocked by turbulence in recent years, facing scandals and losses before staging a recovery.

South Korea has recorded its highest daily jump in new COVID-19 infections in about three months, as officials urge the public to maintain vigilance.

BEIJING: China described its military exercises near Taiwan as "combat drills" on Wednesday (Apr 14), upping the ante as senior former US officials arrived in Taipei on a trip to signal President Joe Biden's commitment to Taiwan and its democracy. T...

Thailand reported on Wednesday 1,335 new COVID-19 cases, the biggest daily rise since the start of the pandemic and the third record rise this week, as the country struggles with a new wave of infections.

The president of Toshiba stepped down on Wednesday (Apr 14), a week after the the Japanese technology and manufacturing conglomerate said it was studying an acquisition proposal from a global fund where he previously worked.

TOKYO: Holding the postponed Tokyo Olympics this summer will be "really difficult" given a spike in COVID-19 infections across Japan, the head of the Tokyo Medical Association has warned. Haruo Ozaki sounded the alarm as rising daily cases prompt n...

HONG KONG: Cute cartoon animals have been at the heart of Hong Kong clothing brand Chickeeduck since 1990, displayed on everything from T-shirts and tote bags to baby rompers and pillows. But owner Herbert Chow is now struggling to get his designs m...

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday (Apr 13) that the semi-autonomous territory's legislative elections will take place in December, more than a year after they were postponed by authorities citing public health risks from the coronavirus pan...

Hong Kong's legislative elections to take place in December

China reported 12 new mainland COVID-19 cases on April 13, up from nine a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Wednesday.

North Korea could resume nuclear tests this year as a way to force President Joe Biden's administration to enter into dialogue, US intelligence experts said in a report released on Tuesday (Apr 13).

The Chinese Big Tech firm knows the outcome could be far worse in a country that has ruled by law, in a year of huge importance to the Chinese Communist Party , says Professor Bo Zhiyue.

Myanmar’s ethnic minorities might hold the key to breaking the country’s political impasse, says Rahul Mishra.

TOKYO: A western Japanese city cancelled the Tokyo Olympics torch relay over spiking coronavirus cases on Wednesday (Apr 14), fueling fresh fears about whether the pandemic-postponed Games should go ahead with just 100 days until the opening ceremony...

SHANGHAI: US climate envoy John Kerry was set to arrive in China on Wednesday (Apr 14) for what Beijing said would be a four-day trip, as the two countries seek cooperation over the environment despite acrimony on other fronts. In the first trip to ...

President Joe Biden will remove all US troops from Afghanistan before this year's 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, finally ending America's longest war despite mounting fears of a Taliban victory, officials said Tuesday.

TOKYO: Japan and Germany agreed in security talks on Tuesday (Apr 13) to expand their military cooperation as the two nations shared concern about China’s increasing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. At the so-called “two-plus-two” tal...

GENEVA: The UN rights chief warned Tuesday (Apr 13) of possible crimes against humanity in Myanmar and said it seemed to be heading towards a massive conflict like the one ravaging Syria. In a statement, the UN rights office urged countries to take...

JAKARTA: The government of Riau Islands province has proposed a safe travel corridor with Singapore starting on May 1 or Jun 1, said a senior Indonesian tourism official on Tuesday (Apr 13).  In a press release, Mdm R Kurleni Ukar, who is the dep...

Hong Kong's government on Tuesday said it will be illegal for residents to encourage others to boycott or cast blank ballots in the city's already limited local elections as part of China's drive to ensure only "patriots" govern the finance hub.

NEW DELHI: India is to fast-track emergency approvals for COVID-19 vaccines that have been authorised by Western countries and Japan, paving the way for possible imports of Pfizer-BioNTech, Johnson & Johnson, Novavax and Moderna shots. The move, whi...

China's locally developed COVID-19 vaccine candidate that uses messenger RNA (mRNA) technology could start late-stage clinical trial overseas as early as next month, official media said on Tuesday.

South Korea's health authorities said on Tuesday they would consider the use of coronavirus self-test kits despite their relatively low accuracy, after the new mayor of Seoul called for their approval.

MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he will "waive" his chance to get a COVID-19 vaccine, arguing elderly people like him should not be prioritised. Just more than 1 million people in the Philippines have received their first shot sin...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has assured the public that the country will have enough COVID-19 vaccines to vaccinate 80 per cent of the population by October.   In a tweet posted on Tuesda...

