AHMEDABAD, India: India's total COVID-19 caseload surged past 25 million on Tuesday (May 18) as a powerful cyclone complicated the health crisis in one of the states where the disease is spreading most quickly. COVID-19 tests were administered to 20...

SEOUL: Pressure is mounting on South Korean President Moon Jae-in to pardon Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, who is back in prison after his conviction in a massive corruption scandal, even though business has rarely looked better at South Korea’s larges...

MUMBAI: About 127 people were missing on Tuesday (May 18) after a vessel adrift off Mumbai's coast sank during Cyclone Tauktae, the Indian Navy said as two ships and helicopters were deployed to assist in the search. The vessel was carrying 273 p...

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's government suspended operations at its representative office in Taiwan on Tuesday (May 18), in a sign of escalating diplomatic tension between the global financial hub and the democratically-ruled island that Beijing claims. ...

Hong Kong's newly appointed Catholic bishop on Tuesday (May 18) said he would need to tread carefully with Beijing as it cracks down on dissent - but vowed to plead with authorities to defend religious freedoms.

TOKYO: A top medical organisation has thrown its weight behind calls to cancel the Tokyo Olympics, saying that hospitals are already overwhelmed as the country battles a spike in COVID-19 infections less than three months from the start of the Games...

MAHUVA, India: At least 21 people were dead and 96 were missing on Tuesday (May 18) after a monster cyclone slammed into western India, compounding the misery for millions of others who are enduring a devastating COVID-19 surge. Hundreds of thousan...

YANGON: More than 800 people have been killed by Myanmar's security forces since a wave of protests broke out across the country after the military seized power in a coup in February, an activist group said. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the ar...

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's leader said that freezing the assets of democracy activist Jimmy Lai, including his majority stake in media publisher Next Digital, would hopefully reinforce the Asian financial hub's status by ensuring national security. Carr...

SHANGHAI: China reported 22 new COVID-19 cases on Monday (May 17), down from 25 a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Tuesday. The National Health Commission, in a statement, said four of the new cases were local infections ...

TAIPEI: Taiwan is mobilising its diplomatic corps to secure a speedier delivery of COVID-19 vaccines - a quest that has become more urgent since a sudden rise in domestic cases on an island that has vaccinated less than 1 per cent of its population...

BANGKOK: Thailand reported on Tuesday (May 18) a daily record of 35 new COVID-19 deaths as it struggles with a third wave of infections. The country also reported 2,473 new infections, including 680 cases among prisoners. The new cases bring the...

NEW YORK: A 193-member United Nations General Assembly vote on Tuesday (May 18) on a draft resolution calling "for an immediate suspension of the direct and indirect supply, sale or transfer of all weapons and munitions" to Myanmar has been postpone...

The slow progress of COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia boils down to limited global vaccine supply, the unpreparedness of the national health system and vaccine hesitancy, says a lecturer.

The US Treasury slapped sanctions on 16 senior Myanmar officials and family members Monday, citing their support for the government's "violent and lethal attacks" against the country's pro-democracy movement.

HONG KONG: Hong Kong will tighten travel and quarantine requirements for several countries, including Singapore, Malaysia and Japan, starting from Friday (May 21). The three countries, along with Argentina, Italy, Kenya and the Netherlands, have bee...

KUALA LUMPUR: The situation at the COVID-19 quarantine centre in Serdang, Selangor, is increasingly challenging with the rise in admission of Category 3 patients, said the Selangor Health Department in response to complaints of poor conditions.  C...

JAKARTA: The Indonesian government is preparing for a spike in COVID-19 cases after an annual exodus of thousands of people to their hometowns for Idul Fitri and tourists sites being packed with visitors over the past few days, said Health Ministe...

AHMEDABAD: Nearly 150,000 people were moved from their homes in the Indian state of Gujarat to safety on Monday (May 17) and authorities closed ports and a main airport as the most intense cyclone in more than two decades roared up the west coast. C...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's health ministry on Monday (May 17) said it may push for a total lockdown of the country's most industrialised state if current coronavirus curbs are unable to rein in a spike in new cases. The government banned social activi...

As Thailand struggles to deal with its worst wave of COVID-19 infections, staff in the intensive care unit of Bangkok's King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital are fearful of what may lie ahead.

SINGAPORE: The launch of the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble, originally planned for May 26, will be deferred for the second time. The deferment comes amid a recent increase in unlinked COVID-19 community cases in Singapore. The country is "...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian senior minister Azmin Ali is among those being probed for health protocol violations over the Hari Raya period, as the authorities acted swiftly on reports of breaches during the latest Movement Control Order (MCO).  The po...

NEW DELHI: India on Monday (May 17) reported a further decline in new COVID-19 cases though daily deaths remained above 4,000 and experts warned that the count was unreliable due to a lack of testing in rural areas, where the virus is spreading fast....

