Asia

Fears of new coronavirus outbreak in China

An untraced coronavirus outbreak in a Chinese city near the Russian border and a spate of new cases in Wuhan has prompted fears of a fresh wave of infections in…

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Six soldiers killed in roadside bomb attack in Pakistan

Six paramilitary soldiers were killed and four wounded in Pakistan's southwestern province of Balochistan in a roadside bomb attack on their vehicle, according to officials from the region. The incident…

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Photo Story: Tribute in the Philippines to fontliners in fight against coronavirus pandemic

A local artist hangs a sign on a building where an image of local superhero character 'Darna' in a healthworker's uniform is being painted in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines…

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India and Bangladesh prepare for impact of Cyclone Amphan

India began evacuating thousands of villagers and halted port operations ahead of a cyclone expected to hit its east coast this week, piling pressure on emergency services grappling with the…

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China says premature to immediately begin a COVID-19 investigation

China’s foreign ministry said on Monday it was premature to immediately launch an investigation into the origins and spread of the coronavirus that has killed more than 300,000 people globally.…

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India reports over 5,000 new cases in largest single-day spike

India recorded 5,242 new cases of Covid-19 in the past 24 hours -- the country’s biggest single-day spike in confirmed infections. The total number of confirmed cases in the country…

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Japan slips into recession

Japan's economy slipped into recession for the first time in 4-1/2 years, putting the nation on course for its deepest postwar slump as the coronavirus crisis ravages businesses and consumers. Monday's first-quarter…

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South Korean football team apologises for using sex dolls to fill stands

A professional football team in South Korea has apologised after “mannequins” it used as substitute fans during a match at the weekend turned out to be sex dolls. The K-League…

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China reports seven new coronavirus infections

China reported seven new confirmed coronavirus cases for May 17, up from five a day earlier, the country’s health authority said on Monday. Of the new cases, the northeastern province…

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Flamingo Colony – India

Colonies of flamingos crowd the muddy area in Navi Mumbai, India 17 May 2020. Migratory birds arrive in the winter season from different parts of India and neighboring countries and…

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India to extend lockdown; eases restrictions

India’s government on Sunday (May 17) extended its nationwide lockdown until May 31, while further easing restrictions in certain sectors to boost economic activity as coronavirus cases escalate across the…

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Photo Story: Hanoi reopens tourist attractions

A little girl plays with soap bubbles at a pedestrian street around Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi, Vietnam 17 May 2020. Hanoi reopened many tourist attractions after a long shutdown…

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China urges food companies to boost supplies on fears of further COVID-19 disruption

China has asked trading firms and food processors to boost inventories of grains and oilseeds as a possible second wave of coronavirus cases and worsening infection rates elsewhere raise concerns…

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Nepal records first coronavirus-related death

Nepal recorded its first coronavirus-related death, the country’s health ministry said late Saturday. The victim was a 29-year-old woman from a district bordering the capital, Kathmandu, the ministry said in…

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China, S. Korea consult Japan on easing business-travel curbs

China and South Korea have consulted Japan about easing border controls on business travellers to help revive business activities, the Yomiuri newspaper reported on Sunday without citing sources. The idea,…

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Thailand extends ban on international flights until end of June

Thailand extended a ban on international passenger flights until the end of June, the country's aviation regulator said. The Civil Aviation Authority's, which comes as new cases in the country…

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China remains vulnerable to second wave of coronavirus due to lack of immunity

Dr. Zhong Nanshan, the top respiratory authority in China, says the country still faces a "big challenge" of a potential second wave of Covid-19 infections. "The majority of ... Chinese…

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China urges US to stop unreasonable suppression of Huawei

Beijing has urged the United States to stop the "unreasonable suppression of Huawei and Chinese enterprises" after Washington announced new export controls to restrict the tech giant's access to semiconductor…

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TESCO investigation found abuses against migrant workers at stores in Malaysia and Thailand

U.K.-based multinational groceries chain Tesco PLC has found abuses against migrant workers at its stores and distribution centres in Malaysia and Thailand, it said in its annual modern slavery statement.…

