Asia

Beijing tests food, parcel couriers for coronavirus as city checks widen

Officials in Beijing are carrying out nucleic acid tests on all food and parcel delivery personnel as they ramp up efforts to rein in an outbreak of the coronavirus in…

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Mainland China reports 27 new coronavirus cases, including 22 in Beijing

Mainland China reported 27 new coronavirus cases as of the end of June 19, 22 of which were reported in the capital Beijing, China's National Health Commission said on Saturday.…

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China charges two detained Canadians with suspected espionage

Chinese prosecutors said on Friday they have charged two detained Canadians for suspected espionage, indictments that could result in life imprisonment, in a case that has driven a diplomatic wedge…

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Rare ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse to dim Africa, Asia

Skywatchers along a narrow band from west Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, India and southern China will witness on Sunday the most dramatic "ring of fire" solar eclipse to shadow…

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UNICEF Cryptocurrency Fund announces its largest investment of startups in developing and emerging economies

Eight technology companies in developing and emerging economies will receive investment from the UNICEF Cryptocurrency Fund (CryptoFund) to solve local and global challenges. The CryptoFund will invest 125 ETH in…

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Sixth trial of potential Chinese COVID-19 shot begins with GSK, Dynavax mix

A sixth experimental COVID-19 vaccine from China is now being tested in humans after Clover Biopharmaceuticals said on Friday an early-stage study of its candidate was underway with vaccine boosters…

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Nissan cuts more shifts at Japan car plants due to low demand

Nissan Motor Co on Friday said it will cut more shifts at its three assembly plants in Japan due to falling demand, as the automaker struggles to recover from a…

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South Korea’s Genexine begins human trial of coronavirus vaccine

Biotech firm Genexine Inc has launched a human clinical trial of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine in South Korea, saying it has become the first company in the country to test…

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Japan lifts coronavirus travel curbs to help economy bounce back

Japan lifted all coronavirus-related curbs on domestic travel on Friday, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling on people to go sightseeing or attend concerts and other events to help the…

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China reported to have handed back 10 Indian soldiers taken during border clash

China has returned 10 Indian soldiers captured during a deadly border clash earlier this week, a Indian government source said on Friday, as two Asian nuclear powers sought to de-escalate…

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China publishes Beijing COVID-19 genome data, officials suggest a European strain

China has released genome sequencing data for the coronavirus responsible for a recent outbreak in Beijing, with officials saying on Friday it identified a European strain based on preliminary studies.…

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China says one-fifth of Belt and Road projects ‘seriously affected’ by pandemic

About 20% of projects under China's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to link Asia, Europe and beyond have been "seriously affected" by the coronavirus pandemic, an official from China's…

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China charges two detained Canadians with alleged espionage

Chinese prosecutors said on Friday they have charged two detained Canadians for alleged espionage, in a case that has driven a diplomatic wedge between Ottawa and Beijing. Former diplomat Michael…

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Mainland China reports 32 new coronavirus cases, 25 of them in Beijing

Mainland China reported 32 new coronavirus cases as of the end of June 18, 25 of which were reported in the capital city Beijing, China's National Health Commission said on Friday. This…

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Indonesia announces record rise in infections

Indonesia has reported 1,331 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, its, its biggest daily increase since the outbreak started locally, taking its total number of cases to 42,762. Achmad Yurianto, a…

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China says it must improve hygiene in markets after Beijing outbreak

Low standards of hygiene in China's wholesale food markets and vulnerabilities in its food supply chain need to be urgently addressed after a new coronavirus outbreak in Beijing, a leading…

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China willing to give priority to African countries once COVID-19 vaccines are ready

China will exempt some African countries from repaying zero-interest rate loans due at the end of 2020, state television reported on Wednesday, quoting President Xi Jingping's speech at a summit.…

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Chinese fighter jets buzz Taiwan again, stoking tensions

Chinese air force aircraft approached Taiwan on Thursday for the fifth time in 10 days, before being warned away by Taiwanese fighters, the island's air force said, in a further…

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China’s COVID-19 vaccine candidate shows promise in human trials

China National Biotec Group (CNBG) said on Tuesday its experimental coronavirus vaccine has triggered antibodies in clinical trials and the company plans late-stage human trials in foreign countries. No vaccines…

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China reports 28 new coronavirus cases in mainland

China reported 28 new coronavirus cases in the mainland as of end-June 17, 21 of which were in the capital of Beijing, the country’s health commission said on Thursday. The…

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India coronavirus toll sees record jump of 2,000 dead

India’s official coronavirus death toll leapt by more than 2,000 to reach 11,903 on Wednesday as Germany advised its nationals to consider leaving the country because of growing health risks.…

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Why are Chinese and Indian troops fighting in a remote Himalayan valley?