KAOHSIUNG: Taiwan unveiled a new amphibious warfare ship on Tuesday (Apr 13) that can be used to land troops and will bolster supply lines to vulnerable islands offshore China and in the South China Sea. The 10,600-tonne Yu Shan, named after Taiwan'...

MANILA, Philippines: The Philippine government summoned the Chinese ambassador to press its demand for Chinese vessels to immediately leave a reef claimed by Manila in the South China Sea and said their presence was stoking tensions, officials said o...

Thousands of supporters of a Pakistan Islamist party who blocked major roads to protest the arrest of their leader also disrupted critical oxygen supplies for Covid-19 patients, health officials said Tuesday.

BANGKOK: Thailand on Tuesday (Apr 13) reported 965 new COVID-19 cases after registering record rises in the past two days as the country started its Songkran new year holiday amid a third wave of infections. Authorities have banned for a second year...

Japan's western region of Osaka is set to report more than 1,000 new coronavirus infection on Tuesday, setting a daily record, the Yomiuri newspaper said in its online edition.

Opponents of military rule in Myanmar cancelled traditional new year festivities on Tuesday (Apr 13) and instead showed their anger with the country's generals through low-key displays of defiance and small protests across the country. The five-day ...

NEW DELHI: India reported 161,736 new COVID-19 infections on Tuesday (Apr 13), as hundreds of thousands gathered for a ritual bath in the Ganges river. The new infections bring the country's case tally to 13.69 million, health ministry data sho...

BEIJING: China's exports grew at a robust pace in March in yet another boost to the nation's economic recovery as global demand picks up amid progress in worldwide COVID-19 vaccination, while import growth surged to the highest in four years. The da...

JAKARTA: Muslims in Indonesia began marking Ramadan with communal prayers on Tuesday (Apr 13) in a socially distanced contrast to the empty mosques of a year ago when Islam's holiest month coincided with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Coronavir...

TOKYO: Japan plans to release into the sea more than a million tonnes of radioactive water from the destroyed Fukushima nuclear station, it said on Tuesday (Apr 13). The work to release the water will begin in about two years, the government said, a...

Japan's government has approved a plan to release over one million tonnes of treated water from the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Tuesday.

Pakistan police on Monday (Apr 12) arrested the leader of a radical Islamist political party a day after he threatened the government with protests if it did not expel France's ambassador over depictions of Islam's Prophet Muhammad.

A Taliban spokesman said on Monday (Apr 12) the religious militia won’t attend a peace conference tentatively planned for later this week in Turkey, putting US efforts to get a peace plan anytime soon in jeopardy.

Indonesia said on Monday (Apr 12) that it is satisfied with the effectiveness of the Sinovac coronavirus vaccine it is using, after the acknowledgement by China’s top disease control official that current vaccines offer low protection against the v...

KLUANG: Malaysia Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin is expected to discuss the reopening of the border with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong early May, said Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein on Monday (Apr 12). Mr Hishammudin tol...

MUMBAI: Retailers, restaurants and theatres in India's richest state are reeling under the impact of harsh restrictions imposed last week by authorities scrambling to curb a resurgence in COVID-19 cases. The western state of Maharashtra, home to Ind...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced on Monday (Apr 12) that movement control orders (MCOs) would be extended across the country, Bernama reported. The states of Johor, Kelantan, Penang and Selangor as w...

HONG KONG: Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai has told his staff to "stand tall" in a handwritten letter from prison where he is being held pending trial under a new national security law. Lai, the owner of pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, is the...

BEIJING: China has imposed a sweeping restructuring on Jack Ma's Ant Group, the fintech group whose record US$37 billion IPO was derailed by regulators in November, underscoring Beijing's determination to rein in its Internet giants. The overhaul, w...

JAKARTA: The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) from a crashed Sriwijaya Air jet has been downloaded successfully, and includes the last minutes of the flight that ended with 62 people dead, an official at Indonesia's air accident investigator said on Mond...

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka secured a US$500 million loan from China Monday (Apr 12) in a desperate bid to shore up its foreign exchange reserves as the local currency hit a record low. The Sri Lankan embassy in Beijing said the loan agreement with the China...

HONG KONG: Hong Kong will loosen some coronavirus measures for residents who have been fully inoculated from late April, the city's leader Carrie Lam said on Monday (Apr 12), as authorities seek to boost the take-up of vaccines in the global financia...

