Asia

India’s health system is at risk of being overwhelmed

India’s health system is at risk of being overwhelmed by Covid-19 spread. In Mumbai’s Sion hospital emergency ward there are two people to a bed. With 52,667 cases, and 1,695…

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UK could offer citizenship to British National (Overseas) passport holders in Hong Kong

The UK could offer British National (Overseas) passport holders in Hong Kong a path to UK citizenship if China does not suspend plans for a security law in the territory,…

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U.S. indicts North Koreans, accuses state-owned bank of evading sanctions

The U.S. Justice Department accused North Korea's state-owned bank of evading U.S. sanctions laws and charged 28 North Korean and five Chinese citizens in its largest crackdown on North Korea…

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China plans to extend curbs on international flights until June 30

Chinese civil aviation authorities plan to extend until June 30 their curbs on international flights imposed to restrain the spread of the coronavirus, the U.S. embassy in Beijing said in…

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Japan reports biggest one-day jump in cases in two weeks, raising fears of second wave

Japan reported 63 new coronavirus cases and seven new deaths on Thursday -- the biggest one-day jump in infections since May 14. Of the new cases on Thursday, 21 came…

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Philippines records its highest daily infection rate

Residents in Manila will see their lockdown – one of the toughest and longest in the world – ease from Monday, despite the Philippines seeing its biggest spike in coronavirus…

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China reports no new coronavirus cases

China reported no new confirmed coronavirus cases in the mainland as of the end of May 28, down from two a day earlier, the country’s health authority said on Friday.…

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Photo Story: Lightning over Kolkata

Lightning strike in the late evening with strong wind and heavy rain over Kolkata, Eastern India, 27 May 2020. Via EPA-EFE/PIYAL ADHIKARY

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Photo story: Thai restaurant set up cardboard figures to remind social distancing rules

Diners sit next to cardboard dragons, shaped after the restaurant’s mascot, at Bar-B-Q Plaza restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand. The cut-outs were placed in specific seats for people to abide by…

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China to remain vigilant against any rebound in COVID-19 cases

China should remain vigilant and prevent any rebound in the COVID-19 epidemic, Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday, adding that no cover-up of the coronavirus cases will be allowed. China…

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Maldives to reopen on July 1

One of the world's most expensive holiday destinations is set to become even more costly as the Maldives plans to introduce compulsory COVID-19 testing for all arrivals, among a raft…

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South Korea tightens coronavirus restrictions after new spike in cases

Officials in South Korea have re-implemented lockdown measures in the metropolitan area of Seoul, home to half the country’s 52 million population, following the biggest spike in infections in nearly…

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Thailand may lose 2 million jobs due to coronavirus

Thailand may lose up to 2 million jobs this year, particularly in the tourist industry, as the novel coronavirus outbreak undermines economic activity, the state planning agency said on Thursday.…

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Britain temporarily closes its embassy in North Korea

Britain has temporarily closed its embassy in North Korea and all its diplomatic staff have left the country, the UK ambassador said on Thursday, the latest foreign delegation to leave…

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China parliament adopts plan to impose security law on Hong Kong

China's rubber-stamp parliament endorsed plans Thursday to impose a national security law on Hong Kong that critics say will destroy the city’s autonomy. Over 2,800 members of the National People's…

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South Korea coronavirus cases jump to highest since early April

South Korea reported 79 new coronavirus cases on Thursday, the most since April 5 and the third straight day of rising infections, raising the spectre of a second wave of…

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Riot police deployed across Hong Kong as U.S.-China tensions rise

Riot police were deployed across Hong Kong on Thursday as lawmakers debated a bill that would criminalise disrespect of China's national anthem, and as the United States piled pressure on…

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Photo Story: Reopening of elementary schools in South Korea

A teacher checks a first grader's temperature at Dongdo Elementary School in Daegu, South Korea, 27 May 2020. Kindergarten, elementary schools, middle school seniors and High school second grader nationwide…

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Vietnam to readmit foreigners

Vietnam will resume issuing e-visas to citizens from 80 countries from 1 July, the government announced, though it was unclear whether quarantine measures would be lifted. The country imposed a…