The Indian army has said at least 20 of its soldiers were killed after hand-to-hand fighting with Chinese troops at a disputed border site on Monday night, in the deadliest…

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Japanese researchers confirm coronavirus testing in sewers as possible outbreak warning system

Japanese researchers confirmed the presence of the coronavirus in wastewater plants, a finding that could serve as a signal for future outbreaks. The study tested water from four treatment…

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North Korea to redeploy troops to border

North Korea on Wednesday rejected South Korea’s offer to send special envoys to ease escalating tensions over defector activity and stalled reconciliation efforts, vowing to redeploy troops to demilitarised border…

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Beijing reports 31 new coronavirus cases, cuts flights to curb potential spread

Beijing's city government reported 31 new confirmed coronavirus cases as of end-June 16, up from 27 cases reported a day earlier as the city moves to curb the spread of…

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Fatal escalation of violence along Chinese-Indian border

India's army said on Tuesday 20 of its soldiers had been killed in clashes with Chinese troops at a disputed border site, in a major escalation of a weeks-long standoff…

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North Korea blows up joint liaison office with the South

North Korea has blown up its joint liasion office with the South, in the border town of Kaeso. Yonhap, the South's state news agency quoted this morning the unification ministry…

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WHO insists there is no confirmation on origins of a new cluster of coronavirus infections in Beijing

The origins of a new cluster of coronavirus infections in Beijing are uncertain, World Health Organization officials said on Monday, but the claim that it might have been caused by…

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South Korea warned it may face a new coronavirus wave without tough social distancing measures

South Korea will face another wave of coronavirus infections, with as many as 800 new cases a day by July, if the government does not introduce stricter social distancing guidelines,…

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Philippines reports 10 new coronavirus deaths, 490 more infections

The Philippine health ministry on Monday confirmed 10 more novel coronavirus deaths and 490 additional infections. In a bulletin, the ministry said total deaths have increased to 1,098 while confirmed…

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Fears for Philippines press freedom as court finds veteran journalist guilty of libel

Veteran Philippine journalist Maria Ressa, whose website has put President Rodrigo Duterte under tough scrutiny, was convicted of libel on Monday and faces up to six years in jail, in…

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Afghan government, Taliban agree to Doha as venue for first peace talks

Afghanistan’s government and the Islamist Taliban group have agreed that Doha will be the venue for the first meeting in their peace talks, both sides said. The talks, known as…

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Hong Kong’s Disneyland to reopen on June 18 after coronavirus break

Hong Kong's Disneyland theme park said on Monday it will reopen on June 18 to a reduced number of visitors and with enhanced health measures after the coronavirus outbreak forced…

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Thailand ends curfew, marks 21 days with no local coronavirus cases

Thailand on Monday lifted a nationwide curfew after more than two months and allowed restaurants to resume selling alcohol as the coronavirus crisis eased, with 21 days since a recorded…

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No easing of entry ban in Japan

Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Monday it was not true the government had decided to ease an entry ban, which was implemented to prevent the spread of the…

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Coronavirus resurgence in Beijing prompts return of tough measures

Beijing reported its second consecutive day of record new numbers of COVID-19 cases on Monday, adding urgency to efforts to rein in a sudden resurgence of the coronavirus in the…

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China reports 49 new COVID-19 cases for June 14; 36 in Beijing

Mainland China reported 49 new confirmed COVID-19 cases for June 14, down from 57 a day earlier, the national health authority said on Monday. The National Health Commission (NHC) said…

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Philippines reports 539 new coronavirus cases, 14 new deaths

The Philippines reported 539 more coronavirus infections on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 25,930. The Department of Health also recorded 14 additional fatalities related to the…

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Hospital beds run out in New Delhi as coronavirus cases increase

With surging infections highlighting the precarious state of the Indian healthcare system, in the capital New Delhi there is an acute shortage of hospital beds. More than 1,200 have died…

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Kim Jong Un’s sister threatens military action against South Korea

South Korea convened in an emergency security meeting on Sunday in response to Pyongyang's threats to cut off all ties with Seoul, demolish a liaison office and take military action…

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Beijing confirms eight new COVID-19 cases in first seven hours of June 14

Beijing city confirmed eight new coronavirus cases in the first seven hours of June 14, a city official said on Sunday. Beijing health official Pang Xinghuo said at a second…

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Tokyo confirms 47 new coronavirus cases on Sunday

Tokyo confirmed 47 new coronavirus infections on Sunday, Asahi television reported, the highest since the government lifted the state of emergency nationwide in late May. The daily figure was also…

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Photo Story: VietJet plane skids off the runway in Ho Chi Minh

An Airbus A321 airplane of Vietnamese carrier VietJet Air sits on a grass field after skidding off the runway due to heavy rain, at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in…

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At least 19 dead, 170 injured as LNG tanker truck explodes in China

Rescuers work on a damaged building in the aftermath of a LNG tanker truck’s explosion in Wenling, Zhejiang province, China, 14 June 2020. An LNG truck exploded after going off…

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Beijing records a jump in new confirmed coronavirus cases

China reported 57 new confirmed COVID-19 cases for June 13, the highest since April 13, according to data released by the national health authority on Sunday. The National Health Commission…

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Earthquake of magnitude 5.6 strikes Taiwan region

An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 has struck the Taiwan region early on Sunday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. The quake was at a depth of 20 km (12.43…

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Widow of whistle-blower doctor who first launched Covid-19 alarm, gives birth to son

The second son of Li Wenliang was born in a hospital in Wuhan. Li Wenliang, was the doctor who in December first launched the alarm on the spread of a…

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Being district in ‘wartime’ emergency mode after cluster of new coronavirus infections

A Beijing district put itself on a "wartime" footing and the capital banned tourism and sports events on Saturday after a cluster of novel coronavirus infections centred around a major…

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Indonesia reports 1,111 new COVID-19 cases, 48 deaths

Indonesia reported on Friday 1,111 new coronavirus infections and 48 new deaths, taking the total number of cases to 36,406 and fatalities to 2,048, health ministry official Achmad Yurianto said.…

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China to strengthen global cooperation in COVID-19 vaccine trials

China will strengthen international cooperation in future COVID-19 clinical vaccine trials, building on earlier collaboration in vaccine development, the science and technology minister said. China is expending great efforts in the global scramble to…

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