Foreigners interviewed by CNA said they are trying to appeal to extend their stay or hastily prepare to travel home before Apr 21.

PUTRAJAYA: People aged 60 and above will be given the Sinovac vaccine under Phase 2 of Malaysia's national COVID-19 immunisation programme starting on Apr 19, said coordinating minister Khairy Jamaluddin on Monday (Apr 12). The COVID-19 Vaccine A...

HONG KONG: Chinese tech giant Huawei on Monday (Apr 12) said it had reached an agreement with HSBC in Hong Kong to secure documents that its senior executive Meng Wanzhou hopes will help her fight extradition to the United States from Canada. Chief ...

Five South Korean companies have launched clinical trials for their coronavirus vaccines, aiming to enter the third phase of trials in the second half of this year, the Yonhap news agency reported on Monday, citing health authorities.

YANGON: Myanmar's ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was hit with a fresh criminal charge on Monday (Apr 12), as the military government's tough crackdown on dissent rolls on. The 75-year-old Nobel laureate has not been seen in public since be...

DHAKA: Bangladesh authorities on Monday (Apr 12) ordered an eight-day closure of all offices and international and domestic transport, as COVID-19 cases hit a new high. The drastic measures, which will virtually seal off the country, will start on ...

YANGON: Opponents of Myanmar's coup called on Monday (Apr 12) for people to show defiance of the military with costumes and prayers over the upcoming New Year holiday, hoping to maintain the momentum of their campaign in which more than 700 people h...

THIMPU, Bhutan: When plotted on a graph, the curve of Bhutan's COVID-19 vaccination drive shoots upwards from the very first day, crossing Israel, the United States, Bahrain and other countries known for vaccinating people rapidly. Those countries t...

BANGKOK: Thailand on Monday (Apr 12) reported 985 new COVID-19 cases, a record daily jump for a second day in a row, as the country deals with a third wave of infections and a highly contagious variant. Since the latest outbreak began at the start o...

TOKYO: Japan began COVID-19 vaccinations for its sizable elderly population on Monday (Apr 12), with imported doses still in short supply and the pace unlikely to stop a fourth wave of infection. Shots for people aged 65 and above began at about 120...

NEW DELHI: India reported a record 168,912 COVID-19 infections overnight, data from the health ministry showed on Monday (Apr 12), overtaking Brazil to become the second-most affected country globally by the coronavirus. India's overall tally reache...

HONG KONG: A growing number of Chinese tech start-ups are cancelling plans to list on Nasdaq-style markets at home with some eyeing Hong Kong share sales instead, as regulators tighten scrutiny of IPO applicants after the halting of Ant Group's US$37...

Chilean authorities on Sunday (Apr 11) backed the country's widespread use of the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Chinese firm Sinovac after China's top disease official appeared to make conflicting statements about its efficacy.

India said on Sunday it had banned the export of anti-viral drug Remdesivir and its active pharmaceutical ingredients after a record spike in COVID-19 cases sent demand surging.

KATHMANDU: Nepal's population of endangered one-horned rhinoceros has grown by more than a hundred over the past six years, officials said, with campaigners hailing the increase as a conservation "milestone". The population rose to 752 across four n...

Cambodians who lost family during the Khmer Rouge genocide Sunday slammed an Irish artist's decision to digitally add smiles to old black and white pictures of victims killed by the regime.

BRUSSELS: The European Union's top diplomat said on Sunday (Apr 11) that Russia and China were hampering a united international response to Myanmar's military coup and that the EU could offer more economic incentives if democracy returns to the count...

JAKARTA: Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Sunday (Apr 11) ordered swift rescue and relief efforts after eight people died in an earthquake that hit off southern Java island. Three others were badly injured in Saturday's magnitude-5.9 quake and mo...

MANILA: Philippine and American soldiers will conduct a two-week joint military exercise from Monday (Apr 12), resuming the annual training event after last year's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Philippine military chief said on Sun...

Thailand on Sunday reported 967 new COVID-19 cases, its biggest daily jump, but no new deaths as the country deals with a third wave of infections and a highly contagious variant.

BEIJING: China's cyber regulator has launched a hotline to report online comments that defame the ruling Communist Party and its history, vowing to crack down on "historical nihilists" ahead of the Party's 100th anniversary in July. The tip line al...