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Photo Story: Kyoto’s traditional Aoi festival held to overcome the pandemic

A Shinto priest performs a ritual during the Aoi Festival at Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, Japan, 15 May 2020. Aoi Festival, one of Kyoto's three main festivals, was conducted but…

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Wheat production in India

Indian laborers arrange wheat sacks at a wholesale market in Bhopal, India, 15 May 2020. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi has announced a 266 billion US dollar stimulus package…

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Residents express concern as Wuhan revs up massive Covid-19 testing campaign

As Wuhan, the Chinese city where the COVID-19 pandemic began, revs up a massive testing campaign, some residents crowding the test centres expressed concern on Saturday that the very act…

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Photo Story: The Philippines battered by Typhoon Vongfong

A Filipino villager manoeuvres on rising sea water due to an approaching typhoon at a coastal village in Cavite City, Philippines, 15 May 2020. Typhoon Vongfong, the first tropical storm…

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Singapore’s Temasek joins Facebook-backed Libra project

Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings has joined the Facebook-backed Libra digital currency project which has faced intense scrutiny from global regulators worried its launch could erode national control over money.…

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Photo story: Nature in Nepal

A resident yellow-breasted greenfinch passerine bird perches on a stalk at a forest in Kathmandu, Nepal, 14 May 2020. Nepal is one of the destinations for the summer and winter…

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Thai Airways set to file for bankruptcy

The logo of Thai Airways is seen inside a terminal of the Suvarnabhumi International airport in Bangkok, Thailand, 15 May 2020. Thai Airways International (THAI) is set to file for…

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Philippines’ coronavirus infections top 12,000, deaths pass 800 mark

The number of novel coronavirus cases in the Philippines’ has passed the 12,000 mark, and more than 800 people have now died, the health ministry said on Friday. In a…

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Trump says he could cut China ties

US President Donald Trump signalled a further deterioration of his relationship with China over the novel coronavirus, saying he has no interest in speaking to President Xi Jinping right now…

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China says it has tested almost a third of its citizens in Wuhan for coronavirus

China’s Wuhan said on Friday it has tested over 3 million of its 11 million citizens for the coronavirus, as it seeks to test all residents after a cluster of…

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China says it will step up testing to prevent COVID-19 rebound

China said on Thursday it will step up COVID-19 testing and screening to prevent a rebound of the coronavirus epidemic that has killed more than 4,600 in its mainland territories.…

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India plans to bring 30,000 stranded citizens home in a single week

Indian authorities said they will evacuate 30,000 more citizens stranded abroad due to the novel coronavirus pandemic -- the second phase of a massive operation to bring Indians home from…

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Photo Story: COVID-19 cases in Singapore increase to over 26,000

Singapore’s health ministry reported 752 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, taking city-state’s total to 26,098. As the number of COVID-19 coronavirus cases in the local community fall, Singapore will start…

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Coronavirus treatment trial using recovered patients’ blood could start in Japan in July

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd could start a clinical trial as early as July for a potential treatment of COVID-19 that is based on antibodies from recovered patients’ blood, company executives…

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Fears of an emerging 2nd wave of COVID-19 in Asia

Fears of a second surge of coronavirus infections are forcing early-hit countries to rethink plans for re-opening as new cases come to light. China is now testing millions of people to catch…

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China begins testing every resident in Wuhan

At least one community in the Chinese city of Wuhan was to begin testing residents for the new coronavirus Thursday after officials were given 10 days to test everyone in…

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Locally transmitted cases confirmed in Hong Kong for the first time in 22 days

Hong Kong officials confirmed that two new locally transmitted coronavirus cases have been recorded in the city, for the first time in 22 days. "After 22 days of no locally transmitted…

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CIA believes China tried to stop WHO declaring public emergency as it hoarded medical supplies

Newsweek reports that the CIA believes China tried to prevent the World Health Organization from sounding the alarm on the coronavirus outbreak in January—a time when Beijing was stockpiling…

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China’s Jilin city imposes travel restrictions after new coronavirus cases

The northeast Chinese city of Jilin is imposing fresh restrictions on travel in order to contain a new coronavirus outbreak, with six new cases reported on Tuesday. Jilin has…