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Photo Story: Robot to help fight coronavirus pandemic in South Korea

An autonomous robot (C) from SK Telecom and Omron Electronics Korea Co, used for screening and body temperature checks, is seen during a demonstration event at the SK telecom headquarters…

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India faces its worst locust swarm in nearly 30 years

Indian authorities sent out drones and tractors to track desert locusts and spray them with insecticides, in one of the worst locust swarms seen by the country in nearly 30 years.…

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South Korea reports biggest daily jump in almost 50 days

South Korea South Korea has reported 40 new coronavirus cases for its biggest daily jump in nearly 50 days, causing alarm in a country where millions of children are returning…

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Hong Kong police fire pepper pellets as protests flare in financial heart

Hong Kong riot police fired pepper pellets on Wednesday to disperse protesters in the heart of the global financial centre, where Beijing's proposed national security laws have revived anti-government demonstrations.…

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Tokyo residents take to the streets as Japan ends state of emergency

A day after Japan ended its state of emergency, Tokyo residents took to the streets with a mixture of relief and trepidation as they prepared for a "new normal" of living with…

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Coronavirus is for China what Chernobyl was for Russia – Whitehouse official

A top White House official on Sunday likened China's handling of the coronavirus outbreak to the Soviet Union's cover-up of the meltdown at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in 1986.…

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Wuhan Institute of Virology director speaks out on virus possible origins

Claims promoted by US President Donald Trump that the global coronavirus pandemic originated at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in the central Chinese city are "pure fabrication," the institute's director said. Wang…

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China open to international cooperation to identify Covid-19 origins, tells US to stop wasting time in its fight

China is "open" to international cooperation to identify the source of the novel coronavirus but any investigation must be "free of political interference", China's foreign minister said Sunday. However he…

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Police fire tear gas to disperse protestors in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse thousands protesting on Sunday against Beijing’s plan to directly impose national security laws on the city, signalling a return…

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Pakistan airliner flight data recorder retrieved

The flight data recorder from the Pakistani airliner that crashed into a residential neighbourhood of Karachi has been found, an official said on Saturday, as the death toll rose to…

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China’s new Hong Kong laws – “flagrant breach” of agreement

Nearly 200 political figures from around the world on Saturday decried Beijing's proposed national security laws for Hong Kong, including 17 members of the U.S. Congress, as international tensions grow…

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Photo Story: Animal shelter in Bangkok promotes fostering during the Coronavirus pandemic

A cat named Vood, who had three operations after it had boiling oil poured over its back, walks in the infirmary at PAWS (Pet Animal Welfare Society) Bangkok in Bangkok,…

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Last HK governor says China has betrayed Hong Kong

China has betrayed the people of Hong Kong so the West should stop kowtowing to Beijing for an illusory great pot of gold, said Chris Patten, the last governor of…

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Cyclone Amphan loss estimated at $13 bln in India, may rise in Bangladesh

A powerful cyclone that tore through India's eastern state of West Bengal this week has caused a damage of 1 trillion rupees ($13 billion) to infrastructure and crops, state officials…

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Sinovac says it has started mid-stage human trials of COVID-19 vaccine

Sinovac Biotech Ltd said it had started mid-stage human trials of its experimental coronavirus vaccine in China earlier this month. The China-based company said it has received $15 million in…

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Philippines reports 6 coronavirus deaths, 180 more cases

The Philippines on Saturday recorded six additional coronavirus deaths and 180 more infections, the health ministry said. In a bulletin, the ministry said total infections have risen to 13,777, while…

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Experts sceptical after Chinese researchers report positive vaccine results

Researchers in China reported results from one of the first Covid-19 vaccine trials Friday, but experts who spoke to CNN were skeptical of their findings and called the data lukewarm.…

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At least two passengers survive Pakistan air crash

One of the survivors of Friday's plane crash in the Pakistani city of Karachi has described his ordeal, saying all he could see "was fire". Passenger Muhammad Zubair was one…

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China reports no new coronavirus cases on May 22, first time since pandemic began