TAIPEI: A surge of coronavirus infections in Taiwan, one of the world's COVID-19 mitigation success stories, has left it scrambling to get vaccines as its stock of 300,000 doses starts running out with only about 1 per cent of its 23 million people v...

HOLLYWOOD, Florida: Myanmar's Miss Universe contestant, Thuzar Wint Lwin, used the pageant on Sunday (May 16) to urge the world to speak out against the military junta, whose security forces have killed hundreds of opponents since it seized power in...

BEIJING: China's State Council announced new laws halting the teaching of foreign curriculums in schools from kindergarten to grade nine (K-9) and prohibiting the ownership or control of any private K-9 schools by foreign entities. The laws, which ...

BEIJING: China's factories slowed their output growth in April and retail sales significantly missed expectations as officials warned of new problems affecting the recovery in the world's second-largest economy. While China's exporters are enjoying ...

Real estate investment in China rose 21.6 per cent in the first four months of 2021 from a year earlier, cooling from a 25.6 per cent gain seen in the first three months, official data showed on Monday (May 17).

HONG KONG: Hong Kong's largest pro-democracy media group announced it was halting share trading on Monday (May 17), two days after authorities froze the assets of its jailed owner Jimmy Lai under a new national security law. Next Digital, which pub...

TOKYO: More than 80 per cent of Japanese oppose hosting the coronavirus-postponed Olympics this year, a new poll published on Monday (May 17) showed, with just under 10 weeks until the Tokyo Games. The latest survey comes after Japan expanded a COV...

BANGKOK: Thailand reported on Monday (May 17) a daily record of 9,635 new COVID-19 cases, nearly three-quarters of which were prisoners infected in jail clusters, as the country struggles with a third wave of infections. The combined cases bring...

SHANGHAI: China reported 25 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday (May 16), up from 18 cases a day earlier and marking the highest daily increase in more than six weeks, the country's national health authority said on Monday. The National Health Commission, ...

NEW YORK: The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday (May 18) is set to consider a draft non-binding resolution calling for "an immediate suspension" of the transfer of weapons to the military junta of Myanmar, a UN official said on Sunday. Un...

UNITED NATIONS: China on Sunday (May 16) voiced regret that the United States was blocking a UN Security Council statement on Israeli-Palestinian violence as it urged greater international efforts to stop the bloodshed. "Regrettably, simply because...

A top Indian virologist has resigned from a forum of scientific advisers set up by the government to detect variants of the coronavirus, he told Reuters on Sunday (May 16), weeks after questioning the authorities' handling of the pandemic.

Some Indian states said on Sunday they would extend COVID-19 lockdowns to help contain the pandemic, which has killed more than 270,000 people in the country, as the federal government pledged to bolster vaccine supplies.

At least four people have died in torrential rain and winds as virus-hit India braces for a powerful cyclone, officials said Sunday, with tens of thousands set to be evacuated from their homes.

VATICAN CITY: The people of Myanmar must not despair in the face of evil or allow themselves to be divided, Pope Francis said on Sunday (May 16) at a special Mass for the Myanmar community in Italy. Myanmar's military seized power in a Feb 1 coup, d...

JAKARTA: Seven Indonesians drowned after an overloaded boat capsized because of tourists attempting a selfie in a reservoir on Java island, police said on Sunday (May 16). The accident happened when all 20 passengers suddenly moved to the one side o...

NEW DELHI: India's annual budget in February was lauded by many and raised hopes it would drive a sharp economic revival, but there are now fears that its promise may fall flat as it did not account for a crippling second wave of COVID-19 infections....

YANGON: Six opposition rebels have been killed after days of clashes in Myanmar, an anti-coup defence force made up of civilians said Sunday, as Britain and the United States condemned the military's violence against civilians. Myanmar has been in ...

TAIPEI: Taiwan reported 206 new domestic COVID-19 cases on Sunday (May 16), as the island grapples with an increase in community infections. Authorities appealed to people to avoid panic buying as new curbs on gatherings and movement took effect to ...

BENGALURU: India reported a smaller rise in daily COVID-19 cases for the third straight day on Sunday (May 16), but the number of deaths in 24 hours was higher than 4,000, taking the country's death toll to 270,000. The number of deaths grew by 4,0...

JAKARTA: Indonesia has suspended distribution of a batch of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to run tests for sterility and toxicity following the death of a 22-year-old man a day after immunisation, the health ministry said on Sunday (May 16). The ba...

PRAYAGRAJ, India: Police are reaching out to villagers in northern India to investigate the recovery of bodies buried in shallow sand graves or washing up on the Ganges River banks, prompting speculation on social media that they were the remains of ...

Taiwan's economic prospects are bright and growth this year will come in as expected as long as the COVID-19 situation can be brought under control quickly, the government said on Sunday, adding that the impact of a recent spike in cases was limited.