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Seven new coronavirus cases in mainland China

China reported seven new coronavirus infections on the mainland on May 12, versus one a day earlier, the national health authority said on Wednesday, with six local cases in northeastern…

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Newborns among 16 dead in Kabul hospital attack

Gunmen disguised as police attacked a hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul on Tuesday, killing 16 people including two newborn babies from a maternity clinic run by the international humanitarian…

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Chinese mainland reports no new locally- transmitted COVID-19 cases

Chinese health authority said Tuesday that no new domestically transmitted COVID-19 cases were reported on the Chinese mainland on Monday. One imported case was reported in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous…

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Iraqi women denied their property by relatives, tribes and militias – NRC

Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi women displaced by war remain unable to return to their homes because of systemic injustices that prevent them from proving or claiming ownership of their…

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India to restart some passenger trains even though coronavirus infections jump

India announced a limited re-opening of its giant rail network beginning on Tuesday after a nearly seven-week lockdown, despite also reporting its biggest single-day jump in coronavirus cases. Prime Minister…

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China’s health authority to tighten rules on laboratory controls

China will require local health authorities to tighten their supervision over how virus strains and their samples are handled in labs, the National Health Commission said in a draft…

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Photo story: Coronavirus infections in the Philippines now reach over 11,000 cases

Confirmed coronavirus infections in the Philippines have broken past the 11,000 mark, the health ministry said on Monday. In a bulletin, the health ministry reported 292 additional cases, bringing the…

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Photo Story: Disneyland Shanghai reopens

Performers dance to welcome tourists in the Disneyland theme park in Shanghai, China, 11 May 2020, the first opening day after the prolonged closure due to the coronavirus pandemic. Disneyland…

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South Korea nightclub clusters spark fears of second wave

At least 85 coronavirus patients in South Korea are believed to have contracted the virus in nightclubs in recent weeks, prompting authorities to order the businesses shuttered. On Saturday, all…

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China refutes 24 ‘lies’ by U.S. politicians over coronavirus

China has issued a lengthy rebuttal of what it said were 24 “preposterous allegations” by some leading U.S. politicians over its handling of the new coronavirus outbreak. The Chinese foreign…

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New infections in Wuhan, China

China reported 17 new COVID-19 cases in the mainland on May 10, rising from a day earlier and marking the highest daily increase since April 28, highlighting the difficulty in…

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Photo Story: Recyclable waste accumulates in South Korea

Recyclable waste is piled at a storage yard in Suwon, south of Seoul, South Korea. The amount of recyclable waste is explosively increasing amid the coronavirus crisis. Via EPA-EFE/YONHAP…

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Photo Story: Four-legged robot in Singapore to assist with Covid-19 social distancing measures

A handout photo released by the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) of a four-legged robot named Spot which broadcasts a recorded message to remind people to observe safe distancing…

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New coronavirus outbreak in South Korea linked to Seoul nightclubs

South Korean health authorities are investigating a small but growing coronavirus outbreak centred in a handful of Seoul nightclubs, seeking to keep infections in check as the country moves to…

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China study finds 5% to 15% of Covid-19 cases test positive again

Among recovered Chinese Covid-19 patients, about 5% to 15% may have tested positive again, a Chinese study found. The rate of reactivation in China varied among different places, with some…

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Large number of COVID-19 cases among Afghan medics

More than a third of confirmed coronavirus cases in the Afghan capital have been among doctors and other healthcare staff, two senior health officials said, in a sign that the…

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China ‘open to cooperate’ with WHO on virus origin

China has said it is “always open to cooperate” with World Health Organisation (WHO) investigations into the origins of the coronavirus, as Donald Trump repeated claims that the outbreak…

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Pakistan coronavirus cases surge past 25,000

Coronavirus cases in Pakistan surged past 25,000 on Friday, just hours before the government was due to lift lockdown measures, with the country reporting some of the biggest daily…

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India train crushes migrant workers killing 14

An Indian train ran over migrant workers sleeping on the track on Friday, killing at least 14 of the group, who were apparently on their way to their home…

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