China recorded no new confirmed COVID-19 cases on the mainland for May 22, down from four the previous day, the National Health Commission (NHC) said in a statement on…

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China drops word ‘peaceful’ in latest push for Taiwan ‘reunification’

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang left out the word "peaceful" on Friday in referring to Beijing's desire to "reunify" with Chinese-claimed Taiwan, an apparent policy shift that comes as ties with…

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Photo Story: Pre-wedding photos near the Forbidden City

A couple pose for their pre-wedding photos near the Forbidden City on the first day of China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) in Beijing, China, 22 May 2020. China held the…

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Photo Story: Graduating in times of the coronavirus pandemic

A Filipino teacher checks a picture of a student shown on a tablet that is attached to robot during a graduation ceremony at a school in Taguig City, Philippines, 22…

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China says illegal hunting and trading of wild animals will be severely punished

China will severely punish the illegal hunting and trading of wild animals, it said in its government work report issued on Friday, as it tries to implement a ban imposed…

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India reports biggest 24-hour rise in virus cases as lockdown eases

India registered some 6,000 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Friday, the country's biggest jump in 24 hours, as New Delhi eases a nationwide lockdown and airlines prepare to…

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Activists call for Hong Kong to rise up against new security laws

Hong Kong activists called on Friday for people to rise up against Beijing's plans to impose national security legislation in the city, prompting alarm that the new laws could erode…

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UPDATED: Pakistan says passenger jet with 107 persons on board crashed on residential area

An passenger jet, which tracking website flightradar24.com identified as a 15-year-old Airbus A320, operated by Pakistan International Airlines crashed with 107 people on board, the country’s Civil Aviation Authority said.…

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China set to impose new Hong Kong security law, Trump warns of strong U.S. reaction

China is set to impose new national security legislation on Hong Kong after last year’s pro-democracy unrest, a Chinese official said on Thursday, drawing a warning from President Donald Trump…

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Strides Pharma to conduct trials in India for potential COVID-19 drug

Indian pharmaceutical company Strides Pharma Science Ltd said on Thursday it has got regulatory approval to conduct clinical trials of antiviral drug favipiravir, considered a potential treatment for COVID-19. The…

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Cambodia lifts entry ban from six countries as coronavirus eases

Cambodia has lifted a ban on entry of visitors from Iran, Italy, Germany, Spain, France and the United States that had been put in place to curb the spread of…

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Wuhan city bans eating wild animals

The city at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak has officially banned eating wild animals. A notice on the Wuhan municipal government’s website on Wednesday said that it is now…

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India is set to resume domestic flights

India is set to resume domestic flights two months after the government imposed a lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus. The flights will start from next Monday “in a…

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Cyclone in India, Bangladesh leaves trail of death and destruction

A powerful cyclone pounded eastern India and Bangladesh on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people and destroying thousands of homes, officials said, leaving authorities struggling to mount relief efforts amid…

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China says Pompeo’s congratulations to Taiwan seriously damaged relations

China's foreign ministry said on Wednesday U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo seriously damaged the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait and China-U.S. relations by making a congratulatory statement…

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India reports more than 5,600 new cases in biggest one-day jump

India recorded 5,611 new coronavirus cases today -- its biggest one-day jump since the pandemic started, according to the country's Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. This past weekend, India…

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India and Bangladesh brace for massive cyclone

Heavy rains and winds have been reported in eastern India and Bangladesh, with a super cyclone expected to make landfall in hours. Amphan is one of the biggest storms in…

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Photo Story: The ‘New Normal’ in schools in South Korea

Students wait for class to begin with plastic boards placed on their desks at Jeonmin High School in Daejeon, South Korea, 20 May 2020. Schools across the country reopened for…

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Singapore sentences man to death via Zoom call

A man has been sentenced to death in Singapore via a Zoom video-call for his role in a drug deal, the city-state’s first case where capital punishment has been delivered…

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Taiwan president rejects Chinese rule, calls for talks to coexist

Taiwan cannot accept becoming part of China under its "one country, two systems" offer of autonomy, President Tsai Ing-wen said on Wednesday, in a strong rejection of China's sovereignty claim,…

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