Nepal scales back Hindu chariot festival amid virus surge

India police jail 21 Kashmiris amid pro-Palestinian rallies

JAKARTA: Indonesian entrepreneur Dion was examining a new white motorbike that he just took for a test drive.  “It was really good,” he told CNA of his experience riding the China-made electric vehicle (EV) that was being sold at a showroom in...

Compared to their New York counterparts, Shanghai residents pay as much for housing, but work far longer for much less pay. Telecommuting could make all the difference, says this economist.

Taiwan on Saturday warned that risks for businesses have increased in Hong Kong after authorities in the international finance hub used asset freezing powers under Beijing's new national security law for the first time.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia reported 44 new COVID-19 fatalities on Saturday (May 15), the country’s highest daily death toll since the start of the pandemic.  There have now been a total of 1,866 COVID-19 deaths to date. The country’s previous recor...

MANILA: Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte reduced the tariff for imported rice on Saturday (May 15) to ensure food security and protect consumers in the world's biggest importer of the grain. The Southeast Asian nation, which is battling elevate...

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia and Indonesia on Saturday (May 15) called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene and stop Israel's strikes on Gaza, as the conflict between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants raged on. Malaysia's Prime Minis...

HONG KONG: After more than seven decades in radio, a 96-year-old Hong Kong DJ bid farewell to his listeners on Saturday (May 15) with Time to Say Goodbye, sung by Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli. “Well that’s it. Thank you very much for tunin...

MUMBAI: India reported on Saturday (May 15) its smallest daily increase in coronavirus infections in nearly three weeks, but deaths stayed near the 4,000-mark as the World Health Organization warned that the second year of the pandemic could be worse...

BEIJING: China has cancelled attempts to climb Mount Everest from its side of the world's highest peak because of fears of importing COVID-19 cases from neighbouring Nepal, state media reported. The closure was confirmed in a notice on Friday (May 1...

TAIPEI: Taiwan raised its COVID-19 alert level on Saturday (May 15) in the capital, Taipei, and the surrounding city, bringing curbs for a period of two weeks that will shut many venues and restrict gatherings in the wake of 180 new domestic infecti...

BEIJING: China's Zhurong rover touched down on Mars early on Saturday (May 15), state media reported, a triumph for Beijing's increasingly bold space ambitions and a history-making feat for a nation on its first-ever Martian mission. The lander carr...

SHANGHAI: China reported 14 new COVID-19 cases on Friday (May 14), up from seven cases a day earlier, the country's national health authority said on Saturday. The National Health Commission said in its daily bulletin that five of the new cases were...

BEIJING: Two tornadoes ripped through China's central city of Wuhan and a town in the eastern province of Jiangsu, killing 12 people and injuring hundreds while destroying homes and property, the official Xinhua news agency said on Saturday (May 15)...

If America's China policy is defined as a moral effort, most other nations will be alienated, not attracted, says security affairs expert Chas W Freeman Jr.

COVID-19 has altered overseas travel behavior, triggering a need for a new paradigm of promoting tourism. This means market opportunities for tourism in smaller cities, says RSIS’ Kaewkamol Pitakdumrongkit.

BANGKOK: An exodus of financing for new coal projects in Southeast Asia is heaping pressure on new regional coal power projects and the companies and governments hoping to persist with burning fossil fuels for energy.  The Asian Development Bank (...

French President Emmanuel Macron and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern were to hold talks Friday by video conference to advance their two-year-old campaign to curb online extremism.

TOKYO: A team of Japanese scientists has shown it is possible for mammals to absorb oxygen via the anus. Intrigued by how certain sea creatures breathe through their intestines in emergencies, researchers at Tokyo Medical and Dental University were ...

NEW DELHI: India on Friday (May 14) started deploying Russia's Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine, the first foreign-made shot to be used in the country as it reels from an explosion in cases and deaths. Sputnik in mid-April became the third vaccine to be a...

MANILA: Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has rebuffed a call from China to withdraw vessels from disputed areas of the South China Sea and said he would not bow to pressure, even if it jeopardises his friendship with Beijing. The Philippines has...

UN envoy asks Thai leader's aid in ending crisis in Myanmar

TOKYO: Japan expanded a coronavirus state of emergency Friday (May 14), just 10 weeks before the Olympics, as campaigners submitted a petition with more than 350,000 signatures calling for the Games to be scrapped. With Tokyo and other areas already...

TAIPEI: Taiwan's state-owned electricity monopoly Taipower on Friday (May 14) blamed human error during a test for a power cut that affected some 4 million homes the day before, and said it would offer discounts worth almost US$18 million to affected...

TAIPEI: The Taiwan arm of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai's Apple Daily is to stop publishing its print version, the newspaper said on Friday (May 14), blaming declining advertising revenue and more difficult business conditions in Hong Kong linked ...

TAIPEI: Taiwan's capital on Friday (May 14) announced an indefinite closure of entertainment venues in the wake of a widening outbreak of local COVID-19 infections. The self-ruled island has been hailed as a global leader in containing the COVID-19 ...

China's "Zhurong" rover, part of its ambitious space programme to send a probe to Mars, is set to attempt the challenging landing on the Red Planet in the next five days, Beijing's space agency said Friday.

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia may see more than 8,000 new COVID-19 cases a day by June if members of the public fail to adhere to safe management regulations. According to the health ministry’s latest data modelling, COVID-19 cases will increase sharpl...

YANGON: If you need cash in Myanmar, you have to get up early. Queues start forming outside banks at 4am, where the first 15 or 30 customers are given a plastic token that will allow them to enter the bank when it opens at 9.30am and withdraw cash, a...

SHANGHAI: China reported seven new COVID-19 cases on May 13, including its first local transmissions in more than three weeks, the country's national health authority said on Friday (May 14). Two of the new cases were local infections in the eastern...

YANGON: A Japanese journalist arrested while covering the aftermath of the Myanmar coup is to be deported, Tokyo said on Friday (May 14), after charges against him were dropped as a diplomatic gesture. Yuki Kitazumi, held in Yangon's Insein prison s...

Myanmar's junta has declared martial law in a town in Chin State after blaming "armed terrorists" for attacks on a police station and a bank, state media reported on Friday (May 14), amid an upsurge in fighting between the military and ethnic rebels ...

BENGALURU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sounded the alarm over the rapid spread of COVID-19 through India's vast countryside on Friday (May 14), as 4,000 people died from the virus for the third straight day and total infections crossed 24 million. ...

SINGAPORE: Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung said on Friday (May 14) that Singapore will "critically review" the start date of the air travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong, given Singapore's rising number of COVID-19 cases.  "The assessment ...

TOKYO: Japan will declare a state of emergency in three more prefectures hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said on Friday (May 14), in a surprise move reflecting growing concerns about the virus's spread. Hokkai...

China aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060. The challenges ahead are daunting and the socioeconomic costs high, but meeting these targets could significantly reduce global warming says EAI’s Chen Gang.

The United States stands with Honduras and condemns the "cynical use" of COVID-19 vaccines for political purposes, the State Department said, after Taiwan blasted China for seeking to use vaccines to make diplomatic inroads with one of Taipei's allie...

Holding the Tokyo Olympics safely as the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage would be "impossible", a union of Japanese hospital doctors warned on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh will spend up to US$1 billion to buy COVID-19 shots and held early talks this week with companies such as Pfizer and the local distributor of Russia's Sputnik V, a state official said on Thursda...

TOKYO: Dozens of Japanese towns have abandoned plans to host Olympic athletes because of concern they will overburden stretched medical resources amid a fourth wave of coronavirus infections, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Thursday (May 13). Forty...

Political turmoil returns as Nepal suffers worst COVID-19 surge

TAIPEI: Tech powerhouse Taiwan started phased blackouts islandwide on Thursday (May 13) after an outage at a coal- and gas-fired power plant hit 6 million homes, as the government worked to resume normal supply by evening. The world's biggest cont...

Of the 100 cities worldwide most vulnerable to environmental hazards all but one are in Asia, and four-fifths are in India or China, according to a risk assessment published Friday.

India recorded more than 4,000 COVID-19 deaths for a second straight day on Thursday (May 13), while infections stayed below 400,000 for a fourth day, though the virus has become rampant in rural areas where cases can go unreported due to a lack of t...

Two climbers from the United States and Switzerland have died on Mount Everest, the first fatalities of this year's season, expedition organisers in Nepal said Thursday.

The United States seized latex gloves made by Malaysian firm Top Glove after a shipment was found in Kansas City despite an import ban on its products over forced labour allegations, US Customs said on Wednesday (May 12).

Myanmar military court gives DVB reporter 3 years in prison

Myanmar's Buddhist monkhood led an earlier struggle against military rule but is split on the coup that ended the country's nascent democracy, with some prominent religious leaders defending the new junta.

A three-day ceasefire agreed by the warring Taliban and Afghan forces was due to come into force on Thursday, after weeks of intense clashes throughout the country.

JEJU, South Korea: Every April in the fishing village of Jongdal, a day-long ritual takes place. Shamans make offerings to the gods, praying for bountiful catches and the safety of those who venture out to sea. Leading up to the ceremony, a group of...

Investors should take note of Hong Kong developers, says the Financial Times’ June Yoon.

The United States warned Wednesday that Beijing would use the Winter Olympics to gloss over abuses as it slapped sanctions on another Chinese official over treatment of the Falun